Collective Project: Papaya Saison

My first foray into the Collective Project Sixer was the Papaya Saison. Brewed in Hamilton, Ontario by Collective Arts Brewing Limited, this 6% alcohol farmhouse ale lists papaya among its ingredients--not papaya extract or papaya purée or papaya concentrate. So that's something. Sold in 355mL bottles, Papaya Saison pours fizzy and clear, with a pale golden hue and thin white head that could easily be mistaken for an American-style lager.

Less belligerently fruity than I expected, the nose is more of an earthy, yeasty job, with an overlay of tropical notes. Ditto the flavour, which is doubtlessly fruity, but more so yeast-driven. The dry mouthfeel is very true to style, and the finish is just faintly bitter.

If it weren't for the mention of papaya in the name and ingredients list, I'd have merely called this a saison with a hint of fruity character. The subtle nature the papaya was incorporated shows impressive restraint in a style that could easily have gone awry with a heavy hand. I am really quite impressed with this little brew--a lovely, light-tasting summer ale, with a faint booze bite.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

Collective Project

I spotted a mixed sixer the other dat from Hamilton, Ontario's Collective Arts Brewing Limited. Dubbed the Collective Project, the pack was made up of two each of a papaya saison, a hefeweizen, and a gose. With a cool aesthetic and a trio of interesting offering, this was a six pack I found highly intriguing. Stay tuned to the Bitter World over the next few days to hear about my thoughts.

Railside Session Ale

Railside Session Ale is a low-alcohol offering from Guelph, Ontario's venerable Sleeman Brewing and Malting Co. Sold in Sleeman's trademark clear 341mL glass bottles, this copper ale is largely clear and pours with a quickly melting off-white head. At just 4.2%, Railside really is a session ale.

To my nose, this stuff smells mild, with toasted malt notes and a subtle hint of hops. This aroma is closely replicated in the flavour, with malt and caramel in front and a bit of bitterness out back.

Truthfully, my thinking on this little ale is that it's mostly alright, but nothing special. There is a decent amount of flavour for the low percentage, but it isn't all that interesting and there is a bit of a hops power shortage.

Rating: 6.5 out of 10.

Ace Hill Pilsner

Extremely fizzy, clear, pale gold, and topped with a fluffy white head, Ace Hill Pilsner proved to be a lovely companion for a little afternoon baseball. From Toronto, Ontario's Ace Hill Beer Company, the AHP came in a stylishly minimalist 473mL can. At 4.9%, AHP is just a whisker below standard strength, and, according to the Ace Hill website, it contains 16.5 IBUs.

This pilsner featured a delicate, grassy aroma. It's flavour was mild, but engaging, with a grainy base and a slight murmur of something floral. The mouthfeel is a bit thin, and not quite as crisp as I'd have liked, but very refreshing. The back end had some hops bitterness, but not as much as the best beers in the pilsner category tend to sport.

Though I had some qualms about bitterness and crispness, Ace Hill Pilsner's distinguished and subtle flavour made this a lager I could get behind. I'll definitely be buying more of this summery brew.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

West Coast SESSION Lager

West Coast SESSION Lager comes is a collaboration if ever there was one. Listed on the 473mL can are a variety of Ontario bars, breweries, and other beery denizens of the province, including Bar Hop, Sweetgrass Brewing Co., and and Sawdust City Brewing Co., of Gravenhust, Ontario, where this little number was born and raised, or at least brewed and canned. The ensemble cast is billed as The Local 7. Light, at just 4.5%, this pale lager promises to be "easy drinking", with "a big, bold hop forward flavour and aroma."

The beer is cloudy, pale gold, and pours with a thick, white head. It has an aroma both grassy and slightly hoppy, with some fruity notes. Its mouthfeel is crisp and dry, and its flavour is fruity, with an agreeable dose of lovely lagered hops.

 

As Ontario lagers go, West Coast SESSION Lager has a lot in its favour, with ample flavour above a mild, low-alcohol body. Crisp and thirst-quenching, this little partnership offers lager drinkability, with a decent degree of crafted hops.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

Haters Gonna Hate

A totally new style to me, Haters Gonna Hate is an Imperial Kölsch. At 8% alcohol and 40 IBUs, this lagered ale from Beau's All Natural Brewing Co. has some fiendish heft. According to the label (which features a hipster cat walking a tiny dog), this beer is an extra strong rendition of the Vankleek Hill, Ontario outfit's popular Lug Tread Lagered Ale. Sold in 600mL bottles, this murky orange grog pours with a fluffy white cloud cover.

Haters Gonna Hate is No. 46 in Beau's Wild Oats Series. It has a tremendously engaging nose--one that is thick and sticky with tropical fruit, but also boisterously boozy. The taste walks the same walk, particularly with the recurrence of big fruit notes in the early going. However, ye olde back end of this beer is what surprised and delighted me most. The finish is certainly strong and boozy, but there is also some really interesting, resinous hops that lend an almost IPA feel to this weirdo take on the Kölsch.

In truth, I'm not totally sure what gives this beer its Kölsch-style pedigree, as it tastes nothing like any Kölsch I've ever downed, but it is a flavourful, assertive, and downright fun ale. Add to that the large format and the silly label, and you've got a real winner. Well done, Beau's.

Rating: 9.0 out of 10.

Sunlight Park

Named in honour of Toronto's first professional ballpark, Sunlight Park is a saison brewed with a considerable amount of grapefruit zest. From Toronto's Left Field Brewery, this brew comes in at 5.3% and is sold in 650mL bottles. It's a bright golden beer, heartily carbonated, clear, and covered with a white head.

To the nose, Sunlight Park is yeasty and tart, with grapefruit notes. The mouthfeel is thin, but extremely fizzy. Flavour-wise, there is a substantial yeast presence that underlies tart, fruity, and dry leanings.

Left Field is one of my favourite Toronto brewing establishments. Their Sunlight Park is an enjoyable addition to the roster, though not a top of the order hitter like Maris* or a cleanup like Eephus. All told, a fine brew, with seriously refreshing properties. A bit on the thin side, but agreeable.

Rating: 7.0 out of 10.