Italian Backyard

Bottle from the lcbo. Slightly hazy copper, with a large white head. Basil is soft but up front. Hints of piney hops and some crackery malts. Mouthfeel was soft, carb is the same. Finish is herbal, nice basil finish with a medium bitterness. I enjoyed this, soft and very quaffable.

Kind of dullish ugly colour. Massive basil aroma. Light body, lots of basil. Not much malt behind it. So the balance is not much. Ok, but there are balance issues here.

After my first experience with this brewery, I was not impressed with their Home Sweet Home. Maybe I was expecting too much from their description. This one though, so far is quite the opposite. Hazy golden-amber with a huge head that stays way long with the tiny bubble carbonation that is quite active. Thick foamy lace. Spicy herbal nose that pleases me well. The taste has a nice sweetness, but well-balanced with the hops and basil. A little dry mouthfeel. Can't believe this is a light beer (4.2% ABV). Wow, I quite like this one. You had me at Basil.

(Tap) clear, bright yellow orange amber with a small tan head; faint aroma of herbs, berry; creamy palate; balanced flavour with a long, light bitter finish

Draft - Sweet grassy herbal notes. Clear gold with a decent white head. Lots of herbal notes, mild basil and malts. Basil is a bit lost in the herbal bitterness. Could be ’fresher’,

Right off the top thank you to Freaky_tiki for passing this one on at the recent Ratebeer Toronto East vs. West Boozaplooza. Basil in a beer is a first, and I’m always looking to try new things. And this beer is a first. I must be looking really good because this beer got excited, very excited. My first pour was a reversie. A finger of beer and a hand of foam. And no, I hadn’t shaken the bottle. So excited that the beer stopper I used to put half this bottle for a little later, was ejac-uh-ejected from the bottle. Another first. But when this beer finally settled down it was a nice golden beer. You definitely get the basil in the smell, along with some decent bread malts, and a touch of licorice. The taste is all about the herbals, basil, once again licorice, lots of nice hay and cereal malts. Not the most awesome beer, but I’m happy Nona put the basil and not the tomatoes in the beer. (But maybe she meant too, she does love the Grappa.)

Bottle: Poured a clear yellow color ale with a large white foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of sweet malt notes with light herbal notes. Taste is also dominated by lightly sweet cereal notes with light herbal notes. Body is about average with good carbonation. Enjoyable beer but I thought the basil notes could have been even more upfront.