Barnraiser

After a vigorous and nearly ruinous squash game, I had a powerful thirst. I stepped into one of my favourite locals for a pint and settled on Barnraiser, a North American pale ale brewed in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario by Niagara Oast House Brewers. At 5%, I felt sure that the 18oz. pour would be just the stuff to quench my thirst and soothe my weary bones.

My beer arrived looking handsome and lithe; a largely clear golden ale topped with a thin but resilient off-white head. Barnraiser has a very organic, earthy, farmyard aroma. It has a yeasty bitterness that I found engaging and reminiscent of a saison. It's quite a dry pale ale, with a bready flavour. There are some sweet apple notes preceding a modestly bitter finish.

Barnraiser wasn't what I was expecting. However, I enjoyed it very much. It's a yeasty, saison-esque pale ale with a curious flavour that has some depth. Try it if you're hankering for a nice twist on the classic pale ale.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.