Gourd-geous Brews--Post Road Pumpkin Ale

Born of the Brooklyn Brewery in Brooklyn, New York, Post Road Pumpkin Ale is sold in 355mL bottles and clocks in at 5% alcohol. It pours an almost clear/mildly hazy brassy orange colour. It's topped with an off-white head that quickly faded into a thin covering.

Post Road's pumpkin pie aroma is bolstered by nutmeg and maybe some cinnamon. This pumpkin ale is beer first and pumpkin second. There is lots of autumn-style pumpkin flavour, but backed with a bitter ale base. The aftertaste is bitter, but you get one last blast of pumpkin way at the very end.

As pumpkin beers go, Post Road Pumpkin Ale is ahead of the pack.  It's not the very best, but it's up there. Not too sweet and filled with real beer qualities--a real seasonal treat.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

Gourd-geous Brews--Nightmare on Mill Street Pumpkin Ale

Nightmare on Mill Street is one half of a Fall seasonal pack from Toronto, Ontario's Mill Street Brewery. It's a "wheat beer flavoured with pumpkin", that's sold in cool 355mL bottles that feature a flaming jack o'lantern.

NOMS pours a deep, hazy brown colour, topped with an off-white head. It has an enticing pumpkin pie aroma, with cinnamon and clove notes. Its fairly thin mouthfeel belies a robust flavour. There are notes of baked pumpkin and spices are pervasive. The back end is pleasingly bitter.

This was my first foray into pumpkin-flavoured wheat beers. It was an interesting brew--the body was a touch on the thin side, but the flavour was really nice. A bit more spice wouldn't necessarily go amiss either.

Rating: 7.0 out of 10.

Gourd-geous Brews--Pumpkin Beers

The fall of 2012 has, for me at least, been the season of pumpkin beers.  Last year, I saw a handful of pumpkin-flavoured brews, tried some, and reviewed one. This year, they've been completely ubiquitous.  I've seen pumpkin beers from all over the US and Canada, from breweries small and large, and in a variety of styles.  My original plan was to have a pumpkin beer theme week, but there are too many for that.  It'll be more like a theme fortnight.  Brace yourselves.

*Photo is from my earlier post on Great Lakes Brewery's Pumpkin Ale.

Nøgne Ø Imperial Stout

Happy Holidays from the Stout Man!

Nøgne Ø Imperial Stout is a big imperial stout that pours dark as midnight in a blackout. It's brewed by Nøgne Ø, out of Grimstad, Norway. It's sold in bold 500mL bottles and clocks in at a no nonsense 9% alcohol. The bottle says 75 IBUs, which makes this big fella really bitter for a stout.

The black beer is topped with a very thick tan head. After pouring it into a glass, I noticed a slight sludgy residue left in the bottle. The aroma is resplendent with cocoa notes. The Nøgne Ø Imperial Stout is a chocolatey brew, with some semi-sweetness at the front end, and lots of smouldering bitterness toward the finish. For a brew with 9% alcohol pop, the booze is dangerously well masked.

For all of its bombast, this imperial stout has chocolate to spare. Its cacao qualities combined with the impactful bitterness make it a winner. This is a serious beer.  It you're into big, brutish booze bombs, and powerful, unapologetic stouts, than the Nøgne Ø Imperial Stout is for you.  If you're a bit more timid in your beer selections, maybe leave this one on the shelf.

Rating: 9.0 out of 10.

Phillips Ginger Beer

Phillips Ginger Beer is a tasty offering from Phillips Brewing Company of Victoria, British Columbia. It's sold in highly striking 650mL bottles, and clocks in at 5% alcohol. The label reads "With more Ginger than Gilligan can handle..."

PGB pours an almost clear, robustly carbonated brass colour, with a thick, white head. A heavy ginger profile dominates the aroma. Flavour-wise, there is actually a respectable dosage of malt and hops dwelling beneath the fulsome ginger taste, though I suspect that the base beer is pretty mild. Phillips Ginger Beer is notable because it's more like a conventional beer than many of the ginger beers that I've tried. For a spicy brew, this one is oddly refreshing.

