(416) Urban Wheat

(416) Urban Wheat hails from Toronto, Ontario. It's brewed by the Amsterdam Brewery. The (416) is a shout out to one of the most common Toronto area codes--it happens to be mine, actually. (416) also happens to be one of my wife's favourites.

(416) is a wheat beer. It comes in green 355mL bottles and contains a whimsical, but unimpressive 4.16% alcohol. It's a hazy yellow-orange brew with a white head. It has a fresh and ever-so-slightly toasty wheat aroma and a crisp, short flavour. There is some tart fruitiness, mainly in the form of orange peel notes, as well as an unexpectedly toasty and bitter crunch near the finish. All told, it's mild, but fairly interesting beer.

A pretty good brew, I feel like (416) would be a stronger entry if it had a bit more flavour on the front end. I'd also suggest a bit more sweetness, and definitely more booze. Still, a tasty brew. Thirst quenching and refreshing, (416) is more interesting that many domestic "patio beers" on the market.

Rating: 7.0 out of 10.

Tripel Karmeliet

Tripel Karmeliet is brewed by Brouwery Bosteels in Buggenholt, Belgium. This potent tripel is a "3 grain beer" brewed using wheat, barley, and oats, according to a 17th century recipe, as per the label. It contains a raunchy 8.4% alcohol and comes in a 330mL bottle.

Karmeliet pours a staw gold colour. It's cloudy with a thick, bright white head. It has a tart aroma of apple and citrus, backed with some substantial yeastiness. It has a cheery flavour that is, at times, sweet, and, at times, tart, but always fairly refreshing. The big booze presence doesn't really play much of a part in the taste. This stuff is malty and fruity, with a classic Belgian yeast profile.


All told, this is a bottle of sunshine at 8.4% alcohol. I was hoping for a bit more flavour, but what I got was surprisingly nuanced and refreshing.


Rating: 9.0 out of 10.

Nøgne Ø Porter

Nøgne Ø Porter is constructed by the good folks at Grimstad, Norway's Nøgne Ø brewery. It's sold in 500mL bottles and contains a healthy 7% alcohol. This porter pours a dark, almost black colour that is topped with an immortal tan head.

This lovely dark ale is characterized by a distinguished malty aroma that has some cacao notes and a whisper of leather. It has a smooth mouthfeel and a chocolatey flavour that gives way to a mild, bitter finish. There's a solid dose of boozy warmth in there too.

Nøgne Ø makes a quality porter. It has a great malty flavour, lots of booze, and a decently hoppy finish. I've never been let down by one of Nøgne Ø's brews. They seem to have a pretty good handle on tasty, potent beers.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

Bah Humbug! Christmas Cheer

Happy Holidays from the Stout Man!

In honour of the season, I decided to review Wychwood Brewing Co.'s Bah Humbug! Christmas Cheer. This spiced ale comes from Witney, Oxfordshire, England. It comes in a 500mL bottle with a label that features a wrinkly ol' Scrooge getting ghosted.  Bah Humbug! contains a standard 5% alcohol and is spiced with a pinch of cinnamon.

Bah Humbug! Christmas Cheer pours a slightly cloudy copper colour about the hue of a well traveled penny. It has an off-white head. Bah Humbug features a warm, malt-driven nose that has a slight metallic clink to it. There is a malt to bitter flavour with just a hint of cinnamon heat. This brew had quite a bit more bitterness than I expected and not nearly as much sweetness.

This winter ale is plenty interesting. I might not drink it year round, but I'll be looking out for it next Christmas.

Note: This beer was a gift from the lovely and mischievous A.D. during one of her infrequent but always enjoyable visits.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

666 Devil's Pale Ale

666 Devil's Pale Ale is a wicked offering from Toronto, Ontario's Great Lakes Brewery. It clocks in at 6% alcohol.  The can demonstrates the brewers' dedication to the 666 theme.  In addition to the 6% alcohol content, there are, apparently, 666Kgs of malt, 6.66Kgs of hops used in brewing, and it's boiled for 66.6 minutes.  This lovely Ontario pale ale is served up in 473mL cans.

This is a dark, cloudy auburn ale, topped with a creamy head. It has a bitter, hempy aroma. Hops are the driver of the flavour, but the beer has an oddly smooth mouthfeel for so bitter a brew. Some caramel notes are present, but dwarfed by the big hop body, which contains citrus, pine, and hemp leanings. The finish is bitter and dry.

