Waterloo Smoked Applewood Roggenbier

Spotted something new at the store today, Waterloo Smoked Applewood Roggenbier. From Kitchener, Ontario's Waterloo Brewing Co., this stuff is redundant--the "smoked" is implied when speaking of a roggenbier. Still, I couldn't resist the lure of the 473mL can and I had the feeling that it'd be swell on a chilly evening. To my luck, the very next evening saw the mercury plunge and I had a veritable fall eve on my hands, so I hauled my can out of the fridge to give the 5.3% tipple a try.

My pint poured beautifully--clear, auburn hued, and with a lustrous cream head. My nose declared Waterloo's Roggie to have a sweet, smokey aroma. This scent was matched, even exceeded, in the flavour. Not as smokey as a rauchbier, this still has a pretty ample campfire tang, and an agreeable one at that. Sweet and malty are the other adjectives that sprung to mind instantly. Additionally, I had to double check the percentage, since this brew tastes well stronger than the listing of 5.3%.

I find that I go up and down with Waterloo's beers. They have some amazing ones, and others that interest me not at all. This one fits in the former camp--a fine, flavourful, and nicely executed accompaniment to an Autumn evening. A touch to sweet, and not the kind of stuff you'd want to double up on, but otherwise a grand ale.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.