TERRESTRIAL INDIA BROWN ALE ~ WELLINGTON BREWERY

5.9% from Guelph, Ontario

Terrestrial Brown Ale was originally brewed as A Well One-Off, to be a bridge between trend and tradition, it has now been Re-Booted. It is billed as an India Brown Ale. Sampled on draught the beer poured a clear rich mahogany brown with an average foamy beige head, with good retention and nice lacing. The aroma had notes of roasted caramel, an earthiness, grainy malt, nuttiness, cocoa, citrus -leafy -floral- grassy hops ( a blend of five hops: Chinook, Cascade, Centennial, Sorachi Ace and Amarillo). The favour has some nice caramel malt sweetness alongside a plethora of hop flavours (leafy-citrus, floral, earthy). Notes of cereals, nuttiness, bread crusts, and subtle dark fruit, and perhaps a touch of cocoa are to be found too. A decent amount of hop bitterness is to be found on the finish. The body is average and the beer has a smooth creamy texture. Carbonation is pleasant and average. I quite liked this hoppy brown, a nice crossover.

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

2015: A SPICE ODYSSEY ~ WELLINGTON

I bought and drank this the day that Bowie died.  It seemed fitting.  Sampled in a Bomber bottle, this is a Chai Tea Latte Stout.  Originally brewed in 2014 by an all female brewing team, what was meant to be a Welly One-off has now become a Welly re-boot.  The spices used were donated by the Bollywood Bistro and a portion of the sales go to help women in crisis.  The beer pours a very dark brown, almost black, with a finger of beige head.  The head lasted quite a while and left some thin lacing.  The nose had sweet chai spice, chocolate, nutmeg, cinnamon, and roasted malts.  The flavour began and dark roasted malts and dark chocolate, followed by hints a lovely spiciness, including vanilla, cinnamon, ginger and cloves.  The finish was dry and the cinnamon lingered.  Good medium mouthful and flavour.  Overall a nicely balanced, not over done beer.  Will have this again - it is a good sipper on a winters night.  Cheers Ziggy.

 7% from Guelph, Ontario      17 IBU

CUCKOO FOR COCOA HUSKS ~ WELLINGTON

This Chocolate Porter is a Welly Re-Boot. Originally made as a Welly one-off they have revisited and remade this delicious Christmassy beverage. Sampled on draught, the beer poured almost black with a tinge of red, with a tan head, that left some lacing. Nose contained lots of chocolate, roasted malts, coffee with hints of berries buried in the background. Roasted malts and dark chocolate (cocoa nibs were added directly to the mash) first dominated the flavour, with a subtle sweetness and perhaps even a soupçon of vanilla. The acidity adds a liqueur like quality to the brew. Finish has a gentle bitterness. Nicely balanced, very quaffable! Label created by cartoonist Jay Stevens.

6% from Guelph, Ontario