The Citizen

The DC Brau Brewing Co. hails, not surprisingly, from Washington, D.C.  One of their offerings, called The Citizen, is a fine example of a Belgian-style pale Ale.  I enjoyed a pint on tap at a prominent Washington beer bar. I was served a smallish 10oz goblet of the stuff, which was hazy and golden, with a thin white head. According to the listing at the bar, The Citizen clocks in at a potent 7%.

This Belgian-styled beauty had a sweet, fruity aroma. It's flavour was very mild, but with considerable nuance--there were notes of peach or nectarine that were subtly entrancing. Notably, the elevated alcohol content was not on display in the flavour. The Citizen closes with a crisp, short finish.

This was a pretty enjoyable little pale ale. A bit more robust flavour might have been nice, but it was drinkable, refreshing and cheeky.  I'd recommend it.

*Regretably, I was in such good company that I neglected to take a photo before the beer was a memory. This was the glass it came in

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

One Year

Hey Gang,

I just realized this morning that I've been blogging now for just over a year. In a year, I've managed to post almost 200 reviews and other thoughts about beer. I'm still constantly learning and improving--both as a beer reviewer and a blogger.  Just this morning I figured out how to link to the Top 5 Reviews--scroll down and check them out.

Going forward, I'd love to hear suggestions about what I can do to improve the blog, specific beers I should be on the look out for, and anything else that would make this space more interesting for my readers.

Thanks for reading!

Cheers,

Stout Man

Big Butt Smoked Dark Ale

C'est What? is one of Toronto's can't miss beer bars, but they also brew an interesting array of ales. Big Butt Smoked Dark Ale is a fine offering. I enjoyed a pint on tap at C'est What?  A cask ale, it arrived a dark ruby colour with a thin ring of cream-coloured head. BBSDA has a really wonderful aroma: licorice and campfire smoke. A very smooth mouthfeel builds to a nice bitterness at the close. The beer tastes as it smells--smokey with considerable aniseed.  The finish is a bit toasty.

 According to the menu, the Big Butt Smoked Dark Ale clocks in at 5.8% and 33IBUs.

This is a tasty, smooth and intriguing beer.  If you're in Toronto and thirsty for something different, I recommend dropping by C'est What? for a pint.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

Black Eye

Black Eye is a Black IPA from the Durham Brewing Co. in Pickering, Ontario. I had a pint of cask ale on tap at one of Toronto's premier beer bars. According to the beer list, Black Eye contains 5.1% alcohol. It arrived a dark, almost black colour beneath a creamy layer of dense tan head. Some ruby highlights were visible when I held the beer to the light.  My nose was greeted by a sharp, bitter aroma encompassing notes of sweet fruit and woodsy hops.  Black Eye is very smooth drinking. It journeys from sweet to bitter with unexpected notes of peach and tobacco complementing the bitter IPA jolt.

Black Eye is a really nice, creamy cask ale well worth sampling.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

Hops and Robbers IPA

Brewed by the Double Trouble Brewing Co., operating out of the Wellington Brewing Co.'s facility in Guelph, Ontario, Hops and Robbers IPA is a snazzy little brew. I had a pint on tap at a trendy Toronto cafe--according to the menu, there is 5.7% alcohol, and the Double Trouble website tells me that it hits 50 on the IBU scale.

Hops and Robbers arrived a faintly cloudy brass colour, topped with a moderate layer of eggshell head. It had only light carbonation and an aroma that was both floral and citrus-y. The flavour goes sweet to bitter, kicking off with notes of caramel and stone fruit and then easing into a burly bitter finish.

Hops and Robbers is bitter, without being overpowering.  In my opinion, it's more of an English style IPA than a West Coast style. Very interesting new Ontario craft brew; one well worth seeking out.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

Wernesgrüner Pils Legende

This yellow-gold pilsner hails from Wernesgrüner, Germany, where it is brewed by the Wernesgrüner Brauerei. It contains 4.9% alcohol and is sold in 500mL cans.The can tells me that this feisty little pilsner was brewed with "crystal clear water from the Nature Park Eregebirge-Vogtland." It pours with considerable carbonation and a fluffy white head.

Like a good German Pilsner, Wernesgrüner's aroma is characterized by notes of grain and freshly mowed grass. It smells clean and refreshing. It has a slightly watery mouthfeel, but builds to a gratifyingly bitter aftertaste. Notes from the farmer's field are pervasive--wheat, grass, grain.

