I know, I know. Long time, no review. Do you even remember this blog?
It's not that I haven't been trying new beer over the past few months: I have. I've taken notes. I've photographed the evidence.
It's just that at the end of the day, I never found the time to give the attention to this blog that it deserves. I've also thought more about video reviews and how I can reduce the review to a five-minute maximum, and in the coming months I'll create something new.
And now that most of the snow has disappeared and flowers are just beginning to spring up, my thoughts are turning to beers that make me want to enjoy the outdoors—on a patio, on my front step, or at a festival.
One beer that I found in my local LCBO that piqued my curiosity was one by St.Thomas brewery, Railway City. These are the guys who bring you a great pale ale, Dead Elephant, as well as other treasures such as The Witty Traveller and Black Coal Stout, and seasonals, such as their maple bock. This new offering is an India Session Lager.
I'm familiar with India Session Ales, which started popping up a couple of years ago, where they were hop-forward but low in alcohol. I was curious how this style would translate to a lager.
Express India Session Ale (4.8% ABV)
Railway City Brewing Company
St. Thomas, ON
Appearance: a clear, pale amber-gold hue, topped with a foamy, white head that creates a thin cap that transitions to a dense lace.
Nose: intense orange and pink grapefruit that hints at a candied bouquet. It's beautiful and makes you want to pause and appreciate the craftmanship. Beautiful!
Palate: while the nose has you anticipate solid hops in the mouth, the malt and fruit hit the taste buds first. The malt is light; the fruit, clean and refreshing. The hops only make their appearance as a refreshing finish that cleanses the palate, rather than exhibit a bitterness.
Overall impression: flavourful and easy-drinking, Express is a lager that would be welcome as a refreshing brew on a hot summer day. I'm glad that Railway City has made this ISL a part of their regular lineup.
Beer O'Clock rating: 4
Cheers!
No, this isn't another STAR TREK-themed beer.
This lager is named in homage to an old lighthouse that signaled a port along the north shore of Lake Ontario, in the town of Oakville. And like that 1836 beacon, this can caught my eyes and drew me in.
Captain's Log Lager (5% ABV)
Cameron's Brewing
Oakville, ON
Appearance: clear, bright gold with a fizzy white head the disappeared like a ship in a fog. (Quickly.)
Nose: like a ship that secures its cargo, this lager had a tightly closed nose that did not offer up its secrets. Over time, I could only get faint hints of grass and barley, but not much else.
Palate: clean malt and a light body that made this lager sail smoothly down my throat. It's very easy to drink in any situation—those with a taste for easy-drinking beer will enjoy this lager. But for me, I would have liked to have had more flavour—full steam ahead, as it were.
Overall impression: this is such a simple lager that should appeal to all palates. It's unassertive, clean, and refreshing. A captain's log would be straightforward, without any rough seas.
Captain's Log is smooth sailing all the way.
Beer O'Clock rating: 2.5
Cheers!
In today's explosion of craft breweries, it's increasingly important to create a brew that stands out above the rest. As I have written before, in the fight for shelf space at The Beer Store or the LCBO, a beer must be packaged in a way that draws a shopper's eye to it and that the style of beer is clearly laid out, so that the consumer knows what she or he is buying.
Above all else, in order to bring that beer lover back and to establish itself firmly in the market, that brew must be a product with solid, consistent quality.
I first visited Whiprsnapr Brewing Company during its grand opening, in the fall of 2014. It's humble production facility and tasting shop, in the industrial park in Bells Corners, was packed with eager aficionados, anxious to try Ottawa's newest brewery. I was impressed with their lineup of ales and lagers, of their sitting areas, of their merchandise—I picked up a t-shirt of their flagship brew, Root of Evil, with the word evil placed inside the mathematical square-root sign, even though, for that grand opening, that flagship product wasn't available. A problem during production, I was told, one that would be fixed in the next batch, which would be available in the next couple of weeks. I did sample everything else that was on tap and even took a couple of mini growlers home, fully intending to review them all.
I never reviewed them. When I got home and had poured the beer into my own glasses, I noticed that the beer didn't quite taste like I remembered them in the brewery. I looked at my quickly scribbled tasting notes to see if I missed something, but I hadn't. My notes from the taps at the grand opening did not match my notes from the growlers.
There wasn't anything wrong with the beer: it just didn't seem consistent.
