Thrust by Great Lakes Brewery

First, it burns into your visual cortex the image of a beer with a deep copper hue topped with a rocky white head. Soon your olfactory bulb should be awoken as the massive dry-hop propels a penetrating aroma of grapefruit, mango, grape, stone fruit and lychee hurling into your forebrain. Resisting the impulse to keep smelling the beer, you pound back a gulp which elicits a poking and prodding of tropical fruit and resin on your taste buds. Your palate soon succumbs as THRUST! penetrates and perforates, eventually becoming your new reality.

THRUST! an IPA pours a hazy yellow in colour with a slight hint of fuzzy peach shining through while producing a pillowy crown, much like the glowing clouds a rocket leaves in its wake. We've heard astronauts would rather this than that other drink as they orbit the planets due to the aromas of grapefruit, plump white grape, fresh mango and strawberry. A creamy soft mouthfeel provides flavours of lychee, kiwi and grape that are joined by some light crackery/biscuit notes. The 6.5% is deceptive - well hidden thanks in part to the juice forward qualities that THRUST! exemplifies with each sniff, each sip. Yes, much better than a glass of Tang - it's outta this atmosphere.

Fried chicken sandwich, Tikka Masala Roti, Hawaiian pizza, creamy brie (and, if you're feeling posh, add some cranberries)

https://youtu.be/tDF2PxNQ7nY

 

Born This Way IPA

To celebrate pride this year, Muskoka Brewery is supporting The Get REAL Movement with their May Moonlight Kettle by staff trio Brittany, Sarah, and Scott. Proceeds from each can sold are donated to support Get REAL's programs that combat LGBTQ2S+ discrimination and promote acceptance for all.

Bright and juicy with flavours of mango, peach, an passion fruit. Underlying malt sweetness is mildly toasty with a hint of cracker.

Full of aromatic hops bursting with tropical fruit and floral undertones.

Food Pairings:

Peach & Tomato Salad, Red Snapper Fish Tacos with Guacamole

https://muskokabrewery.com/

Dawn Patrol by Whitewater Brewing Co.

The beer that signals summer is back.

Out at first light, before the sun fully rises, is the golden hour paddlers, and surfers alike, call Dawn Patrol. With colour reminiscent of a breathtaking summer sunrise, and a taste that teases your taste buds with punchy tangerine, Dawn Patrol delivers everything you need to beat the heat of summer.

https://whitewaterbeer.ca/

Whitewater Brewing Company was founded by three good friends in 2011 on the banks of the Mighty Ottawa River. The three of them have had many adventures that have taken them from the incredible rivers of Ontario & Quebec to the mountain-fed creeks of British Columbia, from the deep canyons of the Colorado River, to the Great Barrier Reef of Australia. One constant that has remained strong throughout this journey is their return to the heart of the Ottawa Valley to share their great adventures with great friends.

Their epiphany came on a rafting trip: The Ottawa Valley was already home to some of the best natural ingredients involved in creating true hand-crafted beer, as well as great people deserving of a local beer to share with friends. Whitewater Brewing Company was conceived. The next three and a half years took a lot of hard work, learning and living out of vehicles to get to where they are today.

My friend, you are now a part of the story, it’s time for you and their beer to tell the rest.

Lost Craft Quench and Tropical Radler

Quench is a Lemon-Lime Sour that is light and refreshing with soft sour flavor offset by a hint of lemon-lime sweetness. Quench is an approachable sour that pairs well with tangy cheeses, seafood, citrus salads and fresh fruit.

They collaborated with Canadian juice pioneer and best selling vegan cookbook author Ruth Tal, founder of Fresh Restaurants, to develop their Tropical Radler which blends their award-winning Revivale Lagered Ale with all natural organic fruit juices.

https://lostcraft.ca/

Lost Craft is a Toronto based craft beer company that focuses on brewing world class session style craft beer. They travel the globe to source beer styles from around the world to inspire their recipe development. They think global and drink local

Founder Shehan De Silva, extensive traveler and beer aficionado, left a career in finance to follow his dream of creating a craft brewery promoting session style artisan brewing inspired by interesting beer styles from around the world. To immerse himself in the craft, Shehan traveled through Europe meeting with several breweries with centuries of brewing experience. Upon his return, Shehan connected with renowned Canadian brewmaster Jamie Mistry and Lost Craft was born

Based in Toronto, the world's most multicultural city, Lost Craft embraces diversity and is committed to being active in the communities where they operate.

https://youtu.be/T_XUca3dkl0

https://youtu.be/T_XUca3dkl0

Firefly

It is a flavourful, vibrant and highly quaffable Belgian White/Witbier. Corriander and lemon peel notes on the nose lead into a nice medium body beer with refreshing citrus flavours and a dry finish.

THEIR STORY

It was a hot summer day and they were kicking back on a dock near Bobcaygeon. They were deep in a craft beer discussion when it dawned on them – why not start their own brewery? Sure it would take a ton of a hard work with long hours, recipe creation, branding and financing, but it’s doable, right?

In August 2017, they laid eyes on the old post office at 17 Bolton Street in Bobcaygeon, Ontario – what a fine brewery it would make. They submitted a proposal to flip the building into a brewery and were lucky enough to get the green light.

Now they’re on track to bring Bobcaygeon to Bobcaygeon. They’re working hard at renovating the building, and when they’re done they’ll have a full production facility, retail store and tap room offering their core line up of delicious beer along with a variety of seasonals and one-offs. To say they’re excited is an understatement. They're dream of making great craft beer to be enjoyed among friends has come true.

In the meantime, they’ve opened their Innovation Lab in Peterborough at 649 The Parkway, Unit 4. The focus here will be on unique offerings, with plenty of one offs and different beers to try. Brewing will happen on site, or you can try the beers in their tasting room and purchase beer to go in their Gift Shop. Visit them today!

https://bobcaygeonbrewing.ca/

Juiced Up

Beau’s Juiced Up is a hazy pale ale that doubles down on delivering big, New England style juicy hop aroma and flavour, at a laid-back 4.5% ABV.  It’s soft on the palate, and really refreshing with a bright finish. It hits all the right notes of citrus, tropical and fruity, with a hint of those dank, sticky hop resins.

https://beaus.ca

New England style pale ales (NEPAs) are relatively new in the North American craft beer landscape. They are purposely hazy with a defined juicy hop character. They focus on the expression of bold hop flavour and aroma, while limiting hop bitterness. Juiced Up is a lower-ABV and certified organic version of this style.

This NEPA pours hazy gold, with a thick white foam. The aroma offers citrus juice impressions. The flavour is equally fruity: a mix of citrus, tropical and stone fruit impressions, with a pleasing hint of dank resin. The mouthfeel is soft, and the finish is bright and refreshing.

Food Pairings

Blackened ahi tuna with pickled ginger, BBQ ribs, Shropshire blue cheese, pecan pie.

K&P Ale

We added this to the lineup just prior to the birth of the blog. We probably sell more Calabogie than anyone and this Amber has been flying of the shelf as well. Imposed on British shell production workers during WW1 a Session referred to one of two allowable drinking periods during the work day. Workers would drink these lower ABV beers during the restricted four hour Sessions without becoming legless and return to work.  We don’t recommend you do this.  However, this well balanced full bodied malt forward easy drinking amber ale, is perfect for brewing great company.

https://calabogiebrewing.com/

Survival Mixer Pack

New arrival today. Did you know no water means no beer? That’s why Muskoka Brewery created this Survival Mixer Pack that helps restore 1m2 of Canadian Water with every pack sold. This 6 pack includes 3 different easy-drinking Muskoka Brewery beers including our all-malt Craft Lager, refreshing Detour and something new, this year. Discover our latest release Tread Lightly, a light lager that leaves an impression without having to worry about calories.

Tread Lightly 4.0% alc./vol.
Craft Lager 4.8% alc./vol.
Detour 4.3% alc./vol.

https://muskokabrewery.com/

Mango 🥭 Tangerine 🍊 Sour

This is the new Mango 🥭 Tangerine 🍊 Sour from Collective Arts. The newest sibling in their Sour Series is a massive flavour-combo explosion that will get you in the mood for warmer weather. Tropical Alphonso mango and bright, juicy tangerine is a perfect combination of sweet and sour that will help pull you out of the winter doldrums and brighten your day!⁠

Collective Arts Brewing is a grassroots craft brewery that aims to fuse the creativity of craft beer with the inspired talents of emerging artists and musicians. Collective Arts Brewing was founded on two beliefs: The first that creativity fuels creativity. And the second, that creativity yields delicious pints. They feature limited-edition works of art on their beer cans and labels, and they work to make sure the liquid on the inside is as diverse and creative as the artists they profile.

Collective Arts brewery is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. This is where they brew everything from their  flagship IPA Ransack the Universe to their  World Beer Cup-winning Stranger than Fiction porter. In their taproom they pour up to 10 different beers at one time, samples and flights, they host brewery tours and live entertainment weekly. Stop by to see their beer bottle gallery showcasing every artist they’ve  worked with over the past 6 years.

https://collectiveartsbrewing.com/

Wheat 🌾 Ale with Earl Grey

New on the shelf last week from Collective Arts this is their Wheat 🌾 Ale with Earl Grey. Belgian Wits are traditionally brewed with orange peel and coriander, so to add a flavourful and modern twist on a classic they enlisted the help of their pals at Genuine Tea. They replaced the orange peel with another classic – Earl Grey. Made with the oil of Bergamot Orange citrus, the tea gives this beer a unique flavour while honouring a classic beer style.

https://collectiveartsbrewing.com/

Highlander is back on the shelf!

