Your Top 5 Breweries/BrewHouses in Ontario

TheSevenDuffs · Post by **TheSevenDuffs** » Wed Feb 13, 2013 11:56 am

midlife crisis wrote:
Indie Ale House and Granite aren't all that good
Strongly disagree. Granite making best English-style beers in Ontario, period. (Grand River a close second.)

Fair enough. Not a preferred style of mine. I see a few people ranked Granite in the top 5, so they certainly have some fans.

andrewrg · Post by **andrewrg** » Wed Feb 13, 2013 12:41 pm

I find that English styles just don't do a lot for me. I definitely wouldn't rank Granite in my top 5.

My top 5 goes something like this:

1. Bellwoods

2. Amsterdam

3. Great Lakes

4. House Ales

5. Cameron's

Though Bellwoods is the only one on this list that I really endorse fully. All the others have made many sub-par beers or have a regular lineup of beers I don't want to drink. Amsterdam and Great Lakes are there solely for the beers I've had from them at events and at random bars. Cameron's is there solely for RPA. House Ales makes some good stuff here and there but is hit or miss. Bellwoods is consistently amazing.

strowlands8 · Post by **strowlands8** » Wed Feb 13, 2013 12:53 pm

matt7215 wrote:
TheSevenDuffs wrote:Another observation of mine: had this thread been started a year ago, you likely would have seen Flying Monkeys on a lot of top 5 lists. Now they barely even get a mention at #5 on most of these lists.

In my opinion, FM really took a step backwards last year and I hope we see better things from them in 2013.
i 100% agree with this and whats weird is that it seems they took a step backwards in a year that they brewed what is now ontario's #1 beer on ratebeer

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/flying-mon ... ut/192943/

I would definitely still put FM in my top 5. All the one offs I've tried in the past year have been top notch. The Sour IPA and Milk Stout from Session99, Matador and Smoked Porter from this weekend at the Rhino, BNL at the LCBO. And in my opinion their LCBO lineup of Smashbomb, Netherworld and Hoptical Illusion could go toe to toe with any other brewery in Ontario.

Although I do wish that some of the one offs would make more frequent appearances..

shintriad · Post by **shintriad** » Wed Feb 13, 2013 1:11 pm

Cool thread! I may plug this into a ranked-ballot voting simulator and we can determine once and for all which breweries rule the province.

Beer and alternative electoral systems...two of my favourite subjects, together at last.

A · Post by A » Wed Feb 13, 2013 2:02 pm

1)Muskoka
2)Indie
3)Bellwoods
4)Black Oak
5)Nickel Brook

TheSevenDuffs · Post by **TheSevenDuffs** » Wed Feb 13, 2013 2:03 pm

Just realized that I haven't listed my top 5 yet:

As andrewrg said, Bellwoods is really the only one that I fully endorse. I have added tiers to mine because it more accurately represents my feelings on each brewery:

1. Bellwoods
--------------------------
2. Amsterdam
3. Great Lakes
--------------------------
--------------------------
4. Muskoka
--------------------------
5. Nickel Brook

Amsterdam and Great Lakes are neck-and-neck as #2 and #3. That could really go either way.

After the top 3, there isn't another Ontario brewery that find myself regularly re-purchasing their beer. I tend to try everything once and only buy more if I really like something. I am not a huge fan of Mad Tom or Twice Mad but I certainly respect what Muskoka has done, espeically in terms of wide-spread distribution of everything from an IPA to a DIPA to an Imperial Stout, etc.

Nickel Brook went from out of my top 10 a year ago to #5. They've really impressed me in recent months with Naughty Neighbour, Bolshevic Bastard and Winey Bastard.

I considered putting Cameron's on the list at #5 based solely on RPA (as others have done), but I just couldn't do it because everyhing else these guys do varies from disasterous to mediocre at best. They should not be allowed to purchase oak barrels of any kind.

TheBeeraholic · Post by **TheBeeraholic** » Wed Feb 13, 2013 2:19 pm

1. GLB
2. Bellwoods
3. Amsterdam
4. Muskoka
5. Nickelbrook

I've got GLB as #1 as I've been drinking a ton of their one offs the last few months. I haven't had much from Bellwoods but was very impressed with the five I have had just recently. Which for the most part I thought were all great. I still have the bottle conditioned saison to try and plan to head back next week for some more Monogomy, Belgian IPA and the Witchshark if it's still available. I could see them taking over #1 or being a close tie.

Amsterdam soley on Boneshaker and Tempest. Don't ever get the opportunity to try any of their cask beers or one offs at bars. Muskoka soley on Mad Tom, not a fan of most of their seasonals. Twice as is good but over priced and not as hoppy as I'd like.

Like Marcus I also debated on adding Camerons based on RPA but I'm not a fan of anything else from them. Similarly with Black Creek and 10BY eveything else is meh for me.