If you don't care for ginger, you're probably going to want to stay away from this one. According to the label, PGB pairs nicely with sushi--I'd love to put that claim to the test.  I'd like the beery base to have a bit more punch, to shoulder aside some of the ginger bite, but, that said, this is an interesting and engaging brew.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

True North Blonde Lager

From the Magnotta Brewey in Vaughn, Ontario comes True North Blonde Lager, a sparkling straw coloured brew topped with a crown of fluffy white head. TNBL is sold in 341mL bottles and contains the standard 5% alcohol.
 There is a fairly sweet, malt forward aroma that contains some grassy notes. TNBL has a crisp mouthfeel. It as a sweet, grainy initial taste and is slightly toasty with a moderately bitter backbone.

True North Blonde Lager is delightfully affordable. For the price, it's a reasonably reliable Ontario lager. Cheap and enjoyable do not always go well together, but in this case they seem to. The brew might not knock your socks off, but it won't let you down either.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Moosehead Lager

Bam! Now I'm 28!

For my birthday, I decided to write about a Canadian macro-brewed beer that has been, and remains close to my heart: Moosehead Lager. Early in my drinking career, the Moose was a regular favourite. Of the beers that I enjoyed during my misspent youth, "Moose Green" is one of the few that has remained a refrigerator staple as my tastes have grown and matured.  Like me, Moosehead Breweries hails from the province of New Brunswick, though while I'm from Fredericton, it's of Saint John stock.

Moosehead Lager is sold in 341 green bottles and it contains 5% alcohol. It pours a pale straw colour. It's clear with a fair dose of carbonation and a white head. It has a grassy, grainy aroma and a mild, crisp flavour. Grain and grass are the main taste notes. There is a short, refreshing finish with a hint of bitterness.

A prototype for Canadian macro-brewed pale lagers, Moosehead offers no surprises, but it is reasonably well made and reliable. Compared to the other national brews, it fares quite well.  Compared to small batch, micro-brewed craft beers, less so.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Trafalgar ESB

The Trafalgar ESB comes from Oakville, Ontario, where it is crafted by Trafalgar Ales and Meads. With 5% alcohol, this Extra Special Bitter is sold in 500mL bottles. It pours a relatively clear red-copper colour and has a moderate amount of carbonation and a thinnish cream coloured head.

The ESB has a really inviting aroma that blends bitterness with some caramel notes--this is a great smelling beer.  It starts with a malty caramel taste that morphs into a pungent hop flavour by the end.
The finish is bitter and dry.

Hoppier than I expected, this is an English-style pale ale wearing IPA pajamas.  It's a well made brew. You better believe I'll have another.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

St.-Ambroise Apricot Wheat Ale

Yet another quality offering from Montreal's McAuslan Brewing Inc., the St.-Ambroise Apricot Wheat Ale is charmant.  Sold in 341mL bottles, the A.W.A. contains 5% alcohol. The ale is clear and golden, riddled with lively carbonation, and topped with a bright white head. It leaves behind a healthy amount of lace.

There's an undeniable apricot aroma and apricot flavour throughout, superimposed over a beery body that goes from sweet to bitter.

It''s a nice, approachable fruit beer; one that is likely to appeal to a wide range of beer fans. Though I don't drink the stuff all that frequently, I find myself getting cravings for it every once in a while, and it always delivers.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

Samuel Adams Spring Lager

I know that it seems weird to be posting about a springtime brew in December, but I have so many reviews already queued up, or written and awaiting typing, that I actually drank this little brew around June.  Weird times.

Samuel Adams Spring Lager is a tasty offering from the Boston Beer Company out of Boston, Massachusetts.  It comes in 355mL bottles and contains 5.5% alcohol. It pours a cloudy, moderately carbonated yellow-orange colour. Topped with a foam of eggshell head, this brew looks pretty convincingly like a witbier.

Spring Lager has a fruity, almost floral aroma. The label led me to expect citrus flavour, and while there are some faint citrus notes, I mostly got sweet breadiness and a hint of grain. Also, maybe some clover?  There's not a lot of hops in this one--just a touch near the back end keeps this beer from being overly sweet.

This is a nice, fresh tasting beer. It has an interesting flavour and I liked a lot of things about it.  Try it!

