550494 Wed Aug 20 14:34:52 -0700 2008 92 23 Ontario (including Toronto) 0 3973112 Having a few friends coming from Begium (home of some of the world's best beer) and wanted to impress them with some ontario suds. Any recommendations for the best Ontario beers for quaffing on a sunny patio at the cottage? Wed Aug 20 14:34:52 -0700 2008 73936 Finnegan 1 3973241 Lately, SO and I have been really enjoying the Mill St. Wheat beer. It has a hint of orange and is a great, refeshing summer beer. Wed Aug 20 15:10:45 -0700 2008 3973112 138160 torontofoodiegirl 2 3973957 Dude... I had a pint the other day. I thought there was a lot of good things happening in it but I was put off by the mildly spiced flavour. I can see how people would find it refreshing, though, the Mill St Belgian Wit... Wed Aug 20 20:09:19 -0700 2008 3973241 218105 virtualvelma 1 3973388 Yes, I know I know, it was bought by a huge conglomerate but Creemore continues to be my favourite as it has since I started drinking it more than 20 years ago. (certainly goes down well with my Sultan samosas. hee, hee) Probably wouldn't impress a Belgian though Wed Aug 20 15:59:16 -0700 2008 3973112 98493 JamieK 1 3973529 Cameron's suds aren't bad. Auburn Ale is tasty. Wed Aug 20 16:50:36 -0700 2008 3973112 16382 Kagemusha 2 4141669 Definitely one of the best. Fri Oct 31 15:48:43 -0700 2008 3973529 236181 donjuan140 1 3973773 Oh, man, that's a tall order - I have yet to have anything in Ontario that even remotely compares to my beer experience in Belgium. As far as I'm concerned, Belgium = beer nirvana. But the Mill St. beers aren't a bad place to start...I always find myself coming back to the Tankhouse Ale, and the Coffee Porter might be something different for a Belgian. Wed Aug 20 18:39:58 -0700 2008 3973112 139230 Wahooty 2 3973817 Yep, I was going to suggest Mill St. Tankhouse. I do really enjoy their Belgian Wit beer, but I'd suggest steering clear of all Belgian style (wannabe?) beers on this occasion. Have fun! Wed Aug 20 19:05:18 -0700 2008 3973773 195015 thora 1 3973789 If you want to stretch your boundaries, Unibroue makes several nice beers that might appeal to Belgians, such as Fin du Monde. They were bought out by Sleemans, who in turn sold out to Sapporo, but they are still able to brew independently. Wed Aug 20 18:49:23 -0700 2008 3973112 56131 jayt90 2 3973924 Unibroue does make quite a few decent beers. I like their Blanche de Chambly as well. Wed Aug 20 19:53:45 -0700 2008 3973789 202405 tjr 3 3974778 if you want to show them what canada can put out well, then unibroue would be my pick overall. i've found a better selection of them at the lcbo lately and you can generally get one to fit any mood. i would then second the mill st wit. the only beer i will drink from mill st. the spicing and fruitiness are well matched and may prove to show a good contrast between what we make here and what the belgians generally make. wits are also nicely refreshing for those sunny days when i expect quite a few beers to be put down at the cottage. can't go all day with something too heavy. i'm far too into the american microbrews to have enough good things to say about the ontario ones so i would actually consider getting a few of those if i could. Thu Aug 21 07:33:50 -0700 2008 3973924 10634 pinstripeprincess 4 3974844 The thing about Unibroue, including Fin du Monde, Maudite and Blanche de Chambly is that they're essentially copies of Belgian trappist beers and the belgin white beer. I don't know how impressive it would be to show them Canadian versions, albeit very good ones. Mill St. products are good. I really like the tankhouse ale (which has been mentioned already a few times). Waterloo dark is good. Refreshing, but also with flavour. Steam Whistle for thirst quenching cottage drinking. For more ideas, check: http://www.ontariocraftbrewers.com/breweries.php Thu Aug 21 07:53:59 -0700 2008 3974778 157056 grandgourmand 5 3974891 they may be copies, but to my tastes they're the best we have to offer. ales and porters are more likely to offer the unique options of north america, but the the canadian ones never do it for me. so i'm biased and have a nice stock of american ipas and imperials to help get me through it. Thu Aug 21 08:08:40 -0700 2008 3974844 10634 