People's Pint Pit-Stop: Time Lord American IPA

 Time Lord American IPA is, according to the copy on the 500mL bottle, intended as a tribute to Bell’s Two Hearted Ale, and that homage is evident on the label, which features a dude with a pair of tickers. Time Lord comes from Toronto’s People’s Pint. It contains a robust 7% alcohol and looks a treat with its dull gold colour and durable off-white head.

From the first sniff, I picked up a snootful of piney hops notes, a whiff of brown sugar, and a touch of sticky resin. The flavour is a good match to the aroma, with dank, woodsy hops balanced against subtle caramel. 

The bitterness on display with Time Lord is overt, but not smothering. It’s a well-balanced and delightful IPA.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

People's Pint Pit-Stop: El Chupacabra Ancho Cinnamon Porter

El Chupacabra Ancho Cinnamon Porter is a 5% spicy dark ale named for a legendary creature. Brewed, as your expect, with ancho chilies and cinnamon, The Chup comes, in 500mL bottles, from Toronto’s People’s Pint.

A dark beer with a thin cover of creamy head The Chup has a punishing nose rich in cinnamon and spice. The flavour has some heat, primarily driven with cinnamon up from and chili at the back, built around a modest, malty midsection.

Spicy porters tend to be an oddity, but El Chupacabra is a pretty fair one, with heat on repeat enriching a very mild dark beer. It’s not subtle, but it isn’t overkill either. The beer is a bit of a novelty, but it isn’t any less well made for that. It sure could have been stronger, though.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

People's Pint Pit-Stop: Mango Fett

In an homage to Star Wars, People’s Pint Brewing Co. dubbed their New England-style IPA Mango Fett. According to the copy on the 500mL bottle (great label, BTW), “[u]nlike other versions of this style, there is no added vanilla or fruit flavoruing. The mango aroma and flavour are entirely hop driven.” That interests me. As well, the beer is brewed with oats. It clocks in at 6%.

Mango Fett is a hazy, copper-hued ale that lives under a fluffy cream head. It has a subtle mango tinge to the nose, buttressed by resinous hops. The flavour treads a similar path, with a stanky blend of juicy mango and sticky hemp. 

The use of oats doesn’t translate to the amount of smoothness in the mouthfeel as I was pulling for, but there was still a certain mellowness to this beer. The hemp/mango combo in the flavour was an unexpected win, and that was the highlight of this tasty brew for me.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

People’s Pint Pit-Stop: Serendipitous Sour

My third and final 12oz pour during my debut visit to People’s Pint in Toronto was their Serendipitous Sour, brewed with pineapple and mixed berries. The 5% beer showed up rose-hued and elegant in a stemmed chalice. It arrived with a fluffy white head, though it faded to a sudsy ring extremely quickly.

Serendipitous Sour had a wacky nose, rich in sweet fruit punch notes. Given the sweetness of the aroma, it was a pleasant surprise to find that Serendipitous Sour was actually. The flavour kicked off with sharp, unripened berry notes, before mellowing into a juicy pineapple finish.

Fruitier and less tart than many of its sour contemporaries, I found People’s Pint’s take to be quite engaging, in a juicy sort of way. Not as funky as I might have wanted, perhaps, but certainly agreeable.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

People's Pint Pit-Stop: Do People Still Like IPAs?

Do People Still Like IPAs? is an oatmeal IPA that I quaffed during my first visit to Toronto’s People’s Pint Brewing Company. According to the big board at the brewery, it was a collaboration with Beer Diversity, who is a very cool presence on Ontario's beer Twitter scene.

The 12oz beer arrived looking hazy and magnificent—orange gold under a shock of white head. D.P.S.L.I. clocked in at just 5.2%, making it a little light for its initials. It had a succulent tropical fruit scent, with papaya leading the charge over a trickle of tangerine. The flavour, too, is rich in exotic fruit flavours. The presence of oatmeal lent a gentle, smooth mouthfeel. At the finish line, there was some bitterness, though not quite as IBU-happy as I might have wished.

In all, Do People Still Like IPAs? was a thoroughly enjoyable romp. Flavourful and smooth, with little bit to like.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

People's Pint Pit-Stop: Ken Fidy Oatmeal Stout

During my maiden stop at Toronto’s People’s Pint Brewing Company, I was suckered into a 12oz pour of their Ken Fidy Oatmeal Stout—I say I was suckered because what I actually ordered was their Oatmeal IPA, Do People Still Like IPAs?, but through a crossed wire, I ended up with the 6.5% alcohol nitro stout instead. Fortunately, my server was super chill and pleasant about the minor error, making me like the brewery even more.

Black, under a tan foam, the K.F. had a slightly sweet, malt and molasses aroma. The nitro tap gave the bear a beautiful, velvety texture that well suited its mellow vibe. The flavour was roasty, with cocoa notes. The back end was modestly bitter, with a hint of raisin in there too.

A tasty ale made all the better for its nitro format, one must assume that Ken Fidy is an homage to Oskar Blues’ Ten Fidy, though without the boozy heft.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

People's Pint Pit-Stop

Located in the former home of Junction Craft Brewing, People's Pint Brewing Company is tucked a bit off the beaten path in Toronto's Junction neighbourhood. It's a place I've long intended to visit, but never seemed to find the opportunity. That all changed on a recent Saturday afternoon, and I'm glad it did. Staffed with friendly folks, People's Pint provided a chill environment supplemented with a few stylistic flourishes (such as the beautiful carving on the side of the bar). They offer a great selection of styles and strengths, including a couple of nitro options.

