New Kid in Town

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!

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!