pinstripeprincess 6 3974981 I think they're great beers. I'm just saying for highlighting Ontario beers (or Canadian in this case), they wouldn't be anything "new" for a Belgian. Thu Aug 21 08:29:06 -0700 2008 3974891 157056 grandgourmand 7 3975434 no doubt, wasn't disagreeing... just saying the rest just don't jive well enough with me that i could really pick some favourites. though i must say i did recently have a sgt majors ipa again and i forgot how wonderfully bitter and a good representation of an ipa it can be. so there, that's my ont pick ;) Thu Aug 21 10:12:39 -0700 2008 3974981 10634 pinstripeprincess 8 3977767 Sgt. Major has been really hit and miss since Heritage bought Scotch Irish a couple of years ago, and even less consistent since the original Scotch Irish brewer, Perry Mason, left Heritage a while back. I've had a couple of pints that were very disappointing - very week hop profile, just a generic pale ale - but I've heard from a couple of people who claim it's back on form recently. Hopefully, they can keep it consistent. Fri Aug 22 06:38:42 -0700 2008 3975434 20196 gregclow 9 3977926 i haven't consistently bought it and didn't recall liking it as much as i did before, but i had a bottle at citizen a week or so back and found it to be excellent. a good hoppy flavour that i didn't remember before. it's encouraged me to purchase it more regularly though i'll have to watch for these inconsistencies you mention. that's a shame that changes in ownership can have such a detrimental effect... when will they learn to not make it more generic! Fri Aug 22 07:38:35 -0700 2008 3977767 10634 pinstripeprincess 9 4141165 Where is citizen? Fri Oct 31 12:10:55 -0700 2008 3977767 223099 Herne 10 4141292 http://www.therosebud.ca/ it is the sister restaurant to rosebud and located at 730 queen st east. while i have enjoyed this place i do want to put in a caveat.... the portions for meat used to be significantly insanely larger and on last minute have shrunk to miniscule. you can however find some delectable and well priced dishes (puts rosebud to shame sometimes i think) if you're careful. a fantastic lobster spaghetti had bountiful lobster chunks for only $19 and on another evening anchovies with breadcrumbs will cost the same. if you just want a sgt major ipa... go to the lcbo! a very regular offering. Fri Oct 31 13:00:36 -0700 2008 4141165 10634 pinstripeprincess 8 3977786 I apologize for recommending Unibroue; I guess I got carried away with the recommendation and forgot about the Ontario part. I also agree with grandgourmand, but the OP wanted to impress, rather than give them something new (I think). Maybe showing them how well Canadians (though not Ontarians) can do trappist will impress them! Fri Aug 22 06:46:21 -0700 2008 3975434 202405 tjr 4 3974900 Such as (and available in ON please).....? Thu Aug 21 08:11:21 -0700 2008 3974778 12074 bluedog 5 3975395 i assume you're referring to the american brews? after trips to the US it's actually pitiful the selection we get of Unibroue even.... there's a Dieu one that I've never heard even mentioned in ON. luckily, they recently introduced a couple brews in the lcbo. the one that definitely comes to mind would be the rogue dead guy ale. anything rogue that you can get your hands on is a guaranteed winner and will cost $30 at a beer bar. they also brought in southern tier which is perfectly respectable from an ipa point of view. i know i'm being a snob about the american microbrew but they just suit my tastes so well. anytime i know anyone is going to the US, i get them to purchase something for themselves and for me if possible. i'll even direct them to the store they can get it at. Thu Aug 21 10:03:24 -0700 2008 3974900 10634 pinstripeprincess 6 3980949 Yup, I meant the american brews, thanks. I'm definitely going to pick up dead guy ale and may the southern tier. I AM a big fan of anything by sam adams (and I love their cherry wheat beer) and anything by anchor steam, but sadly that's about as much as I know. I was able to try Celis White at The Only once, but was quite disappointed, and haven't seen it again. Sat Aug 23 12:18:29 -0700 2008 3975395 12074 bluedog 6 4015663 Hey pinstripe, finally tried both the rogue dead guy ale and the southern tier IPA. Not a fan of the