WHISTLING PADDLER ~ WHITEWATER BREWING

 

Whistling Paddler is marketed as an English bitter but I think it may be closer to English Pale Ale. Sampled from a growler, the beer poured a clearish copper amber colour with an off white head. The head reduced to a cap leaving some patchy lacing. The nose contained toasty, a nuttiness, caramel, stone fruits, and some earthy-grassy hops. Taste followed the nose with toasty-bready malts, caramel, mild fruits and a mild grassy hop – nicely balanced. The beer had average carbonation and a medium-light mouthfeel. A smooth and uncomplicated easily drinkable beer.

4.5 % from Forresters Falls, Ontario 36 IBU

BLUE BUCK ~ PHILLIPS

Sampled from a tin, Blue Buck is an English Pale Ale brewed in Victoria, British Columbia. The beer poured a clear coppery amber colour, with a small off white head, that lasted about a minute. The nose had lots of sweet malt caramel, with a slight earthy hop and a floral scent. The taste was very mild and lighter than I expected. The malts were present t but could have added greater sweetness and depth, and the hop presence was very unobtrusive. The mouth feel was light and creamy and the carbonation was quite pleasant. Overall I think this beer is OK, not offensive and quite meek.

5% from Victoria BC.

PECULIAR ~ GRANITE BREWERY

Sampled on cask.  Peculiar is English Ale.  It poured a clear dark ruby colour with a tan head, which it retained.  Nose had lost of fruit, toffee, roasted malts and perhaps a touch of smokiness.  The taste has lots of dried fruit (raisin, prune, cherries), well done toast, roasted maltiness and caramel, with a gentle bitterness. The finish was both sweet and dry. The Granite Brewery has been opened in Toronto in 1991, and was one of the first making craft brew.  This is a very palatable winter drink.

5.6% from Toronto, Ontario

DAM BUSTER ~ SILVERSMITH

Dam Buster is marketed as a Rye English Pale Ale, but I think it is much more similar to a British Bitter.  The beer poured a beautiful deep golden rusty colour, with a creamy pale yellow head.  The nose had a huge malt backbone, with bready yeasts, some dark fruit and a little spice.  This is a robust beer that packs a lot of flavour!  The taste is quite malty, with a little berry tartness and a nuttiness.  There is lots of chocolate and burnt sugar in the roasted malts. Nicely bittered mild hop at the end.

Like ‘Hill 145”, another of Silversmith’s offerings, Dam Busters refers to a World War II Battle that involved Canadian soldiers.  The attack involved bombing German dams in the Ruhr and Eder Valleys, with a new type of ‘bouncing bomb.’  Thirteen killed in the bombing efforts belonged to the Royal Canadian Air Force.

5% from Niagara on the Lake, Ontario