Mill Street Brewery Tasting Notes

T and I ventured to the Distillery District of Toronto today as part of our all day town adventure. The Distillery District is just that, except it's home to a stack or original breweries that make beer and not spirits, but in and amongst all the old red brick breweries are now gallery spaces, chi chi apartments and cafes etc. We took an 'old school' approach to the district with an afternoon of tastings - 7 beers, ales and stouts in total, with a palette cleansing Quesedilla to refresh us between samples. Our notes, for your future reference and enjoyment are dutifully transcribed below:

Fruit Beer
What they said:
Fruit beer is made from a blend of cherries, raspberries and strawberries and a pale beer, allowing the wonderful flavour and colour of the fruit to dominate the taste and aroma, supported by the fine beer flavour.

What we said:
Smells like candied apple. Honeyed amber colour, slightly mahogany. First bite of fruit followed by a beery fruitiness. Sour tartiness. One pint to share with friends. Visit fruit beer town - not a place to live.

Belgian Wit
What they said:
The soft texture and colour of this unfiltered beer comes from the use of wheat. Coriander, orange peel and a special yeast produce the fruity flavours. The refreshing cloudiness gives rise to the term Wit or white beer.

What we said:
Hazy wheat / pee coloured. Smells kind of sweet, like guest soap. Very zingy to start, dwindling to minimal aftertaste. I can taste soap - not good. Ageing woman in a low-cut top: giving too much away, with nothing to follow. Did not finish the tasting glass. Bathe in it maybe, but don't drink.

India Pale Ale
What they said:
IPA's were high in both alcohol and hops to survive the long hot voyage from Britain to India. Traditional English malts and hops give this copper brew a roasted note with a strong hop bitterness and flavour.

What we said:
Golden amber colouring. Tastes like popourri. More body than Stella. I think it's a bit 'myeah?'Beer for beer's sake. Drink for free, but don't pay for it.

Helles Bock
What they said:
A pale, strong German lager brewed with 100% Organic malt and hops. Helles has a frothy white head which gives way to a sweet malty flavour with hints of currants and oranges.

What we said:
Looks and smells like straight up beer, but not nearly as pungent as the Veebs of the world. T says, I like it: It's beer with wheat beer, but it hasn't moved in with wheat beer. It's friends with WB and happily so. Sweet aftertaste. I quite likes it. Not a girlie beer. Tangy aftertaste. An easy drinking-mans beer. Not a Gucci beer. It's a solid beery beer.

Pilsner Lager
What they said:
Our organic, German-style continental lager has a deep golden hue, with a malty nose. The first taste is sweet but leads quickly to a dry hoppy bitter finish.

What we said:
Looks and smells like beer. Beer that is comfortable with being a beer, This is not a beer dressing in florals. An easy-drinking beer. Take to a bbq beer - a real crowd pleaser. The dressy t-shirt of beers. The immigrant of beers* (T needs to explain this)

Extra Special Bitter
What they said:
Mill Street ESB uses only traditional English ingredients: Marris Otter malt, and Fuggles and East Kent Goldings hops. This copper coloured ale has a malty body with hints of chocolcate and black currants.

What we said:
Dark honey coloured beer. T is smelling dark honey, I am smelling a buffet of non-sweet deserts - cinamony, caramely, pastry. Sadly has gone flat while tasting other beers. T agrees there is a toffee aftertaste. A mealy Christmas day beer. The winner of N's tasting plate.

Cobblestone Stout
What they said:
This traditional style Irish Stout has that familiar creamy pour, with a roasted malt flavour with a hint of roasted walnuts and chocolate. Select imported hops are used to dry out the finish of this ale. (Only available in kegs).

What we said:
Looks dark and rich. T thinks it smells caramelly stout with coffee. Nat thinks it has a real chemical smell, a bit like synthetic carpet. Doesn't smell as rustic and country as it looks. Soft to start, followed by an avalanche of texture. A bit watery after food (Quesedilla with salsa), boo. Definitely a destination beer. One doesn't land here accidentally. N is not a big fan, but not a big fan of stouts in general. Could do with a bit more upfront. The pre-tasting of Coffee Porter doomed this beer. Just cannot compare.

These tasting notes were dutifully transcribed during the tasting process and therefore are a true and accurate recording of the experience, rather than a hazy memory of a beery afternoon in the distillery district.

If you've tried any of these beers, what do you think? Do you agree? Disagree? Is the Pilsner Lager the dressy t-shirt of beers? Or are we making a mockery of a sacred brew?