STE. MARY’S AXE ~ CANADIAN BEST BETTER

Ste. Mary’s Axe is a brand new brewery in Toronto. Canadian Best Bitter is the premier offering. The beer is touted as being a traditional English bitter brewed with ‘modern’ hops (brewed with 6 malts and 6 varieties of both American and English hops). Sampled on draught the beer poured a clear coppery amber with a generous loose white head. The nose contained a variety of hop aromas (citrus, herbal, earthy and resiny) as well as caramel, fruit and bread crusts. The mouthfeel was quite drying at first followed some malt sweetness, and a ton of tropical fruit and peach. The beer is happier than a usual English bitter. The finish was dry and crisp. The beer was medium bodied with average carbonation. Not your average bitter, but really pleasant none-the-less. Loved all the tropical fruit - a great first offering.
4.6% from Toronto, Ontario   32 IBU

CHESHIRE VALLEY ~  ESB
(unfiltered)

My local was lucky enough to get a keg of unfiltered ESB. Sampled on draught the beer poured a hazy honey golden amber colour with sudsy bubbles, much like you find on a cask pull. The bubbles quickly receded leaving light lacing. The nose has notes of floral English hops, hint of piney hops, bready malts, caramel, touch of citrus and a subtle fruitiness. Taste much as would be expected from the nose. The toasted caramel malts are nicely balanced with floral hop bitterness. Notes of delicate fruits, spice and nuts are also present. The carbonation is soft and the body is medium. The brew is chocked full of flavour, easily quaffable and because of its ABV very sessionable too. A proper English Ale.
4.8% from Toronto, Ontario

EQUILIBRIUM ESB ~ NICKEL BROOK 

Sampled on draught, this beer poured a hazy copper with a frothy white head. The head retention was average and it left spotty lacing as it disappeared. The subdued nose had biscuit malts with mild nuttiness, fruity yeasts, leafy hops and toffee. This ESB, as the name may suggest, was hoppier than I am used to in an ESB. Nickel Brook made a concerted effort to balance the sweet malts with a generous amount of hops, and have achieved a satisfying balance. The taste mostly follows the nose with grainy caramelly nutty malts, fruity yeast, an earthiness and a leafy English hops. The carbonation is moderate giving the beer a creamy mouthfeel and crisp finish. The body has a medium mouthfeel. Overall I very much enjoyed the balance in this beer, I can definitely see myself quaffing more.

5.5% from Burlington, Ontario IBUs: 43

 ~HONKER'S ALE ENGLISH BITTER ~ 

GOOSE ISLAND

It was really nice to discover Goose Island at a baseball game. (By the way the Jay’s won)  When you are paying $11.50 a beer I really do not want to drink Coor’s, or Canadian domestics.  This was a great little find, albeit quite expensive.  An enjoyable beer, very quaffable. The sweet malts with satisfying but not aggressive hop bitterness compliment each other.  Not super special but a pleasant session beer, perfect for a game on a very hot day.

Hops: Pilgrim, Styrian, Golding Celeia   

Malts: 2 Row, Caramel, Wheat, Roasted Barley

4.3% from Chicago, Illinois       IBU 30
-beer 99-