Ringwood Ale

 Born and bred in Toronto, Ringwood Ale comes from the venerable Granite Brewery & Tied House. It’s a 5% blonde ale made to star the Ringwood strain of yeast. The beer is golden in colour and slightly cloudy, under a sudsy white head.

Ringwood’s nose is a blend of toasty and malty, with a vibe that is slightly metallic and also a wee bit fruity. The flavour is initially sweet, with apple cinnamon notes. The back end is a bit toasty, still sweet, and it has a modest bitterness.

My outstanding spouse used a can of Ringwood to create a truly outstanding loaf of beer bread and the result was bangin’. The yeastiness and balance really hit the spot.

Blonde ales are seldom my favourite, because they tend toward moderation and milquetoast-iness. Ringwood had considerably more elegance than the average blonde ale, and I thought it was pretty good stuff. I’d have liked a bit more hops presence at the finish, but otherwise it was pretty solid.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.