I've got a business trip coming up in a couple of weeks that will bring me to London, ON. If I have the opportunity, where would you recommend we dine if we want to experience some good local beer? I'll be staying down around Richmond and Oxford streets.
Since you asked, I decided to go to Gambrinus last night to see what they have on tap. I had 5 excellent beers
Smashbomb Atomic IPA was very good. 7% AIPA style with assertive hop bitterness and very evident dry hopping. Very nice AIPA you should try if you get there. Too assertive for my wife but I liked it. I should mention that this was cask conditioned as well.
We both also had the Mill Street IPA, not nearly as hoppy and more English in style. Good beer but I should have had it first before the Smashbomb. The bitterness was evident but it wasn't as hoppy and I'd say relied more on EKG and Fuggles for flavour and aroma.
My wife had the Summer Weisse from Muskoka Brewery. Very good weisse with strong clove overtones and nice colour. Not a style I'm that familiar with so who knows what a weisse purist would think but she liked it.
I also had Mill Gap Bitter at 3.8%. Very nicely balanced for a mild style beer. Obvious English malt character and probably some biscuit malt. This was the beer that my wife actually liked best for the evening. It would be a fantastic session beer.
My friend had some of the same as I did but he got a Tilburg's Dutch Brown from the Netherland and I didn't try it but he commented that it was very smooth and drinkable.
Nice patio and good food (I had braised lamb shanks, my wife had the strip loin, our friends had the grilled salmon and mussels and butter chicken). Hope you make it to London and if you do, give this place a try.