Canadian Beer Notes

Quick reviews of beers from across Canada by Greg Clow, publisher/editor of CanadianBeerNews.com

[canadianbeernotes]

My, it’s been quite a while since I’ve posted a beer review here, hasn’t it? I really should try to get back into the habit, especially with the always increasing variety of great beers that have been making their way into my fridge, like this Glorioso Italian Pilsner from Left Field Brewery. I’m admittedly still not 100% sure what makes a pilsner “Italian” – or in the case of one brewed here in Canada, “Italian-style”, I suppose – but every one I’ve tried has been crisp and dry like a German pils, but with a more prominent herbal character, and generally quite aromatic from generous dry-hopping. Glorioso ticks all of those boxes, and finishes with a lovely lime leaf note that lingers on the palate. Mark from the brewery kindly sent me this as well as their new Goldpanner Smoked Black Lager, and tells me that both of them will be pouring at the Dominion City Rooted in Place Festival, so go have a taste there if you’re in Ottawa this weekend, or head to the source at the Left Field taproom if you’re in Toronto.

#beer #craftbeer #beerphoto #craftbeerphoto #beerreview #craftbeerreview #ontariobeer #ontariocraftbeer #torontobeer #torontocraftbeer #leftfieldbrewery #lager #craftlager #pilsner #italianpilsner

[canadianbeernotes]

Thanks to Wellington Brewery for sending over Vol. 6 of their sampler pack series, which has shifted from bottles to tall cans for this edition. The two seasonal beers - Rhubarb Saison and Raked Over IPA with pineapple, mango & habanero - are tempting, but I started in with the good ol’ Helles Lager which never disappoints. Glad to see that it’s also now available at the LCBO in single 473 ml cans, a format that will make it handy to replace the late & lamented Side Launch Mountain Lager in my spring/summer beer rotation. . . . #beer #craftbeer #ontariocraftbeer #lager #craftlager #helleslager #wellingtonbrewery #instabeer #beerstagram #beerphoto #craftbeerphoto https://www.instagram.com/p/Bv5Ms-2l0i3/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=iwuahy7bj03y

[canadianbeernotes]

Stopped by Folly Brewing earlier to try some of the new beers released for their 3rd anniversary, with Shattered Fragments Sumac Sour Saison - a collab with Ottawa’s Bar Lupulus - being a definite highlight. In fact, it’s a dual anniversary beer, as it’ll be tapped soon at Lupulus to mark the bar’s 1st birthday. Cheers & congrats to both for their respective milestones! . . . #beer #craftbeer #torontobeer #torontocraftbeer #ontariobeer #ontariocraftbeer #beerphoto #craftbeerphoto #saison #follybrewpub #barlupulus #instabeer #beerstagram

[canadianbeernotes]

If I’m reading the date codes correctly, this pair of IPAs from the Central City Red Racer Across the Nation Collaboration pack – from the East, Three Beasts American IPA with New Brunswick’s TrailWay Brewing; from the West, Half Way White IPA with Manitoba’s Torque Brewing – were canned about 5 months ago, which admittedly isn’t ideal for the style. Even so, the hops are still in strong evidence in both of them, especially the Three Beasts, which starts with sweet tea notes before shifting to tangerine and grapefruit peel, pleasantly bringing to mind some of the classic US IPAs of a decade or so ago. As for Half Way, it lacks the hazy appearance and lemony tang usually found in a white IPA, but the wheat does add some lightness to the body of what is otherwise a clean, balanced, and also slightly old school IPA. . . . #beer #craftbeer #beerphoto #craftbeerphoto #beerreview #craftbeerreview #ale #craftale #IPA #indiapaleale #hoppybeer #collaborationbeer #centralcitybrewing #redracerbeer #trailwaybrewing #torquebrewing #beerstagram

[canadianbeernotes]

