Beer in Review 2013

FAVORITE LOCAL BREWERYIt's close, but I'm actully going with Great Lakes over Bellwoods. From Robohop (IIPA) to Karma Citra (IPA) to Simple Porter, they make many of the best examples of beer by style in Ontario. Their run of Project X and Tank Ten beers puts their production near the top of Ontario by numbers, many of which are brewery only, but many of which are in the LCBO as well. They still need to master barrel aging, but hey, so does everyone else in Ontario, including Bellwoods.

FAVORITE BREWERY - OTHER
Keeping it local, I'll go with Bellwoods. They do sours better than anyone in Ontario.

International, probably Cantillon (man, I miss Alberta)

FAVORITE LOCAL BEER
Don't know about having a favorite, but Nickel Brook Naughty Neighbour is a spot on APA that I woudn't ever turn down on tap.

FAVORITE BEER - OTHER
Drank a lot of good lambic this year. Insert any of them here.

NEW LOCAL DISCOVERY
Indie Ale House. They get overshadowed by Bellwoods but they just keep it quiet, do their thing and continue to get better and better.

NEW DISCOVERY - OTHER
Quebec is making some great sours. I don't know about general availability, but some of the stuff that was pouring at Mondial this year was fantastic. Similarly, Mondial showcased how good the Italians are at making sours and ridiculously good barely wines and strong Belgian beers.

NOTABLE BEER-CHIEVEMENT
Got to go to both Mondial and Cask Days for the first time this year.

LOCAL BREWERY TO WATCHSawdust City. Sam Crobiel makes some killer beer. With he brewery (hopefully) opening this year, I'm betting we can expect some big things.

BREWERY TO WATCH - OTHERPut any of the new breweris that recently opened or will open across Canada in is space. The pace is crazy and so many look promising. Gone are the days where you need to open with the same 3 gateway beers (although, those still will pop up no doubt too).

LOCAL BEER DISAPPOINTMENTS / OVERHYPED BEER
The LCBO distribution system in Ontario. If you don't live in a warehouse city, you wont see much of the beer beer geeks care about.......and, at the administrative level, the LCBO has repeatedly said it basically doesn't care. On the bright side, some really great beer-centric LCBO employees continue to advocate and try to make things better, so kudos to them.

The length of time it's taking for 2 local Hamilton breweries to start the f-up in a starving un-tapped market.

BEER DISAPPOINTMENTS / OVERHYPED - OTHER
Sartori Harvest at Cask Days. I knew that cask was probably not the right vehicle to first try this, but had high hopes. It didn't translate well.

MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO TRYING (OR HOPE TO TRY!)
It may be a year or two away, but Niambic from GLB/Indie/Sawdust/Amsterdam. I heard recently that the planned 3 year blend might only actually wind up being a 2 year blend for various reasons. That would be a crying shame, but it might result in a 2 year (Tilquin-esque?) blend sooner than expected.

 

FAVORITE LOCAL BREWERY
Walkerville

FAVORITE BREWERY - OTHER
Kuhnhenn

FAVORITE LOCAL BEER
Walkerville's Indie Pale Ale

FAVORITE BEER - OTHER
FW Sucaba, or Kuhnhenn's Cherry Oud Bruin

NEW LOCAL DISCOVERY
that we have a new brewery coming in 2014!

NEW DISCOVERY - OTHER
Witch's Hat

NOTABLE BEER-CHIEVEMENT
LOCAL BREWERY TO WATCH
Midian Brewing (new in 2014)

BREWERY TO WATCH - OTHER
Kuhnhenn (expansion, more distro in 2014), and Bellwoods (see how they continue to handle the success)

LOCAL BEER DISAPPOINTMENTS / OVERHYPED BEER
Nothing local is hyped, maybe the whole Windsor Beer Fest.
BEER DISAPPOINTMENTS / OVERHYPED - OTHER
Sweet Repute

MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO TRYING (OR HOPE TO TRY!)
Night Shift sours, Ale Apothecary, eventually Hill Farmstead

 

I'm only in Canada for a month in the summer every year, but I try to do my best while I'm at home. For me, "local" is Ontario and "other" is the rest of the country.

