There's a brewery in Ottawa that I've always liked but don't get the opportunity to drink as often as I'd like.
It's not the brewery's fault: it's mine.
When Beyond the Pale first opened its doors, a couple of years ago, the only place that you could buy the beer was in its Parkdale Market-area site or in a few pubs in the Hintonburg area. Or, you could find them at a booth in a beer festival.
Back then, if you wanted to take some of their beer home, you had to go directly to the brewery and pick up a growler. And because the brewery was popular, you had to get to the brewery as soon as it opened its doors, before they sold out. Their latest batch sold out quickly, which meant that you could miss out on special brews.
Which is usually what happened to me.
But now that the brewery has started to can their product and move into the LCBO, I can always find some Pink Fuzz, and now, I can try their latest offering.
I was especially prompted to pick up their new pale ale because a friend of mine created the artwork on the can.
What was inside the can was equally impressive.
Pale Ale Project (4.9% ABV)
Beyond the Pale Brewing Company
Ottawa, ON
Appearance: a luminescent, deep gold with ample effervescence (I saw what I thought was a bubbly twister in the glass) and a thick, foamy-white head.
Nose: ripe citrus—tangerine and pink grapefruit—and pineapple, with floral overtones.
Palate: lemon, grapefruit, with light hops on a light body, though the flavours carry to a solid finish.
Overall impression: this is one of the most-flavourful pale ales I have tried. It has the light body of a session ale but the weighty flavour of an IPA. I was sad that I had only bought myself two cans—I was seriously craving more and this might just become my regular brew of the summer.
Beyond the Pale has come out with a successful project. Grab some while you can. I suspect this ale is for a limited time.
And kudos to artist extraordinaire and Ottawa-area historian, Andrew King, on a great label. I like the intricate work: a friend of mine saw it and felt it had a Rube Goldberg machine and I agreed. I like how the picket fence worked into the art, paying homage to the company logo.
Beer O'Clock rating: 4
Cheers!
Ottawa is not a place that has run out of craft brewers, which means that we're far from over when it comes to places in which to enjoy them.
CRAFT Beer Market finally opened its doors this week, much to the pleasure of the thirsty crowds. They announced a soft opening for lunch on Tuesday and held an invitation-only grand opening last night, opening the doors to the public after 7.
Today, she's fully open for business.
Located at Lansdowne, between Whole Foods and the Bank Street Bridge, the pub boasts more than 100 brews on tap, including many local craft breweries and hard-to-get ales from around the world. I saw Ashton Craft Brewery, Bicycle Craft Brewery, Broadhead, Calabogie, Covered Bridge, and Whiprsnapr, among others. I even was able to enjoy a California rarity, Arrogant Bastard, which I had a few weeks ago, in San Diego.
CRAFT founder, PJ L’Heureux, was on hand to welcome visitors and declare the pub officially open. Hors d'oeuvres were served (the chicken waffles were delicious) and the place was packed. While the servers were still getting their groove and bar tenders still figuring out the taps, I felt the pub was off to a great start and I look forward to returning, in a few weeks, when all of the kinks are ironed out.
Give them a try the next time you want to head out for an evening or find yourself in the Glebe.
A big thanks goes to my Twitter/Untappd buddy, John McNab, for bringing me along to last night's opening. It was nice to share some brews together, chat, and get to know each other better. Without you, this post wouldn't have happened.
It seems that every couple of months, a new brewery opens up in Ottawa. And while I make every effort to get to all of them, it's not always easy. Some are off the beaten path. Others are nowhere near my route to and from work, or near places I tend to frequent.
Not so with our city's newest brew house. It's in Hintonburg, so it's not too far off from one of my routes to the office. It's also in a neighbourhood where I sometimes meet friends for Thursday Pints, and I think we should make this place one of our venues.
Tooth and Nail Brewing Company opened its doors just over a month ago, and already it's creating a buzz on the Ottawa beer scene. Located on Irving Avenue, just off of Wellington, the brewery has a long, inviting tasting bar, a few tables, and a friendly atmosphere. They are licensed to sell beer by the pint, as well as samplers.
You can also take some of their beer home, in cans. When I was there, last week, small cans of their stout and pilsner were available, plus they could fill and seal a monster can of their Belgian session ale, nearly one litre!
I decided to stay and try a sampler of all of their offerings: six 5-oz glasses. I took my time, enjoyed each in due course. I did swap the order of the last two ales—the stout and the IPA—and I'm glad I did. With the bold flavours and hops of the IPA, you want to drink it last.