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

Festivale

The Beau's All Natural Brewing Company out of Vankleek, Ontario is frequently brewing up interesting and well-crafted brews.  Festivale, their version of an altbier, is their summer seasonal beer.  It comes in Beau's excellent 600mL bottles and clocks in at a lightweight 4.7%.

Festivale pours a clear copper colour, topped with a thick, fluffy cream head. It has a grainy aroma with some notes of caramel and hops. It has big flavour for a brew of only 4.7%.  Like the smell, there are notes of caramel alongside a metallic twinge. It starts sweet, but builds to a solidly bitter body pretty quickly. Rich malty tones enhance the overall enjoyability.

Beau's Festivale is a pretty interesting brew. Altbier is a style that I have only been exposed to a few times, and this one certainly makes me thirsty for more.


Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

Lezajsk

Hailing from Lezajsk, Poland, Lezajsk is a pale lager. It's brewed by Browar Lezajsk and sold in 500mL bottles. It checks in at 5.5% alcohol.

Lezajsk pours a lovely clear golden colour. It's fizzy with a cloud of white head. It has the conventional pale lager aroma. It has a surprisingly smooth mouthfeel. Thin malt and grain flavours are backed with a decently bitter finish.

Truth be told, I found this beer to be a bit on the thin side. When I saw the rich colour and the slightly elevated alcohol content, I was hoping for a bit more flavour. On the plus side, it is extremely easy-drinking.

Rating: 6.5 out of 10.

Shock Top

Shock Top is a "Belgian-style White Ale" produced by Shock Top Brewing Co. out of St. Louis, Missouri. It comes in a pretty cool looking 473mL can featuring a shades-sporting, mohawk-wearing orange wedge. S.T. clocks in at 5.2% alcohol. According to the can, the beer is "[b]rewed with coriander, orange, lemon and lime peel."

S.T. is  a cloudy, golden straw coloured ale with lots of carbonation and a white head. Citrus rind is the prominent aroma. It has an effervescent mouthfeel--perhaps a bit thin. It's a fair impression of a Belgian witbier--corriander and citrus flavours are both present and accounted for. There is very little aftertaste--it's nice and fruity, but short.

Shock Top is a convincing white ale.  It's not showstopping, but it is undoubtedly refreshing and tasty. It makes a great complement to a hot day. For a widely available American ale, this stuff has some style. Plus, I appreciate the 5.2% alcohol.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

10 Point India Pale Ale

Sold in striking 750mL bottles, Lake of Bays Brewing Company's 10 Point India Pale Ale is a tasty IPA from Baysville, Ontario. It weighs in at 6% alcohol, and pours a clear amber colour, topped with a lusty cream head.

10 Point's big hop aroma is resplendent with floral notes and a dash of sweetness. The flavour is milder than I expected.  I'd class it as an English-style IPA--malt forward with caramel leanings before giving way to forresty hops. The aftertaste is pleasant and hoppy.

10 Point is pretty easy-drinking, which is a benefit, given it's large format.  It's a subtle, well-crafted answer to those IPAs that rely only on an astronomical hop profile. It's a bit pricey, and a slightly higher percentage of alcohol would be nice, but it is a tasty ale.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

St.-Ambroise Framboise

I'm sure that I'm not the first to make this observation, , but as I looked at the cloudy red haze that is St.-Ambroise Framboise and took in the aroma of raspberry pie, I couldn't help but think that you'd be hard pressed to spell F-R-A-M-B-O-I-S-E without Ambroise.

This raspberry flavoured ale is a product of Montreal, Quebec's McAuslan Brewing Inc. It's sold in 341mL bottles and contains 5% alcohol. As I've already mentioned, the Framboise is reddish.  It is topped with a cloudy head that features a pinkish hue.  It's aroma is of raspberry--pie or jam.  There is considerable fruit flavour ably backed by a beery base.

Tasty and refreshing, this beer screams for warm weather. There's raspberry flavour from start to finish, but with enough hoppiness to remind you that you're drinking a beer. It's a fine fruit beer from a brewery that can seemingly do no wrong.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

Yanjing Beer

Yanjing cans state that it is "No. 1 beer from China". This pale lager is brewed by the Beijing Yanjing Brewery Co. out of Beijing, China.  It's sold in 500mL cans and clocks in at the standard 5% alcohol. The can also states that the beer within is has "Fresh, smooth taste for your drinking pleasure".

