LCBO Food & Drink Early Summer 2021

TOPS IN HOPS

What is a sour? Tart and often fruity, the sour style (one of the oldest beers in history) is going gangbusters. Today’s sours are primarily fermented with wild bacteria and yeast, which blesses the brew with lively, complex flavours ranging frommouth-puckeringly bitter to leathery and spicy to light and fruity to barnyard funky.

Sweet on sours Sour beer is typically lower in alcohol, and the acidic earthiness pairs perfectly with all sorts of flavours and dishes, making it a refreshing choice for hot days.

The angular body of a Teku glass captures aromas and facilitates swirling, while the long stem prevents your hands from warming the beer. Liquid rolls off the thin, outward- curving lip, making for easy drinking. How to drink sours

Prince Eddy’s Brewing Co. Chiller Instinct Dry Hopped Sour + Black River Cheese 5-Year Aged Cheddar Crack the can ( LCBO 19507, 473 mL, $4) and in- hale a lovely scent of lemon, rose and fresh-cut grass. Lightly soured and dry hopped, it offers zingy, tart flavours with citrusy, fruity and pleas- ant hop undertones. Pair with a tangy cheese from Prince Edward County, like Black River 5-Year Aged Cheddar (blackrivercheese.com). Cowbell Brewing co. Sea Salt Grapefruit Sour + Thornloe Charlton Goat Cheese A bright, citrusy wheat ale ( LCBO 19616, 473 mL, $3.85), it’s brewed with grapefruit juice and zest, ground coriander and Canadian sea salt. Enjoy with creamy medium-bodied goat cheese like Thornloe Charlton (thornloecheese.ca).

Side Launch aloha Sour + Copperpot Nuts Beer Nut Collection Tray

This sour ( LCBO 20864, 473 mL, $3.95) surprises with an intense tart punch followed by a smooth vanilla and almond finish, with hints of clove and cinnamon. Enjoy with savoury pecans, almonds, peanuts and hazelnuts from a Copperpot Nuts Beer Nut Collection Tray (copperpotnuts.com). Bench Brewing Berry Fields Sour Ale + Little VG’s Mild Pepperettes Ruby red in colour, this sour ale ( LCBO 19677, 473 mL, $3.65) sucker-punches with fruity flavours and aromas of raspberry, redcurrant, strawberry and other red fruits. Great with Little VG’s Mild Pepperettes. (vgfarmtocity.ca).

Shop the Issue at lcbo.com/ fdearlysummer21

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EARLY SUMMER 2021 FOOD & DRINK