CANADIAN SHIELD BERRIES ~ KW CIDER

6.2% from Waterloo, Ontario

Canadian Shield is a cider made from the berries available growing on the Canadian Shield including: Blueberries, Cranberries, Currants, Raspberries and Strawberries. Sampled on draught this cider poured a clear beautiful rose colour with tawny hues. The nose contained a plethora of berry notes with the strawberries and raspberries at the forefront. The lovely refreshing flavour is both tart and sweet with a huge hit of berry goodness. There is a nice complexity as the tartness of some berries balance with the sweet juiciness of others. The finish is slightly tart, but there are no lingering aftertastes. A beautiful summer drink.

BLOOD OF CTHULHU (2016) ~ SAWDUST CITY BREWING

This season brew is a monster! Blood of Cthulhu has been rereleased for 2016 and is better than I remembered. The brew is an imperial stout that has been brewed with raspberries, cranberries and tart cherries, along with a ton of malt. Sampled from a pint on draught, this beer poured a deep ebony with a generous creamy dark tan head. The head had great retention and left beautiful lacing as it settled into a cap. The nose has lots of wasted and toasted malts, along with dark chocolate, and red berries. This beer was like a Black forest cake for adults, lots of chocolate and berry flavour, especially from the cherries. Mid palette the beer has a slightly acidic bite but finishes with a roasted bitterness and dark chocolate.. The body was medium full and the stout had a creamy thick mouthfeel. The carbonation was medium to soft. Be careful he 9% can creep up on you! A beautiful cold weather treat.

9.5% from Gravenhurst, Ontario

ULLA! ~ FOLLY

A very interesting taste experience indeed. Ulla! is a black brett with raspberries. It is billed as part stout, part fruit beer, and part farmhouse. Sampled on draught, the beer poured a very dark brown, almost a black with a thin off-white head that dissipated to a cap. The nose had notes of tart raspberries, dark roasted malts, white pepper, subtle dark chocolate and a touch of funk. The beer has some complexity to it. It begins with tart raspberry followed by roasted malts, coffee and a chocolate, layered with some bretty sour, a touch of balsamic vinegar, and a very soft pepper. The body is medium, the finish is drying and tart, and the carbonation was moderate. This is quite a unique brew, quite quaffable; I have already been back for more.

5.6% from Toronto, Ontario

MILL STREET ~ FRAMBOZEN

Mill Street Frambozen brewed using traditional Belgian methods. It is brewed with a Belgian yeast used for making wit beers and given a secondary fermentation with whole raspberries. Sampled on draught at the brewpub, the beer poured an intense garnet, purple topped with a pink head. The head lasted several minutes leaving good lacing as it disappeared. Fresh raspberries, with more subtle malts and bready grains, dominate the nose. The taste has tons of raspberry flavour – balanced between tartness and jammy sweetness. The base malt provides some nice complementary flavours. The carbonation is on the soft side (thebeer is naturally carbonated) giving the beer a slightly creamy mouth feel. The finish is semi dry with a lingering raspberry flavours. This is an easy drinking medium bodied fruit beer – great summer sipper.

5% from Toronto, Ontario

BLOOD OF CTHULHU ~ SAWDUST CITY & BARHOP

Blood of Cthulhu is an imperial stout brewed with cherries, raspberries and cranberries and a ton of malts.  It is collaboration with Bar-Hop, initially it was intended as a one-off, but they have made it again this year.  Sampled on draught, the beer poured almost black with a substantial mocha head, which left lots of lacing.  Its nose contained notes of chocolate, berries and roasted malts.  The flavour had lots of dark chocolate, cranberries and dark cherries and hints of coffee and spice.  The sweetness of the berries finishes with dark chocolate and coffee bitterness.   The stout had a creamy texture and good carbonation.  Though it gives you a warming feeling the booze is well hidden.  A delicious treat for a cold winters night.

10% from Gravenhurst, Ontario

FRAMBOISE ~ AMSTERDAM

This is a refreshing and delicious beer made  with Belgian wheat and fresh British Columbia raspberries (about 6 pounds go into every case).   The beer is double fermented giving it an intense raspberry smell and taste.  The Framboise pours a slightly opaque ruby red with a light pink head.  The nose and the favour both burst with both sweet and tart raspberries with hints of other ripe berries.  The tartness is different from a lactic fermentation as it is only the raspberries lending their flavour.   There is no artificial taste or cloying syrupiness to this beer.  It is a pleasure to drink, very refreshing on a hot day, but is rich enough to transition into the autumn.  A favourite of mine!   6.5% from Toronto    14   IBU
-beer 77-