I chose to put off a review for the time being. I would wait until my taste buds had begun to forget what they had sensed (I never completely forget the taste of a beer) and try again. Besides, I really wanted to review the beer whose name emblazoned the t-shirt I had.
And then I went on a hiatus of more than four months, where I wasn't reviewing any beer. I was still drinking it, still writing notes, but I wasn't sharing my impressions. It was just me, enjoying my pints.
Whiprsnapr, by then, was just another of the many breweries I had known, and had moved on. I still always meant to try Root of Evil, but I was also coming to a point where I was reluctant to buy growlers because of my inability to return them. To this day, I'm sitting on a small fortune of empty jugs from almost every Ottawa brewery, including the growlers I bought at Whiprsnapr's grand opening.
It wasn't until the brewery was putting their product into cans, where they sold at the LCBO. A couple of months ago, I saw black cans with evil inside the square-root sign, and I knew it was the time to give this lager a try. I picked up a couple of cans and brought them home.
When I opened the first can, I wore my Whiprsnapr t-shirt. I planned to take a photo of myself, in that shirt, sipping a glass of the yellow-gold beverage.
After my first sip, I knew something was wrong: I detected distinct tones of buttered popcorn, which is often a sign of a flaw in the beer. Perhaps it was a bad can—it happens from time to time and is the main reason that I always buy at least two of every beer I bring home. I poured out the can and reached for the second one.
The buttered popcorn was still there, but I also noticed that the second can didn't taste like the first one, either. Many similarities, but not the same and neither of them good. That's how they made it, I told myself as I dumped the second can.
I don't like to write bad reviews, especially of local brewers. I have met the founder and brewer, Ian McMartin, a couple of times, had actually cycled with him before he opened his brewery. He was a good guy, loved the outdoors, and was passionate about beer.
After tossing out the two cans, I sent a tweet, warning that I had a review for Whiprsnapr, and that it would be "evil." Ian responded right away, asking me what was wrong. I told him what I had detected in my beer and he admitted that he had let out a batch that had problems, but they were brewing a new batch, and were even altering the recipe a bit. He'd have this batch in a couple of weeks.
I told him that I would hold off on my review until the new batch was ready, when I would come to the brewery and pick up the cans from him.
In the brewery, Ian poured me a sample from the tap. It was cold, clean, and refreshing, and I found nothing out of sorts with a lager. Ian gave me my replacement cans, and I was on my way, ready to give this brew its due respect.
As soon as I was home, I pulled out my best glass, set up my camera, and shot the beer on my front porch. It looked good. It smelled good.
I didn't like the taste.
Maybe it was me. Maybe I had built up the beer in my head and had unrealistic expectations.
I poured the rest of the glass down the drain and placed the second can in the fridge. I would take a break, drop any preconceived notions, and treat the next can like I've never had this beer before.
A couple of weeks later, in the LCBO, I saw another can of beer by Whiprsnapr. I had had this beer—an IPA—at the grand opening and from one of the growlers that I had brought home. I remembered liking it, so I thought that I would review this ale with the second can of lager that sat in my fridge. I would take a look at these two offerings in a single review, see which I preferred.
I opened the lager first. Here's my official review:
Root of Evil Prohibition Lager (4.5% ABV)
Whiprsnapr Brewing Company
Ottawa, ON
Appearance: deep gold with a white, foamy head that quickly settles to a dense lace. The clear liquid dances with the tiny pearls that rise to the surface.
Nose: buttered popcorn and dry grass. For me, it's okay if a beer smells like popcorn, as long as it doesn't taste like it.
Palate: good, toasted malt with a little bit of hops on the finish, mixed with flavours of creamed corn.
Overall impression: Root of Evil is brewed with corn as a main ingredient, so it's no surprise that I pick it up on the nose and in the mouth. But I don't think I'm a fan of that grain in my beer. For me, it seems a little pedestrian. That said, the lager was well-balanced, with the malts leading the charge and the hops right behind it.
It's not a bad lager; indeed, it's a far step up from any mass-produced lager and would most likely be a welcome change from those who drink Labatt's. But for me, in a time when so many microbreweries are fighting to be the leader, I can't get around the inconsistencies I've tasted with this beer.
For me, inconsistency is the root of evil.
Beer O'Clock rating: 2
How did their IPA fare? Let's see...