rogue: obviously a high quality beer but I am not a fan of the style, far too malty for my taste. But the st IPA! va va voom! what a great brew! Thanks for the tip! Sun Sep 07 14:35:37 -0700 2008 3975395 12074 bluedog 7 4015721 i retried the rogue recently and i was actually surprised by the malt that you mention, i have no idea how i could have forgotten. there's a strong caramel hint to the beer and lack of bitter hops that doesn't typically remind me of an ale! it sort of bordred a bit on a dubbel for me. granted... i love that sometimes so i think i'll be going back for more of it. glad you liked the st ipa though... we should have a thread that tracks new american microbrew offerings through lcbo! Sun Sep 07 15:13:19 -0700 2008 4015663 10634 pinstripeprincess 8 4015804 I love really bitter hoppy beer, but am not a big fan of bold malt, hence by preference for the IPA. I agree with the thread on US microbrew offerings, though we're really at the mercy of the LCBO! Sun Sep 07 16:03:49 -0700 2008 4015721 12074 bluedog 9 4118424 just thought i'd update a section of this thread.... turns out that my oft savoured rogue hazelnut brown is now officially stocked in the lcbo. would suggest this as a really interesting and well rounded beer to try. it was better though under the morimoto name for production but still quite nice. would also suggest the imperial ipa by southern tier at rhino. they often don't have all the selection on the list but this imperial is available and certainly bitter to the max with matching sweet notes to balance it out a bit. Tue Oct 21 09:00:01 -0700 2008 4015804 10634 pinstripeprincess 10 4119262 The Rogue Hazelnut Brown is part of the Autumn Ales promotion at the LCBO, so stock up while you can, as it's a limited time release. And there is actually no difference between this beer at the Morimoto Hazelnut Ale aside from the name on the bottle. Rogue is infamous for relabelling their beers for different places, events, etc. Just check out the number of 'A' icons (indicating 'Alias') on their page at RateBeer: http://www.ratebeer.com/brewers/rogue-ales/96/ Tue Oct 21 13:38:03 -0700 2008 4118424 20196 gregclow 11 4119725 damn, that's what i was worried about. the boy couldn't figure out if it was a limited release or not so i just wistfully assumed that it would be part of the regular line-up. that's what i thought as well, that it's just a relabeling.... boy also insists that the fresh hazelnut flavour is not as prominent though. still tasty. saw many relabelings in japan, definitely a stylistic cultural type change as i saw teddy bears on labels there. can't imagine that would encourage the beer drinking public here. Tue Oct 21 16:47:43 -0700 2008 4119262 10634 pinstripeprincess 10 4131725 Pinstripe: i assume you mean the rhino bar on Queen West? Is the imperial IPA different from the southern tier IPA sold at the LCBO, which we were discussing earlier? Mon Oct 27 09:23:35 -0700 2008 4118424 12074 bluedog 11 4132394 yes that bar and yes a whole different beer though by the same brewer. i believe the full name is the unearthly imperial pale ale. imperials are usually hopped out like mad and so have seriously strong bitter tones but my faves balance it out with some sweetness. Mon Oct 27 13:12:27 -0700 2008 4131725 10634 pinstripeprincess 12 4138435 The imperial IPA is more hopped out than the bottled stuff at the LCBO? Its hard to imagine! Like I said above, the Southern Tier IPA has more zing than just about any other beer I can remember trying! Unfortunately its unlikely I'll get to the Rhino any time soon (i live in the east end and further go out rarely). Thu Oct 30 08:29:54 -0700 2008 4132394 12074 bluedog 13 4138508 welcome to the wonders of american microbrew... totally over the top flavours. Thu Oct 30 08:58:23 -0700 2008 4138435 10634 pinstripeprincess 14 4172924 Picked up the other US IPA offering at the LCBO last night: Dogfish Head IPA. Not as hopped out as the Souther Tier so a bit disappointing. Worth a try though. I am always amazed at how much more damage 6% can give you over 5% though. Two bottles is my limit. Fri Nov 14 06:33:19 -0800 2008 4138508 12074 bluedog 15 4173072 i'm going to assume the 60min and not the 90min? the first time i had a 90min it was just way too much for