FAVORITE LOCAL BREWERY
Bellwoods. I've had a handful of their brews and most of them have been great. Witchshark wasn't my thing, but I've been overly impressed with the stout beer and loved Roman Candle.

FAVORITE BREWERY - OTHER
Driftwood. Been very impressed with these guys so far. Pretty much everything has been to my liking, especially the hoppy stuff.

FAVORITE LOCAL BEER
Mill St. Cobblestone Stout. Available at the LCBO all the time and on draft at a few locations locally. Top notch Irish dry stout and was/is definitely a go-to beer when at home.

Favorite one-offs have been Great Lakes 25th Anniversary RIS and Bellwoods Bring Out Your Dead.

FAVORITE BEER - OTHER
Simple Malt Imperial Stout. Available all the time in Quebec and I always get a bunch whenever I'm there. Outstanding RIS that is better than 95% of the hyped, limited release stouts on the market.

Favorite one-offs have been Dieu du Ciel Grande Noirceur and Central City BA Thor's Hammer.

NEW LOCAL DISCOVERY
Bellwoods. Exciting stuff and Bring Out Your Dead was probably my highest rated Canadian beer of the year.

NEW DISCOVERY - OTHER
Discovered homebrewing, which is something I guess...

NOTABLE BEER-CHIEVEMENT
Made it to 1,000 reviews this past year. Insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but whatever.

LOCAL BREWERY TO WATCH
Sawdust City. I absolutely loved their Lone Pine IPA and scored it a 4.5. Hope they continue to bottle this beer for the LCBO and I'm interested in seeing what they do next.

BREWERY TO WATCH - OTHER
Parallel 49 in BC. Wasn't all that impressed with the two stout beers I got to try, but it looks like they've some ambition.

LOCAL BEER DISAPPOINTMENTS / OVERHYPED BEER
Flying Monkeys BNL Chocolate Stout. Undrinkable drain pour. Scored it a 2.08 and feel that was generous.

BEER DISAPPOINTMENTS / OVERHYPED - OTHER
Parallel 49 Russian Imperial Stout. Lousy at best. Was a 2.6 for me. I appreciate the effort and I'm interested to see what these guys do, but this one wasn't very impressive.

MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO TRYING (OR HOPE TO TRY!)
Sawdust City Long Dark Voyage to Uranus and Bellwoods 3 Minutes to Midnight. These sound great!

Cheers,
Jeff

 

FAVORITE LOCAL BREWERY
Probably Dunham for their bottlings of barrel-aged wild ales

FAVORITE BREWERY - OTHER
Hill Farmstead. They master all the styles I like, mainly hoppy beers, saisons, and sours/wild ales.

FAVORITE LOCAL BEER
Dunham saison réserve

FAVORITE BEER - OTHER
I think I would have to go with HF's life without principle #3, a pale ale brewed with hibiscus. It was incredible, drank many growlers of that, and just can't imagine something more subtle, refreshing, and crowd pleaser.

NEW LOCAL DISCOVERY
After a year of bottling boring beers, Trou du Diable came up with 3 new barrel-aged sours/saisons.

NEW DISCOVERY - OTHER
Really got into gueuzes, and on the other hand, was quite impressed by driftwood's beers

NOTABLE BEER-CHIEVEMENT
After years of being primarily a "wine snob", I really got into craft beers maybe 3 years ago. For me it's the same passion, it's all about discovering, sharing, tasting, exploring, travelling. Beer allowed me to convert many friends who wouldn't have had the financial means to appreciate great wines, and who are now totally into craft beer. I'm really happy I managed to transmit this passion to others, I guess that would be the achievement.

LOCAL BREWERY TO WATCHBlack Barn Brewery?