Last year I also would have put FM on this list as a #5 but Smashbomb I find to inconsistant. BNL was phenominal and I hope Matador is also. Hopefully they can start to complete with Amsterdam and GLB with their adventure/project series.

In the grand scheme of things Ontario is looking great, and can only get better. Doesn't matter where you are, shouldn't have a problem having great beer stocked.

strowlands8 · Post by **strowlands8** » Wed Feb 13, 2013 2:29 pm

Also,

1.Bellwoods
2.GL
3.Amsterdam
4.FM
5.Nickelbrook

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Wed Feb 13, 2013 6:57 pm

midlife crisis wrote:
Indie Ale House and Granite aren't all that good
Strongly disagree. Granite making best English-style beers in Ontario, period. (Grand River a close second.)

I don't actually care for Granite. Or County Durham Brewing. I'd take Wellington County over these guys any day (at least the Iron Duke and Imperial Stout.)

Grand River, NOW you're speaking English to me. GR speaks German-style pretty well too, some top lagers.

sprague11 · Post by **sprague11** » Wed Feb 13, 2013 7:00 pm

I think I have a public opinion on most of these:

1. Bellwoods - Outside of a couple I didn't care for, I really like what this brewery is doing. big fan of this place and their brews.

2. Great Lakes - I really like the project X concept (even if it produces the odd dud) and Karma Citra and Apocalypse Later need to be produced for the masses ASAP. For what's regularly availabe, I'll pick up the odd Canuck, but that's about it.

3. Amsterdam - I could swap them out with Great Lakes as Boneshaker is my go to Ontario IPA and Tempest could be my Go-to stout. I liked some of the other brewery-only releases, but I never touch the Wheat or Blonde.

4. Muskoka - I like both Tom's and the Summer Weiss (big bottle or not). Consistency has these guys at number 4 over...

5. Flying Monkeys for now, but I really want to see some more good product and a consistent Smashbomb. if they were more consistent they'd be ahead of Muskoka for me, though Nickle Brook is an up and comer.

I'll give honourable mention to Grand River (kind of like drinking with old friends) and Cameron's, Just for the Rye PA.

JeffPorter · Post by **JeffPorter** » Wed Feb 13, 2013 8:07 pm

Belgian wrote:
midlife crisis wrote:
Indie Ale House and Granite aren't all that good
Strongly disagree. Granite making best English-style beers in Ontario, period. (Grand River a close second.)
I don't actually care for Granite. Or County Durham Brewing. I'd take Wellington County over these guys any day (at least the Iron Duke and Imperial Stout.)

Grand River, NOW you're speaking English to me. GR speaks German-style pretty well too, some top lagers.

Granite is solid and their growlers are a good value and casks are top notch. Sometimes the Ringwood yeast bothers me a little, other times I love it.

I thought that Granite or the GRB had the best English style beers until I had Pompous Ass. Still love Granite and GRB, but I can't think of a yummier English Pale Ale right now...

The other thing I'll actually say for Camerons is both their lagers - the 266 Dark and the Pilsner are very good and often over looked...

velovampire · Post by **velovampire** » Wed Feb 13, 2013 8:28 pm

JeffPorter wrote:I thought that Granite or the GRB had the best English style beers until I had Pompous Ass. Still love Granite and GRB, but I can't think of a yummier English Pale Ale right now...

This x 1000. I wish I had a fountain of the stuff in my house.

TheBeeraholic · Post by **TheBeeraholic** » Wed Feb 13, 2013 8:30 pm

velovampire wrote:
JeffPorter wrote:I thought that Granite or the GRB had the best English style beers until I had Pompous Ass. Still love Granite and GRB, but I can't think of a yummier English Pale Ale right now...
This x 1000. I wish I had a fountain of the stuff in my house.

Also agree which is why picked up some more of this today $2.80 a can is a pretty good price.

velovampire · Post by **velovampire** » Wed Feb 13, 2013 8:33 pm

TheBeeraholic wrote:
velovampire wrote:
JeffPorter wrote:I thought that Granite or the GRB had the best English style beers until I had Pompous Ass. Still love Granite and GRB, but I can't think of a yummier English Pale Ale right now...
This x 1000. I wish I had a fountain of the stuff in my house.
Also agree which is why picked up some more of this today $2.80 a can is a pretty good price.

Do you know if there are any plans to add this to the permanent lineup, or is just a one-off canning like the Apoc. Later?

TheBeeraholic · Post by **TheBeeraholic** » Wed Feb 13, 2013 8:56 pm

velovampire wrote:
TheBeeraholic wrote:
velovampire wrote: This x 1000. I wish I had a fountain of the stuff in my house.
Also agree which is why picked up some more of this today $2.80 a can is a pretty good price.
Do you know if there are any plans to add this to the permanent lineup, or is just a one-off canning like the Apoc. Later?

I assume just a one off like Apocolaspe. Lackey chime in? Wos be great of both were available year round. Add Kamra Citra into that discussion as well.