Darkwood Blackberry Saison

I don’t know that my photo fully captures the contrast, but Darkwood Blackberry Saison is a jaunty purple-tinted, pale pink-headed ale that comes in terrifying 473mL cans emblazoned with a huge demon looming over a little kid. See? Contrast.

Darkwood comes, ostensibly, from Toronto, where it is brewed by Brassroots Brewing Co., though the can explains that it is brewed and packaged in Gravenhurst, Ontario. The saison has just 4.3% alcohol, 33 IBUs, and it’s brewed with blackberry purée. It has a dry, yeasty nose supplemented by a whiff of fruit. The flavour is yeast first, with only a hint of the eponymous blackberries. The beer is thin, but fizz-happy, and culminates in a dry finish.

Given its lurid bruise colours, I expected Darkwood to exhibit a too sweet and juicy blackberry element. However, to my delight, it was an understated and elegant addition to a low alcohol saison. The beer was a bit too thin, but otherwise I found myself onboard. Clearly a beer suited to summer patios, I found myself drinking it as a first beer during a mighty snow storm, but the seasonal dissonance didn’t detract one bit. The label promises that “Darkwood is the first of many unique and carefully crafted beers that we vow to brew.” Ok, Brassroots, you’ve got my attention. I’ll be looking out for more.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

Fallen Idol

Fallen Idol, from Toronto, Ontario's Indie Ale House, was billed as a sour wheat with blackberries. I had a 16.5oz pour of the 5% alcohol brew on tap at the brewery on a snowy Saturday afternoon in February, when I was in the mood for something fruity and fresh.

My beer showed up looking quite pretty--a slightly rosy brown ale; cloudy and covered with a thin covering of off-white head. It had a cute aroma to match, with gentle tartness, berry notes, and, in small measure, some red wine tannins. The beer wasn't as sour as I was expecting--it was tart at most. As for the blackberry, the flavour wasn't aggressive or showy. It was, however, both chipper and subtle. The mouthfeel was bright and light, but the stuff wasn't as fizzy as I wanted it to be.

Beer and blackberries are a great combo, and Indie Ale House linked them together pleasingly. Fallen Idol is a very agreeable little brew. I wasn't sure what food I'd pair it with until garlicky mussels showed up for the woman dining behind me. The flavours and aromas had me salivating like a hound, despite my full belly. Perhaps it was an odd choice for a wintery day, but F.I. really hit the spot.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.