Galt Knife Old Style Lager

Galt Knife is billed as a "Pre-Prohibition Style Lager".  I'm not sure whether or not it's truly evocative of the lagers of an earlier generation, but I do know that it is brewed by Grand River Brewing, hails from Cambridge, Ontario and comes in a 500mL bottle.  I also know that there is 4.4% alcohol content and that the label is not, to my eye, particularly visually appealing.

Galt Knife pours an amber/copper colour.  It has a thick, lingering head, moderate carbonation and moderate lacing.  It has a very malty aroma, with pleasant notes of brown sugar.  The taste is extremely metallic...drinking this brew is kinda like licking a penny.  It is quite bitter, but with an understated aftertaste.

This is an ok brew.  I'd like a bit more alcohol content, a bit more balance and a bit less metallic taste.  Still, it's a very attractive beer, and I like the idea of trying to recreate a historic style.  I'd probably buy this one again.

Rating: 6.5 out of 10.

Gopher Lager

Big Rock Brewery is an Alberta institution.  Hailing from Calgary, they produce a stable of quality ales.  Gopher, their North American-style lager, is probably worthy of the Big Rock name, but it certainly isn't their best work.

Gopher comes in 341mL bottles, contains 5% alcohol and pours a slightly cloudy pale gold colour. It is topped by a thin white head.  The aroma is malt and sweet corn.  Taste is bready, malt-focused and has notes of something sweet (possibly apple?).

It's a very inoffensive little brew.  There are no real surprises and it's mild and refreshing.  Still, it doesn't give anything extra to set it apart from the legion of pale lagers out there.  I wouldn't kick Gopher out of fridge, but at the same time, I probably wouldn't seek it out.

Rating: 6.5 out of 10.

Scottish Brewing History Lesson #5-Fraoch Heather Ale

Fraoch Heather Ale is clearly the showpiece of the Historic Ales of Scotland pack, so naturally, I saved it for last.  According to the bottle, it's "Scotland's native ale."  Additionally, the bottle comes with a brief history lesson.  Apparently, heather ales have been brewed for 4,000 years and is the "oldest style of ale still made in the world."

Fraoch weighs in at 5% alcohol and has the colour of tarnished brass.  It is slightly cloudy and topped with a thin ring of white head.  The aroma is extremely sweet, with a hint of ginger and the taste is flowery and considerably malty.  It doesn't taste like a conventional beer, but it's really quite pleasant.  It leaves behind little lace and has a very brief, mild aftertaste.

This is a decidedly tasty brew.  I probably wouldn't sit down and drink a sixer of Fraoch, but it made for a nice change of pace from more standard hops heavy beers.  Give it a try.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

Scottish Brewing History Lesson #4-Alba Scots Pine Ale

Alba is a Scots Pine Ale, which means it is brewed using pine and spruce sprigs rather than hops.  It is a slightly cloudy, brownish ale topped by a foamy head.  It looks deceptively like a pint of bitter.  However, one whiff tells you that this brew is a wholly different animal.

Alba contains a mighty 7.5% alcohol and it shows.  Actually, more than anything, it smells.  The beer has a strong aroma of malt and alcohol.  There is some pine notes, but these are understated.  Similarly, the evergreen flavour I was expecting was less than dominant.  Rather, the flavour was reminiscent of a Belgian abby--extremely malty with a high alcohol content.  There are brown sugar notes, as well as butter and a bit of raisin living alongside the slight foresty taste of pine.  The aftertaste is where this beer shows its high alcohol content most--it tastes a bit warm.

This is not a particularly drinkable beer, but it's pretty smooth.  It is solid, interesting and definitely worth sampling.

Happy Holidays from the Stout Man.  Drink responsibly, but drink.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Scottish Brewing History Lesson #3-Grozet Gooseberry and Wheat Ale

Gozet is an effervescent straw coloured brew.  It looks deceptively like a lager--fairly clear, highly carbonated and topped by a shock of white head.  However, a lager it is not.  Grozet is a gooseberry and wheat ale, definitely the first I've ever tried.  It has a sweet, fruity aroma that has a candy-like quality.  It tastes sugary and fruity.  The wheat flavour I was expecting wasn't really present, but the berry flavour was just right--pleasing without being overstated.  There was barely any aftertaste to speak of.

Grozet was really thin and really light.  It was a unique brew, though probably not one I'd reach for on any sort of regular basis.  Worth a try?  Sure.  Plus, it has this awesome label designed by third-year students at the Glasgow School of Arts:

Rating; 7.5 out of 10.

Scottish Brewing History Lesson #2-Ebulum Elderberry Black Ale

According to the label, Ebulum Elderberry Black Ale is brewed according to a 16th Century recipe. It checks in at 6.5% alcohol and is an extremely dark ale.  It looks like a stout, but its thin like an ale.  Very little light gets through this monster.  It is crowned by a relatively this dusting of tan head.

