GOLD STAR ~ INDIE ALE HOUSE

5% from Toronto, Ontario IBU <10

Gold Star is a lovely saison from Indie Ale House. Sampled on draught it pours a slightly hazy golden hue with a small white head, that left some scant lacing . The nose had some funky brett notes along with citrus, light pepper, biscuity malts, straw and floral hops. The taste also has notes of funk, pepper, spice, light fruity esters, lemon, hops and a grassiness. The brett is not over done and leaves a pleasant taste. The finish is off dry and moderately bitter, the mouthfeel is clean, the body is moderate and the carbonation is on the soft side. A very peasant brew, not overly done, with a slightly sour refreshing quality.

FULL ORCHARD FARMHOUSE IPA ~ OAST HOUSE

6.1 % from Niagara on the Lake    70 IBU

Full orchard is a Farmhouse IPA, fermented with Brett and then barrel aged for one month. Sampled on draught it poured a Hazy golden orange with a small white head that quickly dissipated. The nose contained grapefruit and lemony citrus, tropical fruits, stone fruits and a light spice. The beer did not taste anything close to the 70 IBUs it boasts, though it did have a distinct happiness and bitterness. The flavour also included lots of tropical fruit and stone fruit, providing a great contrast and balance to the bitterness of the hops, and the funky brettiness. The body and carbonation were average. IPA’s are not my ‘go to’ beer usually but this one had some complexity and though it was a little astringent at times, I did enjoy the brew.

HIGHER DIMENSION ~ NICKEL BROOK 

7.5% from Burlington, Ontario

Higher Dimension comes out of Nickel Brook’s Funk Lab. It is a dry-hopped Belgian Amber ale with brett. It is also a collaboration with VQH farms - who are Canadian Hop farmers, and breeders. Sampled on draught the beer poured a murky orange brown with a generous sudsy white head. Some tropical fruit, florals, toffee, dark bread, spice, funk and a touch of rubber on the nose. Those flavours are found in this muddled mixture too. Caramel malts mix with grapefruit and other tropical fruits, with bretty barnyard and a little spice. There is a lot going here, bitter and sour and sweet. The finish has a bitter bite, the carbonation was average and the brew was medium bodied. An interesting experiment but this one misses the mark for me, however it raises awareness of a great cause.

REVOLUTION #3: DRY HOPPED SOUR ~ RAINHARD BREWING

4.8% from Toronto, Ontario

Revolution #3 is the latest release in Rainhard’s Revolution series. The series is made up of one-offs and experimental concoctions. Revolution #3 is a dry hopped sour saison. Pilsner and wheat malts were used, in the brewing process. the beer was kettle soured with seven different Lactobacillus strains and fermented with Escarpment lab’s ‘new world saison with Brettonomyces’ yeast. The dry hopping was done with citra. Sampled on draught the beer poured a hazy golden orange with a smallish white head. The aroma had fresh citra hops, stone fruit, some grains, florals, and a touch of funk. The beer was pleasantly sour but not overly so. Their were lots of tart citrus flavours, along with sweet grains, stone fruit and a touch of barnyard. The finish was fresh dry and crisp, with a brightness from the city. Very refreshing and not overdone.

FURLONG ~ INDIE ALE HOUSE

Furlong is Indie Ale House’s take on a traditional Franco-Belgian saison brewed with Brettanomyces. Sampled on draught the beer pours a cloudy light golden straw with a small white head. The aroma was tart and bright, containing notes of spice, lactic-sour, spice, funk, hay and unripe orchard fruit. The taste has lovely spice notes with a tart citrus. Bretty funk, spicy yeast, grains, fruit, straw and bread also make an appearance. The mouthfeel is fairly light and the carbonation is moderate. This is a refreshing brew, light, but layered. 

4.5% from Toronto, Ontario IBU: 18
Key Ingredients: House blended yeast

MOSAIC GROVE SOUR ~ BENCH BREWING CO.

This is Bench brewery’s second sour offering. They are a relatively new brewery from Beamsville, Ontario on the Niagara escarpment. They are committed to using as many local ingredients as possible. Mosaic Grove is a dry hopped sour beer - the brewery released Citra Grove earlier this year - so I imagine these are each single hopped. Saison and brett yeast were used in the brewing process. Sampled on draught the beer poured a slightly cloudy pale golden yellow with a white head. The nose contained hops (citrus, pine, fruitiness), citrus and tart sour. The sourness is not a tastebud shredding pucker, and is complimented and contrasted by the dry hopped mosaic hops. Easily drinkable and quite refreshing - adult lemonade.
6% from Beamsville, Ontario 14 IBU

INKHORN ~ FOLLY BREWING

According the the brewery this beer is a Belgian-dubbel inspired ale with a Brettanomyces Lambicus fermentation. Sampled on draught this brew pours a reddish brown with an average beige head. The nose is quite fruity with notes of fig, raisin, vinous grapes, tart fruit, sour cherry, earthiness, spice, caramel and bready malts. The taste follows the nose - beautiful sourness, chocolate, ripe dark fruit, spice, figs, bread malts, pepper, and some vinous notes. This has a beautiful complexity with lots of flavour swirling around, but the body still remains on the light side. The toasted malts give way to a slightly lingering tartness making this a remarkably refreshing beer. The carbonation was soft. I would say this brew is not a dubbel, but much more of a Flanders Red. I really enjoyed this one, flavours marry nicely.
HOPS: German Magnum, German Tradition
YEAST: Our House "George Blend”

