Trafalgar Cherry Ale

[SteelbackGuy]

Here is my review on RB:


"Bottle from LCBO # 438- Pours medium transparent cherry red, with a fizzy pink cap with minimal lace. Nose is slightly hoppy with a blast of butter right away. I go in again to look past the diacetyl but cannot get past it. There is a bit of fruit here too, but again, the buttered popcorn is too much. No cherry. The flavour profile isn't as offensive, but that isn't saying much. I get some sweet candy-ish fruit, but nothing that says cherry, cream soda like. The butter is here as well. I get a good dose of hopping on the finish, which would really balance a sweet cherry beer if it were well made. But sadly this one isn't. Flat, thin, bitter fruit finish with butter once more. I liked the Oak Aged Rye and the Left Coast Pale, and I'd go as far as to say they were even very good when fresh. Ultimately, this is a huge step back for a brewery I was starting to have some hope in."

1.5/5


I'd say avoid this one guys and gals!

[biegaman]

Thanks for sharing, Len. Sounds like they're back to having the same old issues. I'm less inclined to try it now.

[Bonesey]

Thanks for taking one for the team. I saw it and almost picked it up. It's frustrating that their lackluster brews are always taking up valuable seasonal shelf space.

[cratez]

I'm curious to know - who comprises the Trafalgar 'target market'? The brewery has the worst possible reputation among beer enthusiasts and, as far as I can tell, very few macro drinkers have heard of them. So how do they sell their beers? Who do they sell them to?

[shintriad]

I imagine they sell quite a few to curious types who are merely attracted by the names and labels.

Whether they ever resell is the question.

[SteelbackGuy]

I'm curious to know - who comprises the Trafalgar 'target market'? The brewery has the worst possible reputation among beer enthusiasts and, as far as I can tell, very few macro drinkers have heard of them. So how do they sell their beers? Who do they sell them to?

Mike,as one of the "guys behind the counter" I can tell you that for some reason, macro drinkers who occasionally try something else, will often pick up those Trafalgar offerings. And I notice they also buy a lot of 666. Perhaps the packaging is appealing?

[Belgian]

I'd say avoid this one guys and gals!

I'm less inclined to try it now.

WHY?? It's a great idea for us all to buy this, and to return the 3/4 full bottle with a complaint. This brewery is in desperate need of help, and the more people submit criticism, the better.

Put another way... you can try this beer and rate it, for free, courtesy of Trafalgar. The LCBO allows you to return all bad products, or even ones you do not like. It's most useful if you can identify a fault though.

Len, you should know better!

[SteelbackGuy]

I'd say avoid this one guys and gals!

I'm less inclined to try it now.

WHY?? It's a great idea for us all to buy this, and to return the 3/4 full bottle with a complaint. This brewery is in desperate need of help, and the more people submit criticism, the better.

Put another way... you can try this beer and rate it, for free, courtesy of Trafalgar. The LCBO allows you to return all bad products, or even ones you do not like. It's most useful if you can identify a fault though.

Len, you should know better!

Ohh I'm aware alright

To be 100% honest, that is why I didn't mind dropping $5.00 on the bottle. I poured one glass. Drank about half, poured the rest, recapped the remainder and returned it while at work. So yes, a "free" rate if you will and an opportunity to try something new. I enjoyed the 2 cans of Staropramen much more.

[matt7215]

I'd say avoid this one guys and gals!

I'm less inclined to try it now.

WHY?? It's a great idea for us all to buy this, and to return the 3/4 full bottle with a complaint. This brewery is in desperate need of help, and the more people submit criticism, the better.

Put another way... you can try this beer and rate it, for free, courtesy of Trafalgar. The LCBO allows you to return all bad products, or even ones you do not like. It's most useful if you can identify a fault though.

Len, you should know better!

Ohh I'm aware alright

To be 100% honest, that is why I didn't mind dropping $5.00 on the bottle. I poured one glass. Drank about half, poured the rest, recapped the remainder and returned it while at work. So yes, a "free" rate if you will and an opportunity to try something new. I enjoyed the 2 cans of Staropramen much more.

but you can fill those empty bombers with homebrew + sometime the grass needs a break from water

[Belgian]

but you can fill those empty bombers with homebrew...

Yeah sometimes there's better uses of time than returning faulty or gross-tasting products. And will complaining matter, when year after year the same 'problems' appear on LCBO shelves. Unsolved.

[cratez]

Mike, as one of the "guys behind the counter" I can tell you that for some reason, macro drinkers who occasionally try something else, will often pick up those Trafalgar offerings. And I notice they also buy a lot of 666. Perhaps the packaging is appealing?

You mean the 3 minute Microsoft Word Clip Art labels? Maybe the fact that they have 'bright colours' on them is what does it for some. Oh well, if they're also reaching for 666 (a great beer), I guess we can't complain.

[Ralphus]

It's funny how many local brews have poor labels when there is a glut of cheap graphic designers available in most regions. In just a few hours, with almost no requirements, many of them can put together content which is miles above what a reasonably competent hobbyist will ever produce. You'd think an outstanding label would be worth the ~$250 investment.

[tuqueboy]

You'd think an outstanding label would be worth the ~$250 investment.

sigh. ya'd think so, but try telling grand river. truly appalling labels that would be about a D minus in high school art class, and that's being generous.

[peterchiodo]

It's funny how many local brews have poor labels when there is a glut of cheap graphic designers available in most regions. In just a few hours, with almost no requirements, many of them can put together content which is miles above what a reasonably competent hobbyist will ever produce. You'd think an outstanding label would be worth the ~$250 investment.

Yeah..there is some real crap out there.

The trick... is to try. Try real hard as image is as important as the product inside the bottle. If you fail at either you're screwed.

FYI - We ususally spend between 5 and 10 grand on a product design and launch including plates/film, etc.. Mostly because we change our mind all of the f**king time. But honestly, it is expensive to get into this beer game.

[Belgian]

You'd think an outstanding label would be worth the ~$250 investment.

sigh. ya'd think so, but try telling grand river. truly appalling labels that would be about a D minus in high school art class, and that's being generous.

I like Grand River, they belong to 'us' and their ghetto Garagista labels are just fine be me so long as they remain so comitted to what pours out of the bottle. Independence rocks, some of the time!