There is a strong scent: sweet, dank and alcoholic. The flavour is very round: mildly fruity and big on malt.  According to the bottle, there is a "red wine flavour." I think this characterization is pretty apt, particularly in the sour tang present in the aftertaste.

This is definitely not a session beer.  It's a touch too sweet for this guy to get behind on a regular basis, but it's an interesting brew and one that is worth trying. It's enjoyable, compelling and unlike anything I've ever tried before.  Definitely a treat to try a new "old" brew.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

Scottish Brewing History Lesson #1

My last theme week was wildly successful (actually, my readership neither increased or decreased), so I'm going to try it again.  This week, I'm going to be reviewing the four brews that were included in the Historic Ales of Scotland pack produced by Heather Ales Ltd./Williams Bros. Brewing Co.  The pack, with its nice looking packaging and its promise of four unique styles, was hard to ignore.

The concept is quite excellent--reviving historic ale styles that make use of locally-sourced ingredients and depart from the conventional hops and malt framework.  The fact that the ales all purport to be made using indigenous flora is definitely a selling point for me.

There are four bottles in the pack: an elderberry black ale, a gooseberry and wheat ale, a Scots pine ale and a heather ale.  All four are sold in 330mL bottles with excellent labels.  Additionally, they come with a brief historical pamphlet. They are all brewed at the Alloa Brewery in Kelliebank, Alloa, Scotland.  Stay tuned--each of my next four posts will relate to one of these brews.

Southern Tier IPA

The Southern Tier Brewing Company of Lakewood, New York seems to know a thing or two about beer. Their IPA is punchy, tasty and well-balanced.  And it doesn't fall into the trap of "all hops all the time" that so many IPAs seem to.

This "strong beer" weighs in at 7%. It's sold in 355mL bottles and pours a substantially cloudy burnt orange. It's topped by about an inch of off-white head and leaves behind significant lace. The scent is surprisingly sweet for an IPA, with notes of raisin mixing in with the hops.

The flavour is nicely balanced and combines sweet fruit tastes and a hint of toffee with conventional IPA hop bitterness. Additionally, this beer definitely doesn't taste as strong as its 7.0% alcohol content.  It is deceptively drinkable. My only real complaint with the Southern Tier IPA is that there is a slightly muddled, funky quality in the aftertaste that doesn't really appeal to me.

All told, Southern Tier IPA is a good'un.  It isn't elite, but it is a solid, respectable brew that is a definite recommendation.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

BREWERY TOUR: Mill St. Brewery

It's time for a new feature here at Bitter World.  Every now and again, I think it'd be nice to get out and visit the breweries where the beer I love is lovingly crafted.  Take a tour, learn a little something.  Then, I'll write about it.  For you.  To read.

The Mill St. Brewery is located in Toronto's oh so trendy Distillery District, where they've been churning out frosty suds for the better part of a decade.  The tour is FREE, which is amazing.  While waiting for people to arrive, prospective tour-takers are assembled in the brewery's retail shop, where small cups of Mill St.'s four everyday brews (tanknhouse, organic, stock ale and coffee porter) are available to sample.

Once the appointed hour has arrived, a guide leads the group into the brewery for the brief tour.  The tour contains some information about the Distillery District, the brewery itself and the beers produced.  However, a large chunk of time is devoted to the beer-making process.  Personnaly, I would have liked the focus to remain on Mill St. and its beers, but the beer lesson made the tour accessible to all.

For a free tour, I'd say my expectations were exceeded.  There were free samples, an informative tour leader and some quality information.  Sure, the tour was short and it was a bit basic, but it was FREE.  You can't beat that!  Definitely take a trip down to Mill St. if you're in the Toronto area.

Sagres Cerveja

Partner, cats and I live in Toronto's Little Portugal neighbourhood.  As a result, Sagres, on of Portugal's most popular brews, is practically always on offer at the liquor store.  It's a pale lager, weighs in at 5% and comes in 330mL bottles.  And it ain't half bad.

Sagres is a highly carbonated, clear, straw coloured pale lager.  It is graced with a thin but persistent white head and leaves behind tons of lace.  The aroma is wheaty with a touch of corn.  Not surprisingly, it is thin and the flavour is mild, as is typical of South Western European brews.  Still, the taste is plenty enjoyable for a macro lager.  It starts sweet, finishes bitter and has notes of wheat, corn and barley.  It's actually pretty nicely balanced for a pale lager.  The aftertaste is short and bitter.