Here, with a brief description, is each:
Housewarmer Multigrain Ale (5.1% ABV)
Appearance: pale straw.
Nose: wheat, like fresh-baked bread.
Palate: light body with a flavour that I can best describe as marshmallow. A good, clean finish.
Overall impression: this reminded me somewhat of Beau's Lug Tread, but with finer flavours. This ale is a collaboration with Beau's, so I did expect some influence from the Vankleek Hill brewery.
Beer O'Clock rating: 3
Stamina Belgian Session Ale (5.2% ABV)
Appearance: an unfiltered gold.
Nose: slight ginger spice and candied fruit.
Palate: more spice and alcohol but well-balanced.
Overall impression: this ale has a nice body that holds up well from start to finish. It was one of my favourite of the bunch (hence the monster can that I took home).
Beer O'Clock rating: 3.5
Vim & Vigor Unfiltered Pilsner (5.2% ABV)
Appearance: light gold.
Nose: I found no bouquet. It held its aroma close to its chest.
Palate: toasted hops and warm malt, with a good finish.
Overall impression: I'm not generally a fan of pilsners, but I did like this one. It's well-balanced with a good body and a nice finish. I would drink it again.
Beer O'Clock rating: 3
Tenacity Pale Ale (5.8% ABV)
Appearance: a clear, warm gold to amber.
Nose: grapefruit.
Palate: orange citrus and light hops, with a lightly bitter finish.
Overall impression: I felt somewhat disappointed by this pale ale. I anticipated great flavour with the grapefruit aroma and orange taste, but it seemed to fall away, with little hops. I wanted more on that front.
Beer O'Clock rating: 2.5
Fortitude Stout (5.3% ABV)
Appearance: brown with red highlights (similar to root beer).
Nose: coffee and cocoa.
Palate: dark chocolate and espresso, with toasted malt.
Overall impression: this is a very good stout—one that I could drink all night long. I brought four cans home but I fear that's not enough. This was my favourite pour of the lot.
Beer O'Clock rating: 4
Rabble Rouser IPA (6.8% ABV)
Appearance: a clear, deep gold.
Nose: this ale, like the Vim & Vigor, gave me no aromas.
Palate: burnt caramel and orange, with big hops and a lingering finish.
Overall impression: I'm glad I saved this IPA for last. With its bold, delicious flavours and long finish, I could taste this ale long after I finished the sampler. I was disappointed that it wasn't available in cans, because I would have liked to stock my cellar with it.
Beer O'Clock rating: 3.5
If this is how Tooth and Nail starts, I'm very excited to see how the brewers do once they get their groove and settle into the community. If you haven't been to see them, do yourself a favour and go. You can also follow them on Facebook.
Cheers!
Ottawa's latest brewery is set to open its doors tomorrow, August 7, and it is taking on a theme that harkens to prohibition.
But it has no reason to hide.
Located in the dark depths under the Lunenburg Pub, where once veteran pub, Alfie's, crammed the booze faithful into its tight space, brewer Marc-André Chainey is seeing his two-year (plus) dream come true.
The suspenders-donning civil engineer, who has turned his love for beer, is opening Waller Street Brewing, starting at noon. There will be tasty treats, a live jazz band, and even an early Model A Ford.
And, of course, beer.
Marc-André has four brews on offer, for sampling or by the glass, but remember: this is a brewery and not a pub. If you want to drink it up, this is not the place. Pick up your half-growler and enjoy it at home.
The four mainstays of the brewery are as follows:
Bootleg Blonde (5% ABV)—an American blonde ale with good pepper notes and plenty of hops, this is one of the best blondes I've ever had, and I'm not into blondes (even though I married one). Easy-drinking, it reminded me of a session ale. (Beer O'Clock rating: 3)
Hideaway Hefe (5% ABV)—a German-style hefeweizen, this is my favourite of the Waller Street offerings. Big notes of banana on the nose and puréed pairs on the palate, this cloudy ale got me so excited that I drank the half-growler that I bought as soon as I got home. This hefe will be a hit for wheat-beer lovers. (Beer O'Clock rating: 4.5)
Speakeasy Red (4.4% ABV)—a complex, Belgian-American-red-rye-session-IPA. This is a mouthful, and your mouth will enjoy the many flavours that comprise this ale. "Everything is about balance and subtlety," said Marc-André, about his personal favourite of his creation. (Beer O'Clock rating: 3.5)
Moonlight Porter (6.3% ABV)—solid notes of coffee and chocolate nibs on the nose, with licorice and molasses on the palate, this substantial dark ale is full of hops and reminds me of an Imperial stout. I found this selection a bit lacking in carbonation, which may have made it a little silkier, like moonlight. Perhaps it was the condition of the growler from which we drank, but I'll be able to confirm that when I open my mini growler. (Beer O'Clock rating: 3)
At the brewery's grand opening, a special, unnamed, cask-condition ale will be opened.
