Brews News: Light lager celebrates Darryl Sittler’s 10-point game

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Whether Toronto Maple Leafs fans are celebrating success or drowning in sorrow, Beertown has a new brew for the blue and white faithful.

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It celebrates Darryl Sittler, who played three years of junior hockey in London before being drafted by Toronto and becoming one of its most beloved captains.

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He never won a Stanley Cup for the team, but he made history on a crazy night in 1976 with 10 points in one game – a record that still stands – against the Boston Bruins.

Sittler 10 Point Light Lager is brewed for Beertown by Something In the Water and iIt’s on the sign at the 10 Beertown locations. The London location is at 109 Fanshawe Park Rd. near Masonville Place Mall.

Sittler 10 Point Light is also available at select Beer Store locations by the case ($78), six-pack ($20.10) or single 16-ounce cans ($3.45).

Sittler 10 Point Light isn’t the only Leafs-themed beer release.

Great Lakes Brewery in Toronto greets the radio voice of the Maple Leafs with its own lager.

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Holy Mackinaw First Line Lager is a tribute to Joe Bowen and his signature shoutout after a great play.

Bowen has been shouting it since the 1987 season, taking over from his father who shouted it while watching the Leafs.

Holy Mackinaw First Line will be celebrating Bowen and the Leafs, but even more importantly a fundraiser for the Hospital for Sick Children. Bowen’s son, Sean, was just a year old when he was a patient at Sick Kids. The Sick Kids Foundation receives $1 from every can of Holy Mackinaw sold.

Holy Mackinaw First Line contains five percent alcohol.

NEW AND NOTED

The Bayfield Beer and Food Festival takes place on May 11. The event is a fundraiser to keep the lights on in the community arena. Among the festival vendors this year is Alvinston’s Munro Honey and his Hive and Harvest Session Mead. Craft breweries include Neustadt Springs, Imperial City, Bad Apple, Stone House, Torched, Black Donnellys and of course Bayfield Brewing.

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Neustadt Springs hosted a beer and cheese pairing night, which provided some great combinations to recreate at home. Among them Bruce Lager with 5 Brothers from Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese from Woodstock. That cheese is usually accompanied by white wine. Others include Neustadt’s 10W30 brown ale with Collier’s Welsh cheddar, Gramma’s Jam Black Currant Kettle Sour with Kaltbach cave-aged gruyere, and Neu Day IPA with eight-year-old cheddar from Mildmay Cheese Haus.

A few new ones for IPA fans. Cowbell in Blyth has Sunsplash, a session IPA. On a smaller scale, Upper Thames of Woodstock and Shakespeare Brewing teamed up to brew Hoppy Hare Belgian IPA, which is on tap at the Brickhouse in Woodstock and the Upper Thames taproom. Black Gold in Petrolia has a Cold IPA as part of the Discovery Series. Black Gold describes it as hoppier than a lager, better milled than a citrus-flavored IPA.

Floral, tart and berry describe a small amount of sour pouring at Storm Stayed in London. Shook Blackberry Kettle Sour with Lavender is available for a short time, so be quick.

Wayne Newton is a freelance journalist based in London.

[email protected]

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