Muskoka Brewery's Craft Lager

I'm pretty new to Muskoka Brewery's products, but I have been lapping them up enthusiastically since my partner and I moved to Toronto.  They've put together a stable of delectable beers and I'm keen to review them all eventually.  The Craft Lager just turned up at my local beer store and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to give it a try and then write about it.

Muskoka products are born in Bracebridge, Ontario.  The Craft Lager clocks in at 4.8% and comes in 355 ml bottles.  According to the label, it was named Canadian Lager of the Year, though it is not specified which august governing body bestowed the award.

The Craft Lager features a healthy head for a lager and is an attractive cloudy gold colour.  It actually resembles a weissbier more than a typical lager.  In terms of taste, the flavour is unusually sweet--again, atypical of a lager.  While I understand that "lagers" represent a big tent, I'm not totally convinced that this beer fits in the category.  Not that I'm complaining.  It is decidedly easy-drinking (I downed two in the ten minutes it took me to type up this post) and remarkably refreshing.  Definitely a summertime brew.  My only real complaint is the aftertaste--there is something not quite right there.  I want my lagers to finish cleanly, but the Craft Lager has a slight sourness that lingers a touch too long.

All told, this is a fine beer built by an excellent brewery.  It is clear that the good people at Muskoka care about beer and strive to create unique and interesting products.  While the Craft Lager is not my favorite, it is definitely worth a taste, particularly while the summer sun continues to shine.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Aldaris Zelta Premium Lager

As previously mentioned, Toronto has been devilishly hot of late.  So hot that I haven't been able to stomach a stout or a brown ale before sundown.  Consequently, lagers have been enjoying a renaissance in my repertoire.  On a hot afternoon, I recently had the pleasure of sampling an Adaris Zelta.  This lager, born in Riga, Lavia and marketed in a 500ml tallboy, did not disappoint.

Until this week, I was a virgin with respect to Latvian beers.  According to the label, Zelta is "The first exported premium lager brewed according to the Latvian tradition."  After sampling Zelta, I will be keeping an eye out for other Latvian exports.

At 5.2%, this light coloured, slightly cloudy lager was a delight.  Immediately upon pouring, I noticed that there was very little head to speak of.  While I find that this is often a warning sign of a watery brew, in the case of Zelta my concern proved unfounded.  Zelta features a big initial flavour but very little aftertaste.  This makes it extremely refreshing.  It is crisp and compact.  Its undeniable drinkability masks its slightly elevated alcohol content effectively.  Lastly, it is notable that Zelta does not suffer a bit from the fact that it is canned rather than bottled.

Lager fans everywhere, if Aldaris Zelta is available near you, seek it out.  You can thank me later.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Golden Pheasant Lager

Toronto has recently been in the midst of an extreme heat wave.  As a result, I've been drinking more lagers that usual in an effort to beat the heat.  Golden Pheasant is a cheeky little Slovakian lager.  It comes in a snazzy 500ml bottle and weighs in at the standard 5%.

Hailing from Hurbanovo, Slovakia, Golden Pheasant was exactly what I was looking for on an afternoon where the mercury climbed well above 30C.  Sitting on a shady patio, I was thrilled when I tipped back the bottle and this classic golden liquid tumbled out.

According to the label, Golden Pheasant is "brewed according to an original recipe, using only natural ingredients: clearest water from our own wells, finest hops and malted barley."  The result is a delicious, slightly sweet brew with a gentle aftertaste.  GP was very refreshing.  It was crisp and clean.  In short, everything that I typically look for in a lager.  Apart from the muted sweetness, there were no surprises either good or bad.

Based on taste alone Golden Pheasant was not a terribly memorable beer.  However, the excellent packaging and the fact that I have sampled very few Slovakian products made it stand out.  A lager fan looking for a change from the mass produced North American options would be well-advised to give Golden Pheasant a chance.  It won't disappoint.

Rating: 8 out of 10

The Inaugural Post-Big Rock Brewery's Warthog Ale

For my first review, I wanted to tackle a Canadian beer, and not one that I am terribly familiar with.  After staring at the fridge for an eternity, I opted for a Warthog Ale, a tasty brew from Calgary's Big Rock Brewery.

Warthog comes in an imposing bottle that suggests big flavour and dark colour.  I was surprised to find the ale within was a pleasant brown-gold colour.  Its taste was lighter-than-expected given the menacing name and foreboding packaging; a pleasant coppery flavour that was bitter but not overpowering.  According to the label, the "taste of toffee lingers after she's gone."  I am inclined to agree with this characterization.  There is definitely a sweetish finish more typical of a stronger beer.

At 4.5%, Warthog Ale is extremely drinkable.  However, it is not the kind of beer that I would find myself reaching for on a hot day.  Rather, Warthog is better suited to a night of playing darts in the pub.

The label boasts that Warthog is "the ale that tamed the savage beast."  I don't know if I would go quite that far myself, but it is a delightful brew worthy of the Big Rock name.  While it might never make it into heavy rotation in my fridge, I am sure it'll make frequent reappearances.  If you like mildly bitter British-style ales, Warthog Ale is definitely worth picking up.

Rating: 8 out of 10