BREWERY TO WATCH - OTHER
I have to say Hill Farmstead

LOCAL BEER DISAPPOINTMENTS / OVERHYPED BEER
Dieu du Ciel. With the exceptions of Morality and Solstice d'été, I really dislike their approach. I find their beers to be generally way too sweet and boozy.

BEER DISAPPOINTMENTS / OVERHYPED - OTHER-Parallel 49 beers I tried. Lil'red was BY FAR the worst beer I tried this year. It had such a foul stench!
-Beau's offerings were really weak this past year.
-The overall trend of flavored beers. I'm not looking for cocktail/juice, I'm looking for beer.

MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO TRYING (OR HOPE TO TRY!)
Backacre sour golden ale from Vermont, other american Wild ales/sours/saisons

 

FAVORITE LOCAL BREWERY
None, I guess? I don't think Bushwakker added a single beer to their roster this year, and while Saskadian was really good, I didnt see it much this year.

FAVORITE BREWERY - OTHER
I think my favourite Canadian brewery might be Dunham. I know they've got some issues, but every bottle I'd had has been really good.

FAVORITE LOCAL BEER
N/A

FAVORITE BEER - OTHER
De Molen Hel & Verdoemenis 666 is a very underrated beer, but Speedway variants were my favourite beers this year.

NEW LOCAL DISCOVERY
I guess I'm going to include North Dakota as local because it's such a wasteland here. Laughing Sun in Bismarck is doing some really nice things, has a nice tap room and creating a bit of a culture down there.

NOTABLE BEER-CHIEVEMENT
This year my family and I went to San Diego for a week. The whole area has such an incredible beer culture, but also extremely kid friendly. Sculpin on tap at the ballpack? Sure. Societe at the zoo? Yeah! Pizza port, Urge, Stone...all very fun places for my son. I want to live there and not here.

LOCAL BREWERY TO WATCH
Prairie Sun in Saskatoon is showing some real promise. One of their first beer was a sour saison, thats pretty extreme for this market.


BREWERY TO WATCH - OTHER
Prairie Artisan Ales? Everything has been getting hype, and the ones I've tried have been worth it.

LOCAL BEER DISAPPOINTMENTS / OVERHYPED BEER
Probably the douchey new local marketing company brewery.

 

Care to name and shame?

 

This describes Calgary's beer scene beautifully. Mostly high end marketing companies that produce drinkable products.

 

I probably shouldnt call them douchey, because I dont know any of the people involved, but the brewery is called District Brewing and their only beer is called Müs Knuckle (how German!)... this is actually the improved name, it used to be Bust a Nut. I shudder to think how much money they have spent on marketing so far, they have full bus wrap advertising around town. It appears, they even have been trying to have this special stupid way of holding their beer where you rest it on your knuckles.

 

I have been told that they recently parted ways with the genius leading the marketing side of the business.

But in the same breath, also learned that one of the other new craft breweries in the province is having their wort produced by Great Western... sheesh... the same one that goes on and on and on about being leaders of local, quality product. AND their website they created about supporting all things local is http://ridernation.ca... wow, what a catchy original name.

 

I remember reading somewhere that district has a ridiculous brewing capacity, for a company that had never sold a beer. Maybe someone will approach them about contract brewing and try something interesting. I nominate... You?

 

FAVORITE LOCAL BREWERYBellwoods, by a pretty wide margin too. Great creativity and breadth of styles, best barrel aging in Ontario by a wide margin and the monogamy hop series is really cool too.

FAVORITE BREWERY - OTHER
Hill Farmstead. No explanation required.

FAVORITE LOCAL BEER
Bellwoods 3 Minutes to Midnight.

FAVORITE BEER - OTHER
Perennial Barrel Aged Abraxas. Best beer I've ever had. Founders CBS was a close second.

NEW LOCAL DISCOVERY
Bar Hop (I think it opened up in 2013, might have been 2012)

NEW DISCOVERY - OTHER
Prairie Artisan Ales.