This is a quality pale ale out of the "Heartland Province". It's one that I frequently order when I'm out on the town.  It could, however, be a little bigger on the front end.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

Kitsilano Maple Cream Ale

Kitsilano Maple Cream Ale is sold in 341mL bottles and contains 5% alcohol. It hails from Vancouver, British Columbia, where it is built by Granville Island Brewing. It's a very attractive brown coloured ale--it actually bears a slight resemblance to quality maple syrup--and it's topped with an off-white head that thins rapidly. There is very little carbonation.

Kitsilano has a mild aroma that is sweet and features some toasty malts. According to the label, this stuff is brewed using real maple sugar.  I was worried that it would be cloyingly sweet--it is sweet, but in a restrained, understated way. The flavour starts off malty, with some faint maple sweetness. The back end is toasty, with a slight bitter crunch.

This is not a bad brew, but I'd like a bit more body--I found it to be a bit too thin. This could possibly be fixed by upping the carbonation a bit. I really dig the toasty finish though.

Rating: 6.5 out of 10.

L'Alchimiste Bock de Joliette

L'Alchimiste Bock de Joliette is a strong beer from L'Alchimiste Micro Brasserie, out of Joliette, Quebec. The label features a portrait of L'Honorable Barthélemy Joliette, with no further explanation.  The beer clocks in at 6.1% and is sold in 341mL bottles.

The Bock has a hazy orange-amber colour, topped with a short lived cream head. Its aroma is malty and gently spiced. The flavour is malt dominated with a whisper of clove. Some faint hop bitterness brings up the rear.

This is a pretty enjoyable bock--not as flavourful as some of its Teutonic cousins, but certainly not timid. A fine beer to warm you up on a cool night.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10. 

Nostradamus

Nostradamus is a strong Belgian brown ale that is sold in 330mL bottles that feature all sort of snail imagery on their strange labels. It's brewed in Falmignoul, Belgium by Brasserie Caracole.

Nostradamus pours a cloudy brown colour. It yields a thick cream head and has a very malty aroma that contains some caramel and a dose of yeast. It has a surprisingly mild flavour for a brew with so much booze--it clocks in at 9% alcohol.  It's not too sweet either.  It is malty, yes, but also decently bitter. Nostradamus is yeasty, with just a touch of tart fruit.

This beer is dangerously easy drinking for such a strong ale. The flavour is nice, but a bit muted. Truthfully, I'd like it to be a bit bolder. Still, give it a whirl. It's worth a try.

Rating: 7.0 out of 10.

Roman Candle IPA

Roman Candle IPA is a tasty offering from my neighbourhood beer artists, Toronto's Bellwoods Brewery. I had a pint on tap at one of my all time favourite Toronto beer sellers, conveniently located just over a stone's throw from my apartment (I love getting locally brewed beer at a locally owned establishment all within about four blocks of my front door).

Sometimes barrooms are dark ...

Roman Candle is a dark, reddish brown ale, topped with a full but quickly thinning tan head. It has a nose that blends toasted brown sugar, dark malts, and dank hops. This beer is very dry and very bitter. It has considerable malt presence, but hops make its engine turn over. The finish is bitter, with a swampy hemp quality.

This brew has a very bold flavour profile and a slightly strange finish. As far as I'm concerned, Roman Candle IPA tastes like a malt-forward English-style I.P.A. with extra hop crunch near the back. However, according to the Bellwoods website, it's an American I.P.A. that contains 6.8% alcohol.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

Simeon Jones River Valley Amber Ale

Simeon Jones River Valley Amber Ale hails from Kings Landing, New Brunswick, where it is brewed by the fantastic Northampton Brewing Company, the brilliant folks behind the outstanding Picaroons beers. Simeon Jones is sold in 500mL bottles wrapped in a nice old-timey label. It clocks in at 4.5% alcohol.  According to the bottle, Simeon Jones operated a brewery Saint John, New Brunswick and was eventually mayor of that city.

