The Best New Canadian Craft Beers to Crush Dockside This Summer

When the days are long and hot, nothing makes a better relaxation buddy than a can of cold, Canadian-brewed beer. Thankfully, there’s no shortage of options: hundreds of breweries across the country are crafting new releases all year round. We’ve taken a look at the latest offerings from our favourites, bringing you a list of dock-ready beverages for summer evenings. From lemon-laced IPAs to hop-filled lagers and sweet radlers, our list of Canadian craft beers has something for everyone.

Midnight Poacher Dark American Lager, Quidi Vidi

Midnight Poacher Quidi Vidi Brewing
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With the dark American Lager, Quidi Vidi Brewery enters the fifth year of its collaboration with the Newfermenters — an (obviously) Newfoundland-based home brewing club. The roast positions a bitter hop finish with chocolate and lighter, fruity finishes.

Ticats Lincoln Lager, Bench Creek Brewing

Tiger Cats beer Benchcreek Brewing
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Bench Creek Brewing is the new official sponsor of Hamilton’s Tiger-Cats football team. Like the tiger hopping out of Bench Creek’s black-and-orange can, the Ticats Lincoln Lager packs a punch with bright and crisp flavours. Noble German hops and hints of malt round out the flavour profile.

Chill Vibes Cold IPA, Lost Craft Brewing

Lost Craft Chill Vibes Beer
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When faced with the almost-scalding mid-July sun, a crisp brew is certainly in order. Lost Craft Brewing’s Chill Vibes brings together tropical essence and citrusy hops for a refreshing, fruity beverage.

Lemon Drop Pale Ale (Taproom Series No. 80), Broadhead Brewery

Lemon Drop Pale Ale Broadhead Brewing
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A classic summer vibe, Broadhead Brewery’s Lemon Drop Pale Ale tastes like the relaxation of towelling off at the beach. Sugarcoated citrus flavours like grapefruit and lime pair with earthier, grainy malt in this pale ale. The lemon aftertaste leaves a clean and light finish.

Beach Lemon Mandarin Radler, Strathcona Brewery

Lemon Drop Beach Radler Strathcona Brewery
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For fans of lighter beers, the Beach Lemon Radler from Strathcona Brewery offers a thirst-quenching sweetness — courtesy of mandarin juice and lemon peel. With a tart finish, the brew combines fruity freshness with bubbly beer to craft a classic beachside beverage.

Blood Well, Blood Brothers Brewing

Bloodwell craft beer from blood brothers brewing
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To celebrate the 11th anniversary of Get Well, an iconic Toronto bar and arcade, the Toronto-born brewery Blood Brothers has released Blood Well. A sultry mix of sweet and citrus, the smooth-finished brew is a refreshing addition to the craft brewery’s lineup.

Iceberg Lager, Quidi Vidi Brewery

Iceberg Lager, Quidi Vidi Brewery

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Does knowing that a beer is brewed with water from 20,000-year-old Newfoundland icebergs make it more refreshing? It sure doesn’t hurt the appeal of this crisp North American-style lager, which combines notes of toasted grain with a very smooth and dry finish.

Ball’s Falls Session IPA, Bench Creek Brewing

Ball's Falls Session IPA, Bench Creek Brewing

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Named after one of the Niagara Escarpment’s most famous cascades, this Beamsville brew evokes a picturesque waterfall with its pale golden hue and foamy head. Going down, it delivers juicy hop aromas of peach and citrus fruit, and finishes dry with a hint of cedar.

Diversity Helles Lager, Lost Craft Brewery

Diversity Helles Lager, Lost Craft Brewery

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This small-batch beauty is brewed using a traditional step-mash process that makes it medium-bodied yet satisfyingly dry at the finish. The tall can’s stylish artwork couldn’t get much more Torontonian, and 1 percent of Divercity sales support the Canada Centre of Diversity and Inclusion. Tastes good, looks good, and you can feel good about drinking it.

Southern Light, Hometown Brew Co.

Southern+Light+355mL+Can

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Hometown Brew Co.’s Southern Light is a sessionable Belgian ale brewed in Langton, Ontario. It’s got a malty sweet flavour, finishing with hints of American wheat. Hell, we’re ready to pour a glass of this golden treat right now.

