The 2-4 Beers of Christmas 2018 Edition Day 14: Ebb and Flow by Muskoka Brewery

Beer # 473 Ebb and Flow

Brewery: Muskoka Brewery


Type: Independent Microbrewery    
Est.:  1995

Location: Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada

Beer Style: Session Sour Ale

ABV: 2.4%      IBU: 5

Format: Aluminium Can  Size: 473 ml

Cost: $3.15 CAD     Purchased At: The Beer Store

 muskokabrewery

    @MuskokaBrewery

Normally I stick to big bold beers for this series. However, Muskoka brewery just released this low alcohol session sour for the holidays. And the holidays are not always about heavy alcoholic, pass out in front of the fireplace beers. There are a lot of parties to go to. If someone wants to be a bit more responsible in the drinking choices; having a tasty lower alcohol beer like this on hand would be a nice choice.


Onto our beer...

pours a slightly hazy light gold Aroma is grassy, fruity, floral, pineapple, and grapefruit. First sip is mildly sour, with tropical fruit and hints of pine. Aeration brings out citrus lemon and tangerine and a hint of green grass.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 5/6 PASS
Re-Order:  5/6 PASS
Experience: 5/6 PASS
Christmas Cheer 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL


Final Thoughts:

This turned out to be a nice light refreshing beer. It citrusy and clean with some nice tropicals in the background. This is a perfect beer for holiday parties you can easily have a few without getting out of control. Take a few to your next party, and don't drink and drive.

Cheers

CJT

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Beer # 399 Clothing Hoptional Session IPA

Brewery: New Ontario Brewing Company


Type: Independent Microbrewery    Est.:  2015

Location: North Bay, Ontario, Canada

Beer Style: Session IPA

ABV: 5.1 %      IBU: 40

Format: Aluminium Can  Size: 473 ml

Cost: $2.95 CAD     Purchased At: LCBO

newontariobrewing

    @NewOntarioBrew

Another beer from my mini Near North Ontario brewery trip and stop 2 from the day New Ontario Brewing Company is located in my other hometown North Bay. I went to College here and have great memories of this place. I still try to make it up regularly to go fishing with my college friend and adopted brother, Jack.

Let's try this one out.

Pours a clear honey amber with an off-white head made up of small bubbles. Aroma is peachy with pineapple, pine, light florals and hints of guava. The first sip is malty with a good hit of pine/spruce. Mild caramel with good hits of sweet tropical fruit. Tangy green hops round out the finish. Aeration gives us a warming sensation from the 5.1 % ABV (a little high for a session, but we are not complaining) Aeration also pumps the malt profile making it more bready, like toast with jam. Slight hints of honey round out the finish

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


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


Final Thoughts:

It's a great fruit bomb, easy drinking, and very enjoyable.

CJT

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Beer #361 Ball's Falls Session IPA, Bench Brewing Company.

Beer #361 Ball's Falls Session IPA

Bench Brewing Company

Beamsville, Ontario, Canada
Brewed Under Contract (Brewery opening 2017)
Established: 2016
Session IPA
4.5 % ABV IBU: 30
473 ml Aluminium Can
$2.95 (Canadian) At the LCBO

Twitter: @BenchBrewing


First true tasting of a Bench Brewing beer here on the blog. I got to taste two of their sours at FUNKFEST on July 1st Cellar Biere de Garde and Citra Grove (notes here). Bench was started in Beamsville, Ontario, in the heart of the Twenty Valley, with the purpose of opening a small craft brewery focused on Farmhouse, Saison, and sour beers. What prompted them to open a brewery in the centre of Ontario Wine country? In the words of their founder "...Yes, we are crazy." They are currently brewing under contract as they await the construction of their new home, in an expanded and refurbished old school house.

Ball's Falls

Ball's Falls is a conservation area near Beamsville and this lovely falls gives it's name to our beer tonight.
Onto our tasting. 

