Eatdrink #67 September/October 2017 "The Decade Issue"

40 | September/October 2017
Beer
Flight of Ten
Great Local Craft Beers
eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag
by WAYNE NEWTON
Ten years has
made a world of
difference in the
local craft beer
scene. Where once there
was nothing, (or just early
beer-loving entrepreneurs
losing their shirts), there
is now a flourishing
small-batch brewing
industry and legions of
fans embracing flavour
and variety in their beer
selections.
The Forest City’s scene
is still evolving compared
to other parts of Ontario,
but it’s no slouch. Here are 10 beers
to know and love from London and
area, in alphabetical order.
Absent Landlord, Cowbell Brewing
Co., Blyth. The actual bricks-and-mortar
brewery opened in August and the first of
the Blyth-produced Absent Landlord Kolsch
should be in
stores this
fall. Until
now Cowbell’s
maiden beer
has been
contract
brewed, first in Hamilton, then in Toronto.
Brewmaster Stephen Rich says water from the
on-site drilled well in Blyth and the state-ofthe-art
brew house means the Blyth batches
will be his “best ever”. Chances are, only the
most trained and sophisticated palates will
notice a difference with this caramel-flavoured
regional favourite. Widely distributed, it’s best
sampled at Cowbell’s new destination, barnstyle
brewery on Blyth’s south side where you
can pair it with wood-fired pizza from the
on-site restaurant. cowbellbrewing.com
This ultimate flight of 10 local craft beers is more
our flight of fancy. But we can dream!
Capital Blonde Ale, Forked River
Brewing Co., London. A gold medal winner
at both the Canadian and North
American brewing awards,
Capital Blonde is the bestknown
beer from
London’s “second wave”
craft brewery. Its hop
combination gives it a
citrus flavour. Because
it’s versatile, Capital
Blonde is always in the fridges of many
craft beer drinkers. Forked River recently,
and wisely, made it available in tallboy cans
featuring a sunglasses-wearing bearded
hipster as artwork. The name is a nod to
London almost being selected as the capital
city of Upper Canada. forkedriverbrewing.com
Cream Ale, Anderson Craft Ales,
London. I’ll bet this one-year-old brewery in
the Old East Village would rather be known
for its more complex and flavourful beers,
but when you brew a “gateway” craft beer as