S.J. pours a handsome clear amber colour beneath a cream head. This mild but pleasant ale has a slightly bready, malt focused aroma and a smooth, creamy mouthfeel. It has a gentle flavour that is malty with some copper notes and a dusting of caramel. There's not a lot of hop bitterness in this one,

This is a pretty decent ale. It's smooth and easy drinking. The low alcohol content makes S.J. very sessionable, though you don't have to skimp on flavour. I'd like to see a bit more body and a touch more hops, but I suppose that's not really the beer that they're trying to make.

Rating: 7.0 out of 10.

Don't Drink and Drive, Mofos!

Seriously. Don't drink and drive. Don't do it.

It's dangerous, irresponsible, arrogant, risky, and none too bright. If you're going to appreciate a couple of tasty craft brews (or anything else, for that matter), make damn sure that you don't drive. You could hurt yourself.  You could hurt someone innocent. You could hurt me.  I love me and I really love not being hurt.

If you're thinking about drinking and driving, I wrote you this limerick:

There once was a dude from Green Bay

who went out with his buddies one day.

He drank lots of beer,

put his car into gear,

and now he's a smear on the highway.

I may just be an intemperate beer blogger, but I implore you to drink safely.

Stereovision American Kristall Wheat

Stereovision American Kristall Wheat comes from Barrie, Ontario's Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery. It contains 5% alcohol and is sold in 355mL bottles that feature one of Flying Monkeys' loud and cool labels.  According to the label, this brew "re-wires the beauty of a North American late-hopped beer with the traditional European wheat beer ...".

Stereovision is a faintly cloudy golden brew. It's very lightly carbonated and topped with a froth of off-white head. It has a fresh, hoppy, citrus aroma. This is an unusual tasting brew. It's fairly light and thin bodied. The front end has the crisp feel of conventional wheat beer, but this gives way to a bitter, citrus finish more characteristic of a pale ale. There are also some faint and somewhat toasty malt notes.

This is a cool hybrid brew, and a pretty cool idea.  Truthfully, though, it's not my favourite of the Flying Monkeys offerings. It's a bit thin and flimsy on the front end, though it finishes nicely.

Rating: 7.0 out of 10.

Wellington Imperial Russian Stout

Wellington County Brewery's Imperial Russian Stout is a tar black ale topped with a healthy tan head. It hails from Guelph, Ontario and is sold in 473mL cans which declare the brew to be "Rich, dark and complex" and "... one of the boldest beers brewed in Ontario".  It contains a potent 8% alcohol.

The Imperial Russian Stout has a roasted dark cacao aroma with a whiff of leather. The flavour is a punchy blend of very dark chocolate, forceful bitterness, and unconstrained booziness. A formidable but nuanced flavour and a considerably hoppy finish make this stuff tick.


This is an excellent Ontarian take on the Imperial stout. If you like your stouts to be fierce and uncompromising, you'll dig this one.


Rating: 9.0 out of 10.

St.-Ambroise Scotch Ale

It's no secret that I love Montreal, Quebec's McAuslan Brewing Inc. They are responsible for one of my all time faves, the St.-Ambroise Oatmeal Stout, as well as a host of other quality beers. On such brew is there St.-Ambroise Scotch Ale. This punchy ale is sold in 341mL bottles with a pale tartan label featuring a bagpiper. It contains 7.5% alcohol.

This is a handsome amber coloured ale. It is topped with a quickly thinning cream head and has a bready, malt driven aroma. In terms of flavour, it's boozy, malty, and graced with some caramel notes. This stuff is very full flavoured and robust. The finish is slightly bitter, but the maltiness remains.

This is a fine scotch ale--it's tasty, strong, and mad malty. There's lots of boozy warmth in this beauty.  Give it a go.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

Belle Saison-Bière des Iles

The Belle Saison Bière des Iles comes from L'Étang-du-Nord, Quebec. It's brewed by À l'abri de la tempête. I think it's probably a saison (based both on the name and essence), but I'm not 100%. It comes in a 341mL bottle and contains 5.8% alcohol. "A sip of sunshine!" says the label.


The Bière des Iles is a cheery, bright golden colour. It's clear with considerable carbonation and a white head. The aroma is fruity and, as the label says, floral, which makes for a somewhat unusual combo. The mouthfeel is thin and dry--it's delicate, almost fragile--and effervescent like champagne. The flavour reproduces the aroma closely. It's not sweet, exactly, but certainly sweetish. There is barely any aftertaste at all.
 
