TERRESTRIAL INDIA BROWN ALE ~ WELLINGTON BREWERY

5.9% from Guelph, Ontario

Terrestrial Brown Ale was originally brewed as A Well One-Off, to be a bridge between trend and tradition, it has now been Re-Booted. It is billed as an India Brown Ale. Sampled on draught the beer poured a clear rich mahogany brown with an average foamy beige head, with good retention and nice lacing. The aroma had notes of roasted caramel, an earthiness, grainy malt, nuttiness, cocoa, citrus -leafy -floral- grassy hops ( a blend of five hops: Chinook, Cascade, Centennial, Sorachi Ace and Amarillo). The favour has some nice caramel malt sweetness alongside a plethora of hop flavours (leafy-citrus, floral, earthy). Notes of cereals, nuttiness, bread crusts, and subtle dark fruit, and perhaps a touch of cocoa are to be found too. A decent amount of hop bitterness is to be found on the finish. The body is average and the beer has a smooth creamy texture. Carbonation is pleasant and average. I quite liked this hoppy brown, a nice crossover.

RHUBARB SAISON ~ WELLINGTON

New label, old recipe. This is part of the Wellington Re-boot series. Re-boots are beers that were initially released as a one offs but enjoyed enough success to be revisited and rereleased. This rhubarb saison was initially “Farmers Market Rhubarb Saison.” It is made with over 200 pounds of locally sourced spring rhubarb. Sampled on draught, the beer poured a hazy bright apricot-amber colour with a generous white head, the left cap but no lacing as it receded. Lots of Belgian farmhouse yeast spiciness, florals, and a little rhubarb tartness on the nose. The flavour had a subtle rhubarb acidic tartness with a very weizen-like (banana and spicy yeast) background. The finish was dry and slightly tart. Delicate but refreshing.

5.1% from Guelph, Ontario

AGAINST THE CURRANT ~ WELLINGTON 

“Against the Currant” is a Kettle sour with local Ontario black currants. It was made in collaboration with “Escarpment Laboratories,” with whom Wellington shares their facilities with; they provide many local brewers with a local yeast source. Kettle souring uses lactobacillus to lower the pH of the beer in the kettle, which produces lactic acid. When the desired sourness is achieved, the kettle is then boiled to kill remaining lactobacillus. Sampled on draught the beer poured a moderately clear slightly pinkish colour with a thin white head, which receded quickly. The nose contains black currants and some grassiness and grains. The beer was sour without being puckering. The currants give it a little sweetness but don’t impede on the tartness – a few notes of lemon are also apparent. The carbonation was moderate-soft and the body was light. I really enjoyed this, I found it very refreshing, and the tart and sweet were well balanced. This summer has been super hot with heat warnings for weeks on end, this one hits the spot.

5.5 % from Guelph, Ontario

ROOT DOWN ~ WELLINGTON BREWERY 

Root Down is a small batch one-off Ginger Beer (brewed with ginger and Bee balm leaves) in the Welly one-off series. Sampled on draught, the beer poured clear orange-golden amber with a small white head. The nose and the flavour are both very ginger forward. The ginger is on the sweet side and less the heat side, there is no burn as it slips down your throat – reminds me at first of ginger ale. Subtly hidden behind all the ginger are a nice sweet malt and some other spicy notes. The taste is smoother than expected, but is not a session beer (as advertised) for me. I would have been better off with a half pint, as I began to find the ginger a little cloying as the beer warmed. The carbonation was lively and the body was medium. Pleasant drinking, worth a try.

5% from Guelph, Ontario

IRISH BOOT ~ WELLINGTON BREWERY

Sampled on draught, this Irish Red ale poured slightly hazy deep brown with copper highlights. It had almost no head and the carbonation was very soft, verging on flat. It had a robust nose full of malts, and fruity esters. The taste contained rich roasted malts and lots of orchard fruit, especially plums. The brew also contained notes of molasses and sweetness reminiscent of Belgian yeast. The finish was semi-clean with a lingering pleasant burnt bitterness and sweetness. This seems to be a one off, I can find no record of it in the net. A pleasant brew after along day.

