September 14, 2013

213/861)  C'est What:  Rosin Bag by Left Field Brewery of Ontario:  *1/2;  6.5% abv;  grapefruit nose;  slightly resiny with a touch of tropical fruit hoppiness;  

Left Field has quickly become one of my favourite brewers.  So much so that on my Golden Tap Awards ballot, I entered them for an Editors' Circle Award as best newcomer.  I still haven't tried Maris* but I am looking forward to it, much the way I do to any Left Field offering.  Yes, baseball historians, there is an asterisk after the name Maris.

214/862)  C'est What:  Gingerbread Winter Ale by Flying Monkeys of Ontario:  **;  7.6% abv;  it really does smell just like gingerbread;  very warming with gingery flavours;

215/863)  C'est What:  Platform 13 IPA by Railway City Brewing of Ontario:  **;  6.7% abv;   mildly grapefruity against a malty backbone;   bitter hoppy after taste;

216/864)  C'est What:  Autumn Hop IPA by Amsterdam Brewery of Ontario:  **;  5.5% abv;  this is  Amsterdam's Harvest Ale;  pleasantly hopped but not over-powering;

217/865)  C'est What:  Old Kentucky Bastard by Nickel Brook of Ontario:  **1/2;  10.5% abv;  another barrel-aged selection;  sweet, bourbon nose;  a complex blend of alcohol, coffee, bourbon and espresso;

218/866)  C'est What:  Corduroy IPA by Northwinds Brewery of Ontario:  *1/2;  6.1% abv;  I found the hops were over-powered by the sweet maltiness;

219/867)  C'est What:  Tilt Ale by Kensington Brewing Company of Ontario:  *;  4.4% abv;  this pinball themed wheat ale didn't really work for me;  wheaty nose;  rather bland;

220/868)  C'est What:  Rhyme and Reason by Collective Arts of Ontario:  *1/2;  5.7%;  crisp malty summer lager;  Rhyme and Reason is best known for its label art which is not terribly easy to attest to on draught;

This was the second night of C'est What's Festival of Craft Brewers.  I was dining with my wife so I behaved a bit better.  Save for the first one (I was pretty sure I would like it) these were all three ounce samples.