This is an unusual little beer. It tastes of springtime--fresh and bright. I'd have liked a bit more body and substance, but that might mess with the vibe that this beer cultivates. Try it? Absolutely!

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

Propeller Revolution

Propeller Revolution comes from Canada's East Coast, produced in Halifax, Nova Scotia by the John Allen Brewing Company. The Russian imperial stout is sold in cool looking 500mL bottles featuring a red star, and clocks in at a healthy 8% alcohol.


Revolution has a smooth chocolatey aroma. It is way sweeter than I expected--when I drink an imperial stout, I typically expect jumbo hops and formidable bitterness. This stuff is much milkier and sweeter than its contemporaries. The alcohol content is brilliantly hidden. Considerable mocha notes and a malty body dominate a slightly bitter aftertaste. It's a black brew topped with a creamy layer of tan head.


Revolution is very smooth and drinkable for a strong beer, but without the aggressive crunch I was pulling for. It's a fine strong stout, but one that would definitely benefit from extra hopping. It's also a bit too sweet for this dude.

Rating: 7.0 out of 10.

Island Lager

Island Lager is a clear, pale straw coloured brew from Vancouver, British Columbia's Granville Island Brewery. It comes in 341mL bottles and contains the standard 5% alcohol. Island Lager pours beneath a thin cap of ivory head. It has a grainy, slightly sweet aroma that is mild, but pleasant. There is a decent amount of malt driven, grain-friendly flavour, with just a hint of toastiness. It is definitely an easy brew to quaff.

This stuff is a pretty fair impersonation of a Western European premium lager. However, in my opinion, it doesn't have much presence to fill out the back end.

Rating: 7.0 out of 10.

Two Captains Double IPA

Two Captains is another excellent brew from Nøgne Ø, out of Grimstand, Norway (makers of the excellent NøgneØ Imperial Stout and a number of other great brews). This double IPA comes in 500mL bottles and checks in at a liver-withering 8.5% alcohol. According to the label, this brew is apparently a collaboration between Nøgne Ø and a Norwegian homebrewing champion.


The cloudy orange ale is topped with a thick tan head. There is a colossal citrus hops aroma. The flavour begins malty and sweet--much sweeter than I expected for a double IPA. Some fruit notes fold into a hoppy finish--there are orange and grapefruit fingerprints all over this one. It is very dry near the finish and has great alcoholic punch.

 Two Captains Double IPA is a formidable brew. It's well balanced and worth a try if you dig strong ales.

8.0 out of 10.

 

Beau's Bog Water

Bog Water, by Beau's All Natural Brewing Company, is billed as an "Eastern Ontario Gruit Ale". According to the label, this innovative brew out of Vankleek Hill, Ontario is brewed using wild harvested bog myrtle in place of hops. Bog myrtle, which I had previously never heard of, was, according to the 600mL bottle, commonly used in brewing until the 1500s.

Bog Water clocks in at a healthy 6.6% alcohol. It's a cloudy, dark reddish brown ale topped with a big tan head. It has a boozy, malt heavy aroma which features an interesting floral quality. The packaging suggests that there are similarities between this beer and a Belgian dubbel. I found this to be very apt, as it's malty and considerably yeasty with some dark fruit notes. There is very little bitterness, but the beer manages to remain not too sweet.

Beau's Bog Water is pretty interesting stuff. I'm not really inclined to open up a second 600mL bottle of the stuff in one night, but I'd definitely buy it again. Great job by Beau's in playing around with unusual styles!

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

Gerst Amber Ale

Another entry from Nashville, Tennessee's excellent Yazoo Brewing Company, Gerst Amber Ale is a decent little amber brew. It's sold in very old school-looking 355mL bottles. The Yazoo website tells me that Gerst's alcohol percentage is 5.1 and that it tallies 11 on the IBU scale.

Gerst is an ever-so-slightly hazy copper coloured brew. It has a toasty malt aroma that matches the toasty bready notes that form the backbone of the flavour. One thing that this stuff doesn't have in spades is a lot of hop presence. At 11 IBUs, it comes off slightly anemic for a craft brew, particularly in light of some of the hop monsters that I've known Yazoo to brew (see, for example, Yazoo's Hop Project #61).

