Six brand-new local beers to drink in March

March weather is bloody unpredictable—one day you’re sitting on a prematurely opened patio, and the next you’re shivering at a bus stop or scraping ice off your windshield. Here are three brews to warm you up for those “in like a lion” days, and three more to sip in the sun for those (hopefully) “out like a lamb” ones.

Snowy day beer

Rorschach Brewing’s Malevolent Benevolence

1001 Eastern Ave., 416-901-3233, rorschachbrewing.com

Rorschach Brewing’s series beers—seasonal brews with different pantry ingredients but the same base recipe—are the new east-end brewery’s tastiest beers yet. The Malevolent Benevolence series consists of three chewy, dark chocolate imperial stouts: a spiced mole stout, a nutty pecan stout, and a coconutty Hawaiian stout.

Pairing: Balance out the sweetness of these beers with how bitter you feel that it’s still so dang dreary out there.

Godspeed Brewery’s Mondainai

242 Coxwell Ave., 416-551-2282, godspeedbrewery.com

Luc “Bim” Lafontaine has a magic touch when it comes to subtlety and body in his beers, and this double IPA with notes of pine, grapefruit and sweet stone fruit, is no exception. The creamy texture and full body belies its 8.1 per cent ABV, so go easy on this one. Or don’t. We won’t judge. Available at the brewery and select bars.

Pairing: Another Mondainai. We know we said go easy on it, but these grey skies are soul-crushing, damn it.

Henderson Brewing’s Ides of February

128 Sterling Rd., 416-863-8822, hendersonbrewing.com

Every month, Henderson produces a one-off brew, and the Ides of February was a collaboration with home brewer Mike Vandervoort, the winner of last year’s Henderson Cup, an annual brew-off. Aromas of papaya and resin erupt from the glass of this hazy and grapefruity New England–style double IPA, and its bold bitterness is softened by a pillowy body.

Pairing: Dreams of tropical places where things like grapefruit and papaya grow.

Sunny Day Beer

Mascot’s Goldrush Sour

31 Mercer St., 416-979-0131, mascotbrewery.com

Mascot’s brewmaster Siobhann McPherson (Mill Street, Amsterdam, Burdock) is boss, and her latest sour ale is evidence of that. Fermented with souring yogurt, this kettle sour’s lactic funk is balanced by refreshing cucumber, tart pineapple and a tingle of ginger on the finish.

Pairing: Counteract the tartness with a sweet, sweet pair of shades.

Blood Brothers’ White Lies Riesling

165 Geary Ave., 647-628-6062, bloodbrothersbrewing.com

Oenophiles take note: the Brothers’ White Lies series is fermented with a wine for a dry, lightly fruity ale that has a tropical hop burst. The latest batch employs citrusy riesling and watermelony El Dorado hops.

Pairing: A light spring jacket and hope—hope that we have seen the last of snowy-day-beer days.

Flying Monkeys’ Live Transmission Milkshake IPA

107 Dunlop St. E., Barrie, 705-721-8989, flyingmonkeys.ca

This super-herbaceous IPA smells like a tropical garden, thanks to the healthy amount of citrus peels, juicy hops and coconut white tea it’s brewed with. It’s kooky, inventive and bound to be a crowd-pleaser. Available at various LCBO stores and the brewery.

Pairing: A seat on a patio (or balcony or porch or stoop or park bench).