Local breweries tap into diversity

This month’s round-up of new, new-ish and returning local brews includes a summery lager to beat the February blahs, an ale inspired by a 50-year-old classic British comedy and some bigger, gutsier beers in a range of styles.

First up is the Sookram’s Brewing Co. Liming Lime Lager (Winnipeg — $4.15/473ml can, brewery, beer vendors, Liquor Marts), medium straw and clear in appearance, with tart, zippy lime aromas coming with fresh malt and a hint of chalkiness. It’s dry, light-plus-bodied and racy, with the lime zest/key lime flavours coming with medium acidity, which peps up the fresh malt and bread dough notes, while an almost-salty, grapefruit rind note comes through on the finish (it’s five per cent alcohol). Why a warm-weather beer in winter? Well, the beer was released in January ahead of Sookram’s Summer in the Winter party. In addition to the citrus infusion, the name comes from “to lime” or “liming,” a Trinidadian term for hanging out with pals, which seems like the perfect thing to do while sipping this lager. 3.5/5

If you’ve ever contemplated the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow, the Barn Hammer Brewing Co. Pub Ale (Winnipeg — $4.20/473ml can, brewery, beer vendors, Liquor Marts) is for you. Medium copper in appearance and slightly hazy, this Brit-style pub ale (sporting a Holy Grail-like chalice on the can) offers deep roasted malt, spiced coffee cake, caramel, flaked oat and hints of dried fruit aromatically. It’s dry, malty and medium-bodied, bringing modest hoppy notes along with the coffee cake, roasted malt and subtle chalky notes and, at 5.2 per cent alcohol, has a finish that satisfies. An ideal brew for fish and chips and a rewatch of Monty Python and the Holy Grail. 4/5

Notably darker (and slightly more evil) is the Dastardly Villain Ale Works the Villainess Baltic Porter (Winnipeg — $3.95/473ml can, Oxus Brewing Co., beer vendors, Liquor Marts). Deep cola brown and with an off-white head, this porter brings cola, Tootsie Roll and mocha notes aromatically with mild herbal component. It’s full-bodied and off-dry, with Tootsie Roll, caramel, mocha, chocolate-covered coffee bean and white pepper flavours, modest bitterness from the hops and, at 6.5 per cent alcohol, a finish that’s pretty punchy. A nice dark beer to enjoy around a fire, especially while it’s on sale until the end of February (it’s regularly $4.40). 3.5/5

Brewed in honour of the fifth anniversary of Starstuff, Devil May Care’s stalwart American pale ale, the Devil May Care Brewing Co. Starstudd Double IPA (Winnipeg — $5.50, brewery, beer vendors), takes the components of that brew and ramps them up big-time. The beer is pale gold in appearance and hazy, while aromatically it brings resinous pine notes along with fresh malt, gooseberry, peach candy and lime. It’s dry and medium-plus-bodied, bringing fresh malt and pine notes along with grapefruit oil, herbal and resinous notes from the hops, a very subtle saline component and, at eight per cent alcohol, a long and lingering finish. Very well done. 4.5/5

The Kilter Brewing Co. Chaos Theory Hazy Double IPA (Winnipeg — $5.50/473ml can, brewery, beer vendors, Liquor Marts), a Jurassic Park-themed brew, comes chock full with eight kinds of hops — chaotic indeed. It’s medium straw and hazy in appearance, with loads of tropical fruit, dank hops and big grapefruit peel/herbal notes coming with flaked oat and malty notes. It’s light-plus-bodied, slightly creamy and with just a hint of fruit sweetness from the ripe tropical notes (pineapple, mango), a peachy component that comes with a hint of vanilla, those dank, grassy hops notes that bring bitterness and, at 8.5 per cent alcohol, a long and very warm finish. 3.5/5

Back with new packaging is the Vessel Beer Co. TIPA My Tongue Triple IPA (Winnipeg — $5.34/473ml can, Nonsuch Brewing Co., beer vendors, Liquor Marts). Medium copper in appearance and slightly hazy with a white head, there’s a sweet malt aroma that comes with hints of caramel and vanilla, some lacquer and rounder, dank hops notes. It’s dry, medium-bodied and robust, with roasted malt and caramel flavours coming with medium bitterness from robust (but not sharp) hops notes, and a peppery component that lingers on the long, long finish (it’s 8.5 per cent alcohol). 4/5

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