No discussion of Sagres would be complete without mentioning its woefully inadequate packaging.  Six pack are sold, not in a proper box, but rather in a disagreeable cardboard sleeve.  As a result, if you aren't careful, you're liable to watch helplessly as all six bottles plummet to the ground just because you deigned to pick up your sixer from the wrong angle.  Not to mention the fact that these crappy sleeves are useless when it comes time to return your empties.  Ugh.

Packaging disaster notwithstanding, this brew turns up in my fridge from time to time, and not just because it is Partner's cup of tea.  I find it to be a refreshing if unremarkable little pint.  Its thin and mild, but perfect for sunny afternoons playing bocce or croquet.

Rating: 7.0 out of 10.

Cheshire Valley-Out of this World

Sitting in a pub recently, I was perusing the beer list for something I'd never tried before.  I came across a listing for Cheshire Valley Out of this World.  Nothing more.  It didn't even tell me what style of beer it is.  I had nothing to go on--I'd never even heard of the brewery.  You'd better believe I went for it.

Some quick smartphone research taught me that the Cheshire Valley Brewing Company is somehow associated with the Black Oak Brewery in Etobicoke, Ontario.  That was about all the information that I could distill from their website.  Still no idea what kind of beer I had ordered.

The Out of this World arrived.  It was a reasonably clear brownish orange colour with very little head or lace and limited carbonation.  It had a mild, sweetish aroma with a bit of hops character.  The taste went sweet to bitter with notes of caramel and apricot.  The finish was moderately hoppy.

I'm going to go out on a limb and call this one an amber ale.  Maybe a pale ale.  It wasn't remarkable, but it was enjoyable nonetheless.  I'd like a bit more flavour and a bit more carbonation.  Still, it was a nice pint and I'd probably buy it again.

Rating: 7.0 out of 10.

India Ink Black Pale Ale

Trafalgar Ales & Meads hails from Oakville, Ontario.  I've been keeping my eye out for their brews ever since a former boss recommended them to me.  Trafalgar has a pretty interesting looking roster of brews--lots of things I'd jump to try if I ever saw them in the liquor store. 

Such was the case the other day when I came across the India Ink Black Pale Ale.  I was immediately drawn to this brew by its stark and stylish black and white label and its large bottle (650mL).  India Ink weighs in at 5% alcohol.  It pours very dark--not black like a stout or a porter, but a dark brown with faint red highlights.  It has a nice, round aroma with notes of toasty nut.  The initial flavour reflects the aroma--it's roasty, toasty and nutty.  India Ink contains an interesting mix of sweet and bitter.  For lack of a better word, this brew tastes gloomy.  However, for such a dark beer, the flavour was considerably more mild than I expected and nowhere near as hoppy.  It features a sharp, bitter aftertaste.  I thought I could detect notes of licorice, though on reflection, that might be due to my expectations for such a dark ale.

My experience with black ales is limited, so I didn't really know what to expect from this brew.  I found it left me reasonably satisfied and interested in exploring other beers in this category.  It was a bit on the thin side, but I enjoyed the way the gloomy colour matched the gloomy flavour.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Radeberger

Radeberger is a pilsner that hails from the town of Radeberg, Germany.  It is sold in 500mL cans, contains 4.8% alcohol and is a pretty ordinary brew.  It pours a crystal clear, moderately carbonated straw colour.  Topped by a bright white head, Radeberger features a wheaty smell, with a touch of sweetness.  It boasts a thin, somewhat watery body, but a surprisingly strong flavour for a pilsner.  It is quite bitter, with metallic notes.  There is a nice initial taste, but the aftertaste is somewhat stale.  The grains and grass expected of a pilsner are all present in this one, but there is something sinister lurking in the background.

This isn't my favorite pilsner, but it does have an interesting flavour that might appeal to others.  Probably worth a try.

Rating: 6.5 out of 10.

Lug Tread Lagered Ale

Beau's All Natural Brewing Company of Vankleek, Ontario produces a beautiful little brew called Lug Tread.  According to the Beau's website, Lug Tread is a lagered ale because it is top fermented and then cold-aged.  Pretty cool.

Lug Tread contains 5.2% alcohol, comes in snazzy 600mL bottles and is sold in 4 packs.  The packaging is truly exceptional.  It looks stylish and is environmentally sound.  Each bottle is individually stamped with a packaged on date and a batch number.

L.T. looks like a pale lager, but about a half a shade darker.  It has a white head and average lace.  The scent is sweet and malty, with a toasty sort of vibe.  The taste is much bigger than a conventional pale lager, but lighter than an average ale. It's sweet with a hint of smoke.  Something about this brew reminds me of toasted marshmallows.  Also, there is a touch of fruit, possibly plum.  The aftertaste remains sweet, but balanced against a welcome shot of bitterness.

This is a great beer, in what, as far as I can tell, is a unique style.  The flavour is smooth but offers a lot to contemplate.  Definitely get it.

Rating: 9.0 out of 10.

