2021 Year in Review
2021 was wild and unpredictable: I spent much of the year stressed out about the health of loved ones and searching Ontario’s covid portal to book multiple vaccines for myself and family members. Despite the uncertainty, I was lucky to begin the year working for The Napanee Beer Company and end the year at Matron Fine Beer (my local craft brewery!).
Much to my surprise, 2021 also marked a significant change in my beer preferences. I went from a lover of big IPA’s and Imperial Stouts to craving every style of lager under the sun. Don’t get me wrong, I still love bitter, hoppy beers, but my go-to beer of choice today is a crisp, clean lager. As a result, my top beers of 2021 reflect this sea change.
Like year’s past, my list includes beers that I revisited, classics I had not tried prior to 2021, and new beers from Canada’s excellent range of craft breweries. Cheers!
MY TOP BEER OF 2021
LUPO SOLITARIO DIAMANT, Single-Hopped Kellerpils
(Tooth and Nail Brewing Company, Ottawa, ON)
Italian inspired, unfiltered, and dry hopped - Lupo Solitario Diamant blew my mind! Well known for their lagers, in 2019 Tooth and Nail Brewing Company began brewing single batch Kellerpils, each with its own unique hop. Previous batches included hops such as Triskel, Aurum, Sonnet, Saphir, and others. Yet, because of my previous anti-lager affliction, Diamant was the first batch I tried.
On my first sip, I instantly regretted not buying more than the two cans I had purchased online. A new German hop (exclusively available from BSG), Diamant has the floral and spicy notes typical of most Noble hops, yet it also has gentle notes of orange citrus. The balance between the hops and malt was perfect - crisp, clean, and oh so drinkable. I poked my head out the window at my partner gardening and simply exclaimed, “Wow.” With that, I headed upstairs to computer to buy more, but alas, it was already sold out.
Later in the year, Tooth and Nail released its latest version of Lupo Solitario, this time with Sterling hops. Again, it was a great beer, but it did not quite to live up to its predecessor and my beer of 2021.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order)
SKLEPNIK V OCELI, Old Pilsen Style Lager
(Godspeed Brewery, Toronto, ON)
Sklepnik was almost my beer of the year, losing out to Lupo Solitario by the smallest of margins. And although it ultimately finished second, I drank more of Sklepnik than any other beer this year. Inspired by a visit to Pilsner Urquell’s underground cellars, I could happily live the rest of my life only drinking this incredible Czech pilsner.
AVENTINUS, Weizen-Doppelbock
(G. Schneider & Sohn, Kelheim, Germany)
Why did it take me so long to try Aventinus?!? Described by the esteemed Garrett Oliver as a “world classic,” I absolutely loved this beer’s restrained, dark fruit sweetness, plus the warming sensation at the end of each sip. Only available in Ontario at the LCBO, I now keep a close eye on the provincial website to make sure I don’t miss Aventinus’ next release date.
MOSEY, German Pils (Slake Brewing, Picton, ON)
A German pils made with 100% Ontario malt (from our friends at Barn Owl Malting in Belleville, ON). Lagered for six weeks with delicate notes of bread and straw, Mosey is the perfect beer for a day at the beach or sitting around the campfire on a beautiful summer night in Prince Edward County. Eminently drinkable (and Slake is only a 10 minute drive from home!).
BEDROCK LAGER (Spearhead Brewing Company, Kingston, ON)
I used to work for Spearhead and I’m a big fan of their beer. However, during my time at the brewery, Bedrock was not being brewed - very disappointing to say the least! Brewed with four different malts and Noble hops, I made multiple trips to Kingston in 2021, just to buy this beer. Here’s hoping they decide to brew Bedrock again next summer.
DANKY, IPA (Matron Fine Beer, Bloomfield, ON)
Like many beer drinkers, my love for craft was influenced by the hoppy beers being made in California, Oregon, and Washington in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Danky is inspired by those West Coast IPAs and Pale Ales: Cascade, Simcoe, and Strata hops give the beer fantastic notes of pine and resin, with tropical fruit undertones. And if the beer wasn’t good enough, Matron’s ethos is to work with local producers, be it hops (Pleasant Valley Hops) and/or craft maltsters (Barn Owl Malt) - Amen!
LA FIN DU MONDE, Tripel (Unibroue, Chambly, QC)
Craft beer drinkers are always on the look out for what is new and exciting. I’m certainly guilty of this at times, constantly searching for the next big thing in beer. Yet, this past Autumn, I had an intense craving for a beer that truly introduced Quebeckers and other Canadians to classic Belgian styles: La Fin du Monde. An international award-winning Tripel that’s been brewed since 1994, sometimes it’s important to remember the flagship brands that got us hooked on beer in the first place.
P.S. Pairs well with chicken wings!
MY FAVOURITE BEER OF ALL-TIME
PECHE MORTEL, Imperial Coffee Stout
(Dieu Du Ciel, Montreal, QC)
If I’m being honest, Peche Mortel would top my list every year; that is, if I didn’t set some arbitrary rule that does not allow this event to occur. The roasted malt flavours, combined with Espresso coffee is absolutely sublime. And the barrel aged versions released every year…don’t get me started! For 15 years, I lived in Montreal and had easy access to Peche Mortel; now, I wait for annual visits from family, hoping they’ve squirreled away some beer from Dieu du Ciel in their luggage. That reminds me, I need to ask when they’re planning their next vacation to Prince Edward County!