me after only one sip so i haven't bothered since. mind you i really probably should have had it out of a glass, i think this was straight out of a bottle. dogfish head also generally seems to make more wine like beers with lots of fruit/honey/etc additions that give it a really sweet edge. it is a bit of a gimmick to be throwing in all these different ingredients but i've really enjoyed them so far. their punkin is fabulous for seasonal ales and i really love the jiahu and red & white. the raison d'etre is what turned me onto them and i like to keep a few around for sipping on my own. Fri Nov 14 07:24:44 -0800 2008 4172924 10634 pinstripeprincess 16 4173185 The 60 minute, Thats' all one can get at the LCBO. I'd love to try the 90 minute. Fri Nov 14 08:01:35 -0800 2008 4173072 12074 bluedog 1 3973870 I totally agree with the Mill Street Tankhouse Ale recommendation. I know it's not an Ontario beer but St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout might be worth a look as well. Wed Aug 20 19:30:59 -0700 2008 3973112 45153 Dr Butcher 1 3974035 This might be a bit of a gamble or just not interesting enough for your guests, but I really like (and I'm not alone) Ontario's St. Andre, it'd be interesting to see what they thought of a product claiming to be what they would know most about... Wed Aug 20 20:45:49 -0700 2008 3973112 114516 Recyclor 1 3974079 The hilarious thing about Canadian beer is that we come by it honestly. We are a country of beer lovers born to a nation founded with the notion we were the ideal climate to brew beer - back in the times before refrigeration... like in the 17th or 18th century. lol omg, I sound like such a nerd! ahahahahahaha! awesome. With that said, Ontario has some great craft brewers. Totally, you can't go wrong with Mill Street - it's also a fun dinner out. Rock out, drink through the list, have some fun conversation and sit in a really cool area. I also dig Granite Brewery's Peculiar Ale... Great Lakes Brewery Red Leaf Smooth.... or try a good Canadian Cream Ale... I like Cameron's Cream Ale. Canadians do North American style beer the best - for sure. I think I would shy away from the Canadian beers that mimic Belgian-brews. Stick to the cream ales, the amber/red ails and that's probably why I like the Granite Brewery's Peculiar. The Peculiar has the taste of an older ale, but it's really refreshing like a light beer. Barrel aged so it has a hint of oak - it's a really unique beer. It's a young beer, with low alcohol - so not the best bet if you want to get Drunk as F*ck on the tasty stuff. whatever, go grab a few and rock out with your Belgian, bff's. No doubt in my mind that they'll appreciate the North American brew styles. Wed Aug 20 21:06:07 -0700 2008 3973112 218105 virtualvelma 2 3974570 I haven't been there in awhile but I also really like Granite Brewery's Bitters (I believe they have two styles). In any event, I would hope your Belgian friends are mindful of other styles of beer. I like Belgian beer as well, but think our strength is our variety. With that, I second the Mill Street brands (except for their stock ale which I find utterly boring), especially the Tankhouse Ale. Why not take them to the Mill St. Patio in the Distillery? You can try'em all. For easy drinking, I am a fan of Amsterdam's Dutch Blonde, though its a summer afternoon patio beer: just goes down easy. They may also be interested to see how we are doing with our Wits, and for fun you might try Rickard's White, which is surprisingly good for a mass produced Wit (see the recent thread on Blue Moon). I also second Creemore. Perhaps KLB Raspberry Wheat for something different? Again, a nice patio beer IMHO. In any event, I think beer is a *bit* like wine in the sense that most places make good ones and bad ones, but you hae to keep an open mind if the good ones are not what your normally used to (like finding a superb gewurztraminer in alsace when your normally a Shiraz fan). Thu Aug 21 06:16:07 -0700 2008 3974079 12074 bluedog 3 3974657 I like Beau's out of VanKleek Hill, Ontario... http://www.beaus.ca/ My huge liking for it might partially result from the cool containers it comes in, but it is a pretty good product for sure. Organic Malts + Spring Water = Great Cottage Beer. Thu Aug 21 06:49:26 -0700 2008 3974570 138440 elizabethmaitland 3 3974659 bluedog, I am down with Amsterdam Blond on a hot day on a patio. And, KLB Raspberry Wheat. If you want to pay $9 for a pint of Creemore (har har) then head over to One on Yorkville. Embarrassingly over priced for the privilege of the most utterly divine patio couches in the city. But, then again... $9 for a pint of Creemore. As if. KLB Raspberry Wheat is a fun one for sure - what would that be considered? A Raspberry Wit? Bluedog, you called it - it goes to show, Ontario produces some fab beer. I'll tell you what I don't like - I don't like Niagara's Best Blond. It's the best of the "Niagara's best" but it falls short in comparison to the others. It's a little dry and a little bitter on the finish - not too things I'm looking for in a blond. Thoughts? Thu Aug 21 06:49:42 -0700 2008 3974570 218105 virtualvelma 1 3974660 I am married to a Belgian man who knows his beer! I agree with most of the posts here, we love everything that Mill Street puts out, especially the new Wit Beer, it's fantastic, so refreshing! Thu Aug 21 06:49:50 -0700 2008 3973112 161430 Baelsette 2 3978176 I would hesitate to give their Wit beer to a Belgian or German. its really quite spicy and not as full or alcohol-tasting as Belgium beers. For a hot summer day, nothing beats the Mill Street Stock Ale. Church Key, i believe, also has some tasty beers. and, from what i remember, the Granite's beers are a notch above homebrew Fri Aug 22 08:58:04 -0700 2008 3974660 120740 atomeyes 3 3981551 Well, a Belgian wit like Hoegaarden is also going to be really quite spicy and relatively low in alcohol. It's the nature of the style. I think the Mill Street Wit is decent, although I'd like it better if it were more sour. Sat Aug 23 17:59:41 -0700 2008 3978176 186135 befuggled 3 4127217 I have to agree about the Stock Ale. Sure, it's relatively tame, but it's very clean and refreshing. Mmm, I want one right now.. Fri Oct 24 15:51:31 -0700 2008 3978176 234959 Marumari 1 3974750 I'd recommend Iron Duke from Wellington Brewery. It's dark, complex and malty. A little difficult to find sometimes, but the larger Beer Stores usually have some. Not the best beer to drink in the sun, but perfect by the fire after sunset. Thu Aug 21 07:25:52 -0700 2008 3973112 52341 rld 1 3974806 I keep seeing people walk out of my local LCBO with cases of Stratford Pilsner. I'm curious but don't want to buy a whole pack just to taste. Anyone tried it? http://www.stratfordbrewing.com/index.shtml Thu Aug 21 07:39:58 -0700 2008 3973112 98493 JamieK 2 3978792 I've tried it. It's not terrible, but it didn't exactly wow me. You can get it at the Victory cafe - at least you could the last time I was there... Fri Aug 22 12:09:33 -0700 2008 3974806 70075 tochipotle 1 3974947 My #1 is definitely Denison's Weissbier, tragically unavailable at the Beer Store or LCBO (AFAIK -- would love to hear otherwise) but on tap at a lot of pubs in the city. I've also been really impressed with the new Creemore Traditional Pilsner. For Belgian-style (Quebec) beers, I don't think I'm alone in ranking Unibroue's lot on par with ones from the old country -- in fact their brewmasters trained and worked many years in Belgium before setting up Unibroue. Thu Aug 21 08:22:43 -0700 2008 3973112 60255 themself 2 3974965 Highly disagree that there are no good Ont beers: Heres three excellent ones: King Pilsener Black Oak Pale Ale St Andre's (mentioned above) Also add Creemore although I hate giving my money to the industrial brewer Molson Thu Aug 21 08:26:17 -0700 2008 3974947 117410 Vern Ryerse 1 3974974 A few suggestions: Neustadt 10W30 is a great darker ale that can be found at a few places around town (C'est What, Dominion pub, maybe some LCBOs). This has been a favourite of mine for a few years and I have converted a number of friends into fans as well. The Mill St. coffee porter is interesting and unique, but I slightly prefer the varation that C'est What brews. While on the topic of brewpubs, anything from the Granite Brewery brewpub at Mt. Pleasant and Eglinton is worth trying. They have a range of beers, from Raspberry Wheat (good but a bit sweet for my liking) to their Peculiar Ale (stronger flavour but good). I like the Mill St. Wit Beer and the Unibroues (though they are from Quebec, not Ontario, no?) but I agree with some of the posters above that attempting to impress a Belgian with white/wheat beers brewed here may be risky. Hard to beat someone at their own game. Best to show them some of what we do different, perhaps. Thu Aug 21 08:28:19 -0700 2008 3973112 12142 Gary 1 3975042 The Amsterdam Brewing Co. sells some interesting beers. My favourite is the Frambroise. (For what it's worth, I like it much better than the KLB Raspberry Wheat.) The selection at The Beer Store is very limited, so I'd recommend going to the brewery's retail shop at Bathurst and Lakeshore. Thu Aug 21 08:42:18 -0700 2008 3973112 15760 The Berserker 2 3975209 The other beers I would recommend have been lauded several times over, so I will only second the Framboise. It is hands down the best I have ever had, quite possibly due to the freshness, so buy it at the brewery and drink it soon. Also, take your friends for the taste tour at the brewery. They probably have different tastes and would find other beers to their liking. Thu Aug 21 09:20:21 -0700 2008 3975042 50167 Scary Bill 1 3976510 I'll second Denison's Wheat and would also suggest Waupoos Cider, although that is not technically a beer. But it's one great cider. You may wish to go to one of the brewpubs that offers cask conditioned pours, like Bar Volo. Both these two would be great on a patio. Also, ratebeer.com might be a good place to look for some others. See, for instance, http://ratebeer.com/Ratings/TopBeersByCountry.asp?CountryID=39. Regarding the suggestion that Belgians might not be so interested in the Unibroue beers, well, that is in fact not the case. I know of a few places in Belgium and the Netherlands that actually import them. Some savvy Googling will turn them up as well as various comments thereon. In my opinion, although the style is indeed Belgian, these are solid and unique versions, just like many of the different ones brewed within Belgium itself (and the Netherlands). Maudite and Fin du Monde are pretty interesting IMO. And I drink a lot of Belgian beer. I agree on the wheat beers though (Denison's aside). Thu Aug 21 15:58:30 -0700 2008 3973112 220373 dillybravo 2 3978046 If you believe that, I've got some land in Florida to sell you. Just kidding. You make a good point. It's kind of like if you had a visitor from Montreal, raised on Schwartz's and bring them to Caplansky's for our version of smoked meat. However, I don't know if a Maudite is the first thing I reach for on a sunny day at the cottage. Then again, with the rainy weather we've been having... Fri Aug 22 08:16:32 -0700 2008 3976510 157056 grandgourmand 1 3978170 Cameron's Auburn Ale Cameron's Cream Ale Nickelbrook Organic Lager Dennison's Weissbier Fri Aug 22 08:55:11 -0700 2008 3973112 91415 hungry_pangolin 1 3978316 There was some discussion of the politics and economics of The Beer Store that's not really about where to find great brews in and from Ontario, so we've split that over to our Not About Food board. You can follow that discussion here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/551072 Fri Aug 22 09:38:25 -0700 2008 3973112 2 The Chowhound Team 1 3978342 If Church Key is the brewery in Cambellford, then I really enjoyed their products this spring. Cranberry Maple Wheat - how much more Canadian do you want ? Creemore is great when it's fresh but doesn't seem to age well. Marie Fri Aug 22 09:43:46 -0700 2008 3973112 88801 mariecollins 2 3978363 Creemore more often than not gives me a sore stomach the next day..maybe that's why... Fri Aug 22 09:51:29 -0700 2008 3978342 114516 Recyclor 3 3980291 Very interesting, Recyclor, because I have found the same thing. When I've mentioned this to people, all I've received in response is a blank stare. I thought that I was the only one. That said, I don't think that the problem is how it ages, because it has been for me such a consistant problem for me. Sat Aug 23 05:17:05 -0700 2008 3978363 91415 hungry_pangolin 4 3980766 In a way I'm glad to hear this from you h_p, so we're both not crazy!...good thing there are so many other options... Sat Aug 23 10:38:15 -0700 2008 3980291 114516 Recyclor 5 3981097 i think their quality dipped after they were bought out. it no longer tastes as "fresh", if