Red Leaf Lager

An amber lager from Toronto’s Great Lakes Brewery, Red Leaf Lager is a 5% brew sold in 473mL cans. The beer has limited bitterness (just 10 IBUs) and a striking copper colour. It pours with a thin, off-white head.

Red Leaf has an agreeable toasted malt aroma with a bit of brown sugar sweetness and a whiff of copper. The flavour is malty, first, and also features toast, copper, and some confectionery sweetness.

Ontario doesn’t have nearly enough amber lagers, so Red Leaf really stands out because it is a pretty good one in a marketplace that lacks peers. It is smooth and easy-drinking, but flavourful, too. I’d have liked the bitterness to be amped up a bit, but otherwise I have few complaints.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.