Try reaching for a dark lager this spring, they’re toasty and roasty but still easy-drinking and refreshing. Dam dark lager from Thornbury Village Brewery pours a deep brown with reddish highlights with rich aromas of dark caramel, roasted malt and a wisp of grassy hops. On the palate are flavours of milk chocolate and dark fruit with a dry, very light bitterness.
This is a classic example of a Bavarian wheat beer. It’s amber-hued and cloudy with notes of banana, cloves and toasty bread. The mouthfeel is creamy thanks to the wheat with tingling carbonation. Pro tip: wheat beers are best imbibed with a huge fluffy white head. Pour the beer on a 45-degree angle down the side of a tall glass and then tilt the bottle straight down centre of the glass to tease up the foam. Leave some liquid in the bottle, then give it a swirl to rouse the yeast at the bottom and top up the brew.
Made with 2 varieties of Polish hops, Lubelski and Marynka, this medium weight brew shows appealing herbal hoppy aromas with malty and lightly yeasty overtones. Flavours of citrus and lightly sweet malt finish with an agreeable touch of bitterness. Comparable to many Euro lagers but with a bit more character.
Straw coloured with a thick persistent head, floral and fresh hoppy scents and a subtle nutty overtone. Rich, dried citrus fruit and contrasting, slightly sour yeasty flavour lead into agreeable nutty and hoppy bitterness on the finish.
This Kolsch-style brew from Toronto’s Lost Craft Brewing took the top honour, Best of Show, at the 2017 Ontario Brewing Awards. Pouring a bright, shiny gold with lively bubbles dancing in the glass, there are notes of lemon, water crackers and a hint of apple, which come through on the sip. It’s a very delicate, light-bodied brew with some lingering dryness on the palate.
Charlie Wells was founded in 1876 and is an independent, family-run brewery and pub chain operating in England. If you’re not a fan of the bitterness of American IPAs, you might like this Old World malt IPA. It pours a clear, deep amber with aromas of currant jam, caramel and wet leaves. On the palate look for notes of caramelized malt and a subdued, earthy bitterness. A medium body and clean profile make this a great choice for an afternoon drinking session.
The Bomber Brewing story began as a real-life Canadian fairy tale, when a trio of friends who loved beer and played hockey together on a team called The Bombers decided to start a brewery. An American-style pale ale, it pours medium gold, with lots of tiny bubbles and persistent lacing along the glass. The nose is citrusy with notes of lemon and orange, with white bread and orange mingling on the sip. The bitterness is nice and gentle for this style of brew, with a pale malt backbone and dry finish, a great beer to buy a sixer of.