Quaffing a quince on golden shores a sunkist orange torn into spray citrus peels punch and pry fingers pressed in Nutella jar sipping freshly ground cappuccino coffee house cream stuck on lips grapefruit pith amber burns a Szechuan pepper full of earth spicy chilli pressed by sun mowed grass upon the dew pricking needles bark…
“Naughty Neighbour” (APA) Better Bitters Brewing Co.
A naughty neighbour that flirts with your thirst more than it quenches it. Rating → 84 points Stats: American Pale Ale. 4.9% ABV. 38 IBUs. Burlington, Ontario. Size: 355mL bottle Colour: Golden straw (chardonnay) — clear except for profusion of heavy particulate that grows with the pour. Mouth Feel: Medium, very natural carbonation; light start and a refreshingly bitter finish. Purchased: LCBO Price: $12.75 (6-pack) Pairing…
“Harvest Ale” (American Pale Ale), Muskoka Brewery
A new offering from a brewery that makes an impression for its limited and season runs. Rating: 88 points Stats: American Pale Ale. 7.0% ABV, Bracebridge, Ontario. Size: 750mL Colour: Thick, dark, perfect amber. Mouth Feel: Medium carbonation; creamy middle. Dry finish. Purchased: LCBO Cost: $8.95 Pairing Notes: n/a So here’s another limited run beer from a brewery that has challenged…
“Pumpkin Ale” (Spiced Beer) Great Lakes Brewery
The Great Pumpkin Ale emerges — all hail the great pumpkin ale…. Rating: 90 points Stats: Spiced Beer. 5.5% ABV. Etobicoke, Ontario. Size: 650mL bottle Colour: Deep straw, golden Mouth Feel: Medium carbonation; clean, bitter and refreshing finish. Purchased: LCBO Price: $4.95 Pairing Notes: Green curry. And so the field narrows and it comes to a point as I complete my seasonal quest for…
“Pumpkin Ale” (Flavoured Beer) Grand River Brewing
Suddenly, out of the turbid waters, a pumpkin appeared. Rating: 84 points Stats: Spiced Beer. 5.2% ABV. Cambridge, Ontario. Size: 500mL bottle Colour: Deep straw, golden Mouth Feel: Medium-low carbonation; medium mouthfeel. Purchased: LCBO Price: $3.95 Pairing Notes: A light Indian curry. With the bar now squarely set, I approach the third in the Great Pumpkin Ale challenge with this one from…
“St-Ambroise Citrouille” (Pumpkin Ale) McAuslan Brewing
The benchmark in pumpkin ales. Rating: 88 points Stats: Pumpkin Ale. 5% ABV. Montreal, Quebec. Size: 341mL bottle Colour: Deep amber Mouth Feel: Medium carbonation; creamy and full in the mouth. Purchased: LCBO Price: $9.95 (4/pack) Pairing Notes: n/a After the first disappointment on the Great Pumpkin Ale countdown, I chose to go with a known entity … one I already knew I loved from…
“Pumpkin Ale” (Spiced Beer) Black Creek Historic Brewing
A pumpkin ale that is more ghostly because of what doesn’t appear. Rating: 70 points Stats: Spiced Beer. 5% ABV. Toronto, Ontario. Size: 500mL bottle Colour: Light-brown amber Mouth Feel: Low carbonation; low specific gravity; light end. Purchased: LCBO Price: $3.95 Pairing Notes: n/a First up on the Great Pumpkin Ale Countdown is this traditional sampling from Black Creek Brewing. This is…
Searching for the Great Pumpkin … Ale
As Canadian Thanksgiving arrives and we sacrifice hundreds of thousand of pumpkins across this fair land as part of our traditional devourment of the greatest pumpkin pies in the country, it seems appropriate that I spend a few days at least contemplating that other pumpkin treat: pumpkin ale. What makes a great pumpkin ale? And what is the…
“Hops & Bolts” (IPA) Creemore Springs Brewery
A beer that behaves like the rich kid on the block pretending to be edgy and cool and in the end just tastes obsequious and insecure. Rating: 77 points Stats: Pale Ale. 5.3% ABV. 60 IBUs. Creemore, Ontario. Size: 473mL can Colour: Light-orange amber – unfiltered Mouth Feel: Medium carbonation; creamy finish Purchased: LCBO Price: $2.85 Pairing Notes: n/a Do you recall those…
“Canuck Pale Ale” (Pale Ale) Great Lakes Brewery
Rating: 85 points Stats: Pale Ale. 5.2% ABV. Etobicoke, Ontario. Size: 473mL can Colour: Amber — unfiltered, cloudy ending. Mouth Feel: Medium, very natural carbonation; dry and refreshing ending. Purchased: LCBO Price: $2.50 Pairing Notes: n/a It’s been said that ‘Canada is the only country in the world that knows how to live without an identity.’ This beer doesn’t help much…
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