I'm excited for Waller Street Brewing. They are off to a fine start with their beer offerings and their theme makes it a good attraction, given its location, outside the bustle of the Byward Market. Time will tell.
Cheers!
Ottawa's beer scene is thriving: sometimes, it's hard to keep count.
To date, I've counted about 18 breweries in the Ottawa region, from Pembroke in the west to Vankleek Hill in the east and from Gatineau to Merrickville—north to south, respectively.
It's a good thing we craft-beer lovers are so darned thirsty. There still seems to be plenty of room on our palates.
Enter the latest brewery to hit Ottawa, and I have two reasons to love them: one, they make good beer; two, the brewery is owned by cycling enthusiasts.
Bicycle Craft Brewery (12-850 Industrial Avenue) has been open for only two weeks, and seems to have both wheels firmly on the ground. Owners Fariborz Behzadi and his wife, Laura, took their love of travel to explore the world of craft beer, and they recently moved to Ottawa to make the capital richer with the knowledge that they gained.
The brewery currently offers four staples and two seasonals. While I visited their brewery a day early of their latest seasonal, a pumpkin ale, I did have the opportunity to try everything else. Some, I loved, others I liked. One, I did not care for.
Here's a quick rundown of my findings:
Isodore's Harvest Ale (4.9% ABV, 42 IBU)
I loved the richness of aroma on the nose and the balance of hops and malt in the body. This is a great autumn ale and my only regret is that I didn't leave the brewery with a growler of the stuff. It was my second-favourite beer that the brewery offers.
My Beer O'Clock rating: 4
Belle River Blonde (4.7% ABV, 22 IBU)
This is a light and refreshing ale, and while I myself don't care for this style of beer, I have to say that I appreciated it for what it was. If you like blonde ales, this is definitely one to try.
My Beer O'Clock rating: 3
Base Camp Oatmeal Porter (5.1% ABV, 30 IBU)
I liked this porter so much I brought some home to give a proper review, so let's do it:
Appearance: dark walnut to black, with red highlights and a creamy taupe head.
Nose: rich espresso coffee and tobacco.
Palate: dark-roasted coffee and cedar, with a higher bitterness than the IBUs would suggest. It all mellows in a medium-bodied finish.
Overall impression: while I don't get the relationship between this porter's name and cycling (sounds like a name that I'd associate with mountain climbing or hiking), I do get the easy-drinkingness (new word) of this porter. The flavours come off immediately as bold but then mellow out to an intensity that I associate with a classic porter—that is, not overpowering. This is a great ale.
My Beer O'Clock rating: 3.5
Abyss Chocolate Stout (5.7% ABV, 31 IBU)
When I learned that this brewery's pumpkin ale wasn't available on the day that I planned to visit, I was tempted to go to the LCBO to pick up my weekend beer. But when I learned that they made a chocolate stout, I had a change of heart. Stouts are my favourite beer style: chocolate is an added bonus.
One of the things that I noticed straight away, when Fariborz poured me a sample, was that the stout appeared to be flat. Had the half-growler been open a long time, I asked? No, was the answer: this stout was made with little carbonation by design, Fariborz told me.
That was a shame. I found that the stout was not only flat in the glass, it felt lifeless in my mouth. While there were still good flavours of malt and chocolate, I feel that carbonation helps a stout feel creamier in the mouth, and I missed that in my sample.
I did not care for that design. Had the stout been infused with gas, I feel it had the potential to be so much better.
My Beer O'Clock rating: 2
Velocipede India Pale Ale (6% ABV, 70 IBU)
Of the brews that were available, this IPA, by far, was my favourite. Like the porter, I brought some home to conduct a full review (oh, what I do for my readers).
Appearance: an unfiltered, deep caramel, with a creamy beige head that had an orange tint.
Nose: orange citrus and lush hops.