that's possible. if there are few other choices, i will still get Creemore. but i would rather have Sleemans' Honey Brown any day over Creemore...and will choose Mill St over either of these in a heartbeat Sat Aug 23 13:41:10 -0700 2008 3980766 120740 atomeyes 4 3981584 That's a new one to me. The only thing I can think of is yeast, and I'm pretty sure Creemore doesn't bottle condition (there shouldn't be any live yeast, in other words). Most of the heavier Unibroue beers (La Fin du Monde, etc.) give me a headache. I think it's fusel alcohols, but I don't get a headache from similar beers so it's a little odd. Sat Aug 23 18:29:25 -0700 2008 3980291 186135 befuggled 1 3978843 I would take then on the steamwhistle brewery tour Fri Aug 22 12:22:01 -0700 2008 3973112 93777 philly cheeze 1 3978967 Denison Weissbier. Fri Aug 22 13:03:38 -0700 2008 3973112 29140 childofthestorm 1 3981013 Love the Old Credit amber ale and pale pilsner. They make a holiday honey around Christmas which is delicious too, but the amber ale is the real standout, in my opinion. I usually buy it at the LCBO, but the brewery in Port Credit sells mini-kegs and big 680 ml bottles too, which are neat. Sat Aug 23 12:58:42 -0700 2008 3973112 25716 estestest 1 3982894 I'm surprised this hasn't been suggested yet, but I think the Wellington Cask Ale (if you can find it) is fantastic. Failing that, either of their Country Ale, or the Arkell Best Bitter are strong choices. In fact, I just checked their site - if you want to impress them with quality and selection, you could go to C'est What?, or, if you're looking for somewhere a little bit more intimate and cozy, I'd suggest Volo, on Yonge. Check out their beer selection - there's lots of good stuff! http://www.barvolo.com/ Sun Aug 24 12:56:39 -0700 2008 3973112 210153 trombasteve 1 3987883 take them to Cafe Volo and ahve the guy recommend. they are really good at that. Tue Aug 26 09:09:09 -0700 2008 3973112 117944 gastronom 1 4006061 Thanks for all the recs. Picked up some interesting Canadian beers and a few that might be somewhat familiar to my belgian guests. After a weekend of tasting (hic) here's the list of favs: 1. Wellington's Iron Duke...they liked the malty taste and compared it to Duvel 2. Stone Hammer Pilsner...another malty flavoured beer with a hint of hoppy bitterness 3. (Tie) Blanche de Chambly and Mill St.'s Wit Beer...favoured over the mass produced Hoegaarden. A few likened the Blanche de Chambly to Blanche de Bruges (though I think the Blance de Bruges is a little spicier). 4. St. Andre Vienna Lager...everyone thought this was a great summertime quaffing brew. Very crisp with just a hint of tart after taste (I liked it more than my friends and bought a case for this weekend). 5. Waterloo Dark...considred a bit too thin for a dark beer. Some thought it too carbonated. 6. Steam Whistle...considered flat and dull For what it's worth..the views of a few drunken Belgians on the quality of Canadian Beer. Cheers Wed Sep 03 11:42:28 -0700 2008 3973112 73936 Finnegan 2 4006097 Woohoo! 4th place!...oh and I tried a few Mill St brews this weekend based on all the positive reviews, what a local treat that is... Wed Sep 03 11:53:13 -0700 2008 4006061 114516 Recyclor 3 4006214 It should be noted that my Belgian frends favour the Scotch Ale style of Belgian beer which tends to be a little on the malty side. For my part I like something a little lighter, especially on a hot summer day. My personal fav on the above list was the St. Andre Lager which is more on the sweet side. I had it a few years back on tap and it tasted much better. Maybe there's ben change in the recipe, etc. recently. Nevertheless, St. Andre's is a good crisp beer worth trying Wed Sep 03 12:33:42 -0700 2008 4006097 73936 Finnegan 2 4006145 My relatives who live in Belgium [but are British] loved Steam Whistle...maybe because their hotel room had a view of the brewery? They couldn't believe that my partner and I had never been for a tour/didn't drink it. They bought us a case. Colour me underwhelmed. Wed Sep 03 12:08:28 -0700 2008 4006061 116027 Tabinet 1 4118479 I'd suggest King Pilsner. I second comments already made on Mill Street products. Tue Oct 21 09:19:56 -0700 2008 3973112 136194 Deborah B 1 4119350 I too am one of those