Polka Dot Awards 2015 #7 - Farm Table Marzen

Beer and baseball, my night was amazing.

 Today my pick for the Polkie #7 might be one of the most innovative and creative breweries in the province. Located near Ottawa in Van Leek is Beau's All Natural Brewing Company.
 When I was winnowing down the 400+ beers I had this year to get to the top ten, these guys had a shockingly large amount of their beers in the top 100. Their distinctive 600 ml. bottles and intriguing label and packaging always grab my attention when I go into the LCBO.
I had to make some really hard choices and the one beer from Beau's that kept popping into my head more than any other, and there were many, was the Marzen from the Farm table Series. A great fall beer and something I know I am anticipating already for next year.


All of Canada lost their collective mind when Jose dropped the bomb.

I think one of the reasons I crush on this beer is that I had it during the "Bat flip" game 5 between the Toronto Blue Jays and Texas Rangers. I am a casual baseball fan and my favourite team since I was a kid are the KC Royals (stop booing). But I was very happy to see the Jays back in the playoffs and the excitement they generated in all of Canada. This game was something I would have been 8 or 10 Old Milwaukee tall boys deep by the time it got real interesting. I wouldn't have witnessed all the craziness and that is one of the reasons I love this beer. The other one is that it is simply an absolute beauty of a brew.

I'll just leave that here for a second.

Now back to the beer. Pours an orange amber colour with a nice thin head. This is a malt forward beer in smell and taste. bready, biscuit flavours of toasted barley are enhanced by a caramel note. Dry, slightly bitter hopped back end produced a clean crisp finish. Wonderful texture and composition. They describe their Farm Table Series as sessionable and being brewed true to tradition and I think that is something bang on the nose. I have had a couple of other from the series and they are great.

This beer is a must if you want to experience true flavour without a big alcohol punch (only 5.5%), strong crazy hops or bitter dark malts. It is the perfect beer to transition from the lighter fare of the summer to the darkness of the winter.
I will let you in on something else. The lovely wife has agreed that for one of our summer vacation trip this year we can head to the northeast and ... Surprise! That is where Beau's is located. I am just in the initial planning stages, but I am over the top at getting to see and taste all that I have read about. Part of what I am trying to do by slowing down and really exploring all beer has to offer means pushing outside my comfort zone of staying home all the time. This should be epic!
Let me raise my Glass to Beau's All Natural and give them props for their Polkie win!
Well deserved and I look forward to the exciting new tastes 2016 will bring.
Cheers!