Ides of Summer to Fall - Henderson Brewing Company
Henderson Brewing Company has been on the Toronto craft beer scene for 5 years now. In that time they’ve grown to have a broad lineup of styles ranging from the traditional to the experimental. They’re always looking to give their brewers the chance to stretch their creative muscles and collaborate with local businesses, homebrewers, and local talents of all kinds, all while celebrating their city and the people in it.
From the late summer into early fall this year they’ve had several new releases, and have announced a rebrand and LCBO launch of their flagship IPA. I got to try some of the latest lineup so let’s check it out!
Chef Avtar’s Witbier
Ides of August 2020 - 4%
The August iteration of Henderson’s monthly Ides series is Chef Avtar’s Witbier, which celebrates the influence of Chef Avtar Singh on Toronto’s food culture. Singh made his mark on the Toronto culinary scene first at Babur, then at his own establishments New York Subway and Gandhi Cuisine. This Witbier, brewed with coriander, cardamom and pepper, is a nod to one of Singh’s specialties at Gandhi (sadly now closed), the Butter Chicken Roti.
The nose certainly carries some strong spice. It’s quite savoury with the coriander addition and very clovey. It’s teasing a spicy kick with the pepper, too. It’s high in carbonation and thin in body, making it very light on the palate. The spice is a bit more subdued than the nose suggested, but it’s still there along with a bit of warmth from the cardamom. A lemony citrus zip is definitely contributing to it being light and refreshing, and there’s some astringency lingering on the finish. I don’t find the spice combo is really working for my palate with this style, but it’s an interesting idea with a great inspiration.
Pearson Express IPA
American IPA - 6.5%
A mainstay of Henderson’s lineup has long been their UPA, Union Pearson Ale, named for the Union Pearson express which runs right past the brewery. As with many of Henderson’s beers, it’s a tribute to the city they call home. They were regularly asked what UPA stood for, so at long last they made the decision to re-brand their core IPA the Pearson Express IPA, keeping the nod to the train that runs outside their doors. This rebrand comes alongside an LCBO launch.
To me, Henderson’s core IPA drinks like a hybrid of an American West Coast IPA and an English IPA. It’s got the pour of a West Coast with a crystal clear copper-orange colour and a big pillowy head. Upfront there's grapefruit rind and caramel malty sweetness shifting to tangerine on the mid-palate, followed by a piney finish with a lingering bitterness. It also packs a nice smooth mouthfeel.
Nellie’s Cream Ale
Ides of September 2020 - 5.7%
Into September we go for the next in the Ides lineup, Nellie’s Cream Ale, paying tribute to Toronto’s last milk delivery horse, Nellie, who after completing a long day’s delivery route would be rewarded with an onion and a beer.
Nellie’s pours a bit cloudy with a light copper colour and a thin white head. It’s malt-forward on the nose, giving off wheat and corn which carry through to the bready, refreshing palate. The super frothy effervescence makes for a very smooth feel. Lemon peel cuts through the palate leading to a clean finish with lingering bitterness.
Hazy New England IPA with Clementine
A collaboration with Society of Beer Drinking Ladies - 6.5%
This is the fourth in a series of Henderson’s collaborations with SOBDL, a 6.5% Hazy New England IPA with Clementine. It pours with a fairly mild haze and right away the nose is thick with orange rind. The citrus is very pithy making the bitterness quite prominent. The generous clementine addition certainly gives it a juicy and zesty pop. I’m finding it also has a fresh floral hop note in the background, reading a bit like mint which isn’t combining super well with the upfront citrus for my taste. That said, it’s undeniably refreshing.
Henderson Export Stout
Foreign Extra Stout - 7%
Henderson’s Export Stout was first brewed as part of the Ides series in 2017, and wound up being so popular that it was brought back as part of the seasonal lineup, available in the LCBO province-wide. As I noted last year, it’s still a pretty rare thing to see an export stout on craft beer shelves, even rarer still for one to be widely available, so it’s great that Henderson has brought theirs back.
Not surprisingly it looks, smells and tastes much like it did last year: jet black pour, thick espresso crema head, roasty coffee aroma. One thing I did notice this time around was a very faint bit of smoke on the nose. True to style, it’s quite dry on the palate with a slight dusty feel and dark chocolate bitterness. Something else new I noticed this time was a background flavour of liquorice, and the finish also carried with it that faint whiff of smoke. One of the things done very well in this stout is that the flavours are rich without being heavy, and it drinks quite easy for it’s considerable strength. For me, it’s the top of their fall lineup.
The Pearson Express IPA, Hazy NEIPA with Clementine, and Export Stout are available at the LCBO. All five beers are currently available at the brewery’s retail store and online shop.
Thank you to the good folks at Henderson for sending me the Fall lineup to try!
Photography by Nathan Does Beer.
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Nathan
Nathan is a craft beer enthusiast from Ottawa, ON. He is the Co-Founder of @TeamLactose, he’s passionate about travelling for beer and he loves talking about beer from Ontario, Quebec and beyond.