(or how I learned to stop being a hater and just enjoy the damn beer) Ontario’s beer market is in the midst of a monumental change when it comes to craft beer and the companies that make it. Consolidation and […]
Style snapshot: A guide to the zesty, cheerful hefeweizen
WHAT IS IT? A top fermented ale, frequently made with up to 70% malted wheat, renowned for its fruity, spicy nose and lightly tart, quaffable body. It literally translates as “yeast-wheat.” DANGER LEVEL Brunch-adjacent GLASS Weizen STYLE STATS ABV: 4.3-5.6% […]
Style Snapshot: A guide to the roasty, contemplative Imperial Stout
WHAT IS IT? A dark malt accented, extremely strong beer, sometimes aged in bourbon barrels DANGER LEVEL High GLASS Snifter STYLE STATS ABV: 8-12% IBU: 50-90 Colour: Midnight black Body: Extremely full Bubbles: Low to medium ORIGIN STORY Originally brewed […]
Four juicy IPAs to drink this summer
The trend in IPA is to capture big punchy, fruity aromas. Not just aromatic, not just dry-hopped, but juicy. The Juicy IPA is a showcase for new school hop varieties from all over the world that express fruit character as […]
Style snapshot: A guide to the margarita-like gose
WHAT IS IT? A bright sour beer with a lick of salt in the finish and lots of champagne-style bubbles. SAY IT LIKE “goes-UH” GLASS Stemmed pilsner STYLE STATS ABV: 4.2-4.8% IBU: 5-12 Colour: Hazy sunshine Body: Medium Bubbles: Very […]
Drink This: Sober Carpenter’s Toolbox of Non-Alcoholic Beers
In the last couple of decades, craft beer has come on in leaps and bounds. Craft beer represents a vibrant, expressive range of products that’s defined almost as much by novelty as it is by bold, punchy flavours. Despite its […]
Style snapshot: A guide to the snappy, herbal Italian Pilsner
WHAT IS IT? A twist on German-style pilsners, Italian pilsners are dry hopped with a big bouquet of Old World varieties. The result is a crisp lager with dialled-up, deeply aromatic layers. Expect flavours of garden herbs like mint and […]
5 Seasonal sippers to drink now
Counterpoint Brewing // Opus Three Pinot Noir Barrel Aged Amber Ale, 5.5% The latest in Counterpoint’s barrel series has a lot going on as a kveik fermented amber ale with Brett, aged in pinot noir barrels. Expect notes of chocolate, […]
Top 5 Ontario stouts to drink this winter
As soon as the temperature starts dropping, I instantly want to trade my juicy brews for a toasty Ontario stout. One of the first beers I fell in love with was a classic pint of Guinness, but now, with so […]
Final Draught: Hive a honey-infused DIPA by Bandit
With hundreds of breweries in Ontario, I sometimes fall into the trap of typecasting them by specialty or prominent feature. Left Field is the baseball brewery, Exchange makes funky beers, Muskoka is for cottage time, Tooth and Nail brews a […]