I know, I know. Long time, no review. Do you even remember this blog?
It's not that I haven't been trying new beer over the past few months: I have. I've taken notes. I've photographed the evidence.
It's just that at the end of the day, I never found the time to give the attention to this blog that it deserves. I've also thought more about video reviews and how I can reduce the review to a five-minute maximum, and in the coming months I'll create something new.
And now that most of the snow has disappeared and flowers are just beginning to spring up, my thoughts are turning to beers that make me want to enjoy the outdoors—on a patio, on my front step, or at a festival.
One beer that I found in my local LCBO that piqued my curiosity was one by St.Thomas brewery, Railway City. These are the guys who bring you a great pale ale, Dead Elephant, as well as other treasures such as The Witty Traveller and Black Coal Stout, and seasonals, such as their maple bock. This new offering is an India Session Lager.
I'm familiar with India Session Ales, which started popping up a couple of years ago, where they were hop-forward but low in alcohol. I was curious how this style would translate to a lager.
Express India Session Ale (4.8% ABV)
Railway City Brewing Company
St. Thomas, ON
Appearance: a clear, pale amber-gold hue, topped with a foamy, white head that creates a thin cap that transitions to a dense lace.
Nose: intense orange and pink grapefruit that hints at a candied bouquet. It's beautiful and makes you want to pause and appreciate the craftmanship. Beautiful!
Palate: while the nose has you anticipate solid hops in the mouth, the malt and fruit hit the taste buds first. The malt is light; the fruit, clean and refreshing. The hops only make their appearance as a refreshing finish that cleanses the palate, rather than exhibit a bitterness.
Overall impression: flavourful and easy-drinking, Express is a lager that would be welcome as a refreshing brew on a hot summer day. I'm glad that Railway City has made this ISL a part of their regular lineup.
Beer O'Clock rating: 4
Cheers!
As we move into the coldest month of winter, I can't help but think about the summer and warmer weather. I also think of my 2015 summer vacation, when my family and I enjoyed a warm day on the beach, swimming in Lake Huron.
Because there are still several months before we can enjoy beach weather, the only thing I can do is reach for a beer and lose myself in warm thoughts.
That's not to say I drank myself into a stupor. I merely drank a session ale whose name brought me to thoughts of Sauble Beach.
Sawdust City Brewing Company became my favourite Ontario brewery in 2015, with its wide variety of standard and seasonal ales. I visited the brewery on my summer vacation and was blown away. And, as I begin a new year, my love for this Gravenhurst brewery will surely grow because I joined their beer club and will have their amazing brew arrive on my doorstep, every month, starting in February.
In the meantime, let's take a look at their pale ale.
Golden Beach Pale Ale (4.5% ABV)
Sawdust City Brewing Company
Gravenhurst ON
Appearance: a murky, wheaty, golden-yellow with a dense, creamy, off-white head that leaves a thick cap.
Nose: honeydew mellon, pineapple, with a pine-resin overtone that is mixed with grapefruit rind.
Palate: flinty grapefruit and lychee headline the mouth and carry through to a bitter, mineral finish.
Overall impression: the low alcohol is a strong contrast to the bold flavours of this session ale. On a cold winter's day, I was transported to the warmth of last summer on that beach. I was reminded that I could drink this ale year-round, which I would gladly do.
Beer O'Clock rating: 4
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!
I'm seeing a pattern. I might be wrong, but I'm calling it as I see it.
A couple of years ago, as the craft-beer market exploded on the Canadian map, these budding breweries tended to focus on hops, producing some of the bitterest brews I had ever tasted. Two years ago, it seemed that everyone was putting out a massive IPA: tons of hops, a higher alcohol level, and big-bodied.
I loved it. I'm a big IPA fan, and these breweries delivered in spades. But the thing with an IPA is that if you want to drink other styles of beer at the same time, you had to drink an IPA last because you would blow out your taste buds and wouldn't taste anything else afterward.
But even when drinking IPAs together, you had to be careful. One time, I enjoyed a Class V IPA, by Whitewater Brewing, and then followed up with a Nickel Brook Naughty Neighbour. After one sip, I had to send the Nickel Brook back: not because there was anything wrong with the Naughty Neighbour, but because the hops of the Class V overpowered the flavours of the less-bitter follow-up pint.
