Virtual Ontario Craft Beer Advent Calendar – Week 2

Jeff Green | Dec 07, 2016

Last week we launched our exploration of 28 Ontario Craft Beers, one a day between November 27 and December 24th, an advent calendar that, although not as sobering as Pope Francis has called for this year, at least shows a measure of restraint, just the one beer each day. This week, we continue.

Sunday, December 4th – Sunday night, anxiety over the week to come is creeping in, so a nice Porter is in order. Barley Days, of Picton, specializes in British style ales. Their Yuletide Cherry Porter is not overly sweet and has a hint of cherry flavour. The taste is pleasant, the balance is good and it is a medium density beer, enough to take the edge off but not so much as to send you to bed early.

Monday, December 5 – Sorry folks but I need to take care of myself on a Monday Night, and that means a double IPA, also known as an Imperial IPA or a Triple IPA. These are big beers, high in bitterness, alcohol and fruity flavours. They tend to be cloudy as well. Some people find them too strong, usually over 8% and some find them too hoppy (ie bitter, bitter, bitter) But for me the alcohol settles down the bitterness and the haziness and fruitiness make them ideal. On this night, I’m sticking with one of the larger independents, Muskoka Brewery. They make three kinds of IPA, a light one, called Detour, which is 4% alcohol, their flagship beer Mad Tom IPA, an austere 6% beer, and they also make my favourite, and one of my wife Martina’s all time favourites, Twice as Mad Tom (8.4%). I can’t sip it. Lots of flavour, lots of hops, lots of weight. Brewers Retail have Mad Tom, and LCBO stores either have or can order in the Twice as Mad Tom.

Tuesday, December 6th. Truth is, I never drink beer at all on Tuesdays, because of work, but if I did I might consider a Radler, and the best Radler that is widely available is made by Rickard’s, which is a division of Molson-Coors, and is not a craft beer at all. It is however, a not too sweet version of a drink that is almost more of a mixed drink than a beer. It is beer mixed with grapefruit juice to be precise, and at 3% is designed to be drunk while cycling or exercising. It makes a great cocktail, or a Tuesday beer. Wednesday, December 7 – A beer I just tried, Franken Stout by Block 3 Brewing Company of St. Jacobs is rich and flavourful like a milk stout, but it has relatively low alcohol (5%) and has a very dry, clean finish. The name refers to a region in Germany where the style was developed, and has nothing at all to do with Frankenstein.

Thursday, December 8 – time for another beer that will please all the Canadian style beer drinkers while satisfying more adventurous palates. Creemore Springs, technically no longer a craft brewery because they were bought out by a major brewery who has left them alone, they brew the best lager and Pilsner’s in Ontario, and once a year they put out a dark Brown Urbock. It shares many of the qualities of balance and crispness with the other Creemore Beers, but with some more malty, sweet flavour and 6% alcohol. It is in the LCBO stores now.

Friday, December 9 – I’ll go with one of the first Ontario beers I ever really savoured. From Wellington Brewery, just like last week, but this time it is the Iron Duke. Almost a Barley wine, although with much less alcohol, Iron Duke is dark, sweet and malty, not bitter at all. It is a beer to sit on the couch with, however,  a Friday night necessity.

Saturday, December 10th – It might be time, with two weeks left in the season, to bring out one of the heavy weights. Back to Muskoka for the second time this week, this time for the Winter Beard Double Chocolate Cranberry Stout. 8% alcohol but feels like more, lots of chocolate flavour cut with cranberry, a big beer in every way. It costs $12 for a 750 ml bottle so sharing is a good idea. Full of flavour, it actually saves money by taking the place of dessert, cognac and coffee. Once again, even with all that is added to this beer, the brewers manage to balance it all out and make a beer that leaves no off flavours in the palate. Full and smooth.

(See you next week)