1ST & 3RD ~ LEFT FIELD BREWING

Left Field Brewery is celebrating their third anniversary with the release of two beers: 1st and 3rd, a Berliner Weisse and an anniversary saison. I was quite excited to try both of these, as I have been impressed with many of Left Field’s brews. Sampled from a 650 mL bottle the beer poured an opaque light golden straw colour with a white head, which left a nice cap of the beer. The nose contained lots of cereal grains, lemon and a slight sulphur smell. The beer was not as sour and tart as I am used to in a Berliner, though the lactobacillus was evident. The palette had lots of dry cereal, wort, some bready yeastiness and citrusy lemon. As it warmed, there was a subtle sweetness that emerged. The flavour, which seemed very ‘young,’ grew on me during the second half of the bottle. Left Field has brewed this using a kettle-soured mash made from their house strain of lactobacillus and 50% wheat. Both Belgian and American yeasts were also used. This Berliner lacks some complexity, is not my favourite example of this style, but is not bad either.

4% from Toronto, Ontario 8 IBU

PHOTO: LEFT FIELD BREWERY

FALLEN IDOL ~ INDIE ALE HOUSE

Fallen Idol is a sour wit, made with rhubarb.  The beers pour an opaque gold with a hint of a peachy hue.  Lemon, herbal notes, and wheat dominate the nose, with a touch of sourness.  Taste is sweet wheat with lots of lemon and other citrus with herbals flavours, with a pleasant Brett-y/lactobacillus sourness.  The beer has some depth, really well done, highly drinkable, and thirst quenching.

The beer so far has only been made once and is available on draft.   “Fallen Idol” was actually made by accident, when rhubarb was added to their wit beer, it turned out really well and Indie Ale house will be attempting to recreate the accident

5%  from Toronto, Ontario    25 IBU
Key Ingredients: Lactobacillus, Rhubarb

BERLINER WEISSE ~ OAST HOUSE

A traditional Berliner Weisse or Berliner Weißeis is an opaque sour white beer.  It is commonly low in alcohol, averaging 3% to 4% ABV.  It dates back to the 16^th in Northern Germany.   A number of different grain combinations can be used to make it as long as the malts are kilned at a very low temperature to limit the colour added to the beer.  Fermentation happens with yeast and a lactic acid bacteria which gives the beer it’s characteristic sour taste.

Oast House Berliner Weisse was my favourite of the Berliners I tried this season.    It has a good sourness, but does not shred your taste buds and finishes with a pleasant puckering sourness.  Well done Oast!

4.9% from Niagara, Ontario
-beer 106-

GOSE ~ LOCAL 7

My favourite summer beer!  Gose beer is a Belgian style wheat beer.  This beer originated in the 16th Century, made with coriander seeds and a hint of salt.  revived in Goslar in the 1980′s and adopted by many North American craft breweries.  This Gose is made from Gose is a wheat ale, 60% malted wheat, and 40% Pilsner malt.  Lactobacillus Brevis  which is used after fermentation, produces the refreshing sour lemon tartness.  Very refreshing. -beer 12-

4.2 % from Toronto, Ontario