A pale lager, Yanjing pours a clear pale gold colour. It has ample fizz and it topped with a white head. The aroma is made up of notes of grass and grain. Flavours of sweetish cereal grains dominate. There are also grassy notes. This leads to a relatively bitter finish. The aftertaste has a fair degree of hops for a pale lager.

In my opinion, Yanjing is not bad for a pale lager.  It's plenty drinkable, if perhaps a bit thin. I didn't like it a whole lot at first, but it grew on me as my pint went down. For me, the best part was the admirable bitterness in the finish--more punch than I tend to expect from the genre.

Rating: 7.0 out of 10.

Elora Grand Lager

Elora Grand Lager is a product of Trafalgar Ales & Meads out of Oakville, Ontario. This "dry-hopped" lager comes in a 473mL can, and clocks in at 5% alcohol. According to the can, Elora is an alternative to "watery domestic lagers".

It pours a hazy straw colour with lots of carbonation and a long-lasting white head. It has a grassy aroma buttressed with some citrus notes. There's a light malt taste on the front end, with some solid bitterness bringing up the rear. There are citrus notes of grapefruit and orange alongside some grainy sweetness.

Elora Grand is quite a nice spin on the pale lager. I particularly appreciate the extra hop bombast and the surprising complexity. It's flavourful, but still drinkable and refreshing. I'd like a bit more clarity, but that's a really minor beef with an otherwise great brew.  I'd definitely buy this one again.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

Dragoon's Breath Pale Ale

Another brew offered by Kingston, Ontario's Kingston Brewing Company, the Dragoon's Breath Pale Ale is a highly sessionable brew. I had a pint on tap at the brew pub. It's brewed on contract by the McAuslan Brewery in Montreal. It's listed at 4.5% alcohol, which makes it easy to drink.

It's a clear, copper-coloured offering with very little head. It has a very mild malt aroma. It moves from malty to bitter. Caramel notes give way to a coppery bitter finish. In addition, there's a little bit of an understated peach note lurking in the background.

It's perhaps a touch thin, but very drinkable. I'm pretty sure that I could make a barrel full disappear in a blink. If you find yourself in Kingston, this is a brew worth tracking down.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Dragon's Breath Original Real Ale

Dragon's Breath comes from the Kingston Brewing Company, out of Kingston, Ontario. I enjoyed a pint of this tasty cask conditioned ale on tap at the brewpub. It's listed at 6% alcohol and arrived a darkish copper colour crowned, just a mite hazy, with a thick layer of creamy off-white foam.

D.B. has a mild, malty aroma with some brown sugar sweetness. It has a smooth, creamy mouthfeel. It tastes mild, and moves from malty to bitter.  There are brown sugar and caramel notes.

Dragon's Breath is none too shabby, but I'd like a bit more flavour, particularly on the bitter side of the equation. It's pleasantly easy drinking, and I dig the 6% alcohol.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

(Note: I took a photo, but it was too dark in the bar. It's pretty much inscrutable.)

Wind & Sail Dark Ale

Wind & Sail Dark Ale is another entry from Picton, Ontario's Barley Days Brewery. I had a 341mL bottle at a pizza joint during a weekend escape to Kingston with my love. The bottle features a reproduced oil painting of a clipper ship (though it's hard to tell from my terrible photograph). W&S comes in at 5% alcohol. It pours a dark brown with reddish highlights and is topped with  thin and quickly dissipating cream head. It has an aroma of brown sugar and molasses.  The flavour is roasted, with some molasses and muted notes of cacao. It finishes with some decent bitterness.

This was a pretty tasty dark ale.  It left me thirsty for more.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

Okocim Premium Pils

Okocim Premium Pils is brewed by Okocim Brewers, out of Brzesko, Poland. It's sold in 500mL cans and contains a slightly above average 5.5% alcohol. It's a crystal clear golden straw coloured brew, loaded with carbonation, and topped with a white cloud of head. The head starts pretty fluffy, but fades quickly.

