www.hive.blog/hive-187719/@detlev/beersaturday-471

The best drinking crew on the planet has passed 9 years straight of #beersaturday weekends! Whether you have been with us since the start or just joining now, you are welcome to join @detlev and the gang with your post about beer at hive.blog/@detlev/beersaturday-472 | peakd.com/@detlev/beersaturday-472 | Have you tried New Hive yet? https://new.hive.blog/hive-187719/@detlev/beersaturday-472

I am taking a break from a summer of adventure to bring you with me on a tour of Slake Brewery for week 472.

First, the Pint of the Week! I certainly have been gathering no moss as far as my visits to breweries this summer. Ths fine specimen is a west coat IPA from [Broken Rail Brewing](www.brokenrail.ca) that was gleefully consumed during a networking event....which is always better with beer. West coast IPAs were strongly taken over in popul;arity and availability by the east coast variety a few years ago. So great to see craft breweries producing them again and I am really enjoying rediscoveringh my love for the more bitter, piney and malty variety.

Cheers to West Coast IPA revival!!

# Slake Brewing!

Brewmaster and I recently embarked on a voyage into Prince Edward County to tour the wonderful selection of independent craft breweries across the region. One place he had been to but I had never heard of was [Slake Brewing](https://slakebrewing.com/) He is not a big fan of IPAs but said they have good beer all around I was going to LOVE their IPA game. That's endorsement enough for me!

They are advertised as a brewery on a farm in the middle of Prince Edward County and they were not kidding. The drive was like a Canadian safari through backroads and up winding dirt lane ways.

We eventually made it up the hill to discover this modern looking facility. Apparently the big white grain container is newly installed and an encouraging sign that they are doing well and expanding.

Inside, the tap room is rich with natural licht, spacious and artistically decorates with whimzical design. 10 taps on the wall is all the decoration I need to see!

The designs are reflected in their cans too as they boast a wide variety of styles and simple line drawing branding. Sours, pilnsers, ambers, lagers and of course numerous IPAs to thrill my obsessed palate.

We were only starting out the day so I opted to avoid the double IPA to begin. Instead, I selected the [Hatch Pale Ale](https://slakebrewing.com/collections/featured-beers/products/hatch) Described on their website as *loaded with bright citrus and a touch of pine, soft-bodied and balanced with a low bitterness. It packs in the hop flavour and aroma you'd expect from an IPA, but at just 5.2% ABV. You'll like it.* Man were they right!

Sometimes, a pale ale can be all the things I love about an IPA but not nearly enough of them to be great. This one only weighs in at 5.2% ABV but has all the haze, taste and body of a full on IPA. Refreshing but not watery. Full body without the heavy hops and alcohol. You even get the feel of the scenery with the backdrop on this pint where you can see for miles.

A little early for me but I gotta give them the coveted seal of approval for this absolutely solid beer. Will buy again, especially for summer activities, if I see it on the shelves this many hours from the brewery!

While enjoying Hatch, I settled in with the menu to see what I might sample next. A pleasing array of IPA and plenty of other styles to tempt me as well.

As I was deep in thought and deliberation, the fella behind the bar asked where we were from, and what we were interested in next. After I explained that I am IPA obsessed and really looking to discover them all, he volunteered to pour me a sample of each! Normally I would buy a flight but they didn't seem to be something they ofered. Instead, he brought a selection of 4 for me to sample free of charge! Nice!

After sampling the Coast, West Lake, Wink and one other, I opted for this West Lake collab with [Wills Brewery](https://www.wills.beer/) out of Montreal Quebec!

Neat to see collaborations between breweries and apparently, Slake has ties with la belle province with 2 french collabs available today. Hazy, smooth but full bodies and delicious 6.5% ABV IPA! Man I might never leave!

You know what soaks up a couple hazy ones in the afternoon? How about 4 handmade tacos produced right on site!? These were messy but so good though not inexpensive. The closer 2 were fashioned after the Big Mac with the toppings and sauce. Highly recommend you grab some tacos if you visit this place!

that about wraps up the first stop on our 5-brewery tour this day! Brewmaster was bang on with his proclaimation that I was gonna love this place. I took several home in cans for my fridge at home. They did not last long and were pretty much as fantastic as they were fresh from the tap.

Tune in next week when I feature one of the next stops on this epic beery tour through rural beach and farm country.

#BEERSaturday!

Here's to enjoying wheat smoothies for the rest of our days!

Now it is time for you to join me, @detlev , and these other beerologists because as there is always room for more beer bloggers at the Beer Saturday gathering. Whether you perfer the Hive Blog front end or using @peakd, your links are hive.blog/@detlev/beersaturday-472 | peakd.com/@detlev/beersaturday-472 to @detlev's post this week and I would encourage you to create a beer post of your own to join the fun. As many hops as you can handle!

 # Which of these would you sample if you were here with me?