Sunday, October 27, 2013

Flying Monkey: Netherworld Cascadian Dark Ale

Flying Monkey love them some hops.  Their beer selections include such hoppy brews like Hoptical Illusion and Antigravity and so I was expecting a significant amount of hops from this and they did not disappoint on that front.  Many readers will know that I am not a fan of the craft brew trend of engaging in an arms race of hops so I always am a bit skeptical of IPA's or APA's but fortunately Flying Monkey resisted that temptation.

It pours black, but it does not taste like a dark ale whatsoever, which was a bit of a shock.  Most dark beers are very malty tasting, but this one does not taste like malt at all.   Once you get past the fact that it tastes like a regular IPA, but darker, it is actually a pretty tasty beer.   It's well balanced and not overwhelmingly hoppy, however the hops that it does have make an appearance at the end of the sip, a decently hoppy finish.  It also has a bit of citrus undertones that catch you a bit off guard, but that goes back to the fact that you are drinking a black beer that tastes like a light coloured IPA.  Flying Monkey are known for their adventurousness, and this really fits their mold and I applaud them for trying new stuff, especially as their beer usually involves a ton of hops. It is a solid beer, just don't let the colour confuse you.

It's available at the beers store and LCBO as well as at bars and restaurants throughout Ontario.  They also have a store at their brewery in Barrie.

Rating: 4 Steins

What you need to know

Brewery
107 Dunlop St. East
Barrie ON
L4M1A6

website:
http://www.theflyingmonkeys.ca/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Flying-Monkeys-Craft-Brewery/108949405799023

Twitter
@Flyingmonkeys

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Muskoka Harvest Ale

The concept of a harvest ale is often misunderstood by beer drinkers.  Many people equate harvest ale to pumpkin flavoured beers, or other autumnal flavoured beers, but in fact harvest ale refers to beer made with freshly harvested hops, as opposed to most beers being made with dried hops.  The result is often a cleaner and crisper tasting beer, but it can take on many forms.  

Muskoka's Harvest Ale is of the American Pale Ale style, meaning it is actually darker in colour and quite strong.   I had it on cask at the Rochester Pub, it has a very rich and thick malty flavour with a significant amount of hops.  When you take a sip it is quite clean and malty at first but the hops really kick in giving you a very bitter finish.  It is a tasty but a bit overwhelming so I am still unsure of what to make of it.  I like the maltiness of it but found that the extreme difference between the tame beginning of the sip to the really hoppy finish a bit difficult to appreciate.  Fans of APA's in general would probably appreciate this harvest ale more than I did but it is still a pretty tasty brew, although I am not sure I would go out of my way to find it.  At 7% alcohol it is quite strong, but I would not consider it to be too dangerous as I would be hard pressed to have more than 1 or 2 pints in a sitting. 

It's available on draught throughout Ontario as well as at the Beer Store and LCBO, you can also get it at their brewery but it is only sold from September to November each year. 

Rating: 3 Steins

What you need to know
Brewery
1964 Muskoka Beach Road
Bracebridge, ON
P1L1V4

Website
http://www.muskokabrewery.com

Twitter
@MuskokaBrewery

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/muskokabrewery?fref=ts

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Ashton Brewery: Vanilla Stout

I love stouts.  It is my second favourite beer type after bitter and I always relish a chance to try a new one, as no 2 stouts are the same so when I saw that Ashton had a tent at the latest installment of Ottawa's Brewery Market and were pouring a stout I made a beeline for their tent to get a glass of Vanilla Stout for a glass of nice thick beer to warm me up on a windy October afternoon.

The first thing I noticed when I got my glass was the colour, it is a actually more brown than black with a thick foamy head, so far so good.  When I took my first sip I was surprised how bitter it was at the start, most stouts tend to be creamier and smoother than this one.  Once the bitterness subsides it does have a good creamy vanilla finish.  Unfortunately it is more watery than I was expecting, but still quite tasty.  Fans of Guinness might be put off by the initial bitterness, but they would appreciate the fact that it is quite watery.  Personally I prefer oatmeal stouts that are thicker and creamier, so I was a bit disappointed, but it is still a good stout. 

It's available at their brewpub in Ashton, Ontario as well as at selected events in the Ottawa area.   Unfortunately they don't sell it at the LCBO or beer store, but you can buy it in bottles at the brewpub. 

Rating 3 steins. 

What you need to know

113 Old Mill Road
Ottawa, ON (Ashton)
K0A 1B0

Website:
 www.ashtonbrewpub.ca/ 

Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/ashtonbrew 

Twitter: @AshtonBrew

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Mill Street: Tankhouse

As winter approaches, it comes a time when the lagers and summer weiss beers get retired and it's time to hunker down and drink something hearty and filling, something to properly warm you up during our cold Canadian winters, something dark and heavy and flavourful and tankhouse is a very good choice when you come in from the cold.

