20 MILE FARMHOUSE ALE ~ BENCH BREWING

5.3% from Beamsville, Ontario 

 IBU 27

This Brew is named after Twenty Mile Creek that runs through Twenty Valley. Sampled on draught the beer poured a slightly hazy golden colour with a generous white head. The head had good retention and left some lacing as it disappeared. The nose contained some peppery spice, fruit, citrus, pale malts, yeast esters and a grassy earthiness. The taste follows the nose. There is lots of fruits, citrus, yeast notes, peppery spice and pale malts. The hops were a little amped up for a Farmhouse ale giving it a bitter but smooth and dry finish. The beer had medium carbonation and a fun flavoured medium body. Overall quite good, but I prefer my saisons to be a little less bitter.

Yeast: Old World Saison Blend
Kettle Hops : Ella & Enigma
Malts: Bohemium Pilsner, Canadian 2-row and wheat.

STATESIDE SAISON ~ STILLWATER

Stateside Saison is billed as an “American Farmhouse Ale.” It is Belgian inspired and uses European malts and hops from New Zealand and the United States, and a classic farmhouse yeast. Sampled from a bottle the beer poured a hazy bright coppery gold with an average sized off white head. The head settled quickly and left wispy lacing. The nose has fruity (berries, citrus and orchard fruits) and earthy notes, along with malts, bread, florals, a little funk and spice(clove and others),and a light Belgian yeast. The flavour follows the nose and is equally complex, containing notes of fruits (lemon, orchard fruit), pepper, clove, Belgian yeast, honey, sweet malts, grains, grass, and a touch of tartness. The mouthfeel was medium. The carbonation was average to lively. The finish has a slight hop bitterness with a little earthy dryness. This is a complex but balanced saison. I really enjoyed this well crafted brew and wish they were easier to find north of the Border.

6.8% From Baltimore, Maryland

CELLAR DOOR ~ STILLWATER ARTISANAL ALES

Cellar door is a beautifully complex farm house ale, brewed with German and pale malts, Citra and Sterling hops and white sage. Sampled from a bottle the beer poured a hazy golden straw colour with a generous white head. The head had good retention before falling and leaving impressive lacing and setting into a ring around the glass. The nose had some beautiful complexity with tangerine and citrus, earthy funk, herbal notes and light pepper, wheat and sage. The flavour too had layers of fruit, a variety of citrus, earthiness, spicy yeast, floral notes, soft caramel sweetness breadiness, and grass . The finish had a balanced hop bitterness with a cleansing sage, tart citrus and peppery notes.s The body was medium and the carbonation was very lively, leaving a lots of effervescent on the palette. The brew has as slightly creamy feel with a crisp drying finish. I enjoyed this very much, I wish these were a little easier to find North of the border in Canada.

6.6% from Baltimore, Maryland, USA

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

SAISON DE NUIT ~ COLLINGWOOD BREWERY

This brew is a black saison. Sampled from a tin, the beer poured a cloudy deep amber brown with an average off white head. The nose had notes of wheat malts, spicy yeast, caramel, roasted malts, dark fruit, and a touch of chocolate. It had a lovely maltiness to it along with dark fruit, cocoa, spice, clove and a slight citrus sourness. The finish was crisp and dry with a mild hop bitterness. The carbonation was lively and the mouthfeel was on the light side. I liked this and look forward to trying another. In a way it felt to new, I wonder what a little cellaring would do.

4.5% from Collingwood, Ontario   15 IBU

PINK PEPPERCORN SAISON ~ BIG RIG

I went for dinner at a great Italian place on Roncesvalles, food was great but the waitress knew nothing (not even the name) of the rotating taps.  She tried to list a few and told us that they were serving a ‘nut saison,’ intrigued several of us ordered the brew.   Poking around the next day, I could not find the beer anywhere, so sent a little message to Big Rig the brewery, who promptly got back to me, saying that I had imbibed their pink peppercorn beer.  The pink peppercorn is related to the cashew - who knew?  So they must put a nut warning on the beer in case of nut allergies – clearly confusing the waitress.

Sampled on draught the saison poured an opaque golden colour with a moderate white head.  It had a bright orchard fruit nose with a little sharpness from the pepper and a faint nuttiness. The favour was primarily orchard fruit, citrus, grains, light hops and the faintest bit of pepper on the back end.  The carbonation was moderate, the body was medium light and the finish was crisp and slightly off-dry.  I wish there was a little more of the pepper, but a nice light saison none-the-less.

