Your survival guide to patio season and craft brews
Newbies to craft beer movement can chug down this primer
With temperatures steadily climbing, we’re on the verge of peak patio season.
To that end, there are dozens of top-notch microbreweries in and around the nation’s capital, and bars all over Ottawa are now proudly serving an assortment of craft beers. Some establishments, such as Craft and the Bier Markt have mind-boggling assortments to choose from, more than enough to bewilder even the most educated beer drinkers.
While fans of the craft movement have happily tasted new brands and offerings, finding favourites along the way, newcomers to the craft beer movement may find the wall of selection that awaits them a little intimidating.
It’s for those people, who want to try new beers, but who don’t know where to start, that we offer this little primer. These beers aren’t crazy adventurous, but some will push mainstream bigbrand beer drinkers out of their comfort zone.
NINE MUST-TRY BEVERAGES FOR THE 2017 PATIO SEASON.
Summer Solstice — Brewed by Calabogie Brewing Co. Alcohol by volume (ABV) — 6.1 per cent
This is a cloudy, off-orange beer that blends citrus, the sweetness of malts and a very light grapefruit-like finish that makes it almost tailor-made for hot afternoons in the sun. The beer is brewed in the style of an American Pale Ale and stands out as a great example of the popular brew.
Golden Vox — Beau’s All Natural Brewing Co. ABV — 6 per cent
Hip-hop fans can take note of this beer because the recipe was created with the help of Junoaward-wining Canadian artist k-os. The beer pours a clear, straw-like golden colour. It’s been brewed with a mix of rye and barley malts, with all Ontario-grown hops and it’s been aged, lightly, on rye-soaked oak barrels. What you get is a sweet and slightly spicy beer with a clean finish.
Big Papa — Stalwart Brewing Co. ABV — 5.8 per cent
This hazy golden pale ale uses stone fruits, including peach and apricots, in the brewing process. The result is a slightly bitter, thirst-quenching beer that leaves faint traces of peach on the drinker’s tongue. It’s an incredibly easyto-drink offering that’s perfect for extended sessions on the patio.
Big Boot Hefeweizen — Big Rig Brewery. ABV — 4.8 per cent
Before he became Big Rig’s brewmaster, Lon Ladell spent time brewing beer in Europe and touring around Germany. Big Boot is Ladell’s salute to the brewing methods he observed in his travels. This German-style, pale straw-coloured wheat beer is cloudy, sweet, spicy and has a hint of banana flavour, which is gifted to the brew thanks to the yeasts used to make it. It is incredibly easy to drink and will appeal to even most unadventurous beer drinker.
Earl Grey Marmalade Saison — Dominion City Brewing. ABV — 5.5 per cent
Don’t let the name fool you, because it does sound very fancy, but this is an extremely easy to drink and well-balanced beer that is perfect for patio season. The beer is a Saison at heart, which is a Belgium-inspired farmhouse ale. The beer style was developed by Belgian farmers to keep workers hydrated during the peak heat of summer months. This brew adds a twist with freshly zested orange peel and some Earl Grey tea (provided by Ottawa’s Bridgehead) to make a balanced, clear, coppercoloured beer that is a bit spicy, has a hint of orange flavour and finishes with a slight bite of black tea flavours.
Ashton’s Amber Ale — Ashton Brewing Co. ABV — 5 per cent
This beer has been around Ottawa a long time, and with good reason. It’s the company’s flagship offering because it is well balanced, extremely easy to drink and appealing to beer lovers of all stripes. The brew is a clear, offreddish colour, and has hints of caramel, and sweet malts before finishing slightly bitter thanks to a generous use of hops. A great fit for any occasion.
Pink Fuzz — Beyond The Pale Brewing Co. ABV — 6 per cent
This beer is another staple of Ottawa’s micro brewing scene. It’s become a mainstay of Beyond the Pale’s offerings and proven to be a favourite of Ottawa craft beer fanatics. Brewed in the style of an American Wheat Ale, this hazy, straw coloured offering is crisp and clean, and finishes with a bright, slightly bitter flavour thanks to grapefruit zest added during the brewing process.
Wuchak White — Kichesippi Beer Co. ABV — 5.7 per cent
A special, limited-time offering from the good folks at Kichesippi. This a hoppy wheat beer made specifically for patio season. Wheat beers are typically lighter and easier to drink, especially during a sunny heat wave. That’s why so many breweries produce this style during the summer. Wuchak White spins the style by crossing a wheat beer with an India Pale Ale (IPA) to create an incredibly easyto-drink, slightly bitter offering that smacks of citrus. The addition of specialty German hops, called “Madarina Hops,” brings a more subdued citrus-like bitterness to the beer, as opposed to the stronger bitter flavours in most IPAs.
Class V — Whitewater Brewing Co. ABV — 5.5 per cent
An IPA through and through. Created by brewers in the Ottawa Valley, Class V pours a clear and almost amber colour. The beer starts out malty sweet, then finishes with a blast of bitter hop flavours thanks to the addition of Cascade and Centennial Hops. More adventurous craft beer newcomers will find the bitter flavours particularly appealing to help cut through thirst in the summer heat.