Beer # 78 and the Ontario Craft Beer Week

This Past Weekend marked the start of one of the busiest weeks of the season for Ontario Craft brewers. OCB Week is a stellar showcase of events and fantastic beer brewed by the best of the best in Ontario. Many brewers try to out do each other in a friendly "one-up-man-ship" by creating fantastical saisons just for this week. I can assure you... they get creative... So if you are in Ontario check the events calendar for a tasting near you and see exactly, what Craft Brewers of Ontario have to offer


I am going to start this week off with a Beer that was launched to coincide with OCB Week, and the 200th anniversary of the war of 1812.


Rifleman's Ration Brown Ale


Black Creek Historic Brewery
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Independent
Traditional Brown Ale 5.0% ABV Brown Glass Bottle 500 ml.
$3.95 (Canadian) At LCBO.


Twitter: @Blackcreekbeer



Black Creek brewery opened in 2009 as part of an ongoing project to study life in 19th century York (Toronto). The brewery is located at Toronto's famous Black Creek Pioneer Village. The village was founded in 1960 and partially owes it's origin to Hurricane Hazel. After the Hurricane passed through Toronto in 1950 The government outlawed building on river flats, turning over this future greenspace to conservation authorities. One section of this space contained The Strong Family farm. Built around the start of the War of 1812, the Strong farm was chosen to be preserved as an example of 19th century life. In 1960 the foundations for the Black Creek Pioneer Village were laid. Encompassing 30 acres, with the Strong Family Farm at the centre, the village has grown over the last 52 years into a very accurate depictionof 19th century Canadian life. So what is a 19th century village without a brewery? Not a very good one. So they took steps to correct this and the Historical Brewery was opened in 2009. Their mission is to show how brewing was completed on a small scale at the local level in the 1800's. They have also planted hops barley and are working on their own malting floor. Later this year they are releasing an "Estate Ale" which they are claiming to be a "1 mile ale." All ingredients will come from the village and no-where else.  Something I am looking forward too I hope they will save me a bottle. There is a media release on their upcoming session beers here. The beers will only be available at the brewery, and will be well worth a taste.


For those of you in the Toronto area who haven't been, the Black Creek Pioneer Village website is here. If you Haven't been, go, and if you haven't been since that grade 5 field trip... definitely go. Why? They have beer now! The brewery runs tours twice a day and three samples are included!

Tonight's beer get's it's name from the practice of giving British soldiers an extra amount of money to purchase beer. British military encouraged the purchasing and consumption of beer to help stimulate local economy (Buying local still works. Get out and give your neighbours the money not some faceless corporation!) 


Enough history already.... Let's try some historic ale:

Dark Chestnut in colour with a creamy light tan head made of small bubbles that hold up fairly well. Nose is chocolate, molasses and malt with a light hint of spice and citrus. First sip lets us know this a deep rich fortifying brew. Warming well balanced notes of grain and malt with a hint of citrus. finish is a slight medicinal herbal hop, that gently lingers for an extended period of time. Aeration lets off a burst of malty green hops and a brandy note.



Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional   


Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 6/6Exceptional
Re-Order:  6/6 Exceptional
Experience:   6/6 Exceptional


Final Thoughts:


I do so love getting lost in a beer! I had a difficult time tasting this beer because I drained my glass before I could write all my notes! (Thankfully it came in a 500ml!!)  The good news is this is a wonderful beer, very reminiscent of a true "British Brown" You can feel the brewer's hands in the beer; carefully thought out and crafted. The bad news is... it's only available until August which I think is a shame. In case someone down at the brewery is reading, please consider adding this to your regular stable of beers! 
Cheers
CJT


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