The Premium Pils smells of straw and grass. It's a grainy, grassy brew, with a nice bitter edge near the finish. It's this edge that helps Okocim distinguish itself from the glut of pale lagers out there. It isn't quite as crisp or refreshing as some other pilsners, but it's got character. I also like the slightly elevated booze content.

I'd like a bit better head retention, but that's hardly a dealbreaker. Otherwise, this is an interesting little lager that's well worth your trouble.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

Jubilation Winter Warmer

Jubilation Winter Warmer is produced by the good people of Grand River Brewing, out of Cambridge, Ontario. Sold in 500mL bottles, Jubi clocks in at a muscular 7% alcohol. It pours a considerably cloudy golden-red colour, topped with a thin but persistent layer of cream-coloured head. It has just a slight amount of carbonation.

Jubi smells sweet, boozy, and spiced. It's very festive. It's very full-bodied, with some fruit notes, lots of malt character, and a not insubstantial level of bitterness. The label calls it "Ale brewed with spices and orange." I initially had a tough time picking out the orange flavour, but it's definitely there--the rind adds to the bitterness. The aftertaste, spiced and bitter, lingers for a while.

Shame on me for drinking a winter warmer on a warm evening in May, but it really hit the spot. I'd like a bit more spice notes, and possibly some caramel notes, but this is a pretty nice brew. It's interesting and robust.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

A. Le Coq Premium

A. Le Coq Premium is an awesomely named pale lager made by the brewery of the same name (minus the Premium). It comes all the way from Tartu, Estonia. Sold in nice looking 500mL bottles, A. Le Coq contains a slightly anemic 4.7% alcohol. It pours a clear, pale straw colour, considerable carbonation, and a quickly fading white head. It has a grassy, grainy aroma. It's pleasingly crisp, with very little aftertaste. The flavour is grainy, with a slight smack of bitterness for balance.

This is a great warm weather beer--the kind of brew that I'd like to cool down with after an afternoon of yard work. It's refreshing, crisp, and uncomplicated.  Personally, I'd like a bit more nuance to it to round out the taste, but it's still pretty good stuff.

Rating: 7.0 out of 10.

Weihenstephaner Vitus

Weihenstephaner Vitus is a weizenbock (wheat bock) that hails from Freising, Germany, where it's brewed by Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan. It's sold in 500mL bottles, and contains a laudable 7.7% alcohol. It pours a cloudy, yellow-orange colour, topped with a white head that just won't quit. It has a moderate amount of carbonation.

W.V. has a bready aroma that features a bit of citrus sourness. That aroma is well represented in the flavour, which is bready with orange and lemon notes. There are also some gentle spice notes that round out the flavour. The aftertaste has some bitter notes, coupled with continued yeastiness.

For a beer containing 7.7% alcohol, Vitus is extremely easy-drinking. The boozy taste is barely detectable, which makes this a dangerous brew for drinking more than one. I'd definitely recommend picking this one up.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

Black Creek Pale Ale

The Black Creek Historic Brewery, from Toronto, Ontario, is the source of Black Creek Pale Ale. BCPA comes in a 341mL bottle and clocks in at 5% alcohol. It pours a cloudy, brownish orange colour, and is topped with a lovely cream head that has excellent retention.

BCPA has an aroma that blends floral hops with a twist of citrus and a pinch of caramel. The flavour has some caramel notes, but bitter is clearly boss--this is a full bodied pale ale, with hops to spare. The only thing I'm not wild about is the aftertaste, which, in my opinion, has a somewhat flat note. Still, BCPA is a really enjoyable beer. It's well worth trying.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Upper Canada Lager

When I visit the United States, I'm always blown away by the availability of cheap suds in supermarkets and convenience stores. In Canada, the days of the sub-$10 six pack are nearing extinction.  However, in Ontario at least, there remain a handful of value brands that are reasonably-priced and acceptably made.

