Haven Brewing Company — Restaurant in Peterborough

Update: After revisiting Haven, my convictions have been strengthened; the traditional brews (the Haven line) are exquisite, while the stronger and more experimental Havok line is exceptional. This is the rare brewery that marries tradition with experimentation. Five stars!!

The Haven Brewing Co. in Peterborough is one of the town's treasures.

The brewery specializes in Belgian, German, and Czech beers, which, at the moment, is rare in Ontario.

When conversing with the brewer, it is immediately apparent that he takes justifiably deep pride in his craft, and is passionate about using feedback.

Take for example the Havok series of bottled beers, which are double fermented. That means a second addition of yeast at bottling time, which adds extra carbonation and reduces the sweetness of the beer.

The Belgian Ale is an exuberant ode to traditional beer with a creative flourish: The crispness of the finish is pure tradition, while the fizz of the finish is both surprising, yet perfectly in tune with the personality of the beer.

The Belgian Blond Ale has a wonderful golden wheat colour and scent; while the Crabby Abbey, a Belgian farmhouse ale, is a light sour -- tart enough to earn the title, but not tongue-tinglingly so.

The German contingent, consisting of a Dunkel, a Marzen, and a Schwarzbier cover the darker colours of the beer spectrum.

Subtle flavours and fragrances characterise both the dark wheat beers: The roasted notes float unobtrusively among the wheat flavours, making each sip a pleasurable exercise in catching and cataloguing the elusive flavours.

The Amber ale, with its gorgeous golden-red colour has a correspondingly malty flavour. Though, once again, in keeping with the character of the brewery, the flavours are subtle, and reward the drinker that mindfully caresses each sip.

Haven Brewing Co: Enjoy the artfully produced simple...

Hi there! My Girlfriend(who doesn't partake in beer) picked up a couple of beers for me-thought I might like it-2 bottles: Smithavens-a Kellerbier and a Dunkelweizen.I was very impressed with both. The place it was purchased was at a Farm Boy-I was there next time and purchased 2 of each. Next time I purchased 4-This time I bought 6 of each. As a former homebrewer,striving for perfection, I tip my hat to you folks-Youv'e nailed it-so very tasty-full body-AND a bottle with a crown cap! I will be looking for more as of now, t's a favorite. Thanks.

Steve...

What a great discovery. We were welcomed by super friendly staff and treated exceptionally well. We came in with seven people and our dog was allowed in, too. They even have her a treat!

We sampled all 7 beers in tap and ordered a tasting plate of delicious BBQ as well. The beer complimented the food and made for a great stop on our late afternoon journey to the cottage.

I took home a few bottles so I could continue...