It's not a particularly robust pilsner, but it's admirably thirst quenching.  A fine pint to reach for on a hot afternoon.

Rating: 7.0 out of 10.

Bitter and Twisted

Bitter and Twisted is a blonde ale brewed by the Harviestoun Brewery of Hillfoots Village, Scotland. According to the label, B&T was originally brewed in the company of a plucky mouse named Harvie, who has been memorialized on the beer's label and cap.  B&T comes in 500mL bottles and contains 4.2% alcohol.

The beer pours a lightly carbonated cloudy gold colour. It's topped with a cloudy white head. B&T has a slightly peppery aroma with some caramel sweetness. The flavour begins with caramel notes, gentle maltiness, and a touch of fruitiness. This shifts to a more bitter flavour profile on the back end. It's nicely hopped without going overboard.

Bitter and Twisted is apt to appeal to a range of beer enthusiasts.  It is extremely sessionable, but with a nice flavour. I'd like a bit more body and a bit more booze, but I'd definitely buy it again.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Weihenstephaner

This hefe weissbier claims to come from the world's oldest brewery. The year on the bottle is 1040--venerable.  Weihenstephaner is sold in classic 500mL bottles. It contains 5.4% alcohol. It pours a cloudy, bright orange colour with a mighty bloom of white head.  Even with a gentle pour, this beer takes a while to get into a glass.  There's a constant risk of overflowing.  The aroma is very yeasty--bready with a dollop of fruit.  I was put in mind of freshly peeled bananas.  The yeasty flavour is accented by banana sweetness, while the aftertaste is slightly sour with just a hint of bitterness.

This beer goes down a treat and is an undeniably welcome addition to a sunny afternoon. The yeast and wheat give it bready qualities, but the flavour is much more nuanced than that.  On the next sunny day, get thee to a beer store and enjoy a cold one.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

Big Wheel

My new found appreciation for Toronto's Amsterdam Brewing Co. led me to revisit their Big Wheel amber ale.  The label, which features a penny farthing bicycle, extols the value of "Balance in Life, Balance in Beer--a mantra that I can get behind. Sold in 355mL green bottles, Big Wheel clocks in at a predictable 5% alcohol.

Big Wheel is really more of a deep gold colour than an amber.  It pours clear with considerable white head.  Big Wheel has a sweet aroma, similar to that of toasted marshmallows. It has a toasty nut flavour on the front end, with a dose of bitterness on the finish.

This is a very drinkable brew.  It has an interesting flavour and is, in my humble opinion, well suited to year round beer drinking.  You'll never get kicked out of a party for showing up with a sixer of this tasty elixir.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Amsterdam Spring Bock

The Amsterdam Brewing Co. of Toronto walks a fine and difficult line. I don't find their flagship beers all that interesting (to my tastes--I know many people who enjoy them a lot), but they are well made, accessible and marketable.  Accordingly, they run the risk of alienating this particular beer geek. However, that same marketability of their flagship beers gives them some leeway to create more interesting ones.  One of these is undoubtedly their Spring Bock.

Sold in gnarly 500mL bottles topped with green foil and weighing in at a muscular 7%, this doppelbock pours a rich deep brown with bloody, ruby highlights. It is topped with a lively cream head and has a bready malt aroma.  Mild sweetness characterizes this brew, as do considerable notes of strong malt and an almost cola-like flavour. These flavours continue into the aftertaste, where they are balanced against a pleasant bitterness.

The Spring Bock is a quality brew from Amsterdam, a brewery that I am appreciating more and more with each limited run that I try.  It's an excellent Canadian version of a doppelbock, and one that is definitely worth your time.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

Church Key West Coast Pale Ale

 From the Church Key Brewing Company in Campbellford, Ontario, comes this West Coast pale ale.  It's sold in 341mL bottles and contains 5% alcohol.  It pours a hazy metallic orange colour and is thinly covered with an off-white head.  A lemon aroma accents a hoppy base.  The flavour, which starts out in a malty fashion, gets really bitter, really quickly.  There are notes of caramel and citrus.  There's a strong, lingering aftertaste that is highly bitter and slightly dank.  The Church Key West Coast Pale Ale definitely tastes stronger than its 5%.

