A lengthy walk down Toronto’s decrepit Dufferin Street left me with a
powerful thirst, so I ducked into Laylow Brewing Co., reputed to be
Toronto’s smallest craft brewery.
The place was empty
when I walked in, but it definitely shouldn’t be. It’s a cool little
spot, partnered with Young Animal, a Trinidadian kitchen, with hip hop
on the stereo and an array of interesting beers, mostly with Belgian
leanings. Exceptionally friendly staff behind the bar. Really a good
place.
To warm my bones and ease my mind, I
ordered a Zenith Belgian Golden Ale, recommended by the guy working the
bar. A 6.1% ale, the beer showed up golden and pretty, with just a disc
of white head. I was dubious when the tasting notes in the menu listed
bubblegum next to stone fruit and shortbread—mostly because bubblegum is
nasty. But damn if there wasn’t a hint of the pink stuff in the nose,
nestled with white wine and powerful yeast notes. The flavour was just
dandy—notes of dry white wine, a bit of apple, and some playful yeast.
The mouthfeel moved quickly from sweet to dry, building to a curt finish
with only a tickle of bitterness.
My first
taste of ale from Laylow was just about everything I wanted it to
be—tasty, subtle, and Belgian-inspired. A nice change up from downtown
Toronto’s infatuation with NEIPAs, the beer left me eager to work
through the whole list.
Rating: 8.5 out of 10.
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