Delivering a myriad of hazy IPAs and crispy lagers, (as well as a sprinkling of stouts and sour offerings), Gatineau’s new kid on the block Microbrasserie 5e baron has been pumping out can after can of fantastic and ever-improving offerings since they opened – just after the start of this terrible worldwide pandemic.

Even though I’d been producing lots of social media content, it had been quite some time since I wrote an actual blog post. Working from home has blessed me with more time, but with two young kids, that time is entirely devoted to them.

With that said, I felt like I really needed to get something out about 5e Baron who I’ve been following and subsequently adoring since pretty much day one. Co-owner Jacob Barrette is an old friend who worked as a graphic designer prior to shifting to the beer scene – something you can clearly tell from their phenomenal branding.

I actually started interacting with him years ago when he designed a new Beerism logo for fun. At the time I had just redone my brand, so I wasn’t able to take advantage of his amazing work. That said, I recently wanted a change, so I reached out to see if I could still use it. Not only did Jacob agree, he also suggested we do a 5e Baron sponsored Beerism re-launch, with some Beerism glassware and a collaborative beer. I was in!

5e Baron’s approach is somewhat similar to several up-and-coming Quebec breweries, which pull from the popular contemporary American model of delivering a constant stream of New England IPA’s – there have been new releases happening almost weekly at this point. However, unlike other examples – like the haze-lords behind Messorem Bracitorium or Brasserie du Bas-Canada – 5e Baron has been releasing a wider range of lagers, sours, and stouts with most of their releases. It’s a slightly more rounded approach while being in the same wheelhouse by still concentrating heavily on the almighty hazy NEIPA.

Hopism!

Which brings me to our collaboration! We decided on a robust NEIPA at 7% ABV with a dual-hop combo of Galaxy and Nelson Sauvin. It’s aptly named “Hopism”. I just love the bright intensity that this hop combination brings to a solid NEIPA, and I’m confident that 5e Baron will nail it. I will obviously provide detailed tasting notes once I get my hands on it. It gets released this Thursday, November 12th 2020. It’s a 5e Baron brewery-only release at the moment.

The Beerism Glass!

Let’s talk a bit about the brand new Beerism glass. As I was mentioning above, we have created the very first Beerism branded glassware in conjunction with 5e Baron.

Why did I choose this particular design?

At the end of the day you can use any glass you want to enjoy a beer. You don’t need a fancy Teku or a big snifter. However, drinking the right beer in the right glass changes the experience, and in certain circumstances can either enhance the flavour profile or alter your perceptions. For me personally, as much as I love stemmed glassware, the tactile feeling of grasping the whole beer in your hand versus holding a stem creates a more visceral experience – which from my perspective is what beer is all about. I wanted something that bridges the gap between the two –  a shaker has an inefficient design to handle more refined beers while drinking a light lager from a large wine glass feels odd. The Beerism glass is a large stemless wine glass that marries accessibility and function, allowing you to equally drink a bourbon barrel-aged Imperial stout or a crushable lager.

At the moment this glass is only available on-site at the 5e Baron brewery at 14$.

I’m so in love with the new Beerism logo, the new site, the glass, and I can’t wait to taste this beer!