Inukshuk Canadian IPA (5.5% ABV)
Appearance: burnt orange with red highlights. A foamy, beige head that settles to a thin cap. I found the colour to be gorgeous.
Nose: orange peel and a touch of pine. There are the classic notes of an IPA but with a Canadian flair.
Palate: orange rind and sharp hops, plus a bit of malt on the tongue. There was also a tinge of grassiness that didn't quite seem in step with a traditional IPA.
Overall impression: this is a pretty good IPA that is easy enough to drink, even while sitting outside on a hot, muggy, mid-30°C afternoon. While I didn't find all the flavours fit into my idea of an India Pale Ale, the can clearly reads Canadian IPA, and I think Ian came through on a local take on one of my favourite styles.
Beer O'Clock rating: 3
While I still like my t-shirt, I think I'll pass on any more of this lager. As much as I like the brewer, I can't trust what I'll get in the can. But I would drink Inukshuk again. It's an ale that speaks to my outdoor Canadian self.
Cheers!
When you're always on the lookout for new flavours in craft beer, it's easy to forget that there are folks who just want something simple, something familiar. There are those who don't want to get fancy, who don't want brewers to get experimental or artsy-fartsy.
I respect the folks who know what they like and don't want to change. And there are some craft brewers who are catering to those tried-and-true methods to give those people what they want.
Enter a small Ontario town along the St.Lawrence River, Gananoque (pronounced "gan-ann-awk-way"), not far from Kingston, and its brewery of the same name. This brewery, which started up in 2011, makes a lager that everyone can enjoy.
Full disclosure: I am personally not a fan of lagers, but I can still drink one and appreciate it for what it is. My personal rating for this beer has been put aside and I have delivered a Beer O'Clock rating that I feel closely relates to what a lager-lover would rate this beer.
My tasting notes are my tasting notes, exactly as I tried the brew.
Naughty Otter Lager (5.2% ABV)
Gananoque Brewing Co.
Gananoque ON
Appearance: deep gold with a white head that settles to a fine lace.
Nose: grass, light citrus, and mild yeast.
Palate: a slight caramel or corn syrup flavour, mixed with light lemongrass. It has a well-balanced feeling in the mouth and leaves a medium finish.
Overall impression: I was reminded of an elevated Molson or Labatt product--if Blue or Canadian are your go-to beers, but you want to branch out into craft beer, this is definitely one to consider. It has mainstream flavours but with a bit more bite. It's exactly what I expect from a lager, so if a lager is your beer, this one should satisfy your thirst.
Would I try another brew from Gananoque? Absolutely. They can kick mainstream up a notch, and if they can deliver on a lager, I'm anxious to see what they can do with an IPA.
Beer O'Clock rating: 3.5
Cheers!
Last month, when I was reviewing radlers, I always imagined these fruity, low-alcohol beers being served on sunny pub patios, umbrellas shading the sun-glasses-clad, beautiful people who were enjoying the heat of the day.
I almost exclusively sipped these cold, refreshing brews on my patio, taking refuge in shade, admiring the shimmering sunlight coming through my neighbour's small-leafed tree; sometimes, watching the glowing sky of the setting sun.
Radlers are for summer.
There's a new radler that I tried this week: nowhere on the can is the word radler written on it, but there's no doubt that this is exactly what it is. It's name does not make me think of summer patios: rather, it makes me think of beaches, at sunset, with a bonfire burning on the shoreline, women in bikinis and men in swim shorts, playing volleyball or singing along with someone who is strumming an acoustic guitar, another paddling a percussion instrument that goes by the name of this beverage.
Bongo Grapefruit Ginger Lager (2.9% ABV)
Big Rig Brewery
Ottawa ON
Appearance: a murky, pinkish-orange, like ruby-red grapefruit juice, with a foamy, white head that settles to an effervescent lace and a lingering collar.
Nose: candied citrus with barley overtones.
Palate: sweet, sparkling grapefruit juice with distinct barley flavour. Although ginger is used, it's not discernible in the mouth: only after you're more than halfway through your glass can you taste a trace of ginger in the throat. This fruit-flavoured lager, with its barley flavour, actually tastes like a beer. There is a good, well-balanced finish.
Overall impression: this is a really good radler (yes, I'm going to insist on calling it what it is). There is a sweetness, but it's subtle and is no sweeter than my favourite radler, Stiegl. I like the barley, which lets you know that you are drinking a beer, not a summer pop.
