Advertisement

Redline Brewhouse
Barrie, Ontario

Redline Brewhouse, established in 2015, is a relative newcomer to Ontario’s pantheon of craft breweries. The brewery evokes a rustic feeling with a high class twist, like a 70s muscle car kept in very good shape over the years.

Described as “Craft Beer in High Gear,” the beers themselves all have names borrowed from automotive vernacular, and handle just as smoothly as a freshly tuned Mustang.

Advertisement

My parents joined me on this craft beer excursion to “give our expert opinions, boy.”

And they agree – beer is good, but craft beer is better.

Clutch
American pale ale 4.8 % ABV

Appearance
Pale yellow and hazy

Nose
Robust, citrusy and hoppy

Taste
Refreshing and mild. It doesn’t smack you with bitterness; rather it uses the hops to lend some pleasant citrus notes to an already refreshing beer.

Body
Smooth, light and easy drinking

Where to Enjoy
In a grassy field at noon on a July day

Daddo’s notes: “That’s very fruity”

Mom’s notes: “I like it.”

 

Check Engine
American amber 5.3 % ABV

Appearance
Transparent deep red, with a caramel head

Nose
Subtle and bready

Taste
Bready and rich with some malty notes and a hint of caramel.

Body
Smooth and light

Where to Enjoy
It’s a perfect beer for that one day that happens every October when it’s unseasonably warm outside.

Daddo’s notes: “I would buy a case of it.”

Mom’s notes: “I like it!”

 

Idle Coast
Pale lager 4.6% ABV

Appearance
Transparent golden yellow, with a generous light head

Nose
Very subtle, malty

Taste
This beer starts off a little bit sour, with malts becoming more apparent the deeper into it you get. Overall, a very fresh tasting beer

Body
Smooth. Goes down well

Where To Enjoy
By a lake on the August long weekend.

Daddo’s notes: “Very refreshing. Very refreshing”

Mom’s notes: “I like it”

 

5:01
Golden ale 4.2% ABV

Appearance
Transparent golden yellow

Nose
Almost no smell

Taste
This one has some bite to it! It’s quite flavourful, with some citrus evident, as well

Body
Super light and instantly refreshing

Where to Enjoy
As its name suggests, this is the perfect after work beer.

Daddo’s notes: “Tastes like a real beer”

Mom’s notes: “I like it”

 

Final Thoughts

Redline’s four core beers are an excellent introduction to craft beer for the budding connoisseur. That is to say, they are each top-notch examples of the style of beer they represent.

Another thing that makes their core beers ideal starting points is that they are not “intimidating.” Although stouts, IPAs, and sours are available, the core beers I reviewed are easy beers to get into.

All of the beers listed above, and many others are available at the brewery, or online at redlinebrewhouse.com

 

Written by Andy Elliott