Review: 10W30 Dark Ale by Neustadt Springs

Founded in 1997, Neustadt Springs Brewery opened up in the same building of the much older Huether’s Brewery that closed in 1916 due to local population decline.

The 10W30 has been awarded a Silver Medal in the Beer World Cup (English style brown ale) 2004, as well as a Silver Medal in the 2004 Canadian Awards, and a Gold medal at the Mondial in Montreal 2008, and it definitely wins the award for best dark ale name. 

I discovered the 10W30 on tap in the local craft beer temples C’est What and The Rebel House back in the late 1990s, and it became my favourite dark ale at the time. Neustadt Springs is a classic English mild recipe which means little to no bitterness in tastes. 

When you pour into the glass, the 10W30 is a dark brown, but it’s not an opaque colour like a Porter or Stout. This is very much in the same family as Black Oak Nut Brown and Left Field Oat Brown ales in appearance. 

The 10W30 is a malt forward beer, and right off the top I am getting some chocolate and a bit of caramel along with some oats and grains. New Zealand Hops are there to keep the 10w30 from being too sweet.

The ABV clocks in at 5.5% which is standard for an English brown ale recipe.  As per Neustadt, this goes great with stews and any other comfort food you want to fix up when the weather turns cold and nasty. 

The 10W30 is a fine dark ale, as I often tell friends – malty enough you can chew, and a classic beer for those just starting to explore this style of beer.

You can find it on tap at The Rebel House in Toronto and a few other establishments in the city. In terms of availability, you can find the 10W30 in 473ml cans at select LCBO locations, as well as at the Brewery in Neustadt, Ontario. 

• Style: Brown Ale
• ABV: 5.5%
• Taste: Malt, traditional English ale
• Rating: 4.3/5
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Bill Smith

Bill Smith is a storyteller, writer, blogger, photography geek, ski bum, explorer and outdoors enthusiast. He has been seen in Toronto, Oakville and off the beaten path. Favourite beers include well-brewed IPAs, brown ales, porters and pale ales.

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