Pours a cloudy light gold with tinges of green. A massive white head is tinged green as well. Aroma is peach orange, citrus, fresh grass, and cookies. First sip is surprisingly malty, with green hints of citrus, orange marmalade, apricots and some toast.Aeration is herbal and fresh, light green hops and bright citrus.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


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


Final Thoughts:

Good solid Session IPA. Fruity, malty easy drinking, perfect for an afternoon session... As I recall, their other two beers rated quite high on my Funk Factor Meter, at FUNKFEST. So good things are coming out of the Twenty Valley. I look forward to adding more of their beers to the blog, especially once they have moved home and start to "play" more with their beers. And I hope to see them at FUNKFEST again.

Cheers

CJT

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BONUS # 2! Pointless Marketing Imperial Session IPA Accidentally Aged...

Pointless Marketing Imperial Session IPA Aged 9 Months

Sawdust City Brewing Company

Gravenhurst, Ontario, Canada
Independent Microbrewery 
ABV 7.1 %  IBU: 55
Aluminum Can 500 ml.
$3.00 (Canadian) At the The Brewery

Twitter @SawdustCityBeer

So yeah.

I have a confession to make. I am a beer horder. Annnnnnd... I don't necessarily have the best memory of where I leave them sometimes. I do remember that this was the last can of Pointless Marketing left at the brewery and I was convinced to take it home. It then took up residence in the front hall closet (for some reason) and there it stayed... for nine months. If you are wondering what is prompting this sudden re-discovery of hidden gems, well I have been working on a new shelving unit in the basement so a sudden urge to re-organise is prompting me to clean up some old beers. I don't think I actually got to write about Pointless Marketing when it came out, so here is the info. Every year Sawdust City holds a competition in conjunction with The Only Cafe called the "Mighty Mustache Competition." Last year it was won by Chris Glasser. As his prize he got to build a brew with Sawdust's Head Brewer Aaron Spinney. The result was this lemon peel infused Imperial Session IPA. (Yes... Imperial and Session generally are considered opposites in the beer world... but we'll give them the benefit of the doubt). The manufacture date on the can is September 28 2015, Should still be good... Right?

Onto the tasting...

Pours a cloudy orange amber with a fluffy off-tan head made up of small to medium bubbles. I will not lie, the beer is showing a bit of age but it has held up very well. Aroma is malty and caramel. If I remember correctly when this beer came out it had a very fruity nose with hints of lemon. Now there is much more caramel with hints of vanilla and a touch of sourness. The first sip gives us lots of more malt with traces of licorice The lemon opens up on the finish, and I am happy it is still there. The body of the beer is far more nutty and bready than the citrus and fruit it is supposed to be, meaning the effect of the hops has died down significantly. Pine and some resin shows up very late in the finish. Dried fruit and some raisins begin to show up as the beer warms. Aeration amps up the pine, some burnt toast and hints of dried apricot.

Final Thoughts

Well it's a different beer to what it started out as... but it it very drinkable, still. I actually like the complex changes it has undergone, making a more raisiny, piney, malt driven brew. However, I should PROBABLY pick a better place to age beer than the front hall closet. (I'm sure My Loving Partner in Crime, The Queen of Pint Jockey Headquarters would be thankful...)

Cheers


CJT


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The 2-4 Beers of Christmas Day 10: The Griffin Gastropub Maple Buttertart Ale

Beer # 258 Maple Buttertart Ale


Collaboration with The Griffin Gastropub, The Township of Midland and Sam Corbiel of Sawdust City Brewery

Sweetgrass Brewing Company
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Independent Brewery
Flavoured Altbier 5.0% ABV 
Aluminium Can 473 ml.
$3.25 (Canadian) At the LCBO

Twitter: @SweetgrassBeer


Tonight's beer was thought up at the Griffin Session Toronto this year where they asked communities to suggest a collaboration brew. The Township of Midland was the winning suggestion and hence we got the Maple Buttertart Beer. What could be more Canadian? We invented buttertarts and we certainly do know our beer. The beer was a collaboration between Sam Corbiel of Sawdust City, the Griffin Gastropub, and Sweetgrass Brewery which handled the actual brewing.

Let's try some buttertarts...

Pours a dark amber with an off-white head made of small bubbles. Aroma is strong with rum extract. First sip is slightly tart with a creamy mouthfeel. Slightly sticky, some caramel, sugars. Malt in the back ground. some vanilla. Aeration gives us some maple and a bitter aftertaste.


Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 



Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 3/6 SO-SO
Re-Order:  1/6 FAIL
Experience:  3/6 SO-SO
Christmas Cheer:  3/6 SO-SO

Final Thoughts:

I was so excited for this beer. I thought it was a great idea, however, the execution left something to be desired. The extracts used were way to powerful and detracted from the actual taste of the beer. Everything felt artificial. I was not really reminded of buttertarts, and the butter rum extract wiped out any notion of maple or vanilla in the background. I hope they do this beer again and this time use real maple syrup and real vanilla, perhaps some lactose to give a sweet creamy feeling. For now... avoid.

Cheers
CJT


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The 2-4 Beers of Christmas Day 1: Sawdust City's Winewood Series # 2 Foma

Beer # 247 FOMA

Sawdust City Brewing Company

Gravenhurst, Ontario, Canada
Independent Microbrewery
Barrel Aged Flavoured blend of Session and Berliner Weiss 
4.2 % ABV Brown Glass Bottle 750 ml
$13.95 (Canadian) At the brewery

Twitter: @sawdustcitybeer


The first beer of our 2-4 Days of Christmas is another Sawdust City offering Just like last year we started with Sawdust's Winding Road for 7 KM. But this year we sample the second edition of their Barrel Aged Selections: The Winewood Series. Winewood is a street that is near the brewery and is of course a double entendre for the wooden wine barrels used in the ageing. This is a blend of two beers a Session and a berliner Weiss that have been barrel aged and flavoured with peach, lemon zest and pink peppercorns.

Onto the tasting...

Pours a very light gold with a slight haze to it. Super fluffy white head made up of small to medium bubbles. The aroma is lemons and peppers with a hint of sour. First sip is light and fruity with a hint of sourness. Some citrus, grapefruit and a light woody caramel. Some breadiness with a light peach sweetness. Aeration gives us a citrus sweet roasted grain. Some bitterness and a touch of astringency, slightly unbalanced.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


Cost: 3/6 SO-SO
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 5/6 PASS
Re-Order:  4/6  PASS
Experience:  4/6 PASS
Christmas Cheer:  4/6 PASS

Final Thoughts:

I can't say I was as entranced with this beer as I was the first Winewood Series, the 1606. generally smooth overall and a nice flavour I would get a break of astringency every now and then which killed the flavour of the beer. otherwise it was a nice beer.
CJT


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The 2-4 Beers of Christmas: Day 22 and 23: White and Red Session

Beer # 186 White Session

Beer # 187 Red Session

Collaboration with "The Local 7*

Sweetgrass Brewing Company
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Independent
Barrel Aged, Flavoured Belgian Saison 7.5% 
ABV Brown Glass Bottle 750 ml.
$19.95  (for both)(Canadian) At the LCBO

Twitter: @SweetgrassBeer

 If you are a regular follower of my blog you will remember I spent the day in Toronto for OCB Week this past June.The Ontario Craft Brewers Week is a celebration of some of the most dazzling brewers in our province. It begins each Father's Day weekend (well... Dads like beer...) with The Session Toronto. I was hoping to make it down for this one but work schedules intervened and I went slightly later in the week. Session is sort of like fight club for brewers... There is only one rule... there are no rules. And you SHOULD talk about Session... So it's not like Fight Club... but somehow I wanted to use that analogy. Brewers are encouraged to bring out the inner artist and paint a pallete of beer. (Ok that's a slightly better analogy). Brewers try to "One Up" each other in a friendly (hehe check out what I did) kind of way. Sweetgrass Brewery and the so called "Local 7" a group of craft beer bars that included The Only Cafe, The Griffin Gastropub, Bar Volo, Wvrst, C'est What, The Auld Spot, Barhop, and Bryden's (kind of like the Group of 7 But Craft Beer Bars... instead of painters) all collaborated on a brew... or two. The result was a Lemon Verbena, and Raspberry flavoured Belgian Saison, that was split into two batches, and one was aged in chardonnay barrels (White), and one Cabernet Sauvignon Barrels (Red). Each was aged for ten months and the result was released in December of 2014 to the LCBO. Sadly, I have been sitting on these bottles because of my cold... I was hoping to get this post out sooner. I am quite certain that all of the bottles of these are gone. So if you didn't get to try these beers... sorry... email or twitter @sweetgrassbeer and maybe they will make more (if we are really, really good...)

