Hops

Hops make a beer bitter and give it aroma, and both come from the same cones, just added at different points in the boil. Hop early, and you draw out bitterness; hop late or dry-hop cold, and you get aromas of citrus, grass, or flowers. Bitterness is measured in IBU, a scale for bitterness units.

Hops are only grown on a small scale in Ontario, though interest in local cultivation has grown in recent years. Many of the province's brewers, however, buy their hops from the world's major growing regions, whether from the Yakima Valley in the US or from Europe.

For a Pilsner like Steam Whistle Pilsner, classic European varieties are the model. Saaz hops from the Czech Republic have carried the protected designation of origin Žatecký chmel since 2007, and they smell spicy with a touch of floral character. They represent the delicate, spicy bitterness expected of a Pilsner, not the harsh edge some other varieties bring.

Muskoka Cream Ale, true to its style, needs little hopping. According to the BJCP, a Cream Ale sits at 8 to 20 IBU, meant to read as mild rather than bitter. An American lager falls in the same range. For beers where hops take center stage, this range isn't enough, those typically start above 40 IBU. Don't expect hop aroma on a Cream Ale label, it's simply not the point.