BROWN PLUS ~ BLACK BELLOWS

7% from Collingwood, Ontario 

23 IBU

Brown Plus is a Belgian Dubbel that has been soured and aged in a Collingwood Whiskey barrel. The beer pours a hazy light brown colour. Fruit, malts, sweetness and tart sourness are found on the nose. The taste features notes of tart dark cherries and other fruits, a touch of oak, a little coffee and a moderate malt backbone. The melange of flavours almost give it a sweet and sour quality. The barrel ageing enhances the flavour and lends a little complexity. The finish is clean and the body is moderate-light. The lightness makes this easy drinking, despite the warming alcohol. Worth a try.

RICHARD FINGERS AND THE HANDFULS: HOBO JUNGLE ~ SAWDUST CITY

This limited release is the 6th is Sawdust City’s Winewood Series. It is a blend of two different beer styles, both barrelled in Ontario red wine barrels, one for 20 months and the other for 24 months. The bottles are then bottle conditioned for an additional three months. Sampled on draught, the beer poured an opaque medium rusty red, with a modest off white head. The nose had tons of tart orchard fruit, cherry, with some subtle wood, earthiness, funk and vinous qualities. The taste reminded me of a Flander’s Red. It was lightly sour, with a vinous-vinegar notes, along with lots of fruit, a base of caramel malt, and subtle notes of oakiness and funk. THE finish has tannic tea like quality, the body was medium and the carbonation was on the soft side. This was very flavourful and quite drinkable.

9% from Gravenhurst, Ontario 22 IBU

Photo courtesy of Sawdust City

BEAU’S ~ IRON SHIRT

6.8% from Vankleek Hill, Ontario

Iron Shirt was a Beau’s Fe’brew’ary release. It is a collaboration with Montreal’s Brasserie et Distillerie Oshlag. The collaboration, one among many, is a celebration of Canada’a 150th birthday. The beer is a pale ale brewed with ice wine vidal grapes that has been aged on oak spirals that have been soaked in Oshlag’s hopped vodka. Sampled on draught the beer poured a hazy bright yellow gold with a good white head. The lasted a while before leaving scant lacing on the glass. The nose had bright citrusy notes, along with grape, apple (and orchard fruits), malts, a hint of resin and a touch of oak. The flavour is crisp with notes of grapes, fruit, woodsiness, malt and a balanced citrus and pine hop bitterness. The finish is dry with some lingering bitterness. The body is medium and the carbonation was average to lively. An interesting brew.

HANSEL AND BRETT’LE ~ FORKED RIVER

Hansel and Brett’le is a farmhouse ale that has been aged in Ontario VQA Chardonnay casks for a half a year. Sampled on draught the ale poured a hazy bright golden yellow, with an ample loose white head. The head sticks around for a while before receding into a cap and collar. The nose had lots of vinous notes, as well as lemony citrus, apple, oakiness, earthiness and subtle malt and funk. The taste contained sweet grains, a slight wortiness, lemony citrus, pretty tartness, apple cider, chardonnay and oak notes. There was a little funk on the end. The finish is crisp, clean and dry. The body was light and the carbonation was lively. I enjoyed this beer, nicely balanced, and all (the brett, the barrels…) is done in moderation. Very refreshing.
4.9% from London, Ontario

BARRELSHED No.1 ~ SHAWN & ED BREWING

6.5% from Dundas, Ontario 

49 IBU

Sampled on draught, the beer poured a amber-ruby colour with a moderate white head. The nose had American hops in the front with more floral, herbal English hops in the background, biscuits grains and caramel are also present. The beer is fairly easy drinking and follows the profile of the aroma: American hops giving it citrus, pine, grapefruit and fruity notes and the English hops lending a more herbal flavour. Hints of caramel, and fruitiness are also present. There is very subtle indication that this was barrel aged in the finish, with a tiny bit of oakiness and wine, otherwise the finish is balanced with a little residual sweetness and hop bitterness. Pleasant enough, could use more time in the barrel.

