THE FACE OF TORONTO ( IDES OF MARCH) ~ HENDERSON

The Face of Toronto is Henderson’s Ides of March Beer, a one-off they do every month. It was made to celebrate Toronto’s birthday - many Torontian faces were used on the labels. The beer is a ‘truffle’ saison made with orange peel, cardamom, and chocolate. Sampled on draught the beer poured a dark ruby-brown (much like a porter) with a creamy beige head that lasted several minutes. The nose has notes of chocolate, and spice, with an earthiness and subtle fruits. The taste had notes of dark chocolate, coffee, caramel, spice, roasted malts, and fruit and florals. The beer has a medium full body, average carbonation and low bitterness on the finish. I enjoyed this one, a very interesting brew.

5.5 % from Toronto, Ontario

NATTERJACK TOAD ~ MOONLIGHT KETTLE: MUSKOKA 

NatterJack Toad, A Belgian Ale, has a sad story behind it. It is beer memorializing Matthew Soos, an employee of Muskoka Brewery and a recent graduate from the Niagara College Brewmaster Program who died in August of 2015, at the age of 26. Talk began at Soos funeral of brewing one of his recipes as a Memorial beer for him. The Soos family was invited to the brewery and participated in the brewing, the recipe they chose was one he developed while at Niagara College. Natterjack Toad is a strong Belgian brewed with cardamom and pistachios. Soos family showed up at the brewery and help grind the 100kg of pistachios used in the brewing. All proceeds from the sale of the beer will be donated to charity.
Sampled on draught this beer poured a beautiful slightly cloudy golden colour with a small white head, which left nice lacing. The nose contained fruity esters, malts, cardamom, sugar, alcohol and yeasts. The beer tastes much as expected from the nose: sweet fruity malts, fruit esters, nuttiness, candi sugar, Belgian spices and yeasts all abound. The beer has a wonderful rich roundness. I hope that Muskoka makes this again.

7.2% from Bracebridge, Ontario