NOTABLE BEER-CHIEVEMENT
Finally started to appreciate sour beer.

LOCAL BREWERY TO WATCH
Great Lakes. I remain surprised by their Canadian Brewery of the Year award in 2013 but I like what they are doing lately. The combination of their Tank 10 program (including canning) and now their new Pegasus growler fill system that is just getting up and running makes them a very likely candidate to rival Bellwoods for my Ontario beer dollars in 2014.

BREWERY TO WATCH - OTHER
From everything I have heard - J. Wakefield Brewing.

LOCAL BEER DISAPPOINTMENTS / OVERHYPED BEER
Anything from Cameron's that has seen the inside of a barrel.

BEER DISAPPOINTMENTS / OVERHYPED - OTHER
Dogfish Head - in general.

MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO TRYING (OR HOPE TO TRY!)
Anything from Toppling Goliath, Bruery rum barrel aged Black Tuesday, HF Double Galaxy or Double Citra, more Crookes Stave beer, Cigar City barrel aged Hunaphu, Goose Island Proprietor's.

 

I just tried MusKnuckle for the first time tonight... couldn't agree more with everything said here. When I saw pictures of their bus my first thought was that they'll over extend and end up closing.. not much of a loss though.

Atleast we have Black Bridge opening in Swift soon..

 

FAVORITE LOCAL BREWERY
Bushwakker - technically a brewpub, but my favourite brewer in town

FAVORITE BREWERY - OTHER
Half Pints

FAVORITE LOCAL BEER
Bushwakker Saskadian
Bushwakker Bombay IPA
Bushwakker Premium Pale Ale

FAVORITE BEER - OTHER
Half Pints Little Scrapper
Paddock Wood Czech Mate

NEW LOCAL DISCOVERY
Lancaster Tap House - some decent beers on tap
Knotted Thistle - Rogue Farms 7 hop IPA on tap was a big surprise for a bar with your typical macros and imports on tap.

NEW DISCOVERY - OTHER
Whatever rotating taps are at Beer Bros

NOTABLE BEER-CHIEVEMENT
Going to Craft Beer Market in Calgary with a good friend of mine.

LOCAL BREWERY TO WATCH
Prairie Sun from Saskatoon. Not really local since it's 250kms away, but close enough

BREWERY TO WATCH - OTHER
Half Pints. Always like to see what comes out next

LOCAL BEER DISAPPOINTMENTS / OVERHYPED BEER
District Brewing... I was hoping for better

BEER DISAPPOINTMENTS / OVERHYPED - OTHER
Village Blacksmith - great name, weak beer

MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO TRYING (OR HOPE TO TRY!)
Taking a couple of trips this summer (Vancouver and Chicago) and looking forward to sampling a variety of new brews.
Can't wait for deck beers... once we get some decent weather!

 

HaHaHa! Yah, I think you're right on there. I really liked the Stock Pot Ales' Black IPA, but I haven't had anything else from them yet.

 

FAVORITE LOCAL BREWERY
Driftwood

FAVORITE BREWERY - OTHER
Cantillon

FAVORITE LOCAL BEER
Driftwood "Lustrum"

FAVORITE BEER - OTHER
Cantillon "Lou Pepe Kriek". Also loved Deschutes "The Dissident" (2012)

NEW LOCAL DISCOVERY
Four Winds

NEW DISCOVERY - OTHER
Sours. Also, the selection in some small town Alberta liquor stores... Full shelf of Armand & Tommy.

NOTABLE BEER-CHIEVEMENT
Drank almost every beer from Cantillon this year, with the exception of Europe/Brewery exclusives and Lou Pepe Gueuze.