CUVÉE ~ NICKEL BROOK

Cuvee is an auburn ale, brewed with both North American and European malts, Caribbean demerara, fruits (figs, orange peel, raisin), herbs and spice (cinnamon, all spice, black pepper, cardamom and vanilla beans) and then aged in bourbon barrels. Good fresh and great for cellaring. Sampled on draught, the brew poured a very murky brown, with a finger’s height of puffy frothy beige head, which left some leggy lacing. The aroma contained spices, white wine, dried fruit, dark fruit, herbal notes, sugar, roasted grains, citrus and subtle oak, bourbon and vanilla - wonderfully complex. The flavour was just as complex, with flavours of spice, fruit, Christmas cake, wine, caramel-sugar sweetness, orange peel with a tart finish and notes of pepper, vanilla and oaky bourbon. The beer had a medium to full body, lots of active carbonation, and a slightly drying finish. A delicious and complex beer, I would love to know what an aged bottle tastes like. Expensive but worth it!
8% from Burlington, Ontario

GRENDEL’S REVENGE ~

INDIE ALE HOUSE 

Grendel’s Revenge is part of the Fates & Furies Series and is a blend of an Old English Ale and a Flanders Sour Brown Ale. The beer is brewed with a house wild yeast strain and then aged in port, red wine and Medeira barrels for one to three years. Different vintages have been blended together for limited edition releases. I was lucky to have tried this on draught and have returned for several times to have some more. The ale pours a cloudy reddish amber brown colour with a small beige head, that left nice lacing. The nose is both sour and woody, with lots of vinous and dark fruity notes along with rich malt, spice, and other orchard fruits. The taste has a lovely complexity to it. It is rich, funky, tart and sweet. Again there are lots of wine and dried and fresh fruit notes on the palette, along with an oakiness, light spice, subtle brett and sweet malts. None of the flavours predominate. The beer is medium bodies with lazy carbonation and a smooth mouthfeel. The finish has a very mild bitterness with a long sour finish. Overall a beautiful beer.
8.5% from Toronto, Ontario IBU 25—30
Key Ingredients: Dry English Ale Yeast

RITUAL MADNESS ~ INDIE ALE HOUSE

Ritual Madness, a Flanders Dark Red Ale,  is another offering in Indie Ale House’s Fates and Furies Series. It is a traditional Belgian Flanders barrelled on grape must in red wine barrels. The final product was blended to achieve the final product. Sampled on drought the beer poured a clear dark coppery-red cola colour with a small off-white head. The nose has some complexity with notes of tart berries, wood, leather, musty and lactic notes. The flavour is a balance of sour, tart fruitiness and rich malts. Notes of cherries, and dark fruit, wood, and wine are also evident. The finish has a lingering tanginess. The body is medium to full, the carbonation was slightly soft and the alcohol is well hidden. A beautiful example of the style!
8% from Toronto, Ontario 20 IBU
Key Ingredients: Flanders Yeast, Belgian Malts, Wine Barrels

Photo Courtesy Of Indie Ale House

SUNKICKED ANEJO ~ INDIE ALE HOUSE

This brew is a barrel aged imperial wit. This is the second version being barrelled aged in tequila barrels instead of cognac barrels. Sampled on draught the beer poured a hazy laden orange with a finger off- white head. The head left very nice lacing as it receded into a cap. The aroma contained bread grains, tequila, wood, a bit of funk, booziness, and hints of floral and citrus. The flavour had lots of bread grains, sourness from the barrel aging, touch if funk, citrus notes, tequila, pepper, and a tart fruity quality. The finish has a citrusy bite and lots of warming alcohol. The body is medium and the carbonation was average to lively. An interesting treat - I was very pleasantly surprised.

8.1% from Toronto 10 IBU

GOLDEN CHARD ~ FORKED RIVER

Golden Chard is Forked Rivers Belgian Golden Ale (Golden Boy) that has been left to age in Southbrook Chardonnay barrels. Sampled on draught the beer poured a slightly cloudy pale golden hue with lots of effervescent fine bubbles and a small white head. The nose was quite tart with a little spice, notes of vinous grapes, cereal grains, and bretty funk also made an appearance. The taste was pleasantly soured but its aging - but not over done. The Chardonnay barrels lent a vinous quality and a little oakiness. The mouthfeel was a little buttery, and flavours did not disappoint. The carbonation was fine and lively and it had a medium body. The finish was clean and crisp. A complex little number, definitely worth a try.