Well I have a Litre and a half of beer on my desk... Onto the tasting...


White

Colour is a slightly hazy clear gold with a bright white head made of small bubbles. Aroma is woody and grapey. Definitely a white wine nose. Hints of green floral citrus from the lemon verbena. Oaky vanilla and light caramel. First sip gives us a lot of chardonnay qualities, grapey, oaky and citrus. Hints of malo-lactic fermentation, creamy, buttery, vanilla and caramel. The elements of the Belgian style saison are deep within, under the chardonnay window dressing. Aeration brings out the beer, a bready, citrus clean Belgian saison.


Red

Colour is almost Identical to the white in every way, except that I would say this is slightly lighter in colour. (Strangely).  Nose is very mossy, woody, like a autumn walk through the woods. Oaky, smoky, and dark red wine. First sip is very oaky, and sweet, lots of caramel and vanilla. Tastes not unlike a heavily oaked chardonnay more than a Cabernet sauvignon. Slightly more effervescent than it's white counterpart. Fresh cut oak overwhelms the beer a bit. Aeration gives us sweet smoky oak, some breadiness, a touch more caramel and a lingering vanilla.


Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


White                                       Red 

Cost: 5/6 PASS                           Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS                        Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL     Beer Style: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Re-Order:  6/6 EXCEPTIONAL      Re-Order:  6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Experience:  6/6 EXCEPTIONAL   Experience:  6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Christmas Spirit 5/6 PASS           Christmas Spirit 5/6 PASS

Final Thoughts:


Two most excellent beers and two excellent examples of how a barrel can change the way a beverage tastes. So much happens inside those little wooden envelopes... so much so that scientists haven't even figured out all of the processes, and chemical interactions. It is one area though where we don't need TOO much science... just let your tongue be the experimenter. Enjoy the reaction of all the woody elements that lend so much to these beers.


Cheers And Beery Christmas


CJT


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Beer # 159 Brakeman's Session Ale Junction Craft Brewery

Brakeman's Session Ale

Junction Craft Brewery

Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Independent
Golden Ale 5.3 % ABV Aluminum Can 473 ml.
$2.85 (Canadian) At the LCBO
Twitter: @Junction_Craft

I have only talked about Junction Craft Brewery when I was down in Toronto for OCB Week There I had the Cascadian Dark Ale at The Only Cafe. Junction Craft has been around since 2012 and is part of the mushrooming Craft Beer scene in Toronto and Ottawa that has taken place over the last 5 years. Suffice it to say I could almost name every brewery in this province before 2009 and I was pleasantly shocked to learn that the number of breweries and brewpubs in Ontario now top 200! Junction Craft owes it's Railway theme to the location of it's brewery. Opened in the so called "Junction" Area of Toronto which is loaded with rail yards and warehouses and the crossing point of two major rail lines. It is also next to the Stockyards area where cattle were brought in to be auctioned and sent for butchering. The rattle and clang of the train has echoed through the Junction for over 100 years. So this became a natural choice to name the brewery when the time arose. Other than that, I could not find much on the brewery on the web page, and I haven't yet been down to have a chat with someone there (Which I plan to correct sometime soon), so tonight we will have to let the Brakeman do the talking for us.

All aboard... onto the next tasting.

Off dark gold in colour with a short creamy white head made up of mostly tiny bubbles. Very light caramel malt on the nose with a light herbal hop. Toasty malt and molasses some hay, grains and grassiness and a touch of old leather. Slightly smoky with some hints of charcoal. Aeration gives us a fresh fruit and light herbal hops. Finish has a tart lingering bitterness. Complex yet refreshing. not forceful but gives you enough to contemplate.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 

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

Final Thoughts:

It's a sneaky little beer. When one thinks of golden ales there is such a wide range of products out there that go from stellar to shabby. When I first sniffed it it didn't seem to have much going on... but it fooled me. A good complexity and a nice beer. Certainly worth having again. I would drink this all day at a BBQ. This is the third beer I have had from Junction Craft and I can assure you it will not be my last. 

Cheers


CJT



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