Creemore Springs Brewery, acquired by Molson — a subsidiary of Molson Coors Brewing Company — in 2005, rather than releasing their brews under a single brand, has diversified their brand brew-folio by way of a couple of subsidiaries of their own. Creemore Springs’s Mad & Noisy brand, for instance, brews Hops & Bolts India Pale Lager (previously reviewed here). This brand separation allows Creemore Springs Brewing to respect the Reinheitsgebot even while Mad & Noisy Brewing, one of its subsidiaries, defies it. Batch from Creemore is another such subsidiary, but this one comes with a brewpub in downtown Toronto, which is slightly more populous than their hometown of Creemore where I picked up my 625-mL bottle of Batch’s Pale Ale.
But, their multiple brew-sonalities aside (sorry, these brew puns are getting weaker and weaker), I’m more concerned with how the beer tastes than what’s on the label, so let’s not waste any more time. Let’s get pouring!
Batch from Creemore: Pale Ale – First Sip
Pale Ale, eh? That’s what I like to read. Further investigation on the Batch website revealed this to be an American Pale Ale (even though it’s brewed in Canada).
Batch from Creemore’s Pale Ale pours a cloudy pale orange colour. It leaves a thick layer of foam around the rim of my glass that dissipates slowly, leaving a thin layer of bubbles. The label’s claim of having notes of tangerine and honey is borne out by its aroma as I take my first sip. This APA doesn’t assault with bitterness, but I wouldn’t describe it as a session IPA either.
Unfortunately, though there are notes of honey in its aroma, those notes are harder to notice in this brew’s flavour. By and large, this brew tastes like hops. The honey that is there, though, complements this beer’s carbonation level well, producing a smooth mouthfeel.
Batch from Creemore: Pale Ale – Last Sip
Even though it comes in at a relatively low 4.6% ABV rating, because of its 625-mL size this is a brew to enjoy with a friend. Unlike other Creemore Springs brews, this one doesn’t appear to be available for purchase in the LCBO, or at any non-Creemore-related purveyor of alcohol. I picked my bottle up at the Creemore Springs Brewery, but if you’re in Toronto then drop by the pub and grab a pint. Although based on their menu, I predict that you may end up grabbing a few different pints, especially since they offer a variety of beers from competing breweries.