This is a full-flavoured pale with oomph to spare.  There is a flat note in the aftertaste, but nevertheless, this is a beer that's worth trying.  I don't know that I'd like to sit down to a session of 'em, but there is enough character in the flavour to keep a beer enthusiast on his or her toes.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Black Creek Porter

This is awesome!  This brewery is right in the middle of the Black Creek Pioneer Village in Toronto.  Apparently, they seek to recreate ales from Ontario's past and I want to try them.  I am SUPER excited to go visit this brewery!

Their porter is sold in 500mL bottles and checks in at 5% alcohol.  It pours a really deep ruby colour that is approaching black.  It is topped by a fairly thin layer of off-white head and has a toasty, chocolatey aroma.  Black Creek Porter has a relatively thin mouthfeel and an unexpectedly mild flavour that encompasses molasses, toasted nuts, and cacao.  There is a bit of doughy bitterness in the aftertaste.

This brew isn't quite as robust as I might like my ideal porter to be--I'd like a bit more body and a bit more oomph.  Still, Black Creek Porter has some excellent attributes: it's mellow, smooth, and highly drinkable.

Stay tuned for a post about the brewery.  I can't wait to head out there and have a look.

Rating: 7.0 out of 10.

Mythos Hellenic Lager

*Disclaimer:  Mythos is not nearly as awesome as I think it is.  I know this.  I know that it is a better-than-average but not outstanding pale lager.  But I have some seriously positive memories of downing oceans of this little brew while on vacation in Greece.  On a hot day in a beautiful foreign land, these bad boys definitely get the job done.

Mythos comes from Thessaloniki, Greece.  It comes in snazzy 300mL bottles and contains 4.7% alcohol.  It pours a bright yellow straw colour.  It is quite clear and has a cloudy white head and loads of carbonation.  The aroma is grainy and bready.  The flavour is similarly bready--notes of grain and barley.  It moves from sweet to bitter.  The aftertaste is bitter with a pleasant sourdough quality.

Mythos is not outstanding.  But it is a good quality pale lager.  It is pretty damn enjoyable, and I'm going to keep buying it every now and again.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Smashbomb Atomic IPA

The Smashbomb Atomic IPA is a big ol' hoppy brew from the Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery from Barrie, Ontario.  It comes in one of Flying Monkeys' unusual, loud 355mL bottles and weighs in at 6% alcohol.

It pours a largely clear copper colour.  Smashbomb doesn't have a lot of carbonation, but it has a thick nimbus of off-white head.  It has a robust hop aroma--evergreen notes with some caramel sweetness.  Not surprisingly, it's a hoppy brew, from the initial taste all the way through the last gasp of the lingering aftertaste.  The flavour is piney, with a touch of orange peel zest.  There is a really big aftertaste that sticks around for the long haul.

This is a very solid IPA.  A bit more emphasis on the malt side of the equation might be nice, but this is a pretty minor complaint for a pretty excellent brew.  It's a beer that I stock in my fridge every now and then. Definitely worth a try.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

Mill St. Stock Ale

This little brew hails from Toronto, where it is crafted by the Mill St. Brewery. It's a moderately carbonated, clear straw coloured brew topped with a layer of white head. It has the aroma of cut grass and grains with a hint of sweetness. An flavour is unexpectedly sweet flavour gives way to a mellow bitterness. There are notes of grain and a doughy sweetness.

Mill St.'s Stock Ale doesn't have a remarkable flavour, but it's delightfully easy drinking with enough character to hold the interest. A pretty solid brew to bring along to a house party--a fine session beer.

The Stock Ale is sold in clear 341mL bottles. It contains 5% alcohol.

Rating: 7.0 out of 10.

Okanagan Spring Pale Ale

The Okanagan Spring Brewery in Vernon, BC is responsible for this reddish gold pale ale. It's sold in incredibly busy 341mL bottles and contains 5% alcohol. According to the label, this is "BC's original & favourite Pale Ale."

It pours very clear with slight carbonation and a thin ring of white head. OSPA gives off a fruity aroma with a backing note of caramel. The flavour moves from sweet to bitter. Orange peel and raisin notes kick things off, gradually giving way to a hoppy finish.

Okanagan Spring Pale Ale is a mellow, drinkable pale ale. I can see why this beer is so popular in BC. It has good flavour and decent bitterness. However, a little more boozy kick would be a treat.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.