Red Racer India Pale Ale

This jammin' little I.P.A. hails from Surrey, British Columbia, where it is brewed by the Central City Brewing Company.  It contains 6.5% alcohol, which puts it just over the line into the nebulous "strong beer" category.  This brew is sold in 355mL cans that feature a foxy cartoon redhead riding a bicycle.

Red Racer is a murky, copper-coloured ale crowned with a thick foamy cap of off-white head.  It features an enormous hop aroma, that tosses a little something sweet into the mix.  There's a very robust, dry, hoppy flavour that gives way to a long, lingering aftertaste.  The finish remains hop-tastic, but accented by some caramel sweetness.

Followers of my blog will know that I don't go for insanely hoppy beers unless they've got something else to offer as well.  This brew has all the hops, but also heaps of character.  There is a huge flavour that is enhanced by some subtle nuance.  It is definitely delicious.  This one is definitely worth a try.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

Spaten

Spaten is a classic pale lager from Munich, Germany.  Sold in 500mL cans, Spaten's label features a shovel blade for some reason.*  It weighs in at 5.2% alcohol.  It is an extremely clear, moderately carbonated brew.  It is a wispy, yellow gold colour and pours with a substantial foamy white head that lingers as in a weird sort of pangea shape.  There is very little lace.

There is a harvest smell of wheat, grains and sweet corn.  The flavour is wheaty with a slight citrus twist.  The mouthfeel is a bit on the thin side.  The aftertaste is unexpectedly bitter and pleasantly sour for a mass-produced pale lager.

Spaten is, as you would expect from a Western German pale lager, thin and refreshing.  The flavour is not earth-shattering, but there is an unexpected kick at the back end.  All told, not a bad little brew.

*An astute reader has pointed out that "spaten" is German for "spade".  I probably should have put that together...

Rating: 7.0 out of 10.

Celebrator Doppelbock

I'm not going to lie: I bought a bottle of Celebrator Doppelbock primarily because of the ridiculous little ram ornament hanging around the neck of the bottle.  My absurd consumerism aside, this was an interesting brew well worth picking up.

 It's also got a fantastic label.

Celebrator hails from Aying, Germany, where it is brewed by the Brauerei Aying.  It is sold in 330mL bottles and clocks in at a muscular 6.7% alcohol, to earn it the somewhat amorphous distinction of a "strong beer".

It pours a slightly cloudy mahogany colour and is capped by a frothy tan head.  There is some lace, but not as much as expected.  Celebrator features a yeasty, malty aroma, with notes of fig or raisin.  Similarly, the flavour is very malty.  There is a lot of sweetness contained in an odd combination of tastes ranging from raison to licorice.  There is very little bitterness, except for a tiny jolt in an aftertaste that also features some yeasty sourness.

This brew is a bit too malty for my taste, but there are enough interesting flavours to make it well worth a try.  It isn't an extremely drinkable pint, but it will keep your palette on its toes.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

Creemore Springs-Kellerbier

The Creemore Springs Brewery of Creemore, Ontario makes a handsome, slightly cloudy sunburst orange brew known as Kellerbier.  Sold in 473mL cans and weighing in at 5% alcohol, the Kellerbier displays moderate carbonation and a generous cream head.

The Creemore Kellerbier was a tricky beer for me to review because it's not a style that I've got much familiarity with.  In fact, this is the only kellerbier I've ever tried.  This makes contextual rating a challenge.  According to the brief history lesson on the can, kellerbiers have a centuries old history in Germany.  They are unfiltered, resulting in cloudiness and are meant to be flavourful and refreshing.  These are the basic criteria that I'll use for my review.

The Kellerbier features a big hop aroma balanced against mellow caramel notes.  It's really a great smelling beer.  The flavour carries a lot of hop bitterness at the front end, giving way gradually to a zesty citrus aftertaste.

Based on the simple criteria of cloudiness, flavour and refreshment, the Creemore Kellerbier performs well.  It has a tangy, engaging flavour.  Though it isn't exactly what I would call refreshing, it is an interesting brew--one that leaves me eager to further explore the kellerbier category.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

Cheetah Lager

I bought a pint of Cheetah Lager at a local Indian restaurant to go with my lamb roti.  According to the tabletop ad, Cheetah was brewed specifically to compliment spicy food.  Since my roti was mad hot, the test was set.

Cheetah is produced by Cheetah International Brewers of Toronto, Ontario.  It is sold in 341mL bottles and weighs in at the standard 5% alcohol.  The brew pours a pale gold colour.  It is slightly cloudy and mildly carbonated.  Topped by a thin head, Cheetah leaves behind very little lace.

The aroma is quite mild.  It smells slightly floral, with hints of sweetness.  The brew is quite thin and a touch on the watery side.  The flavour has a citrus touch to it, but only slightly.  There is a pleasantly bitter aftertaste.