6.2% from London, Ontario 15 IBU

Photo courtesy: Forked River Instagram

BIZARRE LOVE TRIANGLE ~ WEST AVENUE CIDER

West Avenue has no shortage of interesting and innovative ciders, along with some very good traditional ones. Bizarre Love Triangle was created using molasses, wintery spices and muscovado sugar and aged for a year in bourbon barrels. Sampled on draught the cider poured a slightly opaque rich golden amber. The flapper and the nose had complexity. The nose contained spices (cinnamon, cloves, etc) as well an a rich fruitiness along with the apples. The spice and the sweetness is cut by the tartness of the apples. A lovely woody nuttiness is evident from barrel aging. The cider is not heavily carbonated and has a lovely boozy warmth. A lovely winter bevvie!

7.2% from Flamborough, Ontario

Photo Courtesy of West Avenue Instagram

SILVER FERN ~ BEAU’S

Silver Fern is part of Beau’s Greener Futures Project and is usually only available to Beau’s beer Club members. It was a nice surprise to find it on draught at my local, thought it is a bit of a treat at $8 for 300 ml. The beer is Beau’s ‘Koru’ beer (a Belgian style pale and made using New Zealand nelson sauvin and rakau hops) aged in white wine barrels for four months. Sampled on draught the beer poured a slightly hazy dark golden colour with a dense white head. The aroma has a nice complexity to it: lemony citrus and tropical fruit mix with vinous and oaky woody notes from the barrel aging. More subtle notes of berries and nuts lie just underneath. The flavour is bright and fruity with a tart and slightly spicy peppery yeast. The mouthfeel was medium bodies, the carbonation was average and the finish was clean, refreshing and dry. The hops are nicely balanced with the brightness of the fruit and the oakiness. I really enjoyed this, it shows complexity but also restraint. I wish it were more available.
INGREDIENTS: Local spring water, organic barley malts, organic hops, brewer’s yeast.
6.3% from VanKleek Hills, Ontario

FIEBRE DE CALABAZA ~ SAWDUST CITY 

Fiebre De Calabaza is one crazy brew! It is a sour Bourbon barrel fermented oatmeal stout with Mexican spices and pumpkin on nitro. Sampled on draught at Sawdust City’s Annual tap takeover, this stout poured a deep mahogany brown-black with a generous pillowy beige head. The nose contains a plethora of smells: sour, spice, smoke, pumpkin, fruit, roasted malts, chocolate…. The taste is as complex. The beer’s first impression is that of a sour stout, with vinous dark fruit. This is followed by roasted malts, chocolate and cocoa and woody notes from the barrel aging and then finishes with heat from the Mexican spices and habanero at the back of your throat. The body is medium and the carbonation was average to light. There is a lot going on here, this is definitely a beer for the adventurous. Interesting but I could not have more than one.
6.5% from Gravenhurst, Ontario 35 IBU

FRAMBOISE ~ EXCHANGE BREWERY

This is another impressive beer from the Exchange Brewery. This is their interpretation of a traditional Belgian Pale Ale with raspberries. It was brewed with coriander seeds, aged for at least 3 months in French oak barrels (from Pearl Morissette Winery in Jordan) on a bed of fresh picked Niagara on the Lake raspberries (from Quiet Acres farm). Sampled on draught the beer poured a hazy reddish-pink hue with a small white head. The aroma is primarily fresh summery raspberries with a subtle laziness from the barrel aging. The raspberry notes are not overstated. The sweetness of the berries complements their tartness and subtle woodiness from the aging. The body is medium as is the carbonation and the finish is tart and off dry. This is a limited edition beer, so pick it up at the brewery or sample on draught when you can. A delish fruit beer.
7.6% (draft); 8% (bottle-conditioned) from Niagara on the Lake

Hops: Fuggle, Hallertau, and Saaz

Picture courtesy of the Exchange Brewery

INTERLOPER ~ INDIE ALE HOUSE

Interloper was a collaboration brew, created for Toronto Beer Week 2016 - so it is a limited edition. It is a barrel aged and blended non-traditional saison/farmhouse ale. The brewery describes it as “a complex, a mixture of cultural influences and tastes, balancing a rich flavour while being approachable for everyone.” – just like Toronto. Sampled on draught the pour was a hazy golden colour with a moderate white head, with great staying power. The nose contained some barnyard funk, grains, pale malts, tropical fruits and touch of wood from barrelling. Flavour also had funk, tropical fruits, grains, citrus and a touch of wine and the barrel. A little bitterness at the end finished the deal. The body was moderate as was the carbonation. Too bad, this one isn’t going to linger, Yum!