After spending a good chunk of July and August beer-free for medical reasons, I’ve been getting back into the swing of things with some summer-friendly beers that arrived during my hiatus, including the fun and colourful Party Favours Sour Mix Pack from Wellington Brewery. Paper Crown and Piñata are both solid takes on a kettle sour, with notes of lemon and yogurt in great balance with their added elements of dry-hopping and peach & ginger respectively. And while the butterfly pea flower in Punch doesn’t seem to add much to the decent gose aside from a cool blue-purple colour, the pineapple in Pinwheel is very well integrated with the tart and mildly salty base beer. . . . #beer #craftbeer #beerphoto #craftbeerphoto #beerreview #craftbeerreview #ontariobeer #ontariocraftbeer #guelphbeer #guelphcraftbeer #wellingtonbrewery #ale #craftale #sourbeer #fruitbeer #kettlesour #gose #fruitedsour #beerstagram

[canadianbeernotes]

A medically-necessitated hiatus from alcohol has led to a lack of beer reviews here recently, so in the interim, here’s a long overdue look at “The Overcast’s Guide to Beers of Newfoundland”, a book that came out a few months back via Breakwater Books and The Overcast. A compact and attractive hardcover than checks in at just over 100 pages, it provides just what the title promises, including a quick intro section on beer basics, an overview of Newfoundland’s brewing past – featuring brief histories of the three defunct breweries that originated several Newfoundland-only brands still being brewed by Labatt and Molson today – and profiles of the dozen breweries and one cider maker currently active in the province. Like most books of this sort, it will soon be out-of-date, with several new breweries set to open on The Rock in coming months. But it’s still a great snapshot of Newfoundland’s brewing scene as it looks today, and will serve as a nice artifact to look back on as the industry there grows and evolves. . . . #beer #craftbeer #beerphoto #craftbeerphoto #beerbook #newfoundlandbeer #newfoundlandcraftbeer #nlbeer #nlcraftbeer #beerstagram

[canadianbeernotes]

I dig what Wellington Brewery has done with the reformulated version of Kickin’ Back. The body is still on the thin side, but it has a brighter character, better flavour & more prominent hops than the original, with notes of orange blossom & citrus peel that are refreshing and inviting. My only real complaint is about the new can, which seems plain when compared to the summery illustration that the previous version sported. . . . #beer #craftbeer #beerphoto #craftbeerphoto #beerreview #craftbeerreview #ontariobeer #ontariocraftbeer #guelphbeer #guelphcraftbeer #wellingtonbrewery #ale #craftale #paleale #IPA #indiapaleale #sessionale #sessionIPA #beerstagram

[canadianbeernotes]

With Toronto’s first heat alert of the year issued today, it’s definitely radler-friendly weather around here. So I was glad to have recently received a promo delivery of the new Waterloo Brewing Radler Sampler Pack, featuring cans of the previously available Grapefruit and Citrus versions, along with a new Raspberry variant that I tried this evening. It starts out fairly sweet, with the raspberry character coming across more like jam or coulis than fresh berries, although some balancing acidity towards the finish stops it from becoming claggy or cloying. The flavour is pleasant, and when consumed cold and quickly, it does a good job of slaking a summer thirst. I just find it a bit too sweet overall for my personal taste, but I know that will be a plus rather than a minus for many people, so I’m sure it’ll be a seasonal hit. . . . #beer #craftbeer #beerphoto #craftbeerphoto #beerreview #craftbeerreview #ontariobeer #ontariocraftbeer #waterloobrewing #radler #fruitbeer #raspberybeer #summerbeer #beerstagram

[canadianbeernotes]

Like most breweries that launch with a large number of beers – nine in this case – not everything on offer from the recently opened Lot 30 Brewers is a winner. I found that the Bohemian Pilsner in particular needs some work. But there are some highlights in the starting line-up as well, including the rather good Saison de la Maison. It does veer slightly off-style with some banana esters up front that are more suitable for a hefeweizen, but they meld well with the notes of lemon peel, white pepper, clove, mild coriander, leading to a dry and slightly chalky finish. More like this, please! . . . #beer #craftbeer #beerphoto #craftbeerphoto #beerreview #craftbeerreview #ontariobeer #ontariocraftbeer #torontobeer #torontocraftbeer #lot30brewers #saison #saisonbeer #farmhousebeer #farmhouseale #beerstagram

[canadianbeernotes]