This brew was better than I was expecting.  It isn't likely to win any international accolades, but it was a fine addition to my meal.  It really was pretty good with spicy food, though on its own, it was a bit wet.  If this brew is available at a purveyor of spicy delicacies, I say give it a try.  It won't dazzle you, but it'll put out the fire effectively.

Rating: 6.5 out of 10.

Tecate

For me, Tecate is an interesting study in branding and brand loyalty.  As you'll see from my review, I recognize that Tecate is an easy-drinking if unimpressive macro-brew with limited character.  Still, it frequently finds its way into my fridge and I enjoy it with great relish.  The reason that I have such a boatload of goodwill toward this otherwise ordinary brew is that a few years ago, while working a summer gig in Albuquerque, New Mexico, I went on an extremely memorable camping trip in a lush oasis in the middle of the desert with my good friend Raph.  For this trip, Tecate was our brew of choice.  Ever since, I've always been forgiving to Tecate and its snazzy red cans.

Tecate is produced by the Cervezeria Cuauhtemoc Moctezuma in Monterrey, Mexico.  It is sold in 355mL cans and contains 4.5% alcohol.  The can simply says "cerveza", but I guess this brew is classed as a pale lager.  It pours a pale straw colour and evidences loads of carbonation.  Tecate is crowned with a lively, bright white head and leaves behind a slight amount of lace.  There is a slight aroma of corn and wheat.  Tastewise, the brew begins with an initial flavour of malt and corn.  This gradually gives way to a slightly bitter, tinny finish.  The body is quite thin and watery, but is wonderfully refreshing and thirst-quenching.

This isn't a bad brew.  It tastes fine and it's very easy-drinking.  It just doesn't have a lot character or pizazz.  Still, every few months, I get a craving for it.  I buy a couple and relive some good times.  What can I say, I'm sentimental.

Rating: 6.5

Young's Double Chocolate Stout

Young's Chocolate Stout is brewed by the Wells and Young's Brewing Company of Bedford, England.  It's sold in nice looking 500mL bottles and contains 5.2% alcohol.

This brew is DARK.  We're talking fully black.  I held it up to the light and saw nothing, except for a glimmer of red around the edges. It has a resilient tan head and loads of clinging lace.

According to the label, Young's earns its double chocolate name because it contains both chocolate malt and real dark chocolate.  Awesome.  Not surprisingly, there is a big chocolate aroma.  Not milk chocolate either.  More like an 80% roasted cacao bar.

The chocolate flavour of Young's is undeniable, but fortunately it's not too sweet.  The classic stout molasses flavour is present, but it's not in the forefront.  Rather, it's lurking in the wings.  The back end has a bitter kick that balances out the malty sweetness.  The mouthfeel is quite thick.

Young's is in tough in the stout category.  Among stouts, there are some pretty fierce offerings that offer unique and challenging flavours.  Young's differentiates itself with its chocolate sweetness, but it's not enough to elevate it to elite status.  The Double Chocolate Stout is not particularly drinkable--I would have a hard time drinking more than one of these bad boys in a single session.  Still, it's a highly enjoyable brew.  The brilliant cacao scent alone is worth the price of admission.

Rating:  8.0 out of 10.

Marston's Pedigree Very Special Old Pale

Marston's is one of England's premier breweries.  They are responsible for a number of really excellent beers.  So, my expectations were high when I pried the cap off of their Pedigree V.S.O.P.

The V.S.O.P is sold in fancy 500mL bottles that are individually numbered and bear the signature of Head Brewer Emma Gilleland.  The brew measures a ferocious 6.7% and hails from Burton Upon Trent, England.

Pedigree V.S.O.P pours a crystal clear gleaming gold colour.  It is crowned with a very foamy tan head and leaves behind enough lacing to make some lame curtains.  The aroma is fairly mild, featuring notes of copper, hops and a hint of toffee.  The V.S.O.P.'s flavour was really quite surprising.  What I expected was a hop-heavy and highly alcoholic tasting ale.  What I got was a reasonably sultry and well-balanced brew.  There is definitely a healthy does of hops, but this element is complimented by a malty front-end.  The ale definitely doesn't taste like a 6.7% offering, though it does pack a wallop.  If anything, the taste is a touch milder than expected.  The only real strike against this beer is a flat note struck somewhere in the aftertaste that isn't terribly pleasant.

On the whole, this is a pretty good ale.  Not elite or remarkable, but definitely solid.  For the price, it's a pretty good strong beer and it's definitely got character.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Lake of Bays Brewing Company-Rousse

Baysville, Ontario's Lake of Bays Brewing Company makes a pretty decent impersonation of a Quebecois rousse.  Served in 341mL bottles and containing 5% alcohol, this tasty red ale pours a surprisingly dark ruby colour.  It is clear, only mildly carbonated and is topped by a thinnish crown of white head.  It leaves behind thin curtains of lace that don't stick around too long.

