Pale blond with pleasant, slightly yeasty, citrus and malty aromas. Medium weight with a touch of sweet citrus fruit, mild malty flavour and an agreeable, refreshingly light bitterness on the finish.
A sign that spring is on the horizon is the appearance of Muskoka Brewery’s Legendary Oddity, a seasonal release, on store shelves. The Belgian-style strong ale is seasoned with heather tips, juniper berries and orange peel, adding a touch of pine and fruit to the aroma. The Belgian yeast shines through, layering in more fruit complexity, and there’s a building bitterness on the palate. If you like this beer, try to get your hands on Legendary Oddity Gin, the spirit is seasoned with the same botanicals, as well as hops.
Cowbell Brewing opened in sleepy Blyth, Ontario, with a restaurant, multiple event spaces and a state of the art carbon-neutral brewhouse. There are plans to add an amphitheatre for outdoor concerts and a working farm. Their brews are cheekily named after local legends, so Boxing Bruin IPA is a tribute to a rescue bear named Bruin kept by a vet in the 1800s. The two would put on impromptu boxing matches at the office (!). This IPA has big juicy tropical fruit aromas like mango juice and pineapple, with a bold hop bitterness on the sip and prickly, palate-cleansing carbonation.
This pale lager from Sawdust City Brewing Co. in Ontario’s cottage country is perfect to crack on the first sunny spring day. It’s light-bodied and refreshing, with a nicely balanced hop and malt profile. At first sniff you’ll get the bready centre of a fresh baguette with some light grassy hop aromas. On the palate there’s floral hops and bread with a crisp, clean finish.
Dark pink with generous, lasting white foam. Sour strawberry and cranberry on the nose. Sour fruity taste and extremely refreshing. Very dry, lean texture and a short, bitter finish.
This newly opened Toronto brewery is taking a page from the history books and producing great-quality classic beer styles like Munich Helles and Irish stout. Their porter pours a deep cocoa brown with tan head. On the sip, it’s dark chocolatey and roasty with a touch of vanilla, cherry nibs and whisp of smoke in the finish. This porter pairs well with smoked brisket, the roasted and smoky malt flavours in both the ale and the dish complement each other beautifully.
Pouring a reddish-copper with a tan foamy cap, there’s buttered toast and light toffee on the nose. On the sip, the ale is toasty and smooth, and the malt and hops are perfectly balanced, so it’s not too bitter or too sweet. This classic example of an Irish Red Ale is light-bodied with medium carbonation. It’s lower in alcohol so it’s very sessionable, meaning a couple can be enjoyed over an afternoon in the pub.