I tried three brews during my time at the brewery and left with another four bottles. Stay tuned t the Bitter World over the next couple of weeks to read my thoughts on seven offerings from this excellent Toronto spot.

Juicebox Citrus IPA

Brewed with orange zest, Juicebox Citrus IPA is a 5.9%, 56 IBU ale from London’s Fourpure Brewing Co. Sold in boisterous 473mL cans, Juicebox is a highly carbonated, slightly hazy golden ale that pours with a frenzied white foam.

The nose is, unsurprisingly, citrus-driven, with potent notes of oranges and tangerines. At first, the beer is juicy sweet, with OJ elements. The back end is agreeably bitter, in the citrus sense of the word.

Juicebox isn’t full of surprises, but it sure is tasty.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Lost Orbit Session IPA

Lost Orbit Session IPA is a little 4.5% alcohol, 16 IBU hops delivery system out of Burlington, Ontario. Brewed by Nickel Brook Brewing Co. using flaked oats, it comes in 473mL cans.

 

An extremely cloudy orange-gold, Lost Orbit pours with a lusty white head. It has a pulpy clementine orange nose and a parallel flavour. Somewhat citrus, somewhat tropical, and all juicy. The mouthfeel is a bit of a letdown though, as it is thinner and less crisp than I’d have liked—in this respect, I wish Nickel Brook would have taken a page out of their own session ale playbook, because their Naughty Neighbour has an admirably crisp character.

For the amount of flavour slammed into a low alcohol package, drinking a can or two of Lost Orbit is a good use of your time. Sure, it has a crispness deficiency, but it sure tastes good.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

MacLean’s Ales Cherry Porter

Porter and sour cherries? Give! That’s the lineup that features in MacLean’s Ales Cherry Porter, a 5.6% alcohol brew from MacLean’s Ales in Hanover, Ontario.

The beer is a near black number with amber highlights that pours with a thin cover of off-white head. It has a malty nose with only a hint of sour cherry. The flavour is equally mild, and the cherry elements are extremely understated. More than anything, the beer is characterized by forward-facing roasted malt, with a kiss of coffee.

If the 473mL can didn’t have an iridescent cherry on it, I might not have identified it as a major element. It’s a subtle but enjoyable addition to a malt-heavy porter. This is isn’t something I say much, but I’d have liked to see the named flavour hit a little harder.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Von Bugle Munich Lager

Toronto’s Steam Whistle famously makes only one beer, their premium pilsner ("Do one thing really, really well"). So, when the makers of Steamy wanted to make another beer, they took the unusual step of forming a whole new company, Von Bugle Brewing, to do it. The result is Von Bugle Munich Lager, a 5% amber lager sold in 473mL cans.

VBML came my way via my pal P.C., a lovely fellow with whom I often carpool. The beer is clear and caramel coloured, with a short-lived cap of off-white head. The beer has a toasted malt aroma, with some cereal sweetness and a dollop of toffee. It has a flavour to match, with toast malts in the driver’s seat and toffee riding shotgun. The back end has some bitterness, although it is a bit more understated than I’d have liked, and this makes the sweetness continue a bit longer than it perhaps should.

I can’t imagine Von Bugle Munich Lager ever outperforming its relative at Steam Whistle—it’s nowhere near as accessible. However, it’s a pretty fair take on the amber lager—one I’d gladly revisit.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Oatmeal Stout East Coast Edition 2018

From Scotland’s Black Isle and its Black Isle Brewing Co. comes Oatmeal Stout East Coast Edition 2018. This beefy 9.5% imperial stout comes in 330mL bottles. It’s a dark ale topped with a tan head and it boasts a powerful aroma rich in raisin, brown sugar, and malt notes.

This jumbo oatmeal stout has a malt-first configuration. It kicks off with sweet and boozy warmth and a bit of woodiness. The back end is more bitter than I expected, with a slightly smoky tang.

Strong, yet balanced, this Scottish stout is a beauty.

Rating: 9.0 out of 10.

Session Seven

Brewed to showcase the Idaho 7 hop, Session Seven is a low-alcohol I.P.A. brewed by Side Launch Brewing Company out of Collingwood, Ontario. A 4.6% alcohol ale, S7 comes in 473mL cans. It’s a bright and clear golden beer that pours with a sudsy white head and a whole lot of lively carbonation.

S7 has a subtle, juicy aroma, with fruit notes both citrus and tropical. The flavour kicks off with papaya and a hint of melon, before transitioning into a slightly dry, modestly hoppy finish.

S7 is the kind of beer that I reach for when I’m craving a session friendly ale—it’s flavourful, decently hoppy, and fairly close to the five per cent threshold. All in all, a pretty decent little session I.P.A. out of ski resort country.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

You’re My Boy Blue-Berry Wheat Beer

You’re My Boy Blue-Berry Wheat Beer is a 4.5% alcohol salute to the film Old School and its beloved character, Joseph “Blue” Pulaski. Sold in 650mL bottles, You’re My Boy comes from Picton, Ontario, where it is made by Prince Eddy’s Brewing Company. It’s brewed with local (Prince Edward County)  blueberries and lactose to create a hazy golden ale with a purplish hue, some berry skin sediment, and a thin layer of off-white suds.

You’re My Boy has a juicy blueberry nose. Its flavour is mild, with mellow wheat notes, a gentle yeast lilt, and a subtle berry charge. The mouthfeel is thin, but agreeably smooth.

A decent little flavoured beer, You’re My Boy is a summery wheat beer that is refreshing, but which lacks impactful flavour. A thirst quencher with just a whisper of blueberry, this beer is accessible, but not elite.

Rating: 7.0 out of 10.