Beer of the Week – Creemore Springs Kellerbier

While it may seem a bit disingenuous now that they're owned by the multinational brewing giant MolsonCoors, the Creemore Springs Brewery has done a lot of work over the years to create and nourish a reputation for doing things in a slow and old-fashioned manner. According to their motto, they are "Proudly a hundred years behind the times", and from all reports, the Molson takeover has had very little effect on the day-to-day operations of the brewery.

They've also been slow to build a brand portfolio, brewing only their flagship Premium Lager for their first decade of existence, adding the winter seasonal urBock in their 10th anniversary year, and waiting another 10 years before adding Traditional Pilsner to the line-up. So when word came earlier this year that there was to be a fourth Creemore brand launched just 2 years after the Pilsner, there were a few raised eyebrows amongst the beer geeks, and much speculation that it could be a sign of the suits from Molson finally starting to interfere with things a few years after the buyout.

But it ends up that we had nothing to worry about, as the new beer from Creemore is not only the most unique and interesting beer they've ever brewed, it's also one of the best beers to be launched in Ontario in recent memory.

As the headline above notes, the new product is Creemore Springs Kellerbier, with the name also being the style. Kellerbier, which translates to "cellar beer", is a traditional lager style also known as Zwickelbier that is rarely brewed or available outside of Germany. These beers are generally a bit stronger than other German lagers, are brewed using more hops, and most notably, they're unfiltered, meaning that much of the yeast added for fermentation remains in suspension in the beer, making it slightly cloudy and more flavourful.

Having tried only one example of the style previously, I was stoked to try Creemore's version once it was officially announced, and was glad to snag an invite to a pre-launch party held for the beer at the Victory Cafe a few weeks ago. Sitting next to a couple of Creemore Springs staff members, I was hoping that I wouldn't be disappointed with the beer, forcing me to smile and nod politely when they asked me what I thought of it.

Thankfully, I had no such problem, as the beer was sublime. Despite being served via a draught tap, it reminded me of a lager version of a great cask ale, and it left me waiting impatiently for the official release in cans which happened last week (LCBO 134148 - $2.95/473 mL). And while the canned version isn't quite as stunning as those couple of pints I greedily gulped back at the Victory, it's still a seriously impressive beverage.

It has a rich copper hue with the hazy body mentioned above, and a remarkably fresh and enticing aroma that holds notes of toasted grain, dried grass and juicy hops, along with a hint of yeast. The body is lightly carbonated, as is correct for the style, and while the flavour seems a bit muted if tasted straight from the fridge, giving the beer a few minutes to warm allows it to open up considerably, revealing a perfect balance between sweet, caramelish malt and pleasantly bitter hops, with a delicate suggestion of lemon zest in the finish. The yeast is also noticeable, but not overpowering, it just adds a well integrated depth and richness to the flavour.

Creemore Springs Kellerbier is a truly rare treat, and not just because it's such an uncommon style, but also because the production run was limited to only 400 hectolitres, or 80,000 cans. That might sound like a lot, but once people get a chance to taste it, I expect that it will disappear from the shelves pretty quickly. So let's all grab some while it's still out there, and keep our fingers crossed that a quick sell-through will inspire Creemore Springs to brew some more. After all, their Pilsner was originally intended to be a summer seasonal, but became a year-round offering due to its popularity. Having the same thing happen with their Kellerbier would be a fantastic thing for the beer scene in Ontario, if not all of Canada.