Tankhouse is a traditional English style pale ale, which can be a bit confusing as there isn't a whole lot pale about it, it actually pours a dark amber colour.  I guess the definition of pale is different in England than it is over here.  When you have a sip it is quite bitter and malty, Mill St. really do a good job at bringing out the flavour of the roasted malt.  It is quite thick so people who are used to blonde beer might be in for a bit of a surprise, however once you get past the initial thickness it settles in to being a really well balanced and something that warms the insides.   It is really best served on draught, by the fire, in a small local pub, but if you can't find one of those it is also great out of a bottle and at any other establishment.  I find that it is a great choice as it gets colder and the fact that it is only 5.2% means that it won't make you all wobbly after one pint the way other thick beers tend to.

It's available at bars and restaurants throughout Ontario as well as in bottles at the LCBO and Beer store.  They also have 4 brew pubs, 3 in the GTA and one up here in Ottawa so you really don't have any excused not to give it a try!  The fact that their Toronto brew pub is on Tank House lane give you a good indication of how well they rate this beer!

Rating: 4 steins

What you need to know

Brewery & Brew Pub

21 Tank House Lane
Toronto ON
M5A3C4

Other Brew Pubs
Ottawa
555 Wellington St
Ottawa, ON
K1R 1C5

Toronto Pearson Airport Terminal 1
Mississauga, ON
L4W 1S9

Website: http://www.millstreetbrewery.com
twitter: @MillStreetBrew
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MillStreetBrewery?fref=ts


Sunday, October 6, 2013

Anchor Brewing Company: Liberty Ale

I may be reaching a bit when I count this as being microbrew, as Anchor Brewing Company produce 180,000 barrels per year, but they are not owned by Anheuser-Busch, Coors, Miller, or any other mega brewery so in my mind they count.  Either way it is a damn tasty beer and, most improtantly, it's a beer that does not taste like most of the bland generic swill made by the big guys.

Liberty Ale is a very interesting brew.  It's not really an IPA, but it is quite hoppy like an IPA, and it isn't a wheat beer, despite having some characteristics of a wheat beer, to say it is difficult to describe is an understatement, but I love a challenge so here goes.   When you take a sip you get the immediate hoppiness, it is not like some of the overwhelming IPA's you get from other breweries but you notice it right away.   However once the hops get out of the way it trails off into a really nice fruity/wheaty taste that is very tasty.  It has a really good balance and it is surprisingly carbonated, their website describes it as "champagne like" bubbles and I have to agree with them, I wasn't expecting it to be that bubbly.   Regardless it makes for a very interesting and very tasty brew, I have only recently seen Anchor beers available here in Ontario and I will be interested in getting it again.

Anchor brewing company is based in San Francisco, it is available throughout the United States.   In Canada it is sold at the Beer Store in Ontario as well as at some specialty beer stores in Quebec and Alberta.  It may be available in other provinces (their website isn't that specific) so check your local beer store if you are not in one of those three aforementioned provinces, as you may get lucky.

Rating: 4 Steins

What you need to know

Brewery
1705 Mariposa Street
San Francisco, CA 94107

Website:
www.anchorbrewing.com

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/anchorbrewing

Twitter:
@AnchorBrewing

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Kichesippi 1855

Kichesippi is one of Ottawa's most successful microbreweries and they have made their name with beers that are more for the masses as opposed to a brewery like Beyond the Pale who make great and adventurous beers but will struggle to win over those who are longtime commercial beer drinkers.  1855 is one of regulars on Kichesippi's roster and a pretty good dark beer at that.

1855 is a dark malty beer, brown in colour and reminiscent of an English style Brown Ale.  It is very malty, moreso than the colour would suggest (it is a little more red than brown).  The beginning of the sip is quite caramelly with an almost surprising bitter kick at the end, its almost as if that bitter kick is a reward for having chosen this beer.   I found it worked very well with a good burger, but I found that it was a little bit too watery for my tastes, however it is definitely a step up from the red or brown beers made by the big guys.  Faced with a row of taps at a pub, I would definitely consider 1855

It's available at their brewery in Ottawa as well as on draught at pubs and restaurants throughout Eastern Ontario.  Their natural blonde is also available in six packs at some LCBO locations but I have yet to see 1855. 

Rating: 3.5 Steins

What you need to know
Brewery address
866 Campbell Avenue,
Ottawa ON K2A 4C5

Website
www.kbeer.ca

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/KichesippiBeer?fref=ts

Twitter
@kichesippibeer