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

HEFFY ANNIVERSARY ~ MUSKOKA AND HOWE SOUND BREWING

This is collaboration between two breweries, each celebrating their twentieth anniversary this year: Muskoka in Collingwood, Ontario and Howe Sound in Squamish, British Columbia. This collaboration is a limited release. Heffy anniversary is a dry hopped hefeweizen. Sampled on draught the beer poured an opaque rich gold, with a billowy white head. Citrusy and floral hops were dominant in the aroma with more subdued banana, clove, and biscuity malts in the background. The hefe flavours lose some of their nuances, as they are overpowered by the hops. The beer starts with lots of hops, with a touch of grapefruit, and then some of the hefe flavours come through with faint fruity esters and wheaty grains. The beer had a medium mouthfeel and moderate carbonation. The finish was crisp, dry and slightly bitter. I enjoyed this one, but it could have been a little subtler.

5% from Collingwood, Ontario and Squamish, British Columbia 40 IBU

PIE WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS ~ BRIMSTONE BREWING

This saison, with a very long name is a collaboration between Brimstone Brewing Co. and Piskie Pie’s in St. Catherine’s. It is a one of limited edition brew. The saison was brewed using fresh pies in the mash and adding fresh strawberry and rhubarb in the secondary fermentation. Sampled on draught, the beer pours an opaque golden orange, with hints of pink. The nose contained biscuity grains, subtle strawberry and rhubarb. The delicious saison had lovely flavours. The biscuit malts mimicked a piecrust. The fruits were subtle but the sweet strawberry was perfectly complemented by tart rhubarb. The beer has a smooth, dry crisp finish with fruits lingering in the aftertaste. A most delicious brew – so good I had two and hope fully it will be on draught for a little longer.

5% from Ridgeway, Ontario 30 IBU

ROOT DOWN ~ WELLINGTON BREWERY 

Root Down is a small batch one-off Ginger Beer (brewed with ginger and Bee balm leaves) in the Welly one-off series. Sampled on draught, the beer poured clear orange-golden amber with a small white head. The nose and the flavour are both very ginger forward. The ginger is on the sweet side and less the heat side, there is no burn as it slips down your throat – reminds me at first of ginger ale. Subtly hidden behind all the ginger are a nice sweet malt and some other spicy notes. The taste is smoother than expected, but is not a session beer (as advertised) for me. I would have been better off with a half pint, as I began to find the ginger a little cloying as the beer warmed. The carbonation was lively and the body was medium. Pleasant drinking, worth a try.

5% from Guelph, Ontario

IRISH BOOT ~ WELLINGTON BREWERY

Sampled on draught, this Irish Red ale poured slightly hazy deep brown with copper highlights. It had almost no head and the carbonation was very soft, verging on flat. It had a robust nose full of malts, and fruity esters. The taste contained rich roasted malts and lots of orchard fruit, especially plums. The brew also contained notes of molasses and sweetness reminiscent of Belgian yeast. The finish was semi-clean with a lingering pleasant burnt bitterness and sweetness. This seems to be a one off, I can find no record of it in the net. A pleasant brew after along day.

5.6% from Guelph, Ontario

ODYSSEY RUSTIC LAGER ~ STEAM WHISTLE PILOT SYSTEM WITH THE ONLY CAFÉ

I think this beer is terrific, but I am a little biased as I had a hand in brewing. This beer is a collaboration with The Only Café, Toronto and Steam Whistle Brewing. This beer was brewed at Steam Whistle Brewery at the Roundhouse, with Brew master Erica on their Pilot system – a small-scale tank that yields about 2 kegs. It is a Farmhouse ale with a lagered finish, and include small amounts of rooibos and blood orange & pink peppercorn teas, added at flameout. The brewing experience was a pleasure and most interesting. Sampled from a Growler the beer pours an unfiltered murky beige colour, with a small off white head. Up front you can taste the farmhouse grains, but the saaz and centennial hops give it a kick at the end, and the tea adds aromatics and a little astringency. Though there are many things happening in the beer, not one seems to overpower or compete with the other. It has a nice complexity but is still easy drinking.
5.4% from Toronto, Ontario

SQUEAL LIKE A PIG KENTUCKY SOUR MASH ~ OAST HOUSE

Sampled of draught, Squeal like Pig is made in the Kentucky Common Style (A.K.A. Dark Cream Common Beer, Cream Beer or Common Beer) According to wiki, Kentucky Common was a popular beer, in …you guessed it Kentucky from the 1850’s to prohibition. The brew was only fermented once and then sent out for sale on draught to be consumed fresh.
‘Squeal’ had been made with 30% corn and the rest malted barley, and then aged for six months in Woodford Reserve Bourbon Barrels. The beer poured a medium tawny brown colour with little head. There was a ton of fruit on the nose, especially tart apples and grapes. The flavour was not beer-like at all. It was pleasantly sour, with lots of grape and fruit flavours and a wine like quality. The sweetness reminded me of sherry, there were also notes of figs and a touch of smoke. The finish was subtly malty with a hint of chocolate. The beer was well carbonated and had a medium mouthfeel. Great after a long day of Christmas shopping – I hope Oast House makes this one again.

6% from Niagara, Ontario 15 IBU

AUTUMN SPICED HARVEST ALE ~ WELLINGTON

Sampled on cask. Autumn Spiced Ale, is a Welly one-off. It poured a murky coppery orange colour with a frothy off- white head. Nose had spices with sweet malts and a touch of the woods. The taste was much the same, lots of cinnamon, all spice and nutmeg, with sweet lightly roasted malts, subtle citrus and an earthy note. It had medium carbonation and body. Very pleasant.

5.3% from Guelph, Ontario