If you drive West of Ottawa, and drive till there’s nothing, you could very well be in Ashton. With a scant population of 200, this idyllic village has a post office, two churches, an old convenience store, many a field, and the Old Mill Pub, featuring the Ashton Brewing Company – the very purpose of our jaunt. Although the banks of snow had melted a great deal, my mocking of the snowmobile directions found on their website came back around to slap me in the face. Four burly sleds were ripping down the road just as we pulled up.
Photo courtesy of the Old Mill at Ashton.
Entering the pub, fittingly once an olde grist mill, the warmness and coziness of the place instantly enveloped me. Thick wooden beams supported both the walls and the ceiling. Said beams were plastered with coasters and footy scarves and pint glass collectables. If there’s one thing I love about a classic pub, it’s the wide wooden chairs. I slid myself into one and took a look around. The place was packed. Rumour has it the patio is a big draw in the summer, and with an open stage on Sundays from 2-5, followed up by a Roast Beef Dinner complete with Yorkshire pudding, mashed potatos and veggies, there’s plenty of incentive for folks in the area to keep popping in.
The laidback feel of Ashton seeps through the pub. I’ve come with my girlfriend, two friends, and their two-year-old son. Within minutes we’re chatting with the table next to us.
Our table ordered up some classic pub grub: fish and chips, bangers and mash, and grilled salmon. I was hungry, and the portions were large, but there was nothing on the menu about which I will write home to Mother. I was actually quite surprised at lackluster quality in both the mash and the bangers. The bangers weren’t that banging and mashed kind of crashed before it going. Epicurean tastes are not mine; I love comfort food, and while nothing was awful, I was surprised the fare was not better considering the excellent quality of the beer.
We procured two samplers with everything available. On this particular trip, I was lucky to have my Czech pal on hand. Not only is he a chipper beer enthusiast, but is also a part-time brewer and provides a good round of knowledge alongside all the tilting and swigging. While the following critique of the pints can be attributed to each member at the table, excluding of course the two-year old, who, for the record, seemed completely content with his trucks and his chicken fingers, the score out of ten for each pint lay predominantly to the Czech, with the rest of us providing a bit of the sway.
Vanilla Stout – This beer was jubilantly embraced by the table with wrap-around arms, and a long, deep squeeze in the strain of the Motherly. It was rich, smooth and very creamy. Subtle hints of coffee poked through in the aftertaste as did a hint of bitter. A warm vanilla kiss that you’d gladly drive back home with capped it all off. “Delicious,” one said. “Hmmm, very,” said another. “Vrrrooom, vroom,” said the toddler.
Score: Strong 9
HopStravagnza – Everyone liked this beer, but everyone also found the name deceptive. Tasty, yes. Hoppy, no. It didn’t have any of that sourness you’d expect from a bitter. “Definitely not a handful of grass,” noted the Czech. “You can tell it wasn’t dry-hopped. That’s why it doesn’t have the initial punch most hop heavy beers do.” There was next to no nose on the beer, and while it was nice, it didn’t stand out in any particular way.
Score: Solid 6
Ashton Cream Ale – This was a classic cream: soft and buttery, nothing sticking out raggedy. It definitely gifted a slight fruit cuddle, and would be a worthy companion on the side of any lake, in any season. “Corn is usually added to cream beers to make them lighter,” said the Czech in the midst of simultaneously inserting a chip into his own mouth as well as his son’s, “but it doesn’t taste like they did with this one; you can really taste that wheat.” I’m personally a fan of cream beers, and enjoyed it thoroughly. The rest of the table wasn’t as excited.
Score: Light 7
Ashton Harvest Brown Ale – the second most popular. This was a smooth, tubby brown. It had touches of coffee and was a little bit nutty, but the real kicker was its crisp caramel aftertaste. “This is flat out very good,” said the Czech after a meaty pull. “Just lovely.” While it was high-ish on alcohol (6.0%), it was very well-blended. Not always easy to pull off.
Score: Solid 8
Ashton Amber Ale – Everyone got a stroke of something different after laying the lips to this Amber. We had citrus, cherry pie and passion fruit notes. It was deliciously crisp, and had that firm hop-slap on the top of the mouth that we’d been expecting from the HopStravaganza. This beer had a great tingle, and if it asked you to dance, it’d be hard to refuse. Very well-received.
Score: Strong 7, Light 8
Session Ale – What you might expect with most light beers (a horse-hair under 4%), this ale had sour touches of lemon and was easy on the palate. Though it was nothing special, a good-tasting light beer is always appreciated. You can picture the Session Ale in your hand on a hot summer’s day, kicking it porch styles or at a big summer festival. No pee scents here.
Score: 6
While the food at the Old Mill was quite underwhelming and also quite pricey, the atmosphere was welcoming and warm. For beers and a snack, it’s totally worth your time. Ashton beers can be purchased at Patty’s Pub and Quinn’s on Bank St., owned by the same folks as the Mill, and in a growing number of establishments across the city. You have to go to the source if you want to take home a growler, and it’s definitely worth the visit.
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