The Starter

The Starter is billed as a "light IPA with notes of citrus fruits". The 4.8% alcohol brew comes from Rockwood, Ontario, where it is nurtured by Four Fathers Brewing Co. It's sold in 473mL cans that uses a cute sports analogy to describe the liquid within. That liquid proved to be an attractive auburn brew with a dense off-white helmet of head. Much darker and richer looking than I expected.

With a modest bouquet that suggests citric bitterness, I found myself salivating at the prospect of trying this stuff. Its got a nice, sizable flavour for its size, well outstripping the aroma with notes of grapefruit riding high atop a roasted malt podium. It finishes dryly, with a hoppy crackle.

Having never sampled anything from Four Fathers, I had no idea what to expect from The Starter. Turns out, it was really quite good. A beer I'll doubtlessly be adding to my repertoire in the months to come.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

Granville Island India Session Ale

Granville Island Brewery is a Molson property, and one that delivers a real mixed bag of brews. A really great Winter Ale, a lousy Maple Cream Ale, and just fair pale ale and lager. But I keep going back to the well, this time with their India Session Ale. At 4.6%, this stuff comes in azure 473mL cans. The beer within is a rusty brown ale, topped with a fuzzy cream head.

Nice balanced through the nose, with citrus and evergreen hops, and a decent malt profile, this beer has a comparable flavour--especially in the malty character, that adds a bit of value.

For a low alcohol brew, this stuff is full-bodied and agreeable. It's not remarkable, but it is genuinely well made. The kind of suds I'll be certain to revisit on the reg.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

Sunnyside Session IPA

Every time I see a new offering from Toronto beer standout Great Lakes Brewery I'm quick to snap it up, and doubly so when the letters "IPA" are in the mix. Given that proclivity, I wasted no time in picking up a couple of 473mL cans of Sunnyside Session IPA as soon as I saw them on the shelf at my preferred local beer vendor. At an extremely low test 3.9% alcohol and just 25 IBUs, this session IPA also qualifies as a light beer. It's hazy, brassy, and covered with an elegant layer of ecru head.

Sunnyside has a dry, fruity aroma, with a decent-sized nod toward bitterness. The flavour is actually quite floral, with some faint citrus leanings.

With its dry and crisp mouthfeel, Sunnyside Session IPA is a thirst quenching machine. It's not as bitter and assertive as many of the other session IPAs currently available, and it could stand to be a few ticks stronger while still maintaining its session label, but Sunnyside is mellow and easy-drinking, with much to like.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Bravo

During a recent visit to the excellent Junction Craft Brewing, one of Toronto's finest beer builders, I had occasion to sample Bravo, a member of their Hops Series. Liked it so much I left the brewery with four 500mL bottles of the stuff. Bottles, it is worth mentioning, that featured really spiffy labels.

Bravo is either an American pale ale or an India session ale depending on your politics. Either way, it's a very light-bodied and low alcohol brew. At just 4%, it's wildly sessionable, but its 48 IBUs give it a pretty respectable whomp. It's a faintly lazy-hazy golden brew, topped with a thin shock of white head. It has a mild but enjoyable aroma that brings fresh citrus to the equation. Crisp and hoppy describe the mouthfeel and flavour respectively. Rounding out the bitterness is a thinnish but juicy fruit taste.

While I might like a bit more depth, Bravo is a lovely and refreshing little ale with a big upside. Definitely worth a trip to Junction's tap room.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

Red Racer India Session Ale

Red Racer India Session Ale recently popped up in Ontario. Previously, I'd only been able to enjoy this stuff in British Columbia, where its brewed in Surrey by Central City Brewers + Distillers. My previous experience with this I.S.A. involved playing bocce with one of my best friends in a beautiful garden, just a stone's throw from the Pacific Ocean, so I might be a tad predisposed to like the stuff. It comes in neon green cans which contains 473mL of clear, cheery golden liquid described as light ale.

At just 4%, Red Racer's sessionable brew won't leave you in a state unless you really try. However, despite its low-alcohol birth weight it manages to pack in a respectable amount of aroma and an acceptable level of flavour. On the nose, there are juicy, squishy mango notes as well as a suggestion of decent hops. These same fruity and bitter elements come through as soon as the brew hits the tongue, though they depart before the party really starts to get good, leaving the finish thin and uninspired.

At 4%, it's gotta be tough to maintain big flavour and pleasing mouthfeel. For a sessionable beer, this stuff gets the job done admirably. I'd have liked a more assertive and imposing finish, though in truth that might have necessitated upping the booze level--something that would have pleased me, but which obviously defeats the purpose of the I.S.A. If you want light beer strength with more than an echo of I.P.A. character, Red Racer I.S.A. fills those specs to the letter. Just don't expect the hearty flavour of the Red Racer India Pale Ale.

Rating: 9.0 as a light beer; 7.5 overall.