The brew is blessed with a rich, well-balanced aroma of brown sugar and hops.  The flavour is nice and round.  It begins sweet and malty, with toasty caramel notes and it finishes bitterly, with a hint of molasses.  The mouthfeel is fairly dry and medium thickness. 

Lake of Bays' Rousse is a pretty solid little brew.  It's tasty and attractive.  It doesn't have a big enough flavour to warrant an elite 9, but it's not too far away.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

Wellington County Brewery-Trailhead

After five consecutive reviews of wheat-based beers, I've been seriously craving something different.  To that end, I opted for a case of Trailhead Lager, produced by the Wellington County Brewery in Guelph, ON.  This is a pretty tasty beer, but all the more so when you consider the price.  For the price, I would be hard-pressed to name a better brew available in Ontario.

Trailhead is billed as a Vienna-style lager, and I think the description is apt.  It is a clear, fizzy brew with a gentle gold colour and topped with a cloudy white head.  The alcohol content is low, measuring just 4.5%.  Trailhead is sold in 341mL bottles.  The beer features a warm, rusty aroma that is quite potent.  The flavour is slightly oaty and graced with a not-unpleasant metallic tang.  Trailhead is extremely mild and has very little aftertaste.

At under $17 for a dozen, Trailhead is affordable.  And unlike the majority of other value brews, this one has some merit that goes beyond price.  It is a touch thin and a bit on the weak side, but it tastes great and looks nice.  Definitely worth a try.

Rating: 7.0 out of 10.

Weiss/Wit/Wheat Week-Paulaner Hefe-Weizen

Wheat!  It's everywhere!

Paulaner is a tasty weissbier that hails from Munich, Germany.  Sold in 330mL bottles, it measures 5.5% alcohol, pours a cloudy yellow colour, and features loads of carbonation.

Paulaner is topped by a lively white head and has tons of lace.  There is a bready aroma coupled with faint notes of orange peel.  Similarly, the taste is doughy and features lots of citrus notes.  There is a medium mouthfeel and loads of fizziness.  The back-end is incredibly sweet...perhaps a little too sweet.

Paulaner is pretty much the prototypical wheat beer.  It has the colour, the cloudiness and the orange peel aroma that I have come to expect.  Weissbiers aren't my favourite style, but Paulaner's merits are hard to deny.  It looks nice, smells great and has an interesting flavour.  The only drawback is the too sweet aftertaste.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

Also, it has this ridiculously wholesome Alpine scene on the bottle:

Weiss/Wit/Wheat Week-Mill St. Brewery-Wit

Toronto's Mill St. Brewery's Wit beer is billed as a Belgian-style wit beer.  Sold in 341mL bottles, it contains 5% alcohol and, like most wheat-based brews, is highly carbonated.  The beer is cloudy and light coloured.  It features a slight white head and moderate lacing.  For a crisp beer, the Wit features a big aroma--yeasty and highlighted by citrus tones.

The flavour is bready and dominated by the undeniable taste of orange peel.  Additionaly, there is some gentle spiciness present.  Overall, the taste is good, but the beer is too thin to be elite.  My two cents is that this brew needs work on its beery foundation and place less emphasis on peripheral flavours.  The aftertaste is slightly sour and bready--quite pleasant.

Mill St. has a truly excellent lineup for a craft brewery.  It's Wit is a good addition, but hardly the top of the class.

Rating: 7.0 out of 10.

Weiss/Wit/Wheat Week-Mother Pucker's Ginger Wheat Beer

At a local beer bar the other day, I had occasion to sample Mother Pucker's Ginger Wheat Beer.  I ordered a pint on tap.  According to the beer list, the MPGW measured in at 5.4%.  It is brewed on site at C'est What? in Toronto.  It poured clear and ruddy--really surprising for what is ostensibly a wheat ale.  The head was really thin, but dense.  There was moderate lace and almost no evidence of carbonation.

If I didn't know that this was a ginger flavoured beer, I would never have been able to identify it from the scent.  It smelled just faintly of ginger, and also slightly yeasty.  The flavour was extremely mild.  Only some mild ginger tones. and very little else to report.  This beer had a ridiculously thin mouthfeel.  So thin that I am concerned the keg I was served from might have gone flat.

Mother Pucker's Ginger Wheat Beer was interesting in theory, but not terribly well executed.  It was refreshing, but far too thin.  The ginger taste was good, but insufficient.  All in all, it was a bit of a disappointment.  C'est What? has so many excellent choices, I wish I'd gone with something else.

Rating: 5.0 out of 10--However, due to the chance that the keg was off, I will revisit this beer in the future and update my review if necessary.

