REVIEW: Muskoka Cream Ale

This one brings us to the end of the Canadian beers. A bit bittersweet if I'm being honest. I've had a lot of fun looking at these beers. We've had some really good ones and some that were disappointing. All in all though, I've been pretty impressed! I'm going to be super bummed if we end on a real dud though. Hopefully Muskoka's Cream Ale doesn't let me down. To the beer!

REVIEW: Parallel 49 Gypsy Tears Ruby Ale

Almost done with the Canadian beers. Today's brew, Gypsy Tears Ruby Ale is the penultimate one. A red ale that checks in at 6% ABV. No need to dilly-dally. To the beer!

REVIEW: Lake of Bays Rock Cut

My first experience with Lake of Bays was certainly not the best. There just wasn't much there with the Crosswind Pale Ale. Here's hoping Rock Cut, a pale lager, has more to offer. To the beer!

REVIEW: Parallel 49 Hoparazzi

This beer falls under a style that I seem to be seeing more and more of in recent days. Parallel 49 Brewing refers to Hoparazzi as an India Pale Lager. Now, I really just take that to mean that this is just a pale lager, but the hop bill is something akin to an IPA. That sounds like something that I'd be into. A beer with the light body and crisp quaffability of a lager but with the bitter, robust hoppiness of an IPA. Hoparazzi clocks in at an impressive 50 IBU and 6% ABV. Let's get to it. To the beer!

REVIEW: Lake of Bays Crosswind

Before making it a point to actually go seeking out Canadian craft beer I had never heard of a lot of these breweries. Just goes to show you how big the craft beer world is. There are tons of local and regional breweries that you would have no idea existed if you didn't travel to their home turf or get a heads up from somebody there who is in the know. Enter today's beer, Crosswind, a pale ale from Lake of Bays Brewing. To the beer!

REVIEW: Hop City Barking Squirrel Lager

I am a sucker for funny animals. Ever since the days of Duck Tales and old Uncle Scrooge comics. The  squirrel on this can looks like he would fit right in in Duckburg. He's got an interesting look about him. I'm not sure if he'd be hanging out with Donald and the nephews or the Beagle Boys. But more on the beer inside the can, it's a 5% 24 IBU amber lager. Let's get to it! To the beer!

REVIEW: Tree Hop Head Black IPA

At the Parry Sound I was heartened by the abundance of 16oz cans, my own personal favorite serving vessel, in the craft beer section. Not a whole lot in the way of 12 oz bottles and cans, and even less in the way of bombers. As far as I recall, this one was the only one in the entire store. Well, at least it's the only one I bought: Tree Brewing Co.'s Hop Head Black IPA. I did a little bit of research online and it seems Hop Head is sort of the IPA line for Tree Brewing. There's also a standard and a double version. But what I have here today is the black. It's been a while since I've had a good black IPA. Let's get to it. To the beer!

REVIEW: Muskoka Dark Ale

More Canadian beer! I was especially excited to get my hands on some beers from Muskoka Brewing. My parents get a magazine called Cottage Life that always has ads for Muskoka and I've always been drawn to their design. As you can see from that can up there it's good looking stuff. Anyway, The Dark Ale is an English Style brown ale, checks in at 15 IBUs and 5% ABV. To the beer!

REVIEW: Steam Whistle Pilsner

The Canadian beers have finally arrived! I'll be honest. I have a soft spot in my heart for Canadian beer. The first beer I ever had was a bottle of Labatt Blue in Canada. I've drank a whole lot of Blue, Labatt 50, Molson Export, Molson Canadian, and the like over the years. I have never really ventured out into the world of Canadian craft beer though. The LCBO in Pointe au Baril, where we go every summer, has a pretty meager selection. This summer though, I was bound and determined. My girlfriend and I made the drive down to Parry Sound, the closest "big city," (It's still pretty tiny. Hometown of Bobby Orr!) and after much consternation, and a poutine stop,  we made our way back to the island with craft beer in tow. The first we'll be looking at is Toronto's Steam Whistle Pilsner. To the beer!