FIELD DAY ~ FOLLY

Field Day is Folly’s first wit beer. It is quite a unique wit beer and unlike others that I have had. It is brewed with wheat flakes, finished over coriander, orange and grapefruit zest and fermented with a Ontario wild yeast (wild Thing) from Ontario’s own Yeast lab, Escarpment Laboratories. Sampled on draught, the beer pours a clean light bright golden colour with a moderate white head that leaves patchy lacing as it recedes. The flavour is crisp and clean. There was no banana or bubble gum flavours but lots of bold pepper and coriander, with more subtle citrus notes. The carbonation was very effervescent , the body was light and the finish was very dry and bitter. Interesting brew, but maybe a little on the dry side for me.

5.3% from Toronto, Ontario 20 IBU

MOJO~FORKED RIVER

Mojo is an American Style Wheat beer with rhubarb and citra hops. Sampled on draught the beer poured a very slightly hazy light golden yellow with a moderate white head that did not linger very long, but did settle into a cap while leaving wisps of lacing on the glass. The nose contained some wheaty grains, bright citrus, citra hops and suggestions of tropical fruit and subtle rhubarb. The beer was quite easy to drink and easily quaffable. The beer begins with a little graininess – a nice crackery base, followed by citrus and tropical fruit, with a slight tartness (I am assuming from the rhubarb) and citra hops finish it off. The finish was crisp and dry, the carbonation was average, the body was light (but not thin), and the mouthfeel was silky smooth. I would have liked a little more rhubarb presence but this mild yet flavourful ale would be a great session summer sipper.

4.5% from London, Ontario 23 IBU

GRASSHOPPER WHEAT ALE ~ BIG ROCK BREWERY

I have not had a Grasshopper in many years. It, at one time, was my go to beer. I remember it as being mild and citrusy. I ordered it for a trip down memory lane. It is a kristallweizen, which means it is a filtered Wheat beer. The wheat all comes from the Lethbridge area and the malts from central Alberta. Sampled on draught with a wedge of lemon the beer poured a clear bright straw yellow with a moderate billowy off white head. The head left scant lacing as it receded. The aroma was very mild, with hints of bready wheat, and citrusy fruit. There was also sweetness in the smell and some malts. The beer was much milder and sweeter than I recalled. The beer begins with sweet malts, followed by lemon citrus and finished with very mild hops. The body was light and the carbonation was on the low side of average. Refreshing, and easy to drink but a little pedestrian.
5% from Calgary, Alberta
Hops: Willamette and Saaz Hops
Malt: Pale and Wheat Malt

BAVARIAN BREAKFAST WHEAT ~ SILVERSMITH BREWING

This German style hefeweizen/weissbeier is another solid beer from Silversmith Brewing. Sampled on draught the beer poured an unfiltered hazy golden colour with touches or amber. It had a long lasting white head and lots of carbonation. The nose contained the classic banana and clove with some citrusy orange and lemon, wheat and yeast. The taste is much as would be expected: wheat, clove, citrus and a touch of banana. Spicy yeasts finish the beer with a spicy finish and a hop bitterness. This is a well executed beer, made with all natural ingredients and is unpasteurized. I have not been disappointed by Silversmith Brewing yet, and this is a lovely example of the style.

5.2% from Niagara on the lake, Ontario 16 IBU

WHEAT ~ SIDELAUNCH

Sidelaunch Brewing in the rebranded and renamed Denison’s beer. This beer was formerly Denison’s Weissbeer, now simply known as ‘Wheat.’ Sampled on draught in a weizen glass, this beer poured a bright cloudy yellow, with a white lasting head. The beer is billed as an authentic unfiltered Bavarian style Wheat beer and has a nose that reflects this. The smell is vibrant and fresh and contains lots of banana, ripe wheat, citrus, coriander and clove. The taste was quite fruity and fresh, as well as the tastes the nose would suggest, fresh fruit, lemon citrus, yeast and wheaty malts all have a part to play. I think this may be one of the better hefes I have had and a good example of the style. It is full of flavour and the extra fruitiness makes it very refreshing. The beer had a creamy mouthfeel and was moderately carbonated. A very enjoyable quaff and paired perfectly with fish tacos.
5.3 % from Collingwood, Ontario

IDLESCHWEIN ~ NEUSTADT SPRINGS BREWERY

Idleschwein is a dark wheat beer, or Dunkelweizen. Dunkelweizens were traditionally brewed in the south of Germany. I enjoyed this one on draught. The beer pours a deep dark amber colour. It had minimal head, which settled to a small ring of bubbles around the edges of the glass. The nose contained lots of sweet roasted malts, Belgian yeast, pear and apple, cloves and other spice. The flavour was similar to the nose, but introduced some other flavours too. The beer had the flavours of a classic hefeweizen, with banana, Belgian yeasts, and cloves, but also had hints of other spices…. almost like a banana bread. There as quite a lot of fruitiness in this beer too, I got late season tree fruit, which added both a sweetness and a touch of tartness. The malts were sweet and tasty and added a caramely-ness. It was medium bodied and full of flavours with moderate to low carbonation. A really interesting brew, though I found this quite sweet, and the bitterness was negligible. I would gladly sip on another.
4.7% from Neustadt, Ontario

GOLDEN BEACH ~ SAWDUST CITY 

Sampled on draught this beer pours sunshine yellow with a little cloudiness due to the fact it is unfiltered. The frothy head lasted and left some nice lacing. The beer is made from 50% wheat and appeared somewhat like a wit beer, but had more opacity. The nose was full of fruity hoppiness, with tropical fruit and citrus and pine in the back. The taste contains lots of fruitiness, with citrus and citrus peel, mild malt in the middle and resiny pine hoppiness at the end. This hopped up wheat beer left a crisp bitterness, but retained a little of the wheat sweetness. An excellent beer, with lots of complexity from the hops, very drinkable, I will be returning to this one!
4.5% from Gravenhurst, Ontario 25 IBU
Barley: Canadian 2 row barley, wheat
Hops: galaxy, mosaic, sorachi ace, summit
Yeast : California Ale

GRANDSTAND ~ LEFT FIELD BREWERY

Grandstand is the newest offering from the Left Field Brewery, making its debut on August 31^st, 2015.  It is a hoppy wheat made up of 50% wheat with Simcoe, Citra and Centennial Hops.  It pours a rich cloudy gold and smells of grapefruit and other more subtle fruits.  The wheat gives it a crispness, but hops are the most dominant flavour.  I found this similar to American Pale Ale made with wheat instead of barley.  Very quaffable!

 

5.5% from (East) Toronto

HEAVENWEISSE ~ BRIMSTONE

HeavenWeisse is Brimstone’s version of a traditional Bavarian Hefeweizen (wheat beer). It pours a deeper golden than usual wheats with an unfiltered cloudiness.  Lots of clove and banana in the nose and the taste.  Finishes with faint bubblegum flavour.  Perfect on a hot day on the patio.

4.8% from Ridgeway, Ontario
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ROSEE D’HIBISCUS ~ DIEU DE CIEL

Seasoned Wheat Beer.  Rosee d’Hibiscus starts off as a wheat beer, during the brewing process Hibiscus flowers are added giving the beer a lovely fragrance and a slight acidity.  It pours a rich pink, has a lovely tartness and a flavour all its own.  I often drink this as a refreshing summer beer.

5.9% from Montreal,Quebec
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