Non-alcoholic comes to Bellwoods Brewery
/Toronto’s west end mainstay considers non-alcoholic craft the next step in their low-ABV brewing program
PHOTO COPYRIGHT SOME GOOD CLEAN FUN 2023
Multi-award-winning brewpub Bellwoods Brewery has been a west end Toronto staple for craft beer lovers since 2012. Now, after more than a decade brewing some great craft beers, Bellwoods is venturing into the non-alcoholic beverage world.
“Low-alcohol beers have long been an interest of ours,” said Luke Pestl, Co-Founder and Director at Bellwoods. “Over the years, we've been challenging ourselves to produce beers with as low an ABV (alcohol by volume) as possible, without sacrificing character – NA is really just an extension of that program. We enjoy NA and low-alcohol beers ourselves and wanted to be accommodating to a wide range of people.”
Pesti goes on to explain that Bellwoods started focusing on non-alc research and development in the latter half of 2022 and early 2023.
“We use a controlled and stopped fermentation. We do not have the equipment required for dealcoholized beer,” said Pesti. “We’ve brewed test batches, revised recipes and processes, conducted taste tests, designed surveys, listened to feedback. I think my main feeling is that we’ve been incredibly thorough in how we approach this endeavour.”
That’s certainly the case with the three non-alc offerings currently available at Bellwoods.
It took the brewery many months honing their brewing process to finally be happy with the multiple dry hopped non-alcoholic Stay Classy IPA. Pouring pale yellow with a great white head it has lots of upfront hoppy aromas and flavours. Stay Classy is dry, a bit dank with wonderful notes of citrus and grapefruit all tied together by a smooth bitter finish. Aromatic and fruity, Stay Classy pairs well with spicy curries.
Next, we have the non-alc version of their mainstay sour, Jelly King. If you’re wondering if the “crown” can be worn by the non-alcoholic Jelly King, the answer is a resounding “Yes!” Pouring a light blonde, it’s hoppy, bitter and juicy with a hint of peach. The sour is quite puckering, which along with the bitter hops can cut through salty fries, a charcuterie board as well as lighter fair like salads and fish.
PHOTO COPYRIGHT SOME GOOD CLEAN FUN 2023
*Editors Note: Jelly King is by FAR one of the best sours we’ve ever tried, alcoholic or non-alcoholic! It’s also sold out right now, but we’ll let you know when they’ve restocked.
“If I had to distill it down to one point, I’d say that our NA beers taste just like beer beer,” said Pesti.
If you’re not craving a beer, the Sparkling Water Mojito does the trick. It’s nice and simple: canned sparkling water with fresh mint and lime! The gang at Bellwoods drink it all day. It’s fresh, light and nicely carbonated. Honestly, it can be enjoyed with pretty much anything, but tofu tacos topped with a lime crème really paired well.
“We're excited to develop our non-alcoholic offerings further,” said Pesti. “Customer feedback has been very strong, and we have some ideas as to how we can further innovate our non-alcs. It feels good to expand our line up, adapt with changing tastes, and keep growing.”
Visit Bellwoods Brewery’s Online Store or if you’re in west end Toronto drop by the bottle shop at 125 Ossington Ave. (11 am – 11 pm, daily) or the bottle shop and taproom at 20 Hafis Rd. (12 pm – 7 pm, daily). The Brewpub at 24 Ossington Ave. is also ready to serve up your favourite non-alc bevies paired with some great menu items 7 days a week.
Antoine Tedesco,
Contributor, Alcohol-free Beer & Cider
Antoine brings his love of food and life to Some Good Clean Fun’s beer and cider reviews. From journalism to government to charities and non-profits, Antoine’s passion is telling compelling and impactful stories. He loves anything that makes his taste buds smile and his ears dance.
