True History Stones Festbier (5.3%)

After such a wonderful experience with Sticks, True History’s six month lagered, heirloom malt Märzen, we now come to their modern take on Oktoberfest, appropriately billed a Festbier. But first, a word about True History’s midtown Toronto venue.

For many years, I lived near True History’s St. Clair neighbourhood, and while I thoroughly enjoyed my time there, aside from my local, the sadly now-gone Gem, there wasn’t much to commend the area in terms of bars. Which is why I think True History’s owners were rather brilliant in picking that particular locale for their brewery – much as Luc Lafontaine was when choosing Coxwell and Gerrard for his Godspeed Brewery – and why it’s apparent that the ‘hood has quickly adopted the brewery as its own.

It helps, of course, that it is a most hospitable bar, open and airy, with wine, seltzer, and cider also on offer, as well as a limited but tasty-looking food menu. (I have yet to partake of the cuisine.) One hopes that the non-beer selections might be expanded a bit over the next little while – my wife’s frigid glass of red wine at $17 was a bit much, we thought – but for such a young establishment, it’s off to a good start.

Oh, and did I mention that they pour all of their beer through the European-style side-pull faucets called Lukrs? They are all the rage these days, and I’m told expensive as hell, but really do a good job in serving the sorts of beer True History specializes in.

Now, on to Stones, the New School yang to yesterday’s Sticks yin.   

Where Sticks is a deep gold colour, Stones is lighter and a bit brighter, although again with a haze I’m moved to attribute to cold rather than particles. On the nose, it is classic New School honey malt character, with a fresh, honey-ish sweetness and floral notes abounding. It seems perhaps a bit light-handed, in that it has a delicacy to it rather than a more powerful malt character, but that is but a minor quibble.

The flavour is likewise, to my palate, just a shade too reticent for the style. Where I’d like a full and sweet, honey-bordering-on-nectar punch up front, I get instead something soft and floral, lovely in and of itself, but seemingly shy rather than boisterously proud of its maltiness. The flavour progression is certainly there – sweet and honey-ish front, round and sweet mid-palate with notes of grassy and faintly spicy hop emerging, drying and satisfying finish – but I find myself craving something more bold, perhaps even stronger, certainly with a greater malt impact.

None of which is to say this is anything but a technically brilliant beer and, in truth, one of the best tasted thus far in this program. But with a little more oomph, a little more booziness, it could be an absolute stunner.

85 ($3.75/355 ml)