Road Trip, Part 1

I love hitting the road and discovering the many craft breweries that Ontario has to offer. To date, there are some 200 microbreweries in the province, with no slowing in sight.

Obviously, I can't get to all of them at once, but little by little, I'm paying my respects to more and more of them.

On my recent vacation, I hopped in my car and drove to the Bruce Peninsula, in Southern Ontario. If you don't know where that is but have a basic concept of what Ontario looks like, Southern Ontario looks a bit like an arrow head, with its directional point towards southwest: the Bruce Peninsula is that northern point in the arrow head, and it's the narrow strip of land that separates Lake Huron and Georgian Bay.

From Ottawa, depending on your route, it can take approximately seven-and-a-half hours to reach the Northern Bruce, which is just north of Wiarton. I chose my route carefully, making sure that I passed a few craft breweries along the way. My intention was to stop for lunch in the Muskoka Lake district and visit three breweries: Muskoka Brewery, Lake of Bays Brewing Company, and Sawdust City Brewing Company. As time had it, I never got the chance to stop at Lake of Bays.

My first stop was to Muskoka Brewery, in Bracebridge. Not far from the intersection of highways 118 and 11, the brewery was only a couple of minutes off of my route. These criss-crossing thoroughfares join up south of the town, so the drive to the brewery gives you the impression that you're out in the back woods. Sort of. You definitely feel as though you're in cottage country, which suits the brew company well, with its iconic Muskoka chair as its logo.

Muskoka Brewery is one of my favourite Ontario ale producers. I love the hoppiness of Mad Tom, and last year, I almost exclusively drank their Detour session ale. I was looking for something special to try at the brewery and anticipated something on tap at their tasting bar.

On that note, I was sadly disappointed. Four ales were on tap: Mad Tom, Detour, their cream ale (or possibly, the Craft Lager—I didn't pay close attention), and their Summerweiss. All four (or five, since I don't remember with of the two beers the fourth tap offered), I have had before, and I like all of them, but I wanted to try something I had never had before, something I could take with me that I wouldn't normally find in my local LCBO.

Happily, while there was nothing new for me to taste, their refrigerator held two beers that were new to me: Moonlight Kettle Just Peachy, a peach kölsch, and Winter Jack, a barrel-aged, double-chocolate stout. I grabbed a bunch of both, and within about 10 to 15 minutes after pulling into the parking lot, I was on my way.

Because I'm not drinking in September, you can expect a review of the kölsch in October. The Winter Jack is laying down until Christmas.

On my drive, when Hwy. 118 cut through Carnarvon, I should have turned onto the 35, heading north, towards Dorset. From there, I would have turned onto the 117, which would have taken me to Lake of Bays, my other intended stop. Because I didn't know how long it would take me to backtrack, and because I like to keep moving forward, I decided to save that brewery for another trip. My next destination was Gravenhurst and Sawdust City.

This newish brewery is located in the heart of Gravenhurst and was only a couple of blocks off my route. Located in what looks like it could have once been a small department store, Sawdust City boasted a large retail area with a wall of refrigeration cases and a sitting area that could host dozens of visitors. Large windows showcased the fermentation tanks, and a small stage offers live music on Friday and Saturday evenings.

Now that's a Muskoka chair!

I pulled into their parking lot just after noon, just in time for lunch. I learned that you can order food from a truck that is parked in the lot, so I ordered a Korean beef bulgogi sandwich. The owner of the food truck takes your money and delivers the food to your table inside the brewery. I ponied up to the bar and tried a four-glass sampler, selecting four ales that I hadn't yet tried from Sawdust City: Gateway Kölsch, Golden Beach Pale Ale, Skinny Dipping Stout, and The Princess Wears Girlpants, a lovely Belgian blonde.

The kölsch was light in body and in flavour, and while it was a good beer to sip on a hot day, it wasn't my favourite of the bunch. I really liked the pale ale and the stout, but by far, my favourite was the Belgian blonde. My greatest disappointment, however, was when I learned that the brewery was sold out of cans, and the only way to enjoy it for this season would be to drink it from the keg at the brewery.

Next year, Sawdust City, I want to write a full review of this ale, so keep some aside for me, okay?

I left the brewery with a full stomach (the food from the truck was amazing!), some lovely beer flavours in my mouth, and cans of the pale ale, stout, and a third, untried selection—a saison called 7 Weeks of Staying Up All Night (with a name like that, how could I resist?).

Back on the road, I continued my road trip, without stopping, until I came to a rest at the mouth of Lion's Head Harbour, overlooking the curving coastline of Georgian Bay, where the high, sheer cliffs mark the beginning of the Niagara Escarpment, waiting to meet up with my family, who had been camping on the peninsula for the past three days before my arrival.

Together, we visited a few more breweries over the next week, and in my next Beer O'Clock post, I'll continue the road trip and share some thoughts on the beer I sampled.

Cheers!

