Wine isn't the only beverage being produced in Beamsville, Ontario. Bench Brewing Company is also making terroir-driven beer in the benchlands of the Niagara Escarpment. Bench opened their facility in the historic Maple Grove Schoolhouse in Beamsville last year, making use of the natural yeasts and fruit in the surrounding area.
Their Strawberry Grove sour uses lots of juicy, local Twenty Valley strawberries from Tigchelaar Berry Farms, less than 5 km away from the brewery. The result is a sour beer that's refreshingly fruity without being overly sugary. Plus, if you've ever felt your face involuntarily pucker in reaction to an acidic sour ale, you'll be relieved to hear that Strawberry Grove has a much less intense flavour profile, and a relatively low ABV (5%), meaning you can sip all afternoon long.
In addition to Strawberry Grove, Bench has a number of other beers that are stocked at the LCBO. The funky Citra Grove and Simcoe Grove are also available in 500 ml bottles while the Ball's Falls Session IPA, Stone Road White Ale and Twenty Mile Farmhouse Ale can be purchased by the can.
$7.50 for a 500 ml bottle, lcbo.com