Palate: creamy orange, almost like a Creamsicle from my childhood, but without any sweetness. There is rich fruit with intense hops that balance beautifully. There is bitterness without having that teabag feeling on the roof of your mouth. The long finish is incredibly satisfying.
Overall impression: this IPA is a definite keeper and should be Bicycle Craft Brewery's flagship ale. As a direct appeal to Fariborz and Laura—change nothing about this beer: it's a gem.
My Beer O'Clock rating: 5
Bicycle Craft Brewery is a welcome addition to the Ottawa brewing community. For myself, I especially like that they are well-situated (not exactly in my end of town, but not much of a detour from my commute between work and home). I am excited to try the pumpkin ale and I look forward to watching Fariborz and Laura grow their business.
Cheers!
Yesterday, one of my Twitter followers, Lori, asked me if I knew the best beer patio in Ottawa. I was about to respond with "Mine," but I knew that wouldn't be helpful. Instead, I told her I would answer her question with a blog post of my favourite pubs with outdoor patios.
In truth, I spend very little time during the summer on patios. In the spring, when flowers bloom and trees open up, the pollen kills me. If I'm going to be outside, I don't want bees or other pests bothering me. And if there's a wind, I prefer not to hold down my glass.
But on warm sunny days when the weather is right and the bugs are at bay, nothing beats enjoying a cold one outdoors. So, in no particular order, here are my top 10 patio picks for Ottawa.
Mill Street Brew Pub (555 Wellington St. at the Portage Bridge): You must have known I'd bring up this place off the top. It's my favourite pub in the city, and they have two great patios. And with the historic mill as a view, it's a cozy spot to drink a wide assortment of craft beer, some of which is made on the premises. During Bluesfest, you can sit on the patio and hear some of the performers, depending on the stage. The acoustics are such that the sound echos off Mill Street's parking garage: I was there last summer and could hear the live music perfectly.
Earl of Sussex (Byward Market, 431 Sussex Drive): This pub has been around forever and has a great patio on the corner that is shaded with trees. Right near the National Gallery, the patio offers views of Major's Hill Park and Nepean Point.
D'arcy Mcgee's Pub (44 Sparks Street, at Elgin): Another great patio with a view, D'arcy's outdoor space wraps around Sparks and Elgin, offering a great view of the War Memorial and the Chateau Laurier. There are great beers on tap, with many seasonals and featured beer changing all the time. This is one of my favourite places, year 'round.
Arrow & Loon (99 Fifth Avenue, at Bank Street, in the Glebe): This is the first Ottawa pub that featured local craft beer. My friend's brewery, Scotch-Irish Brewing Company, first offered his beers on tap at this pub, and many local craft beers can still be found here. While the patio doesn't have the greatest view, you are very close to Lansdowne, Ottawa South, and downtown. I go for the fabulous beer.
Sir John A (284 Elgin Street, at MacLaren): In the heart of Centretown, you are guaranteed to see lots of night life from the patio of this pub. There is great beer to be had here, including local craft beer and fine imported ales.
Heart & Crown (Byward Market, 67 Clarence Street): This pub is part of five interconnected pubs, known as the Irish Village, with patios both outside and within inner courtyards. For me, the best place to sit is at the corner of Clarence and Parent Avenue, where you have the best view of the heart of the Byward Market. If you prefer a more private setting, the inner courtyard patio is also great.
Heart & Crown (353 B Preston Street): Owned by the same folks as the Byward Market location, the Little Italy H&C is close to Dow's Lake. Don't be surprised to see the occasional Ferrari drive by.
Highlander Pub (115 Rideau Street): I tend to go to the Highlander for its outstanding and unmatched selection of single-malt whiskies, but the beer selection isn't bad either. Situated between the Rideau Centre and the Byward Market, the Highlander is close to many attractions.
The Clocktower Pub (418 Richmond Road, Westboro): The beer and food is hit and miss at this brew pub, but the patio is large and gets plenty of sunshine, and the pub is located in one of the trendiest neighbourhoods in the city.
The Lieutenant's Pump (361 Elgin Street, Centretown): Again, in the heart of Centretown, this pub has great Ontario craft beer on tap and the food is pretty good. The patio isn't huge but it does offer a great view of one of the city's great streets.
Those are my picks. If you go to any of these pubs you can't go wrong. (Good luck, Lori!)
If you have a favourite patio pub in Ottawa, please share it by leaving a comment.
Cheers!
