![]() One of the things I love about Hamilton is the entrepreneurial spirit. I’ve heard many stories of people who came to Hamilton to go to school and never left. Some people come for other reasons (house pricing) and some got sick of the “rat race” and went for their dreams. Some cases see people take buildings that had a business that failed and re-purpose it. You’ll find that this is a theme for a lot of the Hamilton area breweries. This is, of course, another one of those stories. Brad Clifford started brewing in 2009. First as a home-brewer and then commercially. In 2015 he decided to start his own company: Clifford Brewing Company. He brewed his flagship beers: Pinball Wizard and Clifford Porter (which has won 3 Gold Medals and 2 Silvers in the Canadian and Ontario Brewing Awards) under contract for bars and the LCBO until he could secure a site to call home. That site was found in 2017 in an old mattress factory. In 2018 the tap room/bottle shop opened and they have frequently had food trucks come in. At times they have also had different snacking options available like charcuterie boards. Starting this month they will also have monthly casks nights. This was my second visit to Clifford. The first came not long after their opening. They have a large taproom, so there’s plenty of room to sit. There’s a pinball machine (which, you almost have to have based on the flagship beer), a nice selection of glassware and t-shirts, a large fridge that is always well stocked and, the brewing area is wide open for you to see what is being brewed. It looks like there is plenty of room to add more tanks down the line too, which I hope they get the opportunity to do. I've had 7 of Clifford's beers (see photos for the untappd ratings). Unfortunately I missed a limited release porter with coca and raspberries in July but I am hoping to get to taste their Saison with Niagara peaches soon. During both of my visits the same gentleman was working behind the bar. I neglected to get his name but he’s been very friendly and helpful in explaining the types of beer that are offered. Exceptional customer service. In fact, I already have planned my next trip because of it. Jer’s picks for Clifford are: Pinball Wizard APA: If you know me, you know I like hops and this beer delivers! As is usually the case; an APA has a citrusy note and that’s how this beer starts. Honestly, for the hop lovers this is a must try! Devil’s Punchbowl: As you would probably expect from the name; this is sweet and fruity, very much a sweet citrus taste to it. It finishes with a slight bitter note from the hops. I also found that it was not overly carbonated which I thought was appropriate considering that a punch usually isn’t overly carbonated either. Hop Tart: I mean, the name is clever and the packaging is perfect! That said this is a sour session ale that’s not overly sour which I really enjoy! It’s lightly hopped and has a tart finish. It’s very drinkable.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
April 2019
Categories |