Big Rig hasn't been one of my favourite breweries, as I find it to be hit-and-miss, with more misses than hits, and with hits that seem to come rarely. Bongo, fortunately, is a solid hit. Of the radlers that I've enjoyed this summer, this one comes a very close second.
Unfortunately, if you live outside Ottawa, Bongo is out of your reach: it's only available at Big Rig, which is a shame because it's perfectly packaged for transport, with its shiny copper-and-black cans.
Brewmaster Lon Ladell told me that he's hoping to get them in the LCBO for next summer, and if it does get there, you would do yourself a favour to grab it.
And then, hit the beach.
Beer O'Clock rating: 4
Cheers!
One of the consequences of reviewing beer at home is that I don't have anyone with which I can share the experiences. My wife doesn't mind beer but she's not a lover like I am, and while she will sometimes partake of the beer I'm reviewing, she will take hours to finish a glass of beer, if she finishes it at all.
She prefers wine (we took the sommelier course together at Algonquin College).
This weekend, however, I found a sampler pack that the two of us could share and enjoy, and Lori actually helped perform reviews. You see, as much as she would rather review wine, she enjoys cider. And, for the holidays, one brewery produced a pack of both beer and cider.
Waterloo Brewing Company (aka Brick Brewing), which is a partner of Seagram, has released a holiday pack that includes three cans of beer and three ciders: something for everyone.
Because Lori doesn't drink beer, she was unfamiliar with my format for reviewing. I told her to review the cider the same way she used to review wine, and all would be well. I explained how the rating system worked (you can see it in the right-hand column) and to give it a point rating based on how she felt about the beer overall.
Over the course of the weekend, we each drank our beverages and made our notes. I then compiled them and here they are for you.
Waterloo Authentic Amber (6.8% ABV)
Waterloo Brewing Company
Kitchener ON
Beer O'Clock rating: 3
Appearance: pours a clear, rich, reddish amber with a foamy beige head that lingers.
Nose: grassy malt and light, citrus hops.
Palate: caramel and malt, with light coffee. The alcohol comes out in the finish but is nicely balanced.
Overall impression: this is a good lager, overall. Good body and flavourful, and not filling. A general, easy-drinking beer.
Seagram Amber Cider (5.3% ABV)
Waterloo Distillery
Kitchener ON
Beer O'Clock rating: 2.5
Appearance: amber—the colour of maple syrup. Slightly sparkling.
Nose: caramel notes and sweet cider.
Palate: the nose presented itself in the taste, with sweet caramel notes. The alcohol comes through.
Overall impression: tasty if you like sweet cider (Lori does not).
Waterloo Original Dark (5% ABV)
Beer O'Clock rating: 2.5
Appearance: dark brown with red highlights. A sudsy taupe head that settles to a thin but foamy cap.
Nose: cocoa and licorice.
Palate: a sourness hits the mouth, with mild coffee and a watery but clean finish.
Overall impression: I used to drink this brown ale whenever I was in a pub that didn't offer Guinness. It's a light, good alternative.
Now that I'm reviewing it critically, I would drink it in a pub when no other darks are on hand. It's good but leaves me craving something more fulfilling.
Seagram Apple Cider (5.3% ABV)
Beer O'Clock rating: 3
Appearance: pale straw.
Nose: light apple, slightly sweet.
Palate: light, slightly off-dry.
Overall impression: an enjoyable cider.
Waterloo Union Mills Porter (7% ABV)
Beer O'Clock rating: 4
Appearance: deep walnut with slightly red highlights. A creamy taupe head that stays.
Nose: dark chocolate and rich, dark-roasted coffee.
Palate: creamy chocolate and malt, with an easy finish. The alcohol does not overpower at all.
Overall impression: I could drink this porter all day. It has good body throughout. I hope it's available on its own, because I would easily keep this at home.
Seagram Pear Cider (5.3% ABV)
Beer O'Clock rating: 2
Appearance: golden yellow.
Nose: sweet pear.
Palate: sweet pear.
Overall impression: it has a lovely pear flavour but is too sweet.
So, there is my first review collaboration with Lori, on a sampler pack that is a cider-beer collaboration. While Lori is short on words, she does know what she likes in cider. If it's not dry, she's not particularly interested. But she says anyone with a hankering for sweet cooler-like beverages, these ciders would be worth a try.
Cheers!
