[thistleclub]

Three surprising craft beers worth trying right now
(The Globe and Mail, Signe Langford, Jan 12 2015)

With an estimated 150 craft brewers across Canada, creating all sort of exciting new suds every day, it’s reasonable to declare this the golden age of beer. And with one- or two-man operations finding clever ways to brew without investing in huge overhead costs – namely by renting time from existing breweries – this means small, agile, turn-on-a-whim producers can get creative, and take some wild chances with flavours and ingredients. Here are three brews worth trying right now....

Piperales Unfiltered Smoked Amber Ale

Husband-and-wife team Victor and Sonja North of Hamilton are either brave or crazy, or perhaps a bit of both. They just launched their craft brewery – Garden Brewers – not with some easy-drinking, crowd-pleasing lager, but rather with a strong, slightly bitter, smoky and spicy ale brewed with crushed black peppercorns and German, beechwood-smoked malt. It’s beautifully balanced and not so smoky that one couldn’t enjoy a pint or two … with grilled bratwurst, of course! It’s available for $6 to $8 a pint at pubs around Southern Ontario; find it on tap here: gardenbrewers.ca.