20.05.12
Black Oak Nutcracker Porter

out of 4
Where to buy: At the brewery, 75 Horner Ave, Unit 1, Mimico, (416 252-2739)
Price: $13.25/sixpack
Food pairings: Spice cake, dark chocolate, mole sauce.
The verdict: It’s worth the drive to Mimico.
It takes a deft brewer’s hand to use spice in beer successfully.
Don’t use enough, and you’ve wasted a whole bunch of ingredients that no-one ends up tasting. Use too much, and the end result can be about as subtle as chewing on a clove while sipping your brew.
When it’s done well, though, the spice is a welcome accent – noticeable, but not the star of the show.
That’s just what Black Oak Brewing has done with its winter seasonal offering, Nutcracker Porter. The special edition brew – available only at the brewery in Mimico and on tap at better pubs around the GTA – is the epitome of balance.
Source: Toronto Star