Guelph, Ontario is home to the Upper Canada Brewing Co., makers of the Upper Canada Lager. U.C.L. is one of the last bastions cheap beer in the province, retailing at around $9 for six 341mL bottles. It clocks in at the standard 5% alcohol, pours a clear straw colour, and features lots of carbonation and a froth of brilliant white head. The aroma is grassy and grainy, as one expects from a pale lager. It has a flavour that is grainy and quite malty. A wisp of bitterness and ever-so-slight citrus notes make this a value brew worth considering.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Dos Equis Ambar

Cerveceria Cuauhtemoc Moctezuma of Monterray, Mexico, makes Dos Equis Ambar, a fine, well-balanced amber brew. It's sold in 355mL bottles and contains 4.6% alcohol. It pours a clear amber colour with an off-white head and moderate carbonation.

D.E.A. has a fairly malty aroma. It has pleasing notes of caramel. Flavour-wise, it has a malty, caramel body with just a hint of bitterness to tie it all together.  It's a nice, even-keeled brew that should appeal to a wide variety of beer drinkers. It's suitable for all occasions.  Still, a bit more booze wouldn't go amiss.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Muskoka Cream Ale

My eye remains trained on Bracebridge, Ontario's Muskoka Brewery for another post.  This time, I'm looking at their Muskoka Cream Ale. This offering comes in 355mL bottles and clocks in at 5% alcohol. It's a clear, honey-coloured brew with an off-white head. It features a mild, grassy aroma that contains a hint of sweetness. The flavour is crisp and clean with some toastiness nestled in among the notes of grain.

Muskoka Cream Ale is a fine brew for regular quaffing.  In my opinion, it's one of the better examples of the style coming out of Ontario.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Muskoka Dark Ale

Another entry from Bracebridge, Ontario's Muskoka Brewery, the Muskoka Dark Ale pours a deep brown with a reddish gleam and a lusty tan head. It comes in 473mL cans, and has an alcohol content of 5%. The aroma is sweet, with caramel and molasses as the dominant notes.  It's a malt forward ale with notes of caramel and biscuit. There was also a slight burst of tartness that felt a bit out of place, but was oddly enjoyable. A hint of bitterness closes the door.

The can told me to expect chocolate, but I didn't taste it at first. By the end of my pint, I knew exactly what they were talking about. There is a faint chocolaty undertone.

Muskoka Dark is a tasty brew. It's very attractive and has an interesting flavour. There's a lot going on--it's pretty nuanced.  I've really been enjoying the whole Muskoka line of beers.  This one isn't quite up to the outstanding level of their Mad Tom I.P.A., but it's pretty enjoyable.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Stiegl

Stiegl is a clear, golden straw coloured lager that hails from Salzburg, Austria. It's brewed by the Stieglbrauerei zu Saltzburg and clocks in at 4.9% alcohol. The brew comes in an awesome, iconic red and cream coloured 500mL can. It has considerable carbination and a fluffy white head.

The aroma is very grainy and grassy. There's a fairly nice balance between grainy malts and a mild bitterness. There are sweet grass notes. Stiegl is a genuinely easy-drinking brew. Put two or three cans in front of me, and they'll disappear at an unreasonable rate.

The flavour won't blow you away, but it's very reliable. And the aesthetically pleasing packaging helps this beer find its way into my fridge pretty frequently.


Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Black Creek Stout

This stout comes from the Black Creek Historic Brewery in Toronto, Ontario. Sold in 500mL bottles, Black Creek Stout has an alcohol content of 5%. It pours a very dark brown with ruby streaks, though without much head.

The bottle tells me that the stout is brewed with chocolate wheat. It has an aroma of molasses with mild chocolaty character. There isn't a big presence in the initial flavour, but there is a robust bitter finish. There are chocolate notes alongside the classic stout molasses flavour.

It's not a bad effort from a brewery that has the admirable objective of brewing beers that were enjoyed in the 19th century.  I'd like a bit more body in a stout, and I'd definitely like to see a thicker head on the top of my pint (though a second, more vigorous pour yielded a bit more tan head). Certainly worth a try.

Rating: 7.0 out of 10.

Crabbie's Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer

I know, I know.  It's not technically beer.  Still, this "flavoured alcoholic beverage" came from the beer section of the liquor store and looked pretty good to me, so I figured I'd give it a review.  Besides, it looked for all the world like a pale lager--clear straw colour with a white head and moderate carbonation. It's produced by John Crabbie & Co. of Glasgow, Scotland. It comes in a 500mL bottle and weighs in at 4%.  The bottle recommended serving Crabbie's over ice with lemon, but I opted for the brew straight up at first and added ice and lemon half way through.

