Radler Season

If you're a craft brewery and are in the process of creating your first radler, and you haven't yet come up with a name, I have two words for you.

Sabre Radler.

You're welcome.

I performed a search of this name on Untappd, and it doesn't exist. For me, it was a no-brainer: a clean-tasting, beer and citrus fruit beverage that cuts through your thirst. If you do decide to use the name, all I expect in return is to be one of the first that gets to try it. Okay?

I first tried a radler last fall, and I really liked the sweet grapefruit flavours. I shared it with my wife, who isn't a big beer fan, and she was hooked. She drinks them fairly often now, and, to help her, I have sought out different brands and styles, hoping that she would settle on a favourite.

And, for me, not being able to resist a taste test, was all over the radlers that are available at the LCBO.

I chose five radlers: two that are European and three that are from Ontario, one of them being from right here in Ottawa. And I was pleasantly surprised that they each had a distinct characteristic.

Let's examine them in the order in which I drank them.

Stiegl Salzburger Grapefruit Radler (2.5% ABV)
Stieglbrauerei Zu Salzberg
Salzberg, Austria

Appearance: a murky orange-grapefruit yellow with a fizzy white head that settles quickly to nothing. It looks exactly like a sparkling grapefruit juice.

Nose: candied grapefruit.

Palate: it tastes exactly like a sparkling grapefruit juice. Highly effervescent, there is no trace of alcohol—I could drink this radler for breakfast. It's sweet, but not cloyingly so. It's fresh and delightful.

Overall impression: working in the garden on a hot day, I would prefer to drink this beverage over an ice-cold glass of lemonade. My 14-year-old daughter took a sip from my glass, as we sat on our front porch (the prefect place to enjoy this radler), and she loved it.

I told her that if she was ever going to raid my beer cellar, that she should take one of these over one of my stored ales. At 2.5% alcohol, she would never get wasted.

(I am in no way promoting under-aged drinking, and I made that clear to her.)

Beer O'Clock rating: 4.5

Radler—Flavoured Light Beer (3% ABV)
Kichesippi Beer Company
Ottawa ON

Appearance: unfiltered orange-yellow, with lots of effervescence, a bubbly, white foam head that vanishes quickly.

Nose: pear and applesauce.

Palate: your tastebuds are immediately met with barley and a light, candied orange-grapefruit, with a beer flavour that is reminiscent of a pale ale. There is a light finish with barley overtones.

Overall impression: I like that you can actually taste the beer and that the sweetness is at a minimum, but the fruit tastes artificial—grapefruit soda and concentrated grapefruit, plus added flavour, do not seem natural for this special beverage.

I think that the connection between the invention of the radler and the Ottawa Bicycle Club, as written on the side of the can, is a huge stretch, but hey, I'd welcome a cold radler like this after a long bike ride (and, being a member of that bike club, I appreciated the shout out).

Beer O'Clock rating: 2.5

Sweetwater Squeeze Blood Orange Radler (3.8% ABV)
Amsterdam Brewery
Toronto, ON

Appearance: pinkish orange juice with soda water and a white head that vanished as soon as it was poured. Effervescent on the pour but settles right down in minutes.

Nose: oranges and a slightly grass and malty aroma.

Palate: grassy ale with orange on the finish. A malty body—you can clearly taste the beer, and there is a touch of yeast in the mouth.

Overall impression: if you want beer to stand out from the fruit juice, this is a good choice.

Made with home-made soda and blood orange juice, this radler is a nice variation and a good summer thirst-quencher.

Beer O'Clock rating: 3.5

Schöfferhofer Grapefruit Wheat Beer Mix (2.5% ABV)
Schöfferhofer Welzenbier GmbH
Frankfurt, Germany

Appearance: apricot-pink grapefruit with a foamy-white head that leaves a thin lace around the miniscus.

Nose: ruby-red grapefruit.

Palate: intense grapefruit. Sweet, but not cloying, like a sparkling grapefruit soda. A bit of tartness comes out in the finish.

Overall impression: refreshing as a soda but hard to imagine as a form of beer, as there is neither an ale flavour nor a detection of any alcohol.

I would happily take this radler over a lemonade when I'm working in the garden on a hot summer day. It figures that the Germans, who invented the radler, would know how to perfect it.

Beer O'Clock rating: 4

Waterloo Grapefruit Radler (3.1% ABV)
Waterloo Brewing Company
Kitchener, ON

Appearance: unfiltered, deep gold. Effervescent (moreso than the other five radlers) with a white foam that vanishes immediately.

Nose: candied grapefruit.

Palate: sweet grapefruit soda—possibly the sweetest of the bunch. Clean and refreshing, with no discernible beer flavour.

