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

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.

DEVIL'S PALE ALE ~ GREAT LAKES BREWERY

The Devil’s Pale was first released in 2016 (allegedly conceived on 6.6.06) on and was the first seasonal from Great Lake Brewery. I have seen it billed as a Pale Ale, and an India Brown Ale. It is brewed with 6 malts and 4 hops, and was advertised at the brewery as having been made with 666 kilograms of malt, 6.66 kilograms of hops, and boiled for 66.6 minutes. Sampled on draught the pour was a deep rich mahogany with an average thick tan coloured head, which settled into a ring around the glass and left beautiful sticky lacing. The aroma had a melange of resinous piney hops followed by rich malt body, caramel and molasses, dark bread and an earthiness. Hops are the first flavour, followed by heavy roasted malts the followed by a distinct bitterness. The malts have a layered richness with notes of caramel, cocoa, nuttiness and molasses as do the hops with notes of pine resin, grapefruit and a touch of other fruits. The beer is hoppy from the first whiff to the bitter lingering aftertaste, but is beautifully balanced. The mouthfeel was smooth but slightly oily too. The finish was crisp and dry with lingering bitterness and alcohol. The body was medium-full and the carbonation was moderate.
Highly recommended, this is a solid beer.

6.66% from Toronto, Ontario

ABSENT LANDLORD ~ COWBELL BREWING CO.

Absent Landlord is Cowbell’s interpretation of a new world Kölsch. It is brewed with German Kölsch Ale yeast and both old world and new world hops and malts. It is fermented warm and left unfiltered and unpasteurized. It is named for Henry Blyth, Esq. whom the town it is brewed is named for. In the mid 1800’s he bought most of the most of the town, sign unseen, and never made the voyage from Berkshire England to visit. Sampled from a tin the beer poured a slightly cloudy golden yellow with a thick foamy bone coloured head that left very little lacing. The mild nose had graininess, citrus, biscuity malts, a touch of spice and caramel, crackery notes and fruity yeasts (apple and peach). The flavour too is mellow and slightly on the sweet side, with notes of cereal grain, yeasts, orchard fruits, hay, citrus, and a touch of resiny herbal bitterness from the hops at the end. The mouthfeel was medium and the carbonation was on the lively side. The finish was drying. This is a nicely balanced clean and bright beer. A decent brew at a very reasonable price.

5.3% from Blyth, Ontario 18 IBU

COUNTRY BUMPKIN ~ OAST HOUSE

Country Bumpkin is a seasonal offering from Niagara Last house featuring fresh pumpkin and acorn, butternut, and hubbard squash that have been roasted then mashed with the malt and a load of pumpkin pie spice that has been added in the boil. Sampled on draught the beer poured a fairly clear deep orangey amber with an average cream coloured head. The aroma was a pumpkin pie! - lots of baking spice (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves), pumpkin, and roasted malts. Taste follows as would b expected, spices up front, followed by pumpkin and then toasted malts giving it a crusty pumpkin pie impression. There is very little hop bitterness. The body was medium and the carbonation was average to soft. This is one of the nicer pumpkin beers I’ve had.

5.5% from Niagara on the Lake, Ontario 18 IBU

GO AHEAD ~ LEFT FIELD BREWERY

Go Ahead is a seasonal one off from Left Field Brewery. It is a rose with raspberry and hibiscus. Sampled on draught the beer poured a cloudy pink with an average white head. The nose contained lots of raspberry, hibiscus, and bright citrus. The beer was very flavourful: tart raspberry and floral hibiscus, and lemony citrus abound. The fruits and florals give way to a gentle saltiness and a little spice. The saltiness is noticeable but gentle as is the sourness. The carbonation was average and the body was on the full side of medium. I really liked this one, a nice melange of flavour.

4.8% from Toronto, Ontario   15 IBU

Photo courtesy of Left Field Brewery

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