Ok. My summer has been super busy. I'm just sitting down now to clear up my notes for the blog and I have a few posts that I have started and not finished due to lack of time. Usually, I would just move on and put in fresh content but there are two posts I started that I do not want to disappear into the cyber ether. One was for Sawdust City's First annual "Funk Fest" which was an amazing day of beer and music, which I will get to a little later and the other was this post. Back in June I had the opportunity to attend The Muskoka Brewery's 20th Anniversary. They threw a party and invited a few hundred of their closest friends. It was a fantastic chance to try some interesting one-offs and some seasonal beers that were not going to make it into cans or venture much further than the tasting rooms of the breweries that made them. In attendance to help the Muskoka Brewery celebrate were friends from Sawdust City Brewing Company in Gravenhurst, Whitewater Brewing Company in Forrester's Falls, and Lake of Bays Brewing Company in Baysville. Here are my notes... as always... better late than never.
Time to Party Like it's 1996
The Beer-Story
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| Serious Bling |
Started in June 1996 The Muskoka Cottage Brewery, as it was known then, on the corner or Taylor Road and River Road in downtown Bracebridge. Over the years it has grown and expanded from its tiny original location with its rabbit warren of tanks and equipment to its shiny new location on Muskoka Beach Road at the edge of town. Their beer portfolio has grown from just a few bottles to a large number of interesting and flavourful brews that have filled their Trophy room to the brim.
It was also a special day for another reason. Muskoka Brewery was celebrating the fact that they had become the first Brewery in Canadian history to guarantee a Certified Living Wage to all of its employees. That means that any employee would earn enough money to comfortably pay all of their bills and achieve "a basic level of economic security above the poverty line." It is a fantastic commitment from the company and a great investment in the community that the brewery serves.
Session IPA
3.8 % ABV
50 IBU
Honey amber colour light caramel on the nose with hints of citrus. First sip is chinook hops dominated piney and citrus. Aeration brings out some caramel and bitter greens. Very refreshing
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| Honey Badger Brown |
Honey Badger Brown
Brown Ale
5 % ABV
20 IBU
Dark amber with a smoky and molasses nose. Lots of caramel. First sip is sweet and malty yet still light. Honey on the background with just a hint of bitter greens. Aeration gives us espresso and lots of sweet honey.
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| The Daily Rind |
Flavoured Session IPA with lemon zest
5.2 % ABV
50 IBU
Slightly cloudy Honey amber colour nose is light caramel with hints of lemon peel. Very crisp and clean plenty of lemon zest... tart and zingy. some bitter greens on the finish. Aeration gives us more caramel and some sweet lemon curd.
Summer 'Stache
Flavoured Berliner Weisse with Cranberries
3.5 % ABV
Bright red cranberry colour. Nose is very light red fruit first sip is very tart cranberry very clean bright and refreshing with a little wheat finish. Aeration brings out a citrus almost cranberry lemonade.
Light gold in colour nose is tropical fruit. First sip is pineapple with hints of wheat and banana and a hint of spice. Aeration pumps up the tropical fruit especially the banana
Cool as a Cuke
Flavoured Session American Pale Ale with Cucumber and lemon grass
4.7 % ABV
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| Cool as a Cuke |
25 IBU
Colour is clear gold with hints of green. Nose is light grains and some caramel. First sip is bright refreshing cucumber salad with hints of citrus. Aeration gives us a hint of bitter greens more citrus and lots of sweet cool cuke.
Moonlight Kettle Series Muskoka Equinox
Flavoured American Pale wheat ale
Black cherry vanilla
4.6 % ABV
20 IBU
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| Moonlight Kettle Series: Equinox |
Slighty cloudy off gold nose is light and wheat with some vanilla. First sip gives us some background sweetness with cherries vanilla and banana... hmm I could make some ice cream with this. Tastes like a cherry soda. Aeration pumps up the vanilla and cherry with hints of lemon.
Longest Day
Oak Smoked ale
Piwo Grodziskie Oak Smoked Ale
3 % ABV
25 IBU
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| Moonlight Kettle Series: Longest Day |
Rauch bier style. Smoked with oak. Very clear gold with a strong campfire nose. Heavy oak smoke on the first sip tangy and zingy some citrus and very light caramel. Aeration is sweet smoke and Bbq.
Cross Border Citrus Porter
Extremely dark chestnut nose is hoppy grapefruit and tropical fruit and strong citrus
First sip makes me think of breakfast... strong coffee and grapefruit. Two different hints of bitterness bitter coffee and bitter grapefruit zest. Hints of chocolate and cocoa powder.
Cheers
CJT
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Colour: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
