Hop City Barking Squirrel Lager

mgmoney · Post by **mgmoney** » Wed Jun 22, 2011 8:37 am

Had one of these at one of those chain restaurants last night and thought hey not bad...anyone else had this before? Thoughts?

sprague11 · Post by **sprague11** » Wed Jun 22, 2011 10:31 am

Inoffensive if not a tad boring.

TheSevenDuffs · Post by **TheSevenDuffs** » Wed Jun 22, 2011 11:01 am

Among the selectoin on tap at Jack Astors I often choose this beer (or the Sam Adams seasonal). It is decent. Had a nice hop bitterness to it. Almost seems to be a cross betweena pils and a pale ale to me.

GregClow · Post by **GregClow** » Wed Jun 22, 2011 11:49 am

It's OK - it reminds me a bit of Creemore, except with less character. Their Happy Hour Ale is better.

SteelbackGuy · Post by **SteelbackGuy** » Wed Jun 22, 2011 2:33 pm

GregClow wrote:It's OK - it reminds me a bit of Creemore, except with less character. Their Happy Hour Ale is better.

Can't seem to find that one anywhere!

ritzkiss · Post by **ritzkiss** » Wed Jun 22, 2011 4:15 pm

It's an okay, if simple, maltier lager.

I think I enjoyed their Persuasion Pilsner better but then I am more inclined to pilsners. Thought it to be, while not exceptional, a really solid and drinkable pilsner offering.

GregClow · Post by **GregClow** » Wed Jun 22, 2011 9:54 pm

SteelbackGuy wrote:
GregClow wrote:It's OK - it reminds me a bit of Creemore, except with less character. Their Happy Hour Ale is better.
Can't seem to find that one anywhere!

I haven't seen it around much either. I had it at the launch party for their Pilsner, where all of their beers were available, and I've had it at Grindhouse, a burger place on King St. in Toronto, but I don't think I've seen it anywhere else.

cirrosis · Post by **cirrosis** » Thu Jun 23, 2011 9:11 pm

i had 3 at Jack Astors one fine evening, worst headache ever the next day!

cirrosis · Post by **cirrosis** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 11:21 pm

cirrosis wrote:i had 3 at Jack Astors one fine evening, worst headache ever the next day!

but a headache i did not regret!

mgmoney · Post by **mgmoney** » Fri Oct 28, 2011 8:11 am

found this in cans at the Pickering LCBO...I think it may be my gateway beer for the Molbatt friends I have into craft..maltier lager with a little hop bite..Yes I am trying to convert Molbatters one at a time...

Rob Creighton · Post by **Rob Creighton** » Fri Oct 28, 2011 9:07 am

With the Squirrel line from Moosehead and Molson beating the drum with their pseudo craft offerings, I'm surprised that Labatt hasn't found a buy-out to front their efforts in Ontario.

The old Interbrew Keith's front for bringing in their Euro products (Stella, Hoegaarden, etc...) is old and they seem to have lost their focus despite this line from the AB-Inbev 10 guiding principles:

"Focus and zero-complacency guarantee a lasting competitive advantage"

Something is bound to be on the horizon.

TheSevenDuffs · Post by **TheSevenDuffs** » Fri Oct 28, 2011 10:13 am

Rob Creighton wrote:With the Squirrel line from Moosehead and Molson beating the drum with their pseudo craft offerings, .

Are you saying that Barking Squirrel is owned by Moosehead and/or Molson?

icemachine · Post by **icemachine** » Fri Oct 28, 2011 11:24 am

Hop City is a wholly owned subsidiary of Moosehead

Rob Creighton · Post by **Rob Creighton** » Fri Oct 28, 2011 11:54 am

To get around some of our relic alcohol laws where beers from other provinces were treated and taxed as imports. Moosehead purchased Niagara Brewing Co when it was located on Lundy's Lane in Niagara Falls. It served to allow them to sell as a domestic and improve their margin on beer sold in Ontario.

The facility wasn't set to produce enough product in Ontario so they sold the building to Niagara's Best (now the Syndicate) and moved to the just emptied Cool plant in Brampton. This became Hop City which they do their best to not let you know is a front for Moosehead.

TheSevenDuffs · Post by **TheSevenDuffs** » Fri Oct 28, 2011 11:54 am

icemachine wrote:Hop City is a wholly owned subsidiary of Moosehead

I had no idea.