Beer of the Week - The Beers of Big Rock Brewery, Liberty Commons

This evening Teena and I had supper at a new brewpub that just opened this week in Liberty Village, Liberty Commons at Big Rock Brewery. One of my favorite features of the pub is how close it is to where we live, which is about a ten minute walk.

I love the tile floor at the entrance.

The tap room where samples and pints can be had, plus there is beer to go.

The tap room taps. I stopped in last night to pick up some beer for home and my server in the picture below was very helpful and knowledgeable.

The pub is downstairs and is quite comfortable.

Their main beers are brewed out of their Etobicoke brewery but they always serve two which are brewed on site. Both were my two favorites of the night. The first was a stout which was creamy and smooth. There was hardly any bitterness to it which for me is fine for a stout. Chocolate and a bit of coffee came through.

Stupid me! I forgot to take a picture of the other brewed there which was an IPA. It was delicious, with a nice citrus bitterness to it. I hope it stays on tap as I would get it each time I'm there.

I love Scotch Eggs and very few places offer them but Big Rock has them on their menu. The yolk was perfectly done and it was delicious.

I had the beef brisket. It was so good, full of flavour and extremely tender. Yes, I would get it again. The potato salad was delicious too as was the cheese roll. I found the coleslaw rather flavourless.

Teena had the Jerked chicken. She enjoyed it and said she would get it again.

For dessert, we shared a rice pudding. It was quite different from what I expected. It contains wild and round rice, spent grains, mango, chocolate and pine nuts. The top was torched like a brulee, which gave it some bitterness. It was very different but very good. At first I didn't know whether I liked it or not but was disappointed once the tray was empty. I would get this again.

The brewery is on the way to the bathrooms. Conner was the brewmaster on duty and Teena had a chance to go in and talk to him.

Sarah was our server and did a great job looking after us.

This is a place that Teena and I will be coming back to. It's close enough to home that I will be stopping in here and there on a Friday night after work to unwind, have a pint and read.

Beer of the Week Stats 

Beers Profiled 342 
Breweries 314
Countries 49

A Visit to Barnstormer Brewpub

In March, I received three cans of Flight Delay IPA from Barnstormer Brewery and did a post on it as part of my Beer of the Week. I really enjoyed it, so when vacation time came around, Teena and I did an overnight last night and explored the lakefront area. On the way home today, we stopped into Barnstormer for lunch.

Teena was nice enough to take the designated driver duties (thanks, Honey!) so I could try a couple of beers.

We entered through the swag and bottle shop.

Here's what I had to chose from.

The area on the walls and between the booths is decorated with antique plane equipment.

I really like the way this place is set up. It was very warm and the staff extremely friendly. Missy and Sarah did a great job looking after us and answering all our questions.

The brewery area is in the back.

I started with a Windshear Watermelon Ale. It pours a yellowish/straw colour with a white head. I really noticed watermelon in the aroma, interesting as I have never found watermelon to have much of a smell. The watermelon really comes through when I sip, then fades to light golden ale flavour before the watermelon returns for the finish. It's not a sweet beer, nor bitter. It is a very nice, tasty and enjoyable brew.

For lunch, Teena had pizza,which she enjoyed enough to bring some home, and I had Cap'n Mac N' Cheese. The salad was so refreshing and the mac n' cheese very bacony and tasty.

My next beer was a Cirrus Session Pale Ale. It pours an amber colour with a white head which takes its time to dissipate. At 4.5% apv, it is considered a light beer but is full of flavour. It starts off a little sour before the bitter citrus comes through. Enjoyable enough that I brought a bunch home.

Even the washrooms were fun. I love that it's a Miller keg.

As I said, I came home with a bunch of cans of Cirrus Session, plus some Flight Delay IPA which I had tried before. The next time Teena and I go to Barrie, we will be having supper and a couple of beers at Barnstormer.

Beer of the Week - The Beers of Bandit Brewery Brewpub

Teena and I had heard of a new brewpub opening up in the Roncesvalles/Dundas area, Bandit Brewery. It just opened a month ago and we had to give it a try. When we walked up to it, I knew I would love it!

Our table was beside the brew area. I liked the fact that there was no glass barrier. The area was spotless too.

This board was at the far end of the brew area. It would be interesting to know what it means ... or are they just messing with our heads?

The windows on the east side looked out onto the wall of another building, but it's covered in ivy so just adds to the ambiance.

I love saisons so the first beer I went for was their Farmed and Dangerous.

It is golden in colour with a white head. It's not at all a bitter beer but a sour one. The sourness starts right away and follows straight through to the finish. There is some spice in the taste, which does not take over.

I really liked this and think it would be nicely refreshing on a hot afternoon.

Next up was Bandit's APA.

I have lots of notes on this one.

It came to the table with a brownish colour and an off white head.The head does endure as I had a hard time getting a picture of this due to sun glare coming from the outside. What I ended up was a picture I love an expresses me. A beer, a hat, and a brewery. All that is missing is Teena!

Back to the beer.

I wasn't expecting a dark beer here but an amber one. Surprisingly it smells fruity . Again not what I expected.

Oh, the taste!

It starts with a surprising bit of chocolate, which quickly gives way to a wonderful bitter citrus. The chocolate comes back to join the citrus in the finish. A wonderfully complex ale. If I took a sip too close to my last, it was bitter citrusy. If I lingered. all the complexity came back.

The bottle shop is opening in the next couple of months but if it was open tonight, I would be bringing some home with me.

More views of the open interior. I can't wait for the patio to open but sitting inside it is breezing and cool.

Eva was our hostess and was fabulous. She came back often to check on us and chat. Emily was our server and she was chatty, friendly and took excellent care of us. Just the kind of staff places desire.

My final beer on Emily's recommendation was the Cone Ranger.

Great recommendation!

The Cone Ranger pours a copper colour with a white head. It starts with a little bitter citrus bite, which then builds in intensity right through the finish. This is a fabulous IPA, one that I would be bringing home from heir bottle shop when it opens.

***

I can see myself heading out here after work on a Friday afternoon to spend some time on the patio. I can also see myself bringing home some beer with me.

Teena and I had a great time. I am told that reviews are supposed to be balanced with the negatives. The staff was great! The beer was great! The ambiance was great! OK, here comes the complaint to balance.

It's not a five minute walk from home.

Beer of the Week Stats 

Beers Profiled 319 
Breweries 287 
Countries 46