 |
| Muddy York Brewing Company |
Cask #1: Kiwi & Saskatoon Berry Sour Ale
Brewer: Muddy York Brewing Company
Style: Sour Ale – Fruited
ABV: 4.8%
IBU: 5
First on the docket was Muddy York’s Kiwi & Saskatoon Berry Sour Ale. A lighter fruited Sour Ale with a 4.8% ABV with 5 IBUs, this displayed a great balance between the kiwi and Saskatoon berry giving a little bit of sweetness to it. I gave this one 3.75/5 overall.
First on the docket was Muddy York’s Kiwi & Saskatoon Berry Sour Ale. A lighter fruited Sour Ale with a 4.8% ABV with 5 IBUs, this displayed a great balance between the kiwi and Saskatoon berry giving a little bit of sweetness to it. I gave this one 3.75/5 overall.
 |
| Kiwi & Saskatoon Berry Sour Ale |
Cask #2: Grim Reaper Pumpkin Stout
Brewer:
5 Paddles Brewing Company
Style:
Pumpkin/Yam Beer
ABV: 6%
ABV
IBU: N/A
5 Paddles Brewing Company is actually one that I visit once in a while in nearby Whitby, Ontario. Normally, they produce some solid craft beers. And since Pumpkin Ales are a difficult style to find around Toronto, I was pretty stoked to try this one next. Sadly, I am not sure what happened here, but it seems like the Grim Reaper killed the pumpkin flavour in this stout. Overall, I gave this one an average rating of 3/5. Nice concept, but poorly executed.
Cask #3: Coconut Porter
5 Paddles Brewing Company is actually one that I visit once in a while in nearby Whitby, Ontario. Normally, they produce some solid craft beers. And since Pumpkin Ales are a difficult style to find around Toronto, I was pretty stoked to try this one next. Sadly, I am not sure what happened here, but it seems like the Grim Reaper killed the pumpkin flavour in this stout. Overall, I gave this one an average rating of 3/5. Nice concept, but poorly executed.
 |
| Grim Reaper Pumpkin Stout |
Brewer:
Muddy York Brewing Company
Style:
Porter
ABV:
4.7%
IBU:
21
Sticking with the heavier beers, it was onto my third cask pour. This time Muddy York’s Coconut Porter. This had a very creamy mouthfeel with sweet coconut flavours. This was deserving of a 4.25/5 rating from me.
I’m not sure why I decided to go back to another sour ale after having back-to-back darker ales, but I did. Brewed by Rouge River Brewing Company, the Pink Guava Sour was very tart on the nose with good pink guava and subtle pineapple flavours. I didn’t find this to be overly sour, but according to Nick, “it smells better than it tastes.” I gave this one a 3.75/5 rating.
Sticking with the heavier beers, it was onto my third cask pour. This time Muddy York’s Coconut Porter. This had a very creamy mouthfeel with sweet coconut flavours. This was deserving of a 4.25/5 rating from me.
 |
| Coconut Porter |
Cask #4: Pink Guava Sour
Brewer: Rouge River Brewing Company
Style: Sour Ale – Fruited
ABV: 5% ABV
IBU: 2I’m not sure why I decided to go back to another sour ale after having back-to-back darker ales, but I did. Brewed by Rouge River Brewing Company, the Pink Guava Sour was very tart on the nose with good pink guava and subtle pineapple flavours. I didn’t find this to be overly sour, but according to Nick, “it smells better than it tastes.” I gave this one a 3.75/5 rating.
 |
| Pink Guava Sour |
Cask #5: Cervisia Saison with Sorrel
Brewer: Muddy York Brewing Company
Style: Farmhouse Ale – Saison
ABV: 5.8%
IBU: 25
As soon as I saw this Saison offering from Muddy York, flashbacks of Barbados immediately flashed through my head. I had a sorrel soft drink during my first visit to Cheffette, so I was already anticipating a sour-like strawberry flavour to this ale. Sure enough, the sorrel flavour was very noticeable. Overall, I gave this a 3.25/5. My rating would have been higher, but the Saison fell a bit flat as if it wasn’t casked properly.
As soon as I saw this Saison offering from Muddy York, flashbacks of Barbados immediately flashed through my head. I had a sorrel soft drink during my first visit to Cheffette, so I was already anticipating a sour-like strawberry flavour to this ale. Sure enough, the sorrel flavour was very noticeable. Overall, I gave this a 3.25/5. My rating would have been higher, but the Saison fell a bit flat as if it wasn’t casked properly.
 |
| Cervisia Saison with Sorrel |
Cask #6: Lone Pine IPA Double Dry-Hopped with Too Much Mosaic
Brewer: Sawdust City Brewing Company
Style: IPA – American
ABV: 6.5%
IBU: 65
I was surprised to see Sawdust City Brewing here as they are based in Goderich – a small beach resort town off Lake Huron some 2 ½ hours west of Toronto. Nevertheless, I have had some of their beers in the past. So, I was interested in trying them next. The Lone Pine IPA had aromas of grapefruit and pineapple with a very piney flavour and loads of Mosaic hops. This one got a 3.5/5 rating from me for being a decent India Pale Ale.
