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We have a trivia question in order to register to prevent bots. If you have any issues with answering, contact us at cass@bartowel.com for help.
Introducing Light Mode! If you would like a Bar Towel social experience that isn't the traditional blue, you can now select Light Mode. Go to the User Control Panel and then Board Preferences, and select "Day Drinking" (Light Mode) from the My Board Style drop-down menu. You can always switch back to "Night Drinking" (Dark Mode). Enjoy!
Random Reviews
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- Beer Superstar
- Posts: 2009
- Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2004 7:00 pm
- Location: Toronto
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- Seasoned Drinker
- Posts: 1486
- Joined: Thu Feb 19, 2009 12:24 pm
Hasseroder draft (Finn McCool). A very fresh-tasting draft helles from a German brewery I don't know (I am sure there are many). Stylish, well-balanced stuff with a gathering bitterness, and no hint of the sulphur volatiles that characterize some German lager brewings.
Hop Head Black India Pale Ale. This must be a recent brewing because it seems different from the first one we saw here. There is little or no "Pacific Northwest" hop character, but rather a more neutral, almost cinnamon-like bitterness - more English in style, like a good Imperial Stout. Chocolatey and rich, nicely done.
Kirin Ichiban 100% Malt (canned beer made under license in U.S.). Thin, disappointing.
Gary
Hop Head Black India Pale Ale. This must be a recent brewