The Bar Towel

These guys are putting out there first beer this Wednesday exclusively at some of the Charcoal Group restaurants in K-W (Beertown in both Waterloo and Cambridge, The Bauer Kitchen, and Wildcraft) until February 20.

The beer is called Three Fields, and is an unfiltered triple grain lager. Barley, wheat, and rye, with Columbus hops.

Personally, I won't go out of my way to try it at one of those places and will wait till it is more widely available.

The brewery itself is aiming to open in May. The head brewer was an assistant brewer at Beau's for a year, and then head brewer for Barley Days.

I don't wanna sound negative, but it better be one hell of a lager if that's what they're putting out first.

Great to see a brewery launching with a lager, we need more craft lagers!

I'm a bit surprised that Trafalger doesn't still have the name?

Kish84 wrote:These guys are putting out there first beer this Wednesday exclusively at some of the Charcoal Group restaurants in K-W (Beertown in both Waterloo and Cambridge, The Bauer Kitchen, and Wildcraft) until February 20.

The beer is called Three Fields, and is an unfiltered triple grain lager. Barley, wheat, and rye, with Columbus hops.

Personally, I won't go out of my way to try it at one of those places and will wait till it is more widely available.

The brewery itself is aiming to open in May. The head brewer was an assistant brewer at Beau's for a year, and then head brewer for Barley Days.

I don't wanna sound negative, but it better be one hell of a lager if that's what they're putting out first.

i...i just don't get it.
advertising it as a triple grain lager? who cares?
pilsners have 1-2 grains. again, no one cares.

really nice packaging but, again, i just don't get it.

then head brewer for Barley Days

If his past work has been any indication of the quality we can expect...

There is so much potential in the GTA for new creative craft breweries, but it seems like no one wants to take a run at Bellwoods for some reason.

This is incredibly frustrating.

Craft lagers are extremely underrepresented, even more so when broken down by sub-style, like this apparent kellerbier. If it's a quality keller that opens peoples eye to what a lager can taste like, the he'll make a killing. Having said that, I haven't had Beau's or Barley Days in a long time, so I can't comment on the quality of what he's made. I'll definitely give it a try, though.

liamt07 wrote:

then head brewer for Barley Days

If his past work has been any indication of the quality we can expect...

I didn't want to go there. However, as much as I think beer knowledge is lacking in this area, I'd like to think it's ahead of Prince Edward County. Whether that changes what will be brewed remains to be seen.

I've heard of a few breweries where ownership refuses to brew anything "interesting" and just stick to their core brands as that's what makes money.

TheSevenDuffs wrote:There is so much potential in the GTA for new creative craft breweries, but it seems like no one wants to take a run at Bellwoods for some reason.

This is incredibly frustrating.

Before Innocente opened I was excited as the rumours were that Steve liked to brew and drink hoppy beers, also the whole "PhD in Molecular Biology and a Post Doctoral Fellowship studying yeast" thing. They've been open for year or so now, and I don't go out of my way to pay for his stuff. There's being creative, and then there's brewing a beer with Irn-Bru and haggis spices (no ratings). I've heard stories of him cussing people out in his brewery if they criticize his beer.

Don't get the hate for Barley Days. Wind and Sail dark is a well made beer. I'm sure the brewer is reasonably talented. No doubt if his new venture was starting with a barrel aged imperial stout you guys would advise him to learn to walk before he runs.

Barley Days had some horrifically infected crappy beers about 10 years ago when they were called Glenora. A lot of their efforts since have been tolerable to mediocre, yes? I see them on the menu, I usually pass.

Far as Lager being under represented, I think Grand river makes or used to make great Galt Knife. Neustadt lager can be really good. The Creemore is still pretty good. Two of those Brewers make good pilsners as do King and Stonehammer. The Beau's Lug Tread is not a Lager though, Koelsch is an Ale.

I think if you put together a small collection of the better Ontario lagers, you'd behold something we could be proud of. I'm partly assuming examples not ruined by stale storage.

Some very nice lagers at Old Flame. I finally got up there. Well worth a visit.

midlife crisis wrote:Don't get the hate for Barley Days.

can you name the good beer they brew?

Wind and Sail dark is a well made beer.

you're in the minority

I'm sure the brewer is reasonably talented.

anything to back up your opinion? or is it simply because he/she's employed?

No doubt if his new venture was starting with a barrel aged imperial stout you guys would advise him to learn to walk before he runs.

actually, that is the smart advice to give to a new brewery. and that's what i'd give Forked River for their Wendeego release because it could have been done better.

atomeyes wrote:

midlife crisis wrote:Don't get the hate for Barley Days.

can you name the good beer they brew?

Wind and Sail dark is a well made beer.

you're in the minority

Read the reviews you choose to quote! "It surprisd me a lot. A quality dark". "Above average dark ale, a bit too heavy on the malts". Look, I didn't say this was a "world class" beer, to use your favourite phrase, just that it is well made for what it is and the brewer (whoever that is) deserves some respect, not smug, eye-rolling condescension.

Most business models for production breweries that I have seen recently include a version of all malt lager or ale as a volume foundation beer with smaller volume seasonals/barrel aged/spiced/soured/stone brewed/vegetable/etc... to create interest and spur growler sales/media reports/award offerings/etc...

It is the model used by Beau's, Mill St., Amsterdam, Muskoka, Lake of Bays and others.

If a brewery on Ossington offered a mainstream lager as a house beer, they obviously don't understand where they're at or who their customer is. Another Steamwhistle in the neighbourhood isn't required. (You could argue Organic isn't required either)

Many new breweries are opening in small communities all across Ontario where beer geekism isn't as prevelent but growing. The issue of having local offerings that they can support is critical. Flavour changes will come with it.

midlife crisis wrote: Read the reviews you choose to quote! "It surprisd me a lot. A quality dark". "Above average dark ale, a bit too heavy on the malts". Look, I didn't say this was a "world class" beer, to use your favourite phrase, just that it is well made for what it is and the brewer (whoever that is) deserves some respect, not smug, eye-rolling condescension.

alright. let's quote the entire review.

Bottle from the brewery brought back by my parents on their trip to Prince Edward County. Label upside down.

A - Pours root beer brown. Bright. Sort of an amber colour. Fluffy beige head of one full finger. Good carbonation.Good retnetion with a half finger, and a little chunk of lacing.

S - Nice. Coffee, roasted malts, dark bread, a little chocolate and a good amount of nuttiness.

T - More coffee and toffee, chocolate and a little nuttiness.

M - Good carbonation, mild but nice. Medium to light body, but still seems a little thin.

O/D - I honestly wasn't expecting much from this at all, but it suprised me alot, a quality dark, light bodied ale, very moorish.

total score from that ONE review? 3.55/5. or a 7/10.

and that is unscientifically one review. one opinion. total average score? 74/100.
you're more than welcome to buy the 74/100 beer. i don't have the money, calories or palate to buy the meh beer just to try.
as consumers, this is our choice.

but don't try to upsell this beer as being above average or good when public consensus is that it isn't. if you dig it? cool. if you suggest the brewer deserves respect for putting out something mediocre? sure. just like a cook at McDonalds deserves respect for putting out consistently meh-tasting burgers

Isn't 74/100 24% above average?