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.