I know it seems strange - and perhaps a bit humble-braggy - to complain about having too much beer, but it can be inconvenient to have things get lost in the shuffle, only to pop back out when doing a semi-regular inventory of the stash. It was thanks to one of those that this bottle of Merit Chanan Saison I picked up in Hamilton a couple of months ago came to be opened tonight, and I’m glad it did. It’s a remarkablyf complex saison, with notes of several types of citrus, coriander, pineapple, white pepper, spruce shavings, and more. Great body as well, soft and full on the palate, but also quenching and refreshing. Stunning stuff! . . . #beer #craftbeer #beerphoto #craftbeerphoto #beerreview #craftbeerreview #ontariobeer #ontariocraftbeer #hamontbeer #hamontcraftbeer #meritbrewing #saison #flavouredbeer #beerstagram

[canadianbeernotes]

Now that the weather in Toronto is finally somewhat spring-like, the time seems right to whip out the wheat beers, such as this quartet of recent arrivals. Two of them – Shawn & Ed Valley Wheat and Wellington Digger’s Wit – stick close to tradition, with Valley being a subtle take on a German-style wiesse, while Digger’s is an excellent Belgian-style wit enhanced with the addition of lemon and lime zest. The other pair - Mill St. White Space Wheat and Beau’s Blood Simple – both contain blood orange, although it’s not especially prominent in either, as White Space is dominated more by the herbal additions of chamomile and coriander, while Blood Simple has a definite citrus character but without the acidity and depth that blood orange usually brings. But even with those criticisms, I enjoyed them all. . . . . #beer #craftbeer #beerphoto #craftbeerphoto #beerreview #craftbeerreview #instabeer #beerstagram #canadianbeer #canadiancraftbeer #ontariobeer #ontariocraftbeer #wheatbeer #wheatale #witbier #weissbier #shawnandedbrewingco #wellingtonbrewery #millstreet #millstreetbrewery #beausbrewery

[canadianbeernotes]

While the anti-consumerist part of me likes to think that I’m not inclined to be influenced by branding, there’s no denying that an eye-catching label can attract attention on the increasingly crowded beer shelves at my local retailer. And my eyes were definitely caught by this beauty of a label on Elora Brewing Lady Friend IPA. Thankfully, the beer lived up to the package (which is not always the case, trust me), starting off subtle caramel and honey sweetness that is quickly joined by notes of tropical fruit salad, tangerine, and a hint of pine resin. Well balanced and very moreish. Now, how about making a poster of that label, folks? . . . #beer #craftbeer #beerphoto #craftbeerphoto #beerreview #craftbeerreview #instabeer #beerstagram #canadianbeer #canadiancraftbeer #ontariobeer #ontariocraftbeer #elorabeer #eloracraftbeer #ale #craftale #ipa #indiapaleale #hoppybeer #juicybeer #elorabrewingcompany

[canadianbeernotes]

The label of Fairweather High Grade IPA promises that it will be “juicy, dank, tropical” – but I have to disagree with the middle descriptor. “Dank” to me indicates that it should smell like Otto’s jacket – yeah, you know what I’m talking about – but this is much fresher and brighter than that. They’ve got it right with the “juicy” and “tropical” though, as this beer hits both of those on the nose. And it disappears from the glass much more quickly than is usual for a 6.6% abv beer. . . . #beer #craftbeer #beerphoto #craftbeerphoto #beerreview #craftbeerreview #instabeer #beerstagram #ontariobeer #ontariocraftbeer #hamontbeer #hamontraftbeer #canadianbeer #canadiancraftbeer #ale #craftale #ipa #indiapaleale #hoppybeer #juicybeer #fairweatherbrewing

[canadianbeernotes]