Overall impression: again, this radler is a good substitute for lemonade. I say that a lot because lemonade has been my go-to beverage when I'm working up a sweat, mowing the lawn or pulling weeds. But I think that this summer, I'll keep radlers in the fridge to have when I work up a sweat on my property.

Beer O'Clock rating: 3.5

So, which of the radlers did I like the most?

I did like them all, and I did like how they were all distinct. From a not-so sweet Austrian radler, to a strong barley ale flavour; from a well-balanced, beer-fruit beverage, to a fruit soda. They all have qualities that I like, but if I'm going to stock my fridge over the summer, I think I'd lean more toward the Stiegl radler as a not-so sweet thirst-quencher. I also liked the Amsterdam radler for its unique blood-orange blend and its ale flavours. And I did like the Schöfferhofer as an alternative to lemonade or soda.

If you haven't had a radler, make it something that you do this summer.

And keep your eye out for a Sabre Radler. You'll know who suggested the name. Cheers!

Where Are The Raspberries?

Cycling the rural environs of this city, I have seen the farmers tilling their soil, getting in the crops. Usually, by this time, the raspberry bushes are full, the branches becoming heavy with the red berries that I love so much. But this year, I haven't seen a single raspberry field, have not read any signs by the side of the road, offering lush baskets.

Either the raspberry season is late, or it's not coming at all.

Luckily, the folks at Amsterdam Brewery are making up for the shortfall.

With their blend of Belgian wheat malts and a healthy dose of raspberries, one of my favourite Ontario breweries has produced a flavourful seasonal beer. Here's my review:

Framboise (6.5% ABV)
Amsterdam Brewery
Toronto, ON

Appearance: red amber with a foamy, pale-pink head that settles to a solid cap.

Nose: intense raspberries and light malt.

Palate: slightly sour raspberries that are reminiscent of a raspberry yogurt drink. A fruity finish with hints of lime. Not sweet at all.

Overall impression: if you love raspberries, and I do, this is a great ale to enjoy outside, on a warm spring day. And, because it's a seasonal, you won't get tired of it--you'll look forward to next year when it comes back.

However, as good as this fruit beer is, it's not something that I felt I could drink a lot of. It was sort of like drinking a fruit smoothie (with alcohol). One was good, but I couldn't have a second bottle (650 ml is plenty). Not in one sitting.

If you love raspberry, this ale is definitely one to have. Especially this year, when this may be your only way to get your raspberry fix.

Beer O'Clock rating: 3.5

Cheers!

Tempest in a Beer Bottle

The first time I tried Tempest Imperial Stout, more than a year ago, I thought it was a boozy ale that was overpowering in flavour. When I saw that there was a year added to the label, I figured that it was meant to be laid down, not consumed right away. Because I had purchased two bottles, that's exactly what I did. I figured that this strong stout needed some time to settle down.
I was right.

Tempest Imperial Stout, 2013 (9% ABV)
Amsterdam Brewing Company
Toronto ON

Appearance: dark walnut with a taupe head that quickly settles to a dense lace or thin cap.

Nose: licorice and prunes.

Palate: burnt malt and charred wood; coffee and alcohol come through in the finish.

Overall impression: this stormy brew still packs a punch and still needs more time to settle down. The flavours come together and make its name appropriate—this is a tempest, for sure.

But I enjoyed it more than I remember from my first bottle, and I only wish I had another 2013 to store in my beer/wine cellar. I think 2018 would be a good year to try it again.

If you have any, hang onto it, unless you like intense, unbridled flavours and strong alcohol.

Beer O'Clock rating: 3.5 

Cheers!

Late Harvest Ale

Though the snow has fallen in Ottawa, it's still officially autumn. And though the harvest is in, we're still reaping the benefits of that harvest.

In ale.

Autumn Hop Harvest Ale (5.6% ABV)
Amsterdam Brewing Company
Toronto ON
Beer O'Clock rating: 4

Appearance: a pale amber with a creamy, off-white head that settles to a thin cap.

Nose: tangerine, pink grapefruit, and hops.

Palate: bitter orange rind and grapefruit, with significant hops that give lots of flavour but do not overpower the other flavours in the beer. There's a lovely, full finish.

Overall impression: this is a great ale to quaff on a cold day. I rewarded myself with a pint of Autumn Hop after shovelling my driveway for the second time, after the snowplow came through my street. It is flavourful from start to finish and is perfectly balanced.

I enjoy the beers that Amsterdam Brewery produces. I've had their Boneshaker IPA many times, though I've never reviewed it. I first enjoyed the Autumn Hop a few weeks ago, when I hosted a tweetup at D'Arcy McGee's, on Sparks Street. I enjoyed it so much that I was hoping to find more of it to review.

If you live in Ottawa, a pub like D'Arcy's is a good place to enjoy a pint of this harvest ale. Otherwise, you can still find it in the LCBO.

Go ahead: enjoy a late harvest.

Cheers!