This beer is smooth and refreshing with some craft brew character. It's tasty and nice, but not quite as noteworthy as some of the other Yazoo brews I've enjoyed.

Rating: 7.0 out of 10.

Beery Haikus-Alcohol Art

Canny Man

Radical Road Brewery is a newish craft brew producer out of Toronto, Ontario. Their Canny Man is the first of their beers that I've had the privilege to sample. It's "a wee heavy matured in scotch whisky barrels", according to the label. Additionally, it is apparently matured for 71 days. Canny Man comes in a great looking opaque black 750mL bottle that, for some inexplicable reason, comes wrapped in a silly looking tissue paper wrapper and adorned with coasters. This beer is wildly overpackaged. It contains a wallop of booze, at 9.1%.

Canny Man is a hazy brown ale that pours beneath a veritable mountain of tan head. The aroma screams of scotch--it tastes peaty and wood-smoked, over top of a malty bod. A formidable wee heavy, this stuff has many layers. It is, at times, malty, sweet, smokey, warm, peaty, and boozy. Sweet and malty hang around the foreground, while boozy and smokey lurk in the shadows near the finish.

This is a dynamic and enticing fortified brew out of an interesting new local (to me at least) brewery. I have only two complaints. One, a bit more bitterness would take this beer to the next level. And two, lose the tissue paper. It's wasteful and looks foolish.

Rating: 9.0 out of 10.

Threadless India Pale Ale

Finch's Beer Co. out of Chicago, Illinois produces the Threadless India Pale Ale. Threadless comes in pint cans and clocks in at 6% alcohol. It's a cloudy orange-brown brew that looks like a tasty apple cider.

Threadless has a heavy evergreen hop aroma and a dry, hoppy flavour. Truthfully, I'd like a bit more roundness in the flavour in the form of a better developed malt body. Also, I wouldn't have complained if there was a hair more booze. There are, however, some pretty delightful grapefruit notes that really add a little something.

Threadless India Pale Ale is a pretty solid I.P.A., particularly if you dig the hop heavy variety.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Samuel Adams Oktoberfest

Boston, Massachusetts' Boston Beer Company is the source of the Samuel Adams Oktoberfest, an Oktoberfest lager. SAO is sold in 355mL bottles and contains 5.5% alcohol. It's a handsome caramel-coloured brew topped with a lovely but short-lived off white head. It has a solid toasty malt aroma--this is explained by the label's assertion that this beer "blends 5 roasted malts".

Samuel Adams Oktoberfest is malty and sweet to start, replete with toffee notes. The finish is both grainy and relatively bitter. Well toasted notes throughout give this one a pleasant campfire feel.

This is a pretty flavourful and interesting brew, yet one that is light enough to be able to knock back a few (don't drink and drive!). A bit less toffee sweetness might have worked better for me--it is a lager and not an English-style pale ale after all.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

Red Brick Brown Ale

Red Brick Brown Ale weighs in at a robust 6.5% alcohol. It's sold in 355mL bottles and produced in Atlanta, Georgia, by the Atlanta Brewing Company. This is a faintly cloudy brown ale. It's topped with a faintly cloudy cream-coloured head.

RBBA has a malty brown sugar aroma. It's a smooth, malty brew--sweet, with a slightly roasty flavour. There is some gentle nuttiness, some brown sugar, and some molasses. It also boasts great alcoholic warmth for a brown ale. RBBA has some faint hoppiness near the finish.

Red Brick Brown Ale is a very nice brown. I could definitely picture myself splitting a six pack and really enjoying myself.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

Yazoo Sue

Yazoo Sue is an imperial smoked porter that hails from Nashville, Tennessee. It's brewed by the Yazoo Brewing Co.  Sue is sold in a great looking jumbo bottle, contains a weighty 9% alcohol, and has a formidable 93 IBUs. Apparently, it's smoked with cherry wood. I paired this stuff with a nice Toscano cheese.  It was a top shelf combo.

Sue is a tar black brew topped with a tan head. Its smoky aroma has a faint chocolate bent. It's a smoky, malt-forward ale. It moves from sweet to bitter, and there are a decent amount of cacao notes. Sue finishes with a healthy bitterness.

Every time I have a brew from Yazoo, I find myself impressed. This big beer is no exception.  Flavour to spare, strong as hell, and huge format bottles. This is a high quality craft beer.