Weiss/Wit/Wheat Week: Dennison's Weissbier

Recently, a dream of mine came true.  My partner and I have dated for a long time and throughout the majority of our relationship, she has insisted that she isn't interested in beer.  Recently, she has decided that perhaps beer isn't so bad.  Her taste runs to the lighter end of the spectrum, preferring lagers and other pale brews.  This week, she agreed to review a beer with me.  I'm pretty pumped about it.

Because Partner prefers lighter tasting beer, we opted for a wheat beer.  Denison's Weissbeer is billed as a Bavarian-style wheat beer.  Brewed by Denison's Brewing Company, the Weissbeer hails from Toronto.  It is sold in 473mL cans.  It weighs in at a respectable 5.3%.

D.W. poured pale and cloudy straw colour.  It was considerably fizzy.  Said Partner, "It's like a crazy carbonation party."  The aroma was a delightful blend of tart fruit notes--pear and apple.  As Partner evocatively put it, "It smells like walking through an orchard after a cold rain."

The flavour begins with a cider-like pear flavour that moves toward a sour, bready aftertaste.  Nestled somewhere in between is the typical weissbier orange peel flavour.  The slightly elevated alcohol content is fairly evident.  In fact, D.W. might actually taste stronger than it is.  For that reason, it isn't particularly sessionable, but it's enjoyable nonetheless.  The mouthfeel is medium and quite fizzy.

Both Partner and I enjoyed this brew and would drink it again.  We agreed that it'd be quite enjoyable with a meal.  As weissbeers go, Denison's was pretty good.  Nice aroma, inviting initial taste, and considerably refreshing.  The sour aftertaste was a touch unwieldy, which kept the rating from being higher, but still a solid pint.

Rating:  7.5 out of 10 (Partner said 7.0).

Also, Arlo thought it smelled good:

Weiss/Wit/Wheat Week--Rickard's White

One of the main reasons I started this blog was to learn more about beer.  There are so many distinct and interesting styles of beer, each with there own characteristics and attributes, that it sometimes seems a daunting task to delve any deeper than the peripheral understanding that I already possess.  But that's what I want to do.  To that end, I think it makes sense to occasionally choose a style of beer and focus on it for a series of reviews.

The style I have chosen for my inaugural theme week is wit/wheat/weiss beers.  It's a style that I do not know much about, beyond the fact that these brews are united by the generous presence of wheat as a base ingredient, that they tend to be cloudy and that they are often paired with citrus wedges.  For an example of the level of my ignorance, I know that there is a distinction between Belgian-style witbiers and Germanic weissbiers, but what that distinction is eludes me.  What I do know is these wheaty brews seem to be becoming increasingly popular and are a summertime patio staple.

I had a pint of Rickard's White on tap at a neighbourhood sports bar.  At halftime of the Monday Night Football game, I borrowed a pen and wrote my thoughts on a napkin.  First off, RW almost always comes served with an orange wedge.  It's true that the orange goes well with the brew, but just once, I'd like a server to ask me if I want the orange, since the presence of an outside element tends to distort the flavour and make reviewing a challenge.

The beer is a very cloudy orange colour.  There is a thin white head and a little lace.  The aroma was muddled by the orange slice, but I could discern notes of bready yeast and citrus.  The taste is a blend of citrus and sourdough.  The finish is really just a continuation of the flavour.

These suds are quite thin, but mild and refreshing.  Rickard's White is a pretty solid summertime beer--it definitely tastes better on a patio.  It's really a pretty good offering for a large-scale producer.

Rating: 7.0 out of 10.

Stonecutter Scotch Ale

Renaissance Brewing Company's Stonecutter Scotch Ale was a treat.  Hailing from Marlborough, New Zealand and sold in 500mL bottles, it boasts a meaty 7.0% alcohol content.  Stonecutter pours a muddy brown colour with rusty highlights and is barely transparent.  There is a thick tan head that persists like a frothy cap.  The ale is slightly carbonated but leaves behind lots of lace.

Stonecutter is a strong-smelling ale.  There are notes of caramel, brown sugar and raisins.  The taste starts bitter, but quickly becomes malty and sweet.  There are warm, comfortable flavours of caramel and raisin.  The mouthfeel is best described as buttery.  The aftertaste remains sweet, but is also a touch smokey.

I have mixed feelings about the Scotch Ale style.  I find many "wee heavies" too sweet, too malty.  However, Stonecutter was an extremely enjoyable pint.  It's certainly malty, but it features a rounder and more nuanced flavour than other Scotch ales I've tried.  Definitely worth a go.

Rating: 9.0 out of 10.

International Stout Day

Beer fans!  My beautiful fiancée informed me that today is International Stout Day.  This is exciting news. 