Crabbie's has a big ginger aroma, a lot like most of the non-alcoholic ginger beers I've tried. It's sweet, gingery, and oddly refreshing.  When I added ice and lemon, it became that much more of a summer drink.

I didn't rate this stuff as I would a beer, because it ain't beer.  But I'd definitely recommend giving it a try. It's delicious.

Highlander Scottish Ale

The Highlander Brew Co. of from South River, Ontario brews Highlander Scottish Ale, a darkish copper coloured beer topped with a nice eggshell head. It comes in a handsome 500mL bottle and clocks in at 5% alcohol. The bottle says "learn life taste freedom". It's moderately carbonated and leaves a healthy does of lace in the glass.

Highlander has a sweet, malty aroma, with notes of raisin and caramel. The flavour is malt forward with some fruitcake-y notes of raisin and fig. It's very pleasant--rich without being daunting.

This flavourful brew is a fine after dinner sipper. It's quite enjoyable, though not terribly refreshing. It's a brew with lots of character that tastes like it was shipped over by St. Andrew himself.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Nickelbrook Headstock IPA

 The Better Bitters Brewing Co. out of Burlington, Ontario makes this tasty India pale ale. Headstock IPA comes in a loud (some would say irritating) 473mL can. It clocks in at a healthy 7% alcohol and pours a hazy orange-brown colour.  Headstock is topped with a thick and persistent tan head and leaves behind lots of nice lace.

It has a hoppy aroma that blends pine and floral notes. It's a hop forward IPA with a flavour that is both pungent and floral. There are some malty, caramel undertones. The added sweetness was pretty nice. There was a tiny bit of sediment left in my glass, but that's really a minor complaint (Editorial note: I had a second Headstock more recently, which was sediment-free). Headstock is surprisingly guzzle-able for a potent IPA. The high alcohol content is brilliantly cloaked. In spite of the garish packaging, I'd definitely buy this one again.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

Rocketdog Rye I.P.A.

Another entry from Ponderay, Idaho's Laughing Dog Brewing Company, Rocketdog Rye I.P.A. pours a clear, moderately carbonated golden colour. There is an off-white head made up of thick rolling hills of foam. It contains 6.9% alcohol and comes in a 22oz bottle. According to the cool looking label, it clocks in at 62 IBUs.

 Rocketdog has a mild, citrus-y hops aroma, with some bready notes. It isn't wildly flavourful, but is tasty and interesting. It's a bit bitter, with some citrus character--notably some grapefruit notes. It has a short, hoppy aftertaste.

I spent an unusual amount of time considering Rocketdog, trying to decide whether I liked it or not. Ultimately, I concluded that I did.  It's mild tasting, but interesting. There's considerable alcohol content, but without tasting too strong. Plus, I'm always quite interested in rye brews.  I'd drink it again.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

DogZilla Black IPA

My favourite Torontonian living in the States brought a bottle of this stuff with her on a recent visit home, so I decided to include her thoughts in the review--also another much loved person was there, so we brought him in on the fun.  The more the merrier, right?

DogZilla is a product of Laughing Dog Brewing out of Ponderay, Idaho. It comes in big ol' 22oz bottles. Unfortunately, the alcohol content portion of the label was smudged, so I had to look it up on the brewery website: 6.9% and 69IBUs. The label features a ferocious looking dog monster on a rampage.

DogZilla pours a deep, cloudy brown, topped with a very thick tan head.  Said my two amigos, it looks a bit like a rootbeer float. The aroma was of a pretty mild, evergreen quality.

According to my guest reviewers, DogZilla was well balanced and smooth, though the blend of bitter hops and dark malt gave the impression of a slightly burnt taste. Both were expecting more hops.

My own take was that the molasses notes and malty profile were fairly unexpected in a Black IPA. There was less in-your-face hop bitterness than some other beers in the category. There was a little bit of dark fruit to the finish, which was quite pleasant.

Displaced Torontonian: 7.5 out of 10.  Guest Reviewer #2: 6.0 out of 10. Yours truly: 7.0 out of 10.