5.6% from Guelph, Ontario

WELLINGTON SPA ~ WELLINGTON

This SPA is Wellington Brewery’s best selling beer. Its recipe is patterned on British Pale Ales, with malty grains balanced with delicate hops. Sampled on draught, the beer poured a slightly cloudy amber honey colour with a rich white froth, which left minimal lacing as the head disappeared. The nose contained notes of light roasted malts, delicate florals, caramel, earthiness and English hops (much more delicate than their North American cousins). The taste has roasted malts in the foreground with a touch of caramel and a very subtle nuttiness. The malts were balanced with bitterness from laid back, spicy English Hops. The body is light, there is medium to low carbonation and the beer has a pleasant creaminess. A good traditional offering from Wellington Brewery. Quite sessionable.
4.5% from Guelph, Ontario 22 IBU

2015: A SPICE ODYSSEY ~ WELLINGTON

I bought and drank this the day that Bowie died.  It seemed fitting.  Sampled in a Bomber bottle, this is a Chai Tea Latte Stout.  Originally brewed in 2014 by an all female brewing team, what was meant to be a Welly One-off has now become a Welly re-boot.  The spices used were donated by the Bollywood Bistro and a portion of the sales go to help women in crisis.  The beer pours a very dark brown, almost black, with a finger of beige head.  The head lasted quite a while and left some thin lacing.  The nose had sweet chai spice, chocolate, nutmeg, cinnamon, and roasted malts.  The flavour began and dark roasted malts and dark chocolate, followed by hints a lovely spiciness, including vanilla, cinnamon, ginger and cloves.  The finish was dry and the cinnamon lingered.  Good medium mouthful and flavour.  Overall a nicely balanced, not over done beer.  Will have this again - it is a good sipper on a winters night.  Cheers Ziggy.

 7% from Guelph, Ontario      17 IBU

CUCKOO FOR COCOA HUSKS ~ WELLINGTON

This Chocolate Porter is a Welly Re-Boot. Originally made as a Welly one-off they have revisited and remade this delicious Christmassy beverage. Sampled on draught, the beer poured almost black with a tinge of red, with a tan head, that left some lacing. Nose contained lots of chocolate, roasted malts, coffee with hints of berries buried in the background. Roasted malts and dark chocolate (cocoa nibs were added directly to the mash) first dominated the flavour, with a subtle sweetness and perhaps even a soupçon of vanilla. The acidity adds a liqueur like quality to the brew. Finish has a gentle bitterness. Nicely balanced, very quaffable! Label created by cartoonist Jay Stevens.

6% from Guelph, Ontario

COUNTY DARK ALE ~ WELLINGTON

Sampled on draught. The brown ale poured a deep brown with ruby red highlights and good sized tan head which left some lacing. The nose contained sweet malt, caramel, a touch of chocolate and toast. The taste echoed the nose with lots of malty sweetness, caramel, toasted bread and a dried fruit notes. A very slight bitterness was detectable at the end. The carbonation was moderate, and the beer was easy to drink. A pleasant enough English dark ale. This is Wellington’s most decorated beer.

5% from Guelph, Ontario

AUTUMN SPICED HARVEST ALE ~ WELLINGTON

Sampled on cask. Autumn Spiced Ale, is a Welly one-off. It poured a murky coppery orange colour with a frothy off- white head. Nose had spices with sweet malts and a touch of the woods. The taste was much the same, lots of cinnamon, all spice and nutmeg, with sweet lightly roasted malts, subtle citrus and an earthy note. It had medium carbonation and body. Very pleasant.

5.3% from Guelph, Ontario

CRABBY QUEENA CRABAPPLE SAISON ~ WELLINGTON

Crabby Queena is a Wellington one-off made for the autumn of 2015.  It pours light amber with a subtle touch of pink.  The nose is fresh crab apple and spice; both are present but not overpowering.  This was an enjoyable quaff, the spice and apple were nicely balanced and neither overpowered the delicate flavours of a harvest saison.   The finish was crisp and dry.  Enjoyed this but wondered if it may have been improved with a little sourness. 

5% from Guelph, Ontario