My magnificent friend K.C. turned me on to this stuff. K.C. is a major booster of the Bitter World, and a great addition to good times everywhere.  Thanks!

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

Nickel Brook Cuvée 2012

Nickel Brook Cuvée 2012 is billed as "Bourbon Barrel Aged Spiced Strong Ale" and as a reserve ale. This mouthful is brewed by Burlington, Ontario's Better Bitters Brewing Co.  It comes in pretty flashy 750mL bottles--wax sealed and featuring very attractive labels. Cuvée 2012 contains a cheeky  (read: strong ass) 8.5% alcohol and clocks in at 19 IBUs.


Cuvée 2012 has an impressive ingredients list which includes Demerara sugar, dried figs, cinnamon, cardamom, vanilla beans, and much more. All of that (plus more) is aged in bourbon casks. Looking at the label, I was worried that the brewers had just thrown everything and the kitchen sink into the kettle for this one.  However, I was wrong to doubt them. However with just a couple of sips, it became clear that this stuff was carefully crafted.

The grog pours a cloudy, even swampy brown, topped with a luxurious tawny head. It's very fragrant. The aroma combines strong fruit notes, sour malts, and a vigorous spice presence. You can practically taste something different in every sip of this beauty--citrus tang, boozy warmth, spicy intrigue, and a whisper of bourbon. It also features some red wine notes.

The label suggests laying this stuff down to age, but I just can't rest easy knowing that there is an interesting ale in the house ...

I really enjoyed this beer. Sweet, sour, and bitter are all amply represented. If you see it, you should buy it. And if you're more patient than me, please lay a bottle down and let me know what it's like in a couple years.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10.

Karlovačko

Karlovačko is a very clear, highly carbonated brew that pours the colour of pale honey beneath a lively white head. It comes from Karlovac, Croatia, where it's brewed by Karlovačko Pivovara. It comes in 500mL cans and contains 5% alcohol.

A pale lager, Karlovačko has a crisp, grainy aroma. It has an unsurprising but pleasant pale lager flavour--sweet cereals which give way to a slight bitter crunch. There's a gentle alcohol taste near the back end which wasn't quite expected.  However, it's certainly not unwelcome. It's nice to be reminded that pale lagers actually have some booze in them.

Karlovačko is a solid lager with a reliable body and an interesting finish. Worth a try.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Simple Malts Trio Houblon--IPA Classique

Of the three beers in the Trio Houblon, the IPA Classique is definitely the pick of the litter. This beer is a very attractive ruby colour, somewhat surprising for an India Pale Ale. It's quite clear and topped with a cream-coloured head. IPA Classique contains 6.4% alcohol and 62 IBUs.

Classique has a toasty malt aroma with some brown sugar action and a bit of hops. The "classique" movement from malty to bitter is on display. Ample brown sugar notes give way to a very full hop profile. The finish is quite dry and bitter, but it still maintains some of the toasty malt character.

This is a really well balanced ale. I definitely recommend that you give it a try, dear reader. You won't be disappointed.  It wasn't quite what I expected from an I.P.A., but it's got some undeniable style.

Rating: 9.0 out of 10.

Simple Malts Trio Houblon--Cascade India Pale Ale Americaine

Cascade India Pale Ale Americaine one bitter little brew. It clocks in with 66 IBUs and contains a potent 6.4% alcohol. It's a mostly clear, brass coloured beer. It pours with a cream head that lowers quickly.

The aroma is built around hops. There are some grapefruit notes, as well as come caramel. The flavour is similarly situated around bitterness braced with caramel. The finish is nice and dry.

If I had my way, there would be more emphasis on citrus hop bite and a bit less malt-driven sweetness. It's an admirably bitter brew, but I feel like it could be more refined.

7.0 out of 10.

Simple Malts Trio Houblon--Golding Pale Ale Britannique

Golding Pale Ale Britannique is an attractive and clear brass coloured ale topped with a durable cream head. It has a fairly nice aroma that dances between malty caramel and moderate hop bitterness. It has quite a creamy mouthfeel for a pale ale. It moves from sweet to bitter, with flavour notes of butterscotch and pretty decent hop body. There is enough malt focus on the front end to make this a convincing British-style pale ale, though it is a touch too sweet for my tastes.