This Old-World pale ale was HIghlander’s first beer, and remains one of their most-enjoyed brews. A classic pale ale taste with undertones of caramel, nuts and anise. Highlander Scottish Ale is made in the style of older Scottish brews. Its Edinburgh Ale yeast strain was imported from the United Kingdom. Four different varieties of malts and hops are used to create this UK-style beer with crystal clear Canadian water.

Don’t be afraid of the dark.

Smoked Porter is HIghlander’s dark secret. This high-quality porter blends notes of dark-roast coffee, chocolate and peat for a smooth, delicious taste and finish.

The complexity of their English smoked porter style beer comes from the careful selection of its dark malts. The smooth texture and long finish – without the usual bitter aftertaste of a dark – make this a symphony of coffee, caramel and chocolate flavours that isn’t rich or overpowering. The creamy, tan head right out of the bottle is reminiscent of a properly poured draft beer.

https://highlanderbrewco.com/

Highlander Brewery’s story begins in 2009 with the brewery’s first beer, a traditional Scottish Ale, which remains one of their best-loved beers. Their beer is brewed from pure local free-flowing waters, with barley cracked onsite to ensure freshness. Their careful attention to quality in our small-batch brewing process, paired with expert selection of the finest ingredients gives all of their beers a distinctive taste and smooth finish.

Highlander beer is a mix of the old and new. Some ingredients, such as hops and selected malts, are imported from Germany, United Kingdom, and the USA to give their beer a distinctive, Old-World flavour. Other ingredients are sourced locally in Ontario, both hand-harvested and purchased from farmers. Their careful selection of ingredients and careful attention to water quality make their beers shine.

Low Tide

Ease into relaxation with Low Tide. At 0 IBUs, this beer delivers a distinct hop taste without the bitterness. The citrus aroma complements notes of strawberry and blueberry. Refreshing and drinkable, this flavourful beer is the perfect alternative to a traditional IPA. Sit back, unwind, and enjoy the calm.

https://lakeofbaysbrewing.ca/

All the fresh citrus flavours of an IPA but toned down. Low Tide has a distinct hops profile without any bitterness. Body consists of vibrant lemon and blood orange rounded out with notes of mint and pine. A great stepping stone into the IPA category and a super sessionable alternative for IPA lovers.

Malts: 2-Row Pale

Hops: Idaho 7

Dry Hop: Belma, Sabro

Off The Grid

Need to disconnect? Go Off the Grid. This hazy pale ale uses Sabro hops to bring out a distinct tropical aroma of tangerine and a complex blend of mango and peach flavours. Off the Grid is an unfiltered brew with a bold, fruity taste that accompanies any new adventure. No signal…no problem.

https://lakeofbaysbrewing.ca/

Full and unfiltered, this easy drinker has plenty of fruity goodness all coming from the hops. Aromas of bright citrus complement a body of fresh Ontario peaches and mango. Finishes with an earthy taste, accompanied by a lasting drying effect.

Malts: 2-Row Pale, Pilsen, Oats, Flaked Wheat

Hops: Mosaic, Azacca

Dry Hop: Sabro, Azacca

Left Field Brewery

https://www.leftfieldbrewery.ca/

There are two new arrivals at Mitchell’s Independent from a brewery in Toronto that is absolutely fantastic. Their selections are delicious  and come in 355ml stubby cans. Left Field have a unique connection to baseball ⚾️ and on the back of each can are the ballpark pairings. The new ones at Mitchell’s are Squeeze Play

Small ball at its finest, a squeeze play is a sacrifice bunt that gives the runner on third a scoring opportunity. Our Squeeze Play kettle sour is packed with pomegranate and blackcurrant and dry hopped with Citra and Centennial. Deep red in colour, juicy and quenching, this sour ale is the perfect pre-season refresher.

And this is Rally Cap 🧢 Brewed with oats and lactose sugar for a full bodied, rounded smoothness and a subtle sweetness, Rally Cap is a hazy pale ale turned inside out and backwards. This beer showcases Azacca and Citra hops with ripe mango, juicy clementine, crisp honeydew melon and delicate spruce tips. 

Left Field Brewery was established in Toronto in April of 2013 and brews a series of baseball-inspired, distinct and full-flavoured beers. Born from a passion for both craft beer and baseball, Left Field Brewery was founded by husband and wife team Mark and Mandie Murphy. 

There are a few more selections at Mitchell’s and I can vouch for all of them - they are just that good 👍😋🍻