6.1% from Ottawa, Ontario

SAISON DANS LA MAISON ~ MUSKOKA & LE TROU DE DIABLE

This saison is another in a series of anniversary collaborations and one-off beers marking Muskoka’s 30th birthday. This was a collaboration with Quebec’s Trou du Diable and is a saison brewed with guava. Sampled on draught the beer poured a slightly hazy unfiltered golden straw colour with a thin white head, that reduced to a ring. The aroma contained lots of citrus, with some fruity esters, sweet malts, spice and grassy/floral hops. This was a decent saison, but I got very little of the guava, until a touch in the finish. It was light and fruity, with subtle notes of tropical fruit, tart citrus, floral hops. The beer was light and crisp, with little sweetness. Quite decent!

6.5% from Bracebridge, Ontario & Shawinigan, Quebec

BATCH 5000 ~ BEAU’S

Batch 5000 is a limited edition celebratory brew (In their Wild Oats Series) from Beau’s marking their…you guessed it 5000th batch of beer and 10th anniversary. It is “Wild Ontario Farmhouse Ale” made with Ontario wheat, hops and wild yeast from the Escarpment yeast lab. Sampled on draught, the beer poured a slightly hazy yellow gold with a moderate white billowy head, which left great lacing. The nose contains lots of tropical fruit especially pineapple, a little bretty funk, lemony citrus, herbals, wheat malts and some wine like characteristics. The taste has lovely levels of complexity, white pepper, lemony citrus, herbal notes, Brett sourness, subtle yeast and wheat malts. The finish is drying with leafy hops, and citrus. The carbonation was fine and lively, and the body was medium-full with a creamy feel. This is one of the nicest saison I have had in a while…I just wish the draught wasn’t so expensive! Congratulations Beau’s! Bravo on the brew!

7% From Vankleek Hills, Ontario

SOFIE ~ GOOSE ISLAND

Labelled as a saison, Sofie is 80% new Belgian style saison and 20% aged in wine barrels with orange peel. Sampled from a 750 ml bottle this beer poured a bright, slightly hazy, straw yellow, with a moderate white head, which left some lacing as the foam fell. The nose is a little peppery, with Belgian yeast, slight citrus, barnyard funk, white wine, and coriander. – from the smell I thought the beer would be sweeter and darker. The taste profile is bright and refreshing with a certain amount of complexity. It is sweet to begin with lemon and orange flavours, followed by a mild pepperiness, wine, and a little wood from the barrels. The finish is dry and somewhat tart. The carbonation was effervescent and crisp. Easily quaffed, highly sessionable.

6.5% from Chicago, Illinois

 ~ TRUE GRIT ~ RAINHARD BREWING CO.

True Grit is a saison/Farmhouse Ale. Sampled on draught, the beer poured a clear deep golden hue, with just a tiny bit of head, which left nice lacing. The nose contained fruit, yeasts, a little citrus and herbs. The front was a little sweet and contained cereal, yeast, a touch of citrus and a hint of fruitiness. The finish had a distinct hop bitterness (Amarillo Hops were used). The carbonation was moderate and the beer had a medium body. A refreshing easy drinking saison. A solid simple beer.

6.5% from Toronto, Ontario 35 IBU

SOUTHERN JUSTICE ~ INNOCENTE

Southern Justice is a limited edition one-off.  The brewery made 600 bottles that were sold only at the brewery store, which sold out very quickly.  Select bars were lucky enough to get a cask.  The beer is a saison that has been aged in Jack Daniels Bourbon casks for 6 months with Ontario peaches (from Herrles farm).  Sampled on draught, the beer poured a translucent honey amber with a small white head.  Peaches and whisky are all over the nose.   This beer is incredible, beautifully made and balanced.  The whiskey makes a smoky appearance but does not overpower the delicate flavours of the saison.  Sweet peaches also make an appearance, but compliment rather than compete with the whisky.  The beer does not taste as boozy as it is, not knowing what the alcohol content was, I would have guessed around 6%.  This one is a sipper for sure.  An exquisitely balanced brew. 

 

10.5% from Waterloo, Ontario

SAWDUST CITY ~ FOMA

Sampled on draught, FOMA is a blend of saison and Berliner Weisse, that has been aged in barrels.  The colour is a light yellow gold.  Lots of sour Berliner on the nose .  The taste is quite sour and tangy too.  Much more of the Berliner is evident then that of the saison.  There is a nice Brett funkiness to go along with a sour, and a little bit of sweet fruit and a touch of salt are evident.  This will only be available at the brewery store in a very limited run of 750mL bottles. 

4.2% from Gravenhurst, Ontario

SAWDUST CITY ~ WINDING ROAD 

FOR 7 KM

Sampled on draught.  Winding Road for 7 km is a rye saison.  It pours a clear medium amber with a moderate white head.  The aroma contains citrus, especially orange, florals and spices.    It had wild notes to it and reminded me a bit of wine.  Taste is much the same florals and citrus, and citrus peel are in the forefront, but also contains saison yeast notes, rye, peppery spices and a refreshing sourness.  The finish was sweet.  I like the balance of the malts and yeast.  I would revisit this one. 

7% from Gravenhurst, Ontario