Thankfully, the pub replaced the Naughty Neighbour with another Class V, at no cost. That's the mark of a good pub.
Last year, the IPAs seemed to be overshadowed by light-bodied session ales: Muskoka's Detour and Rhyme and Reason, by Collective Arts, come to mind. They were great summer ales: light in alcohol, full on flavour, but milder hops than the big IPAs of the previous year. It was like the breweries went in the opposite direction, and it was a good direction.
This year, the pattern has gone back towards IPAs but brought the session ale style with them. This year, they're calling them session IPAs or India Session Ales.
Whatever they're calling them, they are the best of both worlds.
Earlier this week, I reviewed a session IPA from Collective Arts. Today, I'm looking to the west coast of Canada and examine an ISA.
Red Racer India Session Ale (4% ABV)
Central City Brewers
Surrey, BC
Appearance: a crystal-clear amber with an ample, foamy head that stays thick.
Nose: floral hops and light citrus.
Palate: orange citrus with a definite presence of hops, but not bitter. Almost like an unsweetened iced tea, with a mild finish.
Overall impression: if you want to try an IPA but are not keen on bitter hops, this ISA is your answer.
I really like this summer addition to the Red Racer line. And I find I like session IPAs. They have a low alcohol level but good hops: not as light as a session ale, and not as boldly bitter as some IPAs. This is the kind of beer that you want to enjoy on a warm summer evening, on a pub patio or on your front porch.
Beer O'Clock rating: 3.5
We'll see what trend comes next. Because no matter what direction the craft brewers are going in, I'm enjoying the journey.
Cheers!
While autumn is my favourite time of year, weather-wise, I have to say that summer is my favourite time for beer. It is one of the few seasons of the year when you can truly enjoy the great outdoors with a pint in your hand, on a patio, at a picnic, at a cottage, or on your front steps.
Summer is also a time of year when I look for a brew that is truly thirst-quenching and easy to drink, something that I can go to on that hot afternoon.
Summer puts me in that outdoors, beer-sipping state of mind.
And, I've found a great, easy-drinking ale for summer.
State of Mind Session IPA (4.4% ABV)
Collective Arts Brewing
Burlington, ON
Appearance: a slightly unfiltered, golden yellow with a foamy white head that settles to a fine lace.
Nose: honeyed citrus and light hops.
Palate: a light body with firm but unassertive hops and a clean finish. There is a medium, hoppy aftertaste.
Overall impression: State of Mind is a well-rounded, easy-drinking ale that goes perfectly with the summer. It has a good amount of hops without the bitterness. As with many session ales, I enjoyed drinking this beer on my front steps, often watching the sun set behind my neighbour's houses while kids played in our street.
It's that kind of neighbourhood.
This is the third beer from Collective Arts that I've had, and I have to say that not one of them has disappointed me, and any of them would make a great summer bevvy. Plus, they have the most interesting labels (and every one in a six pack is unique).
Beer O'Clock rating: 3.5
Cheers!
With patio season approaching, I'm looking for the perfect beer to have outdoors on a hot, sunny day. (I'm also looking for the best patios in Ottawa, to come in an upcoming post.) Often, I find an easy-drinking, thirst-quenching brew to be my go-to ale through the summer.
I think I found mine when it was still winter.
I enjoyed it in one of my favourite pubs in Ottawa, the Arrow & Loon, and remarked at how full-flavoured it was for a beer with such a low alcohol level. It's a great session ale.
It's a smart beer.
I was thoroughly disappointed, a couple of weeks ago, when the man behind the bar told me that the kegs of this ale were gone, that it was a seasonal. Being denied another pint made me want it more.
And then I saw it, in the LCBO, in a six pack. And I was happy beyond belief.
Genius of Suburbia (3.8% ABV)
Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery
Barrie, ON
Appearance: rich, golden-yellow, with a foamy, white head that stays solid for most of the ride to the bottom of the glass.
Nose: lemon citrus and straw. Over time, a touch of honey and melon.
Palate: lush hops, with a delicate bitterness and a seemingly full body--you sip this and you find it easy to swallow, but hard to swallow the fact that it's only 3.8 percent alcohol. It has a refreshing finish.