LOCAL BREWERY TO WATCH
Four Winds

BREWERY TO WATCH - OTHER
Dageraad

LOCAL BEER DISAPPOINTMENTS / OVERHYPED BEER
Loving all the local beer in and around Vancouver, but the quality of the product isn't there yet. Brassneck is good but I've had some poor offerings. 33 Acres of Ocean is a solid beer but I haven't really cared for anything else from them (amazing tasting room and branding though). Bomber has a long way to go and Parallel 49's beer has been wildly inconsistent. Hopnotist was phenomenal and Lil Red was an abomination. Also, why do they continue to do that awful artist a favour by continually featuring his or her work on their labels?

BEER DISAPPOINTMENTS / OVERHYPED - OTHER
Having a beer trade I sent to Ontario seized and "destroyed" by Canada Post. Had a great beer trip to Portland but encountered a few stinkers; Breakside's barrel-aged Barley Wine was undrinkable, do not understand the hype for Cascade's Bourbonic Plague.

MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO TRYING (OR HOPE TO TRY!)
-Fresh bottle of MBC's "Lunch"
-Something from Hill Farmstead
-New special releases from Upright and Logsdon (especially The Conversion)

 

FAVORITE LOCAL BREWERY
As far as buying from Mill St. - Wellington's gotten a bit old on me, and no one else seems to consistently push good mix packs like Mill St does now a days.

As far as quality - King Brewery - Not a single complaint about any of their beers, it's just too bad their selection is so limited.

FAVORITE BREWERY - OTHER
Unibroue - I wouldn't call Quebec local to me, but Unibroue to be is the undisputed king of beer in Canada

outside the country though

Weihenstephaner - The undisputed kings of Wheat beer, I haven't seen in around in a while, and I have a longing for Vitus and the Kristalweizen

Honorable Mention

Samuel Smith's - Still rock solid, almost regrettably so as every Xmas I get their mix pack and another pint glass that I have no room to store.

FAVORITE LOCAL BEER
Muskoka Legendary Spring Oddity - My May 24 tradition, I can't get enough of this Belgian/Gruit hybrid

Honorable Mention

Not really other, but not really local, La Fin du Monde is still the king of my Beer pile

FAVORITE BEER - OTHER
Weihenstephaner Kristallweissbier - Still the top of my outside Canada list

Honorable Mention
Samuel Smith's The Famous Taddy Porter - I finally got a bottle of this stuff, and famous for a reason is appropriate

NEW LOCAL DISCOVERY
Nickel Brook - They are moving an operation into Hamilton and since they've changed to the atom logo, they seem to be brewing much better, much more expansive, much more appealing beer. Happy to have them in town.

NEW DISCOVERY - OTHER
Alexander Keith's Hop Series - They are actually good beers! Macros can brew good beer!

NOTABLE BEER-CHIEVEMENT
Going to Because Beer, Hamilton's first beer festival this year. Should be fun.

LOCAL BREWERY TO WATCH
Nickel Brook & Collective Arts - With the move to Hamilton upping their capacity, I expect these guys to now be able to focus on bringing more of their beers to the province.

BREWERY TO WATCH - OTHER
Innis & Gunn - I stopped buying Innis & Gunn a while ago, and went back to it, and they are still banging out solid one offs and the original Innis & Gunn still holds up for me. They might have released those meh Melville's brand stuff, but I'm acutely interested on what kind of barrel they are going to use next.

LOCAL BEER DISAPPOINTMENTS / OVERHYPED BEER
Black Creek Historic Brewery - I've gotten flat beer, I've gotten awful beer, I've gotten nothing even approaching good from these guys. I heard a rumor that Trafalgar brews their stuff, and if so, that explains so much.

BEER DISAPPOINTMENTS / OVERHYPED - OTHER
Wychwood's decline - Seriously, outside of Hobgoblin and the apparently discontinued Fiddler's Elbow (for the mediocre Wychcraft) these guys have been pumping out terrible beer, after terrible beer that is being purchased because of their artistic picture branding. Forest Fruits was one of the most offensive beer experiences I've suffered in a long while.

MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO TRYING (OR HOPE TO TRY!)
I still got my bottle of BNL Chocolate Stout - I better crack that puppy open soon