Pompous and Bitter

No, not me.

Not even the brewery that I visited this weekend. Quite to the contrary, in fact.

When I walked into the reception area of this nearly 26-year-old brewery with my two young daughters, I was met by a pretty, friendly woman named Alison. I explained that I was visiting from Ottawa and that I was hoping to try something new and special.

She politely told me that I needed to come back on Thursday, that the brewery would be releasing two one-off brews. Nothing else, besides their regular line and their seasonal, an orange ale, were available.

Crest-fallen, I told her that I was only in the area for the weekend and that I would be heading back to Ottawa on Sunday. I added that I ran a beer blog and was hoping to have something special to review.

"Give me a second," she said, and left the room.

I wandered the reception area, which also had two tables in the centre that were set up for tastings. Two pitchers with their seasonal were sitting atop; signs warned that it was not a self-serve area. I saw shelves of awards and a fridge that stocked all of their available beers.

When Alison returned, she had two large bottles and two aluminum cans with her. "You have to promise me that you won't say anything about these beers until Thursday," she cautioned me.

I promised. I told her that I would try the beer before Thursday and, if I liked it, I would write a review that would be posted on Thursday.

So here we are.

The brewery is Great Lakes: the one-offs, both pale ales.

Pompous Ass English Pale Ale (4.2% ABV)
Great Lakes Brewery
Toronto, ON
Beer O'Clock rating: 4

Appearance: Alison gave me cans that hadn't even been labelled. She had to show me a demo can, which I captured with my iPhone. At home, pouring it into my glass, a lightly filtered, deep gold ale provided a white, foamy head that eventually settled into a thin lace.

Nose: fresh grapefruit. Lots of grapefruit.

Palate: big hops, but not overpowering, were the first flavours to greet me. I also tasted citrus and a hint of honey (though, not sweet). This EPA is wonderfully balanced that has a nice, short finish that, despite the low alcohol content, leaves a bit of alcohol on the tongue.

Overall impression: this is a big EPA that doesn't overwhelm; rather, it pleases my senses. I don't find it pompous at all. In fact, if I had this in an English pub, it would be hard to drag me away. Now that I've had it, I want more.

The other beer that Alison gave me came in a 650-ml bottle, complete with label and information painted around it.

My Bitter Wife IPA (7% ABV)
Beer O'Clock rating: 3.5

Appearance: also lightly filtered, it pours a brilliant amber-resin colour with a dense-foamed, light-beige head.

Nose: powerful citrus and a tinge of toffee.

Palate: orange rind, nuts, and hops culminate into a massive, clean, dry finish.

Overall impression: I am reminded of the huge-flavoured IPAs of Amsterdam Boneshaker and Muskoka's Twice-As-Mad Tom. This is not an ale for the feint-hearted. This is a heavyweight.

My only problem with these beers, as is often the case with the Toronto-area breweries, is that they probably won't make their way to the Ottawa market—and we're a thirsty bunch. I'm already out and am craving more.

What's a guy to do, Alison?

Given that Great Lakes is only releasing these ales today (April 18) at 4 PM, I suggest that those of you in the GTA get your hands on it, pronto.

And if you're coming to Ottawa, bring me some, won't you? Maybe you could deliver it in Great Lakes Brewery's set of wheels?

Cheers!

A Little Help Here?

This isn't a beer review, but this post is beer related and could lead to future beer reviews.

In May, I'll be heading out on a road trip to New York City. I'll be driving from Ottawa, crossing into the U.S. via Hill Island and taking the I-81 through New York State and Pennsylvania, changing onto the I-80 and into New Jersey.

While I plan on making few stops on the way down (for fuel, coffee, and washroom only), I do plan on making one or two on the return journey.

And here's where I need your help: on the way home, I'd like to stop at a couple of breweries to try samples and pick up favourites for reviewing. Not knowing many American craft breweries, I could use some recommendations.

I'd like to stay as close as possible to my route, which means if a brewery takes me more than 15 minutes off track (getting to it), I'm going to keep driving. Also, because of my schedule, the brewery may not even be open.

Driving down, I'll leave home before 5:00 on a Friday morning. If traffic cooperates, I should arrive in The Big Apple by 1:00, which means that I'll be passing most breweries before they open. And that's why I don't plan to make any stops along the way.

However, if you know of any stores that are worth visiting, please speak up.

On the way home, I want to be underway on Sunday around lunchtime. I'd like to be home by 8 or 9. This means that I'll be on the road when many breweries and beer stores will be open. (I was hoping to make a stop at Cortland Brewing Company, but they're closed on Sundays.)

So, dear beer lovers, where should I go? What breweries or beer stores are a must on my journey?

Please leave your suggestions in the Comments section of this post. I'll check out every one of them and will pick two or three from them. If I use your recommendation, I'll acknowledge you in the review of any beer I bring back.

Please submit your suggestions before April 28, 2013.

Cheers, and thanks!