If this quartet of recent new releases is any indication, tropical fruit flavours are going to be a big trend in beer this spring and summer – although as these four beers show, there can be a lot of variety in that area, even with beers using the same fruits. Two of them - Hop City Big Tiki (with pineapple, cherry, passionfruit, mango, guava and papaya) and Muskoka Summerweiss Tropical Wheat (with mango and passionfruit) – sit on the sweeter end of the spectrum, with sweet mango flavours dominating Summerweiss, while Big Tiki tastes like a radler made with Tahiti Treat soda. The other pair – the new-to-Ontario Modern Times Fruitlands Gose (with passionfruit and guava) and the sadly already sold out Bellwoods Jelly King (with guava, mango, and passionfruit) – come from the tarter side, with Fruitlands featuring a great integration of tart fruit, slightly sour beer, and a pinch of salt, and the latest Jelly King variant tasting exactly how you’d expect Jelly King to taste with those fruits, i.e. really damn good and refreshing. . . . #beer #craftbeer #beerphoto #craftbeerphoto #beerreview #craftbeerreview #instabeer #beerstagram #ontariobeer #ontariocraftbeer #canadianbeer #canadiancraftbeer #torontobeer #torontocraftbeer #fruitbeer #tropicalbeer #sourbeer #gose #wheatbeer #hopcitybrewing #muskokabrewery #moderntimesbeer #bellwoodsbrewery

[canadianbeernotes]

One thing that struck me on my recent day trip to Hamilton was how each brewery there has – intentionally or not – found a brewing niche for which they’ve become known. At Clifford Brewing that niche seems to be something along the lines of “traditional styles done well,” and fitting squarely in there is East Hamilton Lager. A true-to-style and all-around excellent German pilsner, it features a clean & lean body, restrained malt, and herbal & spicy noble hops in the lingering finish. Another reminder that despite the overwhelming emphasis on ales, there will always be a place in craft brewing for well-made traditional lagers. . . . #beer #craftbeer #beerphoto #craftbeerphoto #beerreview #craftbeerreview #instabeer #beerstagram #lager #craftlager #pilsner #craftpilser #ontariobeer #ontariocraftbeer #hamontbeer #hamontraftbeer #canadianbeer #canadiancraftbeer #cliffordbrewing

[canadianbeernotes]

Maybe it’s my big city bias showing, but anytime I get word of a brewery opening in a small town with a line-up of beers that veer outside of the typical gateway styles, I’m a bit surprised. Even moreso when a brand new brewery like Port Colborne’s Breakwall Brewing not only launches with a Saison as one of its core brands, but a superb version of the style to boot. Everything about Sailor Saison - the hazy straw-yellow body; the aroma of cut grass and lemon zest; the dry flavour with subtle notes of citrus oil and yeast; the herbal and peppery finish – is bang on the mark from start to finish. . . . #beer #craftbeer #beerphoto #craftbeerphoto #beerreview #craftbeerreview #instabeer #beerstagram #saison #craftsaison #ontariobeer #ontariocraftbeer #canadianbeer #canadiancraftbeer #breakwallbrewingco #portcolborne

[canadianbeernotes]

During my visit to Shawn & Ed Brewing a couple of weeks ago, co-owner Ed Madronich and brewer Rob Creighton used words like “balanced” and “drinkable” a lot when talking about their beers. For many craft beer drinkers, these words can serve as pejoratives, holding a suggestion that the beers being described are boring or unchallenging. And to those looking for fruited sours or haze bombs or whatever else is the latest hot trend, S&E’s beers may indeed seem that way. But what they lack in flash and dazzle, they make up for in quality and consistency and, yes, balance and drinkability. Take smaSH²ED, for example – a single malt & single hop lager that doesn’t hide its 7% abv strength, but still manages to be a treat to drink from start to finish of the 750 ml bottle. I’m not sure what malt and hop varieties were used – something to put on the label next time, perhaps? – but the notes of light caramel, candied orange, toasted grain, pineapple juice, citrus peel, and spruce tips all work well together, even as it warms and a bit of booze starts to poke through in the long finish. And hey, isn’t it nice to have a beer you can see through every once in a while? . . . #beer #craftbeer #beerphoto #craftbeerphoto #beerreview #craftbeerreview #instabeer #beerstagram #lager #craftlager #stronglager #SMaSHbeer #ontariobeer #ontariocraftbeer #hamontbeer #hamontraftbeer #canadianbeer #canadiancraftbeer #lagershed #shawnandedbrewingco