2016 Summer Staycation Roundup
Canadian peso still doing too badly to justify international travel, so we visited Montreal, Toronto, and Niagara. Busy with family the entire time, so no detailed reviews, but I did check everything on Untappd, most with photos. A summary follows:
Nuit Blanche – Archibald microbrasserie
Aroma: grapefruit, grassy, caramel, hint of Belgian yeast. Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. Medium body, off-dry bitter finish. 7/10
Archibald microbrasserie 8:46 PM 26 Aug 16
La Ciboire – Archibald microbrasserie
Aroma: pine, earth, pale malt. Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. Medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry bitter finish. 6.5/10
Archibald microbrasserie 8:59 PM 26 Aug 16
Désirée – Archibald microbrasserie
Aroma: grassy, light citrus, pale crackery malt. Taste: moderate-low sweet, moderate bitter. Medium-light body, short bitter finish. 7/10
Archibald microbrasserie 9:30 PM 26 Aug 16
St-Ambroise Session IPA – Brasserie McAuslan (St-Ambroise)
Aroma: citrus, pine, grainy caramel. Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. Medium-light body, off-dry shortish bitter finish. 6/10
Hotel Novotel 9:53 PM 27 Aug 16
Belgian White – Shock Top Brewing Co.
Meh-tastic. Hey, the wife chose it, I just finished the second half. 5.5/10
Hotel Novotel 10:28 PM 27 Aug 16
Paienne – Brasserie Dieu du Ciel!
Aroma: crackery malt, light lemon and floral. Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-light bitter. Medium-light body, off-dry mildly bitter finish. 6/10
Hotel Novotel 10:47 PM 27 Aug 16
Rescousse – Brasserie Dieu du Ciel!
Aroma: grainy caramel, mild fruit, faint berry, light earth. Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-light bitter. Sweetish mild bitter finish. 6.5/10
Hotel Novotel 5:55 PM 28 Aug 16
Centennial – Brutopia
Aroma: pine, caramel, mild citrus, light earth. Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. Off-dry moderate bitter finish. 7/10
Brutopia 6:55 PM 28 Aug 16
India Pale Ale – Brutopia
Aroma: bready caramel, grass and earth, light floral. Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. Malty lightly bitter finish. 6.5
Brutopia 6:56 PM 28 Aug 16
Canadian Pale Ale (CPA) – Old Tomorrow Brewing
Pleasant pale. 7/10
CN Tower 9:54 PM 29 Aug 16
Stash – Collective Arts Brewing
Pleasant blond ale, especially after a hot morning standing in ride lines with the kids. 7.5/10
Canada’s Wonderland Water Park (Splashworks) 3:00 PM 30 Aug 16
Headstock India Pale Ale (IPA) – Nickel Brook Brewing Co.
Quite a pleasant A/IPA – lots of citrus out in front of a decent pale malt base. 8/10
Canada’s Wonderland Water Park (Splashworks) 3:50 PM 30 Aug 16
Jutsu – Bellwoods Brewery
Aroma: grapefruit, mango, pale malt, grass, stone fruit. Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. Medium body, medium duration bitter finish. 8.5/10
SpringHill Suites Toronto Vaughan 11:13 PM 30 Aug 16
Donkey Venom – Bellwoods Brewery
Aroma: tart red wine, dried fruit, chocolate, oak, leather. Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart, moderate-low bitter. Medium tart finish. 8/10
SpringHill Suites Toronto Vaughan 12:18 AM 31 Aug 16
Sweetwater Squeeze Radler – Amsterdam Brewing Company (Canada)
Orange juice is a bit heavy to work well as a radler. Sweet and a touch unbalanced. 6/10
Amsterdam Brewing Company 3:30 PM 31 Aug 16
Parts Unknown – Amsterdam Brewing Company (Canada)
Nicely done SIPA – long on flavour, but a light body and low ABV. Pleasant on a warm patio with lunch! 7/10
Amsterdam Brewing Company 3:39 PM 31 Aug 16
Kissmeyer Nordic Pale Ale – Beau’s All Natural Brewing Company
Surprisingly decent! Hoppy and floral lead the way over a pleasant pale malt base. 7.5/10
Canadian National Exhibition 6:50 PM 31 Aug 16
Marzen Oktoberfest Lager – Beau’s All Natural Brewing Company
Fairly typical marzen. Malty and easy drinking. 5.5/10
Canadian National Exhibition 7:09 PM 31 Aug 16
(no photo)
West Coast Style IPA – Mill Street Brewery
Hoppy goodness with football! 7/10
BMO Field 10:41 PM 31 Aug 16
Berliner Weisse – The Exchange Brewery 6.5/10
