A dark night. A crackling fire. A dark, delicious pint. Who needs sunshine and patios? Here, Toronto’s best winter beers.
Amsterdam Wee Heavy Scotch Ale
The guys at Amsterdam have been working on their own seasonal beer to warm you up when the mercury drops. Wee Heavy Scotch Ale (formerly “Tilted Kilt”) is brewed with five types of malt and boiled extra long for a full-bodied taste and deep ruby hue. Coming soon to LCBO.
Creemore Springs urBock
Bock was traditionally brewed for nobles using the year’s finest hops and barely. (The “ur” prefix denotes an original style of the highest quality.) Notes of nutty caramel make for perfect sipping in front of the fire. $13.25/6 x 341mL at LCBO.
Beau’s Bog Water
Instead of hops, Beau’s uses wild harvested bog myrtle – an herb used in brewing until the 1500s – to create a unique Eastern Ontario Gruit. The result is a malty fruitiness, balanced by a hint of bitter spice. Coming soon to LCBO.
John by Imperial Stout
Every November, Ottawa’s Scotch Irish Brewing makes five batches of their Imperial Stout. Faithful to the heritage of 18th and 19th century stouts, John is distinguished by its almost-black colour, intense malt flavour and 6.7 percent ABV. $2.75/341mL at LCBO.
Ola Dubh Special Reserve 40 Year Old
Ounce-for-ounce, it’s as expensive as good wine, but you pay a premium for the complex, intoxicating flavour of a beer matured in casks once used for Highland Park Scotch whisky.? $18.95/330mL at LCBO.
Image courtesy of tomazstolfa.
