Today we finish the Barrie trifecta. If you've been following along with my stories about Redline and Barnstormer, you'll know I was not very familiar with those 2 Barrie breweries prior to my visit. This one, I was familiar with and I was excited to finally go to the brewery. Much like my introduction to Great Lakes Brewery, Innis & Gunn and, Amsterdam Brewing Company, I was introduced to Flying Monkeys by my good friend Matt in my early days of learning about craft beer. Confederation Ale was one of his favorites and quickly became a regular for me when I wanted something other than Coors Light. Then, when I really started to dig into hoppy beers Hoptical Illusion became a regular in my rotation. Flying Monkeys have been in Barrie since 2004. While 15 years maybe doesn't like a huge number, there's not too many others out there that can boast being around for this long. Flying Monkeys have always branded themselves as the "out there" brand who always are looking to try something new. Their slogan is "normal is weird". I haven't been able to find a heck of a lot about the history online but I do know that founder Peter Chiodo learned to brew by being a home brewer while going through post-secondary education. When I first walked up to the building I saw a nicely restored building in downtown Barrie which backs right onto the beach. Not at all "out of the ordinary", beautiful but not exactly what I had expected. Then I walked inside. Posters on the wall, chandeliers hanging from the roof, neon lights, brightly coloured seats and, mismatched furniture. Now that's more like what I expected. Upstairs, there is an arcade room (called the lounge) with more seating. The main floor is a taproom/bottle shop/restaurant. My visit, much like the other 2 Barrie stops, was to load up on beer and for the weekend so I just took a lok around, bought some beer and, headed out. Jer's Picks: I'm going to choose 4 which seems like a random number but I couldn't narrow it down to 3 or less. The beer is just so well crafted I could probably pick 5 (or more) but I really want to highlight these 4, including the return of the "top sauce" pick. Confederation Ale: Nutty, very lightly hopped, malty. A perfected recipe and, a sentimental beer. What more can I say? I admit nostalgia plays a part here but I admit it proudly because if I didn't like this beer then I may not have been as willing to dig deeper into the craft beer world. Hoptical Illusion: The "almost pale ale" is tropical, floral and hazy with a hint of caramel. Very IPA-ish. I admit that my first purchase of this beer was strictly for the name. I also recognized the packaging and thought "hey, these Flying Monkey guys make decent beer. I'll try this.". Much like the Confederation Ale, there is some nostalgia in this pick but to this day I still recommend this beer to people who are starting their journey in craft beer. Live Transmission Milkshake IPA: By now, a Milkshake IPA on the list shouldn't be a surprise. Lactose (of course), grapefruit, orange and, a hint of coconut. Top Sauce - Juicy Ass: Juicy, dank hops, a bitter bite, hazy and, not overly carbonated. This is a really delicious beer. Plus, if you offer someone a sip you can say "hey, do you want to try my juicy ass?". What more can you want from a beer?
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