The Exchange Brewery 6:29 PM 1 Sep 16
Dunkleweisse – The Exchange Brewery 7/10
The Exchange Brewery 6:31 PM 1 Sep 16
& Oud Bruin – The Exchange Brewery 7.5/10
The Exchange Brewery 6:35 PM 1 Sep 16
Grapefruit Pale Ale – The Exchange Brewery 7/10
The Exchange Brewery 6:44 PM 1 Sep 16
#7¹ White IPA – The Exchange Brewery 7.5/10
The Exchange Brewery 6:47 PM 1 Sep 16
#7 IPA – The Exchange Brewery 6/10
The Exchange Brewery 6:57 PM 1 Sep 16
Bord Du Lac Saison – Amsterdam Brewing Company (Canada)
Pleasant saison for a late summer BBQ. ABV is a but high for the style but doesn’t make it heavy or hard to drink. 7/10
Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake 2:57 PM 2 Sep 16
Gigantic La Formidable (Beau’s B-Side) – Beau’s All Natural Brewing Company
An OK Belgian-style, but nothing special. Slightly disappointing as my first B-Side. 6/10
Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake 3:35 PM 2 Sep 16
Galt Knife Old Style Lager – Grand River Brewing
Woof. Not very good. 4/10
Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake 3:36 PM 2 Sep 16
Konnichiwa Peaches – Niagara Oast House Brewers
Pleasant almost saison-ish wheat ale. 7/10
Niagara Oast House Brewers 6:15 PM 2 Sep 16
(no photo)
Local Hoption IPA – Niagara Oast House Brewers
A bit too mild for my preference. Soft and understated. 6.5/10
Niagara Oast House Brewers 6:18 PM 2 Sep 16
(no photo)
Saison Farmhouse Ale – Niagara Oast House Brewers
Decent, but not great, especially for the price. Pros: crisp and lively. Cons: brownish apples and high ABV for the style. 6.5/10
Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake 7:29 PM 2 Sep 16
Barn Raiser Country Ale – Niagara Oast House Brewers
Nice, almost melony, pale. Definitely better than their saison. (No, I haven’t been doing real reviews lately. Too busy on family vacation!) 7/10
Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake 7:59 PM 2 Sep 16
Blonde – 3 Brasseurs | 3 Brewers
Pleasant grassy blond, light and easy drinking. 6.5/10
The 3 Brewers 11:27 PM 3 Sep 16
The Lucky Penny – 3 Brasseurs | 3 Brewers
Malty amber, not really a rye IPA. OK. 6/10
The 3 Brewers 11:30 PM 3 Sep 16
Belgian Wheat – 3 Brasseurs | 3 Brewers
Floral and yeasty wheat. Belg-ish, I guess. 6/10
The 3 Brewers 11:33 PM 3 Sep 16
IPA – 3 Brasseurs | 3 Brewers
Definitely their best. Citrusy hops lead the way on a pale malt background. 7/10
The 3 Brewers 11:49 PM 3 Sep 16
Cruiser Pale Ale – Amsterdam Brewing Company (Canada)
Nice pale. Not as much dill as I usually associate with Sorachi Ace. Could drink a few! 7.5/10
Residence Inn by Marriott 12:47 AM 4 Sep 16
Cause & Effect – Nickel Brook Brewing Co.
Light, mildly hoppy. Pretty pleasant for a blonde – almost more an APA or SIPA. 6.5/10
Residence Inn by Marriott 3:12 PM 4 Sep 16
Coriolis Effect – Sawdust City Brewing Co.
Not bad. Simple but clean lactic sour, light body. Could stand to be more highly carbonated and less sweet. 6/10
Residence Inn by Marriott 3:38 PM 4 Sep 16
Tailgate – Grand River Brewing
Meh. A typical lager, with nothing to recommend it. The hopping is grassy at best, and burned rubber at worst. Don’t bother. 4/10
Residence Inn by Marriott 6:43 PM 4 Sep 16
Amber Ale – Ashton Brewing Company
Quite a pleasant amber. Not my favourite style, but this is nice. 6.5/10
The Foolish Chicken 7:35 PM 4 Sep 16
(no photo)
Blue Collar Pale Ale – The Hamilton Brewery (THB)
Not terrible. Floral and grassy hops with grainy malt. Definitely has blue collar tendencies, though. 5.5/10
Residence Inn by Marriott 11:27 PM 4 Sep 16
Pompous Ass EPA – Great Lakes Brewery
Bit of a train wreck. Caramel malt vies with earthy and floral hops for dominance, ends up being neither EPA nor APA. Muddy & unremarkable. 6/10
Residence Inn by Marriott 11:47 PM 4 Sep 16
Trailhead – Wellington Brewery
An OK Vienna lager, especially on a shady patio watching horsedrawn carriages roll by. 5.5/10
Upper Canada Village 5:16 PM 5 Sep 16
(no photo)
S.P.A. Special Pale Ale – Wellington Brewery
Quite a nice pale. Not bright, but more American than English. Well balanced and easy to drink. 7/10
Upper Canada Village 5:26 PM 5 Sep 16