I was surprised to see Sawdust City Brewing here as they are based in Goderich – a small beach resort town off Lake Huron some 2 ½ hours west of Toronto. Nevertheless, I have had some of their beers in the past. So, I was interested in trying them next. The Lone Pine IPA had aromas of grapefruit and pineapple with a very piney flavour and loads of Mosaic hops. This one got a 3.5/5 rating from me for being a decent India Pale Ale.
 |
| Lone Pine IPA Double Dry-Hopped with Too Much Mosaic |
Cask #7: Ontario Dry-Hopped Sour Riptide Rye Pale Ale
Brewer: Sawdust City Brewing Company
Style: Pale Ale – American
ABV: 5.7%
IBU: 40
Continuing with the trend of ridiculously long beer names, I decided to try the Ontario Dry-Hopped Sour Riptide Rye Pale Ale. This concoction from Forked River Brewing Company was a sour Pale Ale with subtle rye flavours. I thought it was average and gave it a 3/5 rating. However, I would like to make my down to London – a three hour drive west of Toronto – to pay this brewery a visit someday as I have seen some of their brews floating around the Greater Toronto Area in recent years.
Continuing with the trend of ridiculously long beer names, I decided to try the Ontario Dry-Hopped Sour Riptide Rye Pale Ale. This concoction from Forked River Brewing Company was a sour Pale Ale with subtle rye flavours. I thought it was average and gave it a 3/5 rating. However, I would like to make my down to London – a three hour drive west of Toronto – to pay this brewery a visit someday as I have seen some of their brews floating around the Greater Toronto Area in recent years.
 |
| Ontario Dry-Hopped Sour Riptide Rye Pale Ale |
Brewer:
Rainhard Brewing
Style: IPA – American
ABV:
6.5%
IBU:
65
Nick introduced me to Rainhard Brewing a couple of years ago. They are located the Junction area of Toronto and produce a lot of different India Pale Ales. This one had subtle pineapple aromas on the nose with piney flavours and a very bitter finish. I wasn’t a huge fan of this an only gave it a 3/5 rating. I am just not big on the dry-hopped style I guess.
Cask #9: Downhill Pale Ale
Nick introduced me to Rainhard Brewing a couple of years ago. They are located the Junction area of Toronto and produce a lot of different India Pale Ales. This one had subtle pineapple aromas on the nose with piney flavours and a very bitter finish. I wasn’t a huge fan of this an only gave it a 3/5 rating. I am just not big on the dry-hopped style I guess.
 |
| Double Dry Hopped Kapow! (With Cascade & El Dorado) |
Brewer:
The Collingwood Brewery
Style:
Pale Ale – American
ABV:
5.4%
IBU:
33
The Collingwood Brewery has a bit of a presence throughout Toronto as this popular ski resort town is only about two hours north of the city. They produce great beers, and the Downhill Pale Ale is no exception. It’s a lot hoppier than one would expect in an American Pale Ale. And while I have had this one before, you can taste the Malts a bit more in the cask version. Overall, I gave this one a 3.5/5 rating.
Cask #10: Jail Fire Rauchbier
The Collingwood Brewery has a bit of a presence throughout Toronto as this popular ski resort town is only about two hours north of the city. They produce great beers, and the Downhill Pale Ale is no exception. It’s a lot hoppier than one would expect in an American Pale Ale. And while I have had this one before, you can taste the Malts a bit more in the cask version. Overall, I gave this one a 3.5/5 rating.
 |
| Downhill Pale Ale |
Brewer:
Muddy York Brewing Company
Style:
Smoked Beer
ABV:
6%
IBU:
25
Smoked beers taste just like they sound as the malt used to brew them are smoked during the process. Jail Fire Rauchbier has a very smokey taste to it as 30% of the ingredients used are smoked Malt with notes of peat in the finish. Yowza! I gave this one a 3.25/5 rating.
Cask #11: The Frogman Imperial Black IPA
Smoked beers taste just like they sound as the malt used to brew them are smoked during the process. Jail Fire Rauchbier has a very smokey taste to it as 30% of the ingredients used are smoked Malt with notes of peat in the finish. Yowza! I gave this one a 3.25/5 rating.
 |
| Jail Fire Rauchbier |
Brewer:
Muddy York Brewing Company
Style:
Black/Cascadian Dark Ale
ABV:
8%
IBU:
60
For my eleventh and final cask ale of the festival, I decided to finish it off a strong note. The Frogman Imperial Black IPA was very full, rich, flavourful, and smooth. Displaying mild hoppiness with aromas of black licorice, this was by far my favourite beer at the cask festival. I gave it my highest score of the day with an overall rating of 4.25/5.
All in
all, it took us about five full hours to sample all eleven casks! I’m not sure if this will be a one-off festival
or if Muddy York Brewing plans on hosting future events like this, but this was
definitely a fun day had by all! In
addition, they produce a good selection of small batch ales that can be enjoyed
onsite one of the most beautifully designed taprooms in Toronto.
For my eleventh and final cask ale of the festival, I decided to finish it off a strong note. The Frogman Imperial Black IPA was very full, rich, flavourful, and smooth. Displaying mild hoppiness with aromas of black licorice, this was by far my favourite beer at the cask festival. I gave it my highest score of the day with an overall rating of 4.25/5.
 |
| The Frogman Imperial Black IPA |
Muddy York Brewing Company
22
Cranfield Road
Toronto,
ON M4B 3H1
Phone:
(416) 619-7819
Website:
www.muddyyorkbrewing.com
Hours
Sunday
– Monday: 11 – 6pm EST
Tuesday
– Saturday: 11am – 8pm EST
No comments:
Post a Comment