MALT: Pilsner, Caramunich I, Melanoidin, Special W

6.5% from Toronto, Ontario

LIMBERLOST FARMHOUSE ALE ~ SAWDUST CITY BREWING

Limberlost Beer is a wild Ontario Farmhouse/saison. Much of this brew was can conditioned – which sold out almost immediately, only being sold at the brewery. I was lucky enough to sample from one of a very few kegs. The beer pours a cloudy bright golden orange with a small frothy white head that left some lacing. The nose has is a little tart with notes of brett-y funkiness, lemon, herbal notes, tart stone fruit, very subtle and straw. The flavour begins with a wash of tartness; notes of brett, light citrus, tart fruit, cereal grains, very subtle pepper and conifers follow. The tartness is not overpowering, and sweet grains become more apparent as the beer warms. The body is medium light, with a smooth texture and effervescent sparkling carbonation. It is a very interesting, drinkable and refreshing beer.
The beer is brewed with a strain of yeast harvested from the Muskoka area. Sawdust City brewer and Escapement yeast labs collected a variety of yeasts from the Limberlost Forest and wildlife Reserve (near Huntsville, Ontario). Samples were returned to the lab where much testing and brewing occurred to find an alcohol resistant, viable, reliable and tasty strand. Local hops were also used in this brew.
I really liked this one, and look forward to future brews. Recommended.
6.1% from Gravenhurst, Ontario 15 IBU

IMPOSTER SYNDROME ~ FOLLY

Imposter syndrome is a Farmhouse IPA. It has been hopped up with Comet and Sorachi Ace hops and brewed with Brettanomyces Claussenii (one of Folly’s own fermentation culture) Sampled on draught the beer poured a hazy light golden yellow, with a touch or coppery orange. It sported a generous white head with good retention before receding and leaving scant lacing. The nose contained some barnyard funk, sweet malts, bread, a slight tartness, lemon and grapefruit citrus, stone and tropical fruit, piny hops. The flavour contains crusty bread, bretty funk, subtle sweetness, peppery spice, orange rind, tropical fruit, and mild tartness. The finish has a lovely hop kick with notes of pine and grapefruit.  The beer is medium bodied with average carbonation. The finish is quite dry, but leaves little aftertaste. I really enjoyed the complexity of the fruit, hops and yeast in this one!
HOPS: German Magnum, American Sorachi Ace and Comet
YEAST: House Light Blend
MALTS: Pilsner, Munich I, Carafoam, Caramunich I, Carahell
6.2% from Toronto, Ontario IBU 35

ULLA! ~ FOLLY

A very interesting taste experience indeed. Ulla! is a black brett with raspberries. It is billed as part stout, part fruit beer, and part farmhouse. Sampled on draught, the beer poured a very dark brown, almost a black with a thin off-white head that dissipated to a cap. The nose had notes of tart raspberries, dark roasted malts, white pepper, subtle dark chocolate and a touch of funk. The beer has some complexity to it. It begins with tart raspberry followed by roasted malts, coffee and a chocolate, layered with some bretty sour, a touch of balsamic vinegar, and a very soft pepper. The body is medium, the finish is drying and tart, and the carbonation was moderate. This is quite a unique brew, quite quaffable; I have already been back for more.

5.6% from Toronto, Ontario

BRETT FARMHOUSE (LAB SERIES 2 – 2016) ~ NICKEL BROOK 

Yet another great offering from the ‘Funk Lab.” This brew is farmhouse ale brewed with brettanomyces. Sampled on draught the beer poured a slightly hazy rich golden yellow with a moderate bone white head. The head didn’t last long, and only left scant lacing. The nose has lots of stone fruit, along with cereal grains, citrus, spicy Belgian yeast (three strains of saison yeast were used), pepperiness and funk. The flavour followed the nose with hints of funk and sour, Belgian yeast, wheat, light fruitiness and pepperiness at the end, along with citrusy-grass hops. The beer was not as sweet as the nose may have suggested. The body was light to medium, carbonation was lively and the finish was quite dry. This beer is crisp and bright and nicely balanced. Will revisit this one.

5.8% from Burlington, Ontario 23 IBU 

LUCY IN SKY ~ REVEL CIDER

I am not usually a cider person, but this one is superb. Lucy in the Sky is a citra and Perle hopped sour apple cider, made with a wild fermented Cortland base. Fermentation happened outside in the spring when the temperatures began to climb. A bit of brett was also added too giving it a bit of complexity. Sampled on draught the cider poured a pale yellow with hints of green. Both sourness and citra hops hit you on your first sip, this mellowed as I continued to sip. The nose contained citra hops, fresh green sour apples and lots of farmyard funk and earth. The taste is quite sharp and sour at first with lots of green apple, funk and notes of green grapes and grapefruit. Mid glass I began to get some gose –like salty notes. A recommended summer sipper - Look for it!

6.9% from Hamilton, Ontario

Photo: Revel Instagram

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