Overall impression: as I said, in the late winter, I picked this ale as my go-to summer beer. It's incredibly drinkable and I could while the day away on a patio, easily consuming this, enjoying the flavours and the fact that I won't get wasted.
Flying Monkeys is quickly becoming one of my favourite Ontario breweries. If you haven't familiarized yourself with them, Genius of Suburbia is a great introduction. And, with all Flying Monkeys packaging, it's easy to spot.
Picking up a six pack would be smart: genius, even.
Beer O'Clock rating: 4
Cheers!
The first session ale that I ever drank was from my friend's brewery.
The beer, Session Ale, was Perry Mason's first offering and flagship ale for the Scotch-Irish Brewing Company. I still remember the first time I had it: it was in the summer, and my wife and I were sitting on the patio at Wilfred's, in the Chateau Laurier.
I remember the bold flavours and the crisp, clean finish that filled my mouth with lush, wonderful hops. At the time, it was the hoppiest beer I had ever tried. And it was wonderful.
I was also amazed that such a full-tasting beer could be so low in alcohol: I believe it was either 4.2 or 4.3 percent ABV.
It was the perfect summer, patio-season brew.
More than a decade later, on a hot afternoon, I tried another session ale from an Ontario craft brewery, and the memories of that first experience came back.
Detour (4.3% ABV)
Muskoka Brewery
Bracebridge ON
Beer O'Clock rating: 5
Appearance: slightly cloudy (it's unfiltered); deep gold to pale apricot, with a white head that settles to a thin but complete cap.
Nose: grapefruit, honey, canteloupe.
Palate: citrus hops, orange-pekoe tea, and honeydew; full body in the mouth but settles to a light, flavourful finish.
I shared my first six-pack of this session ale with a couple of my fellow dance dads, when we were moving props for our kids' dance recital. On our first sip, we were all blown away by the incredible citrus flavours and solid body. Having worked up a sweat with moving props on and off the stage, this ale hit the spot perfectly.
Later, in the comfort of my front steps, sitting in my Muskoka chair (appropriate), I thought, this can easily be my go-to summer ale. And it is.
This is my early pick for summer beer. It has all the refreshing flavours and is low in alcohol, so it is perfect for enjoying on a hot summer day. It makes me think of happy times, drinking great beer, and reminds me of that first, great session ale by my friend.
Stock up on this brew, which is available at the LCBO. I have a feeling it's going to move fast when it gets on the shelves.
Cheers!
My first official foray into the world of craft beer happened when my friend, Perry Mason, introduced me to the first beer he made for his brewery, The Scotch-Irish Brewing Company. It was simply called Session Ale and was modeled after the British ales that where light in alcohol but still maintained a full flavour and good balance between malt and hops.
In Perry's words, his Session Ale was "the best beer the British never made."
I loved that ale and drank it every chance I got, which meant that I spent a lot of time at the Arrow & Loon pub.
I miss that beer.
As I became more and more familiar with various styles of beer, my preference leaned towards stouts and porters, one of my favourites again being Perry's porter (pee-pee, for short), Black Irish Porter.
While I've never wondered what a beer would taste like if a session ale and a stout were combined, I now never have to wonder, because I've now tried one.
Grognard Session Stout (3.8% ABV)
Bellwoods Brewery
Toronto ON
Beer O'Clock rating: 3.5
Appearance: dark brown—almost black, with a lush, creamy taupe head that creates peaks as it settles.
Nose: coffee, tobacco, and is slightly herbal.
Palate: rich coffee and cedar; definite hops that come to a clean finish.
Overall impression: I'm surprised at the body, given the low alcohol level. It's a good, well-balanced session ale mixed with a light stout.
This is the first beer that I've had from Bellwoods. Sadly, it's not available in the LCBO. It's availability seems limited to the Toronto area: specifically, the brewery. Luckily, my wife was in TO last weekend and brought me back five different offerings from the brewery.
My first "session" was a success and I can't wait to try the others. And, if this brewery gets its ales in the LCBO, I will surely be a regular customer.
I also give points on it bringing my memories back to my early days of enjoying craft beer.
Cheers!
