moment and I believe this may be one of the only ones in Canada. It is a type of fermentation vessel and is a broad, open-top, flat vessel resembling a giant brownie pan in which wort cools. Wort is the liquid extracted from the mashing process that contains the sugars that will be fermented by the yeast to produce alcohol. The large, exposed surface area of the vessel cools the wort (relatively) quickly, they are experimenting with “lambic style”, so they will leave out the tray to collect the wild yeast and microflora wafting through the air. Once the tray is full of this wild, invisible stuff, you store the beer in barrels for an extended stay. This method of fermentation, called “spontaneous fermentation,” produces a beer of layered taste: tart, funky, and unmistakably complex.
I hope you’re now as obsessed with cool ships as I am! I’m continually amazed by the science behind brewing, once you see all the work that goes into every pint you find a whole new appreciation for the art of craft brewing.
Calabogie brew what’s on trend, what they like, and what people will enjoy, so there is always a variety for everyone to explore including eight year round beers, eight seasonals, and a handful of the twelve specialty beers they have brewed so far. The White Room, a Creamy White IPA, has tropical flavours of fresh fruit, banana, and clove from the Belgian wit yeast that balances out the bitterness from the hops; it’s very sessionable at 5.1% and 35 IBU. The Summer Solstice poured a beautiful orange yellow like a sunset and, with a lasting head, it was a nice combination of tropical fruit and pine aroma. It has a full mouthfeel and the flavour matched what I smelled to a T.
I loved what I had discovered at Calabogie that day, sitting next to a group of locals, and with some awesome conversation from Jaime, I was excited to return. They brew 3-4 times a week on their system and fill growlers on site as well as sell cans and specialty 750ml beers in bottles.
I really knew nothing about this town before that day but left learning it was full of adventure from hiking, motorsports, ontario’s highest vertical drop on their ski hills, and the tight-knit local community. Then, on top of all that, it is home to a fantastic little brewery, pushing new boundaries like so many that have gone before them. So be sure to strike up conversation as you pull up a stool and learn a little more about this often-overlooked little gem of a town.
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