Muskoka Cottage Brewery – Muskoka Summer Weissbier

Nestled in beautiful Muskoka Country halfway between Toronto and North Bay, Ontario, Muskoka Cottage Brewery has been brewing craft beers since 1996. MCB believes in brewing premium beer without additives, preservatives or pasteurization.

About The Beer!

Muskoka Cottage Brewery brews a selection of Cream Ale, Lager and IPA as well as a few seasonal treats.

Muskoka Cream Ale

First brewed in1996, our flagship Muskoka Cream Ale has since become a signature beer of the Muskoka region. Unmistakable with its rich amber colour and inviting floral tones, this laid-back English pub-style ale is smooth and easy-going. With a Cascade hoppiness and fuller body of flavour, this gold-medal winning Canadian Cream Ale is the quintessential taste of cottage country.

 

 

 

Muskoka Dark Ale

You won’t find an English-style brown ale quite like Muskoka Dark. Its bold colour, yet remarkably easy-going taste gives it a personality as unique as the region it’s from. Subtle undertones characteristic of its Dark Munich malt ease into hints of chocolate and caramel, making this gold-medal winning ale as inviting as it is distinct.

 

 

 

Muskoka Craft Lager

Like the region it’s from, our all-malt Muskoka Craft Lager is a getaway from the average. That’s because it’s carefully aged and handcrafted to be uniquely flavourful, yet remarkably easy-drinking. Made from North American hops and malt, and winner of Canadian Lager of the Year, this delicately balanced thirst quencher is the refreshing departure you’ve been waiting for.

 

 

 

Mad Tom IPA

Inspired by late night stories around the fire, Muskoka Mad Tom will instantly grab your attention. Dry-hopped with Chinook and Centennial hops, this IPA has a vibrant aroma, depth of flavour, and crisp citrusy undertow like no other. So brace yourself, and crack one open for old Mad Tom. This is an awakening in craft beer that gets more enticing with every sip.

 

 

 

Seasonals

Muskoka Summer Weissbier

Seasonally brewed and available in limited quantities, Muskoka Summer Weiss (“vice”) is crafted with visions of summer in mind. Unfiltered and naturally hazy by design, the perfect balance of wheat, barley and subtle hopping makes this an intriguingly aromatic, flavourful and sessionable summer wheat beer. To release more flavour, agitate bottle slightly before opening.

 

 

 

Muskoka Harvest Ale

Muskoka Harvest Ale is the pilgrim of Muskoka Brewery’s seasonal beer endeavours. Now in its second year, this Harvest Ale marks the end of the growing season and the process of gathering mature crops from the fields.

Brewed using a selection of premium local ingredients, this ale has a rich malt backbone and is dry hopped which contributes to a subtle grassy character reminiscent of the harvest.

 

 

Muskoka Double Chocolate Cranberry Stout

The arrival of a Northern winter calls for a flavourful and warming seasonal brew. Our Muskoka Double Chocolate Cranberry Stout is a rich and sturdy stout brewed with roasted dark chocolate malts, real cocoa, a hint of vanilla and freshly harvested local cranberries. The increased alcohol content encourages sharing and savouring this special seasonal brew.

 

 

 

 

Review

Jo and I recently had a chance to sample two Muskoka Cottage Brewery offerings, the Mad Tom IPA and the Summer Weissbier. Before we dive into the review, it’s important to note that beer reviews are extremely subjective. Nose, aroma and flavor, tones, clarity, color, head and finish – these are all things that are common to a tasting but one can’t expect to share the same tastes in beverages or foods. We’re not connoisseurs! We are average guys who enjoy a good craft beer!

The first beer we tried was Muskoka Mad Tom IPA. We were expecting a lot from this beer because we’d heard good things. On the positive side, the beer had a nice clear amber color and a robust nose. On the down side, neither Jo nor I are into dessert beers or beers with, what we consider, too much fruit tones. And Mad Tom IPA definitely has strong citrus tones. Perhaps too much! We both agreed that it washed well but the citrus in the finish was a spoiler for us. Not to diminish the beer, as we’re sure many will enjoy it, but it was like drinking a very capable IPA with some Crystal Light Lemon flavor mixed in.

On a different note, the Muskoka Summer Weissbier turned out to be one of the best beers we’ve tried this Summer. The Summer Weiss is an unfiltered wheat beer with great character. A murky, honey colored quaff with soft tones and a pleasant, albeit lingering, finish, the subtle hop bitterness was offset by the smooth and creamy wheat – barley combination, striking a perfect balance.  It had a very mild bread note in the nose and nothing too bold on the palate. Very tasty. Very refreshing. An excellent beer all around!