Blueberry Blonde, Broadhead Brewing Company

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Broadhead Brew Co. brews its fruity Blueberry Blonde in Ottawa. The seasonal beer packs a mean berry punch. An ideal choice if you’re looking to bust out some left-field flavours at a Canada Day party.

Love Buzz Guava Lemon Sour, Strathcona Beer Company

Love Buzz Guava Lemon Sour, Strathcona Beer Company

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Strathcona is all about celebrating the diversity of its namesake Vancouver neighbourhood, and this Sour Ale provides a prime example of its mission. Brewed with generous quantities of guava puree, lemon juice and a hint of lactose, this eye-catcher is light in body, tart in finish, and lip-smacking all round.

KickSled Cream Ale, NWT Brewing Company

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One of Canada’s most northerly breweries is set in the heart of Yellowknife. The KickSled Cream Ale is an award-winning, sessionable beer with a creamy head. Its Canadian malt is crisp AF, and is ideal for a hot summer evening under the midnight sun.

Wheat Burst, Black Bridge Brewery

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Straight outta Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Black Bridge Brewery stays true to its roots with a Wheat Burst beer. Its hoppiness is sure to have your mouth watering and your taste buds tingling with fruity notes.

Working Class Hero Dark Mild, Riot Brewing Co.

2017-05-BMBC-6489

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If the radical can design doesn’t turn your head, the can’s contents will. Brewed in Chemainus, B.C., the subtle roasted malt flavour and deep amber colour of this World Beer Cup-winning oat soda will cool off every hard-working Canadian who tries it.

Nectarous Dry Hopped Sour, Four Winds Brewing Co.

Nectarous Dry Hopped Sour, Four Winds Brewing Co.

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Canada’s ”Beer of the year” in 2016 and winner of several silver and gold medals at the Canadian Brewing Awards, this product of Delta, B.C. balances sourness and complex acidity with tropical fruit esters en route to a clean, tart finish. Bring it to any Canada Day bash and behold as you blow everyone’s socks off.

Cole Harbour Red, North Brewing Company

Cole Harbour Red, North Brewing Company

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If Sidney Crosby has never tasted the Irish red ale named after his Nova Scotia hometown, the NHL legend is missing out. Its full-bodied hoppiness complements its toasty malt flavour beautifully, with a velvety finish that’s as smooth as Sid’s moves on the ice.

Kolschlaga, L’Espace Public

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Like many Canadian craft breweries, Montreal’s L’Espace Public is big on the double-fermentation technique. This blonde has light aromas of fruit and cereal, with pleasing pilsner malt attributes. Santé!

Greenwood IPA, Left Field Brewery

leftfield

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Left Field’s juicy flavours are sure to hit a home run in summer, with the pale-gold Greenwood IPA featuring a refreshing full body that goes into extra innings if need be. Pairs well with peanuts and Cracker Jacks — no joke!

Blower Pow India Pale Ale, Whitetooth Brewing

Blower Pow India Pale Ale, Whitetooth Brewing

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Made from premium Canadian barley malt and generously hopped in the Pacific Northwest style, this apres-ski favourite is just as satisfying on a sunny dock or patio. Brewed in sublimely scenic Golden, B.C., Blower Pow encourages drinkers to “shred, enjoy, repeat.”

Hatchet Blonde Ale, Big Axe Brewery

Hatchet Blonde Ale, Big Axe Brewery

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This moderately sweet and malty ale cuts through summer heat like the 55-tonne axe in the middle of Nackawic, New Brunswick, that gives this brewery its name. Far from being heavy, however, this brew made from local hops is refreshingly light and crisp.

Tall Ship Light, Garrison Brewing

Tall Ship Light, Garrison Brewing

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What do you get when you combine the beer basics of filtered water, Canadian barley malt, premium hops and yeast? In the case of Tall Ship Light, you get a crisp and clean 4 percent brew that pours pale yellow and finishes smooth and dry with a very mild hop aroma.

Folk Fest Lager, Little Brown Jug

Folk Fest Lager, Little Brown Jug

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Why is Winnipeg’s most famous annual event lending its name to this lager? The short answer: Because the beer pairs perfectly with music and sunshine. With subtle malt flavours and a crisp, clean finish, Folk Fest Lager is worthy of several encores.