6.1% from Toronto, Ontario

BOURBON CASK DARK ALE ~ INNIS & GUNN

This beer has was brewed in small batches and then matured in oak bourbon cask for thirty days. Sampled from a bottle at room temperature, this beer poured a deep hazy chestnut brown with a small tan head. The head left wisps of lacing as it dissipated. The nose contained burned caramel malts, bourbon, treacle, vanilla, dark sweet bread, dark fruit and subtle wood tannins. The flavour has a lovely complexity with oaky bourbon, vanilla, caramel, dark fruits, sweet roasted malts, earthiness, a wisp of smoke, and subtle herbal hops. The beer is quite sweet and would be lovely with a cheese plate after dinner. The mouthfeel was smooth but slightly oily, carbonation was soft and the body was full. A lovely treat – worth hunting down.

7.4% from Glasgow, Scotland

BLACK SOW’R STOUT ~ OAST HOUSE

This is a bit of a crazy and daring brew…I have never had anything quite like this before. This beer is a sour stout aged in red wine barrels! Sampled on draught the beer poured a very dark brown –black with almost no head. The nose had quite a lot of complexity: roasted malts, red wine, wood, tart acidity, and dark fruits. The taste is really busy with tons going on. The first sip was very sour – a really tart sour. Dark fruits, currants, raisins, chocolate, caramel, licorice and coffee then follow the sourness. The finish returns to tart. The sourness from the first sip fades a little and the complexity of flavours emerges as the beer warms. The carbonation is soft and the body is on the thin side. A very interesting and innovative brew, but I would not want more than one. I think I would like this more if accompanied by food, perhaps some creamy blue cheese or Brie.

5.5% from Niagara on the Lake, Ontario

GOLDEN ALE ~ EXCHANGE BREWERY

This beer is a real treat – I look forward to more from this brewery. This golden ale is made in the style of Belgian Ale. It is brewed with Belgian house yeast and aged in French oak barrels with . Sampled on draught the beer poured a golden yellow with a white head, which left fabulous lacing. The nose was as complex as the taste with notes of white wine, slight sourness, light fruits, and a little funk. The taste had plenty of white wine (from being aged in Chardonnay barrels), Belgian yeasts, subtle fruitiness, vanilla, oak, hay and grassy hops. Beautifully complex and nicely balanced.

Hops: Cascade and Mosaic.
7.6% from Niagara on the Lake      33 IBU

DOLCIS SUCCUBUS ~ LE TROU DE DIABLE

This brew is worth every penny and it isn’t cheap! Dolcis Succubus is an American Wild Ale that had been aged for up to twelve months in California white wine barrels made of oak. In addition to the aging the beer is brewed with wild yeasts (Brettanomyces), giving it lots of complexity, and hopped with new world hops. Sampled on draught the beer poured a rich hazy golden orange with a dense white head, that left lovely lacing. The nose had noes is luxurious and rich, containing notes of green apples, apricot, wildflower honey, hay, a little funk and vanilla. The taste was as complex as the nose containing apricot, pear and apple, citrus, floral undertones, subtle oak, sweet wine, delicate vanilla. The hops were subtle and the bitterness did not linger. The carbonation was on the soft side and the beer had a slightly syrupy mouthfeel. I would say this was on the full side of medium bodied. This is a rich, complex and beautifully balanced beer. A treat at any price! Well worth it!

7% from Shawinigan, Quebec

DUNKELBACH ~ SIDE LAUNCH 

Dunkelbach is a special edition brew that is being served at select bars during a Side Launch tap takeover. This beer is a dark lager aged in Syrah casks. Sampled on draught the beer poured a deep brown with deep garnet highlights, with a modest mocha coloured head. The nose had notes of tart berries, caramel malt, wood, and wine. The beer has lots of wine notes on the palette, sour dark malts, tart berry and wood are also evident in the flavour. I found the beer to be quite acidic, at times verging on vinegary. The body was medium and the carbonation was very soft. I much preferred the bourbon barrel aged version.

5.8% from Collingwood, Ontario 15 IBU