Unibroue (?) lovers. Trois Pistoles was not mentioned and that's a good Belgian style brew. If you want something from New York which is similar (and in my opinion better) then check out Ommegang when you are there. Unavailable from the LCBO or Beer Store. [rant] I wish that both of the above institutions be declared illegal as they violate the Canadian Charter of Rights that (should) allow me to purchase and drink the brew of my choice. [/rant] Tue Oct 21 14:14:26 -0700 2008 3973112 154622 Paulustrious 2 4119494 Oh, I agree - Ommegang is some seriously good stuff. My brother introduced me to it this summer. I also had my first taste of Unibroue at his house - I had wanted to try some Maudite with my (American) Thanksgiving dinner and couldn't track any down at the time. Had no problem finding it at Christmastime...in his kitchen in Virginia. And while I haven't tried all of Ommegang's products, from what I've sampled, yep, better than Unibroue. And I really like Unibroue. :) Tue Oct 21 15:10:13 -0700 2008 4119350 139230 Wahooty 3 4127092 For some reason I get a headache after drinking most of the Unibroue beers. It's a bit odd, since that doesn't happen to me with anything else (and I'm a big fan of Belgian and Belgian-style beers). I do think I like the Ommegang beers better. Particularly Hennepin. I also have to thank the LCBO and the Beer Store for helping me cut down on my drinking... Fri Oct 24 14:41:57 -0700 2008 4119494 186135 befuggled 1 4119625 Maybe not good for the cottage, but I'm a big fan of the Mill Street Coffee Porter. Perhaps better enjoyed over a plate of good cheese and bread in the den. :) Tue Oct 21 16:09:12 -0700 2008 3973112 123543 Pincus 2 4134132 Ditto. Had some this weekend. 6-packs are on sale at LCBO for $11.50. It goes well with oysters. Tue Oct 28 08:25:15 -0700 2008 4119625 157056 grandgourmand 3 4141524 Thanks for the tip, I will head out and get a six pack this weekend. Fri Oct 31 14:35:14 -0700 2008 4134132 123543 Pincus 1 4132522 Was thinking of picking up some Great Lakes Pumpkin Lager for a Halloween party. Anyone tried it? Had some KLB raspberry wheat recently..patooie! raspeberry flavour overpowered all other ingredients. Tasted more like a cooler than a beer. Mon Oct 27 13:56:06 -0700 2008 3973112 73936 Finnegan 2 4133301 It's a Pumpkin Ale, actually, and it's quite good. The sweetness of the malt and pumpkin is balanced well by the spices (nutmeg, ginger, clove), giving it a nice pumpkin pie character. Mon Oct 27 19:45:47 -0700 2008 4132522 20196 gregclow 3 4133841 can i serve it with whipped cream? Tue Oct 28 06:23:29 -0700 2008 4133301 73936 Finnegan 4 4133927 Sure, why not? It may not taste very good, but I won't try to stop you. ;) Tue Oct 28 07:05:43 -0700 2008 4133841 20196 gregclow 4 4134002 sounds like a great beer for a beer float! vanilla ice cream yum! Tue Oct 28 07:35:16 -0700 2008 4133841 10634 pinstripeprincess 2 4135138 Love both of these My fave is great black oaks nutcracker Tue Oct 28 17:01:04 -0700 2008 4132522 21070 cupcakez 2 4146432 I like the Pumpkin Ale as well. I tried to buy it for Thanksgiving weekend but it was sold out at the LCBO (although they have probably since restocked). They have it on draught at the House on Parliament too. Mon Nov 03 10:36:24 -0800 2008 4132522 79108 basileater 3 4146810 I don't think they restock the Pumpkin Ale; it's a once-a-year type thing, if I'm not mistaken. Mon Nov 03 12:48:20 -0800 2008 4146432 202405 tjr 1 4141199 I love Mill St! Fri Oct 31 12:29:31 -0700 2008 3973112 119865 hungryhungryanne 1 4164683 I'm also down with the Oakville brews: Cameron Auburn Ale and the Black Oak Pale Ale and Nut Brown Ale. Looking forward to trying the seasonal Nutcracker porter as well. Tue Nov 11 09:56:05 -0800 2008 3973112 14419 Chester Eleganté 1 4174199 Steamwhistle Fri Nov 14 13:09:30 -0800 2008 3973112 93777 philly cheeze 1 4174238 just for discussion, what say we about ontario ciders? i've had and loved the waupoos county - anything else out there? Fri Nov 14 13:21:09 -0800 2008 3973112 70876 LemonLauren 2 4176538 So many amazing micro breweries in Ontario. It's to bad the LCBO and beer stores are against them making it impossible to find some of these brands in the stores. Sat Nov 15 15:47:25 -0800 2008 4174238 21924 Jab05