Readers, I encourage you to make yourself comfortable and pour a rich, luxurious mug of stout.  Take your time, sip it slowly and enjoy the majesty.  I know I will.

Stay tuned.  I've got a bunch of stout reviews queued up for the coming weeks. 

1715 Lvivske Premium Lager

When I picked up a bottle of Lvivske Premium Lager, the woman working the register at the liquor store informed me that she, like the beer, was Ukrainian.  I asked her for a tutorial on how to pronounce the name.  After several torturous attempts, she advised me that I should simply call it 1715.

1715 hails from Kleparivska, Ukraine, where it is brewed by the Lvivska Brewery.  This pale lager is sold in 500mL bottles and has 5% alcohol.  Ontario's liquor stores have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to Eastern European pale lagers.  When making my selection, I look for things that set a particular brew apart.  For 1715, I was persuaded by the badass cap that featured a crowned lion hoisting a beer stein.  Simple things...

This Ukrainian brew is slightly darker in colour than a typical pale lager--a bit more golden than straw.  These suds are topped by a thin, white head.  There is a slight amount of lace and a moderate amount of carbonation.  The aroma is wheaty, with a touch of apple.  The mouthfeel is extremely thin.  Tastewise, 1715 is inoffensive, but unremarkable.  The flavour progresses from corny malt to slight bitterness.  Along the way, there really aren't any other taste notes to speak of.  There is barely any aftertaste at all.

1715 is an ordinary Eastern European pale lager.  It is extremely drinkable and refreshing--a good sunny day brew.  However, it is thin and lacking in distinctive character.  Lager fans will enjoy this one, but beer snobs might be less impressed.

Rating: 6.5 out of 10.

Great Lakes Brewery-Pumpkin Ale

In honour of All Hallows Eve, I decided to review the seasonally appropriate Pumpkin Ale produced by Toronto's Great Lakes Brewery.  I am a huge pumpkin fan, with pumpkin pie being rivaled only by the ambrosial strawberry rhubarb pie for the title of all-time favourite.  The addition of pumpkin to beer is something that I have been seeing increasingly in recent years and it is a taste combination that I heartily endorse.

Great Lakes' Pumpkin Ale is sold in delightfully weighty 650mL bottles.  It weighs in at 5.5% alcohol and pours a slightly murky copper colour.  It is topped by a frothy white head, is considerably fizzy and leaves behind a sudsy white lace.  According to the bottle, the brewing process involves the addition of "generous amounts of pumpkin" directly to the brew.

The aroma is not surprisingly heavy on the pumpkin, but that's not all.  There is a foundational metallic scent and spicy notes of cloves.  The flavour is dominated by the classic copper taste of an English ale.  The pumpkin flavour is present, but understated.  It is a very pleasant addition to an ale that would probably be enjoyable without it.  Additionally, the brew is given an agreeable warmth by the presence of autumnal spices.  According to the label, there are "hints of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and allspice", which sounds about right to me.  While pumpkin doesn't dominate the initial flavour, it is an undeniable element of the bitter aftertaste that lingers after each sip.

Compared to small batch auburn ales, this brew probably wouldn't dominate the rankings, but in the context of flavoured ales, this one is a definite winner.   While the aroma is rich in pumpkin, the actual flavour is richer and more nuanced than expected.  This beer is a welcome addition to a crisp autumn day.

 Happy Hallowe'en from the Stout Man!

Rating: 9.0

Muskoka Brewery-Mad Tom IPA

As the weather has been turning increasingly cool and crisp, I've found myself craving a full-bodied brew.  I found that and more in Bracebridge, Ontario's Mad Tom IPA.  Brewed by the Muskoka Brewery, this robust IPA is sold in 330mL bottles and checks in at a healthsome 6.4% alcohol.  Mad Tom pours a slightly murky amber colour topped by a moderate off-white head.  When sipped, it leaves behind lots of lacy cling.

The aroma features the strong evergreen scent common to heavily-hopped ales.  This scent is accented by a hint of toffee sweetness.  The taste is robust and full, dominated by an extreme hops flavour.  Underneath the hops lies a whimper of sweet malt and a touch of citrus sourness.  The aftertaste is really bitter and seemed to follow me around my apartment long after the beer was a memory.

This brew is not for amateurs.  I wouldn't recommend it to those beer fans that seldom stray from the straight and narrow path of macro-brewed lagers.  However, for those who enjoy a fulsome ale from time to time, this is a good'un.  It's strong and full with an overpowering flavour.  However, what I like most about it is that there is more to it than just hops.  There is a lot going on in the complicated flavour of the Old Tom IPA.  I say buy it, as long as you don't mind a brew that won't go down without a fight.

Also, I enjoy the moustachioed, barrel-riding outlaw on the neck of the bottle:

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.