The Golding Pale Ale Britannique contains 5.2% alcohol and 42 IBUs.

Rating: 7.0 out of 10.

Simple Malts Trio Houblon

This sixer, produced by Saint-Eustache, Quebec's Brasseurs illimités, showcases three different hoppy ales. There are two bottles each of Golding Pale Ale Britannique, Cascade India Pale Ale Americaine, and IPA Classique. Each beer is housed in a 341mL bottle.

When I saw this pack, I immediately coveted it. I mean, a hop focused six pack called Simple Malts--sounds well balanced to me!

Stay tuned to The Bitter World for the next few days for my reviews of these three brews. 

Craftsman Oatmeal Chocolate Stout

All the way from Blenheim, New Zealand comes Craftsman Oatmeal Chocolate Stout, a tasty offering from Renaissance Brewing Ltd. Craftsman comes in 500mL bottles and contains 4.9% alcohol. It pours a very dark brown--almost black--with a gleam of ruby, and comes topped with a thin but durable tan head.

Unfortunately, the label came off on the way home from the liquor store, so I didn't bother photographing the bottle.

Craftsman has a strong aroma of roasted chocolate, backed with an espresso charge. The flavour is very chocolatey. It definitely leans toward dark, high cacao chocolate. It also features some really delightful cafe mocha notes. There is even a decent hop profile stalking around the finish.

Just like quality chocolate, this stuff manages deft balance between sweet and bitter. I'm not always into chocolatey beers, but this brew works. It's rich and flavourful, but not too sweet.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

Boneshaker Unfiltered India Pale Ale

Boneshaker Unfiltered India Pale Ale is definitely one of the best beers to come out of Ontario in the last few years. It comes from the Amsterdam Brewery in Toronto and it measures in at a hearty 7.1% alcohol. Boneshaker is sold in flashy 355mL bottles that feature a cycling skeleton. They look pretty cool. On the back of the bottle is a hop emblem with the slogan "Over the Top Hops--Not for the Faint of Tongue".

This tasty I.P.A. pours a cloudy orange brown colour featuring an off-white head and a considerable amount of sediment. Boneshaker boasts a jumbo hop aroma that packs a whiff of evergreen. The flavour is also very hoppy and it has a tangy grapefruit quality. All of that bitterness comes backed by an understated but reliable malt base. At 7.1%, you'll be rosy-cheeked after a couple of these bad boys. The finish is extremely dry, maybe even a touch too Saharan, though this is a minor complaint.

If you love bitter and gnarly India Pale Ales, Boneshaker Unfiltered India Pale Ale is a can't miss brew. If you don't care for hops, stay away, 'cause you'll be peeling your tongue off of the bar.

Rating: 9.0 out of 10.

Lions Winter Ale

Earlier this week, I reviewed an autumn lager, so it only seems fitting that I follow that with a winter Ale. Lions Winter Ale is brewed by Vancouver, British Columbia's Granville Island Brewing Co.  It contains 5.5% alcohol and is sold in 473mL cans.

Lions is a clear, reddish brown ale, capped with an off-white head. It has a sweet, malty nose with some white chocolate notes. A roasted malt flavour is accompanied by some cacao notes. The can talks about a "vanilla-like finish", but I got white chocolate. There is atterness.lso just a hint of hoppy bitterness.

This is an impressively smooth bodied ale. It's nice stuff, though for me it is a touch too sweet to enjoy more than one in a single go. I think that this seasonal brew would be a great accompanyment to a chocolatey dessert.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

Rickard's Cardigan

Rickard's Cardigan is listed as an "autumn spiced lager". It's brewed by Molson Coors Canada and is part of the Rickard's Seasonal Collection. It is sold in 341mL bottles that are sweater-sporting and come with a cap dressed up as a button. They're pretty cute. Cardigan clocks in at a slightly above-standard 5.5% alcohol. It is a handsome golden ale that is fairly cloudy and topped with an off-white head.

A sweet, heavily spiced aroma features nutmeg and clove notes, and maybe a bit of pumpkin. The flavour is less pungent than the aroma, but it displays the same warm, autumnal notes. It moves from sweet to bitter, and underneath the spice, there is a mild but pleasant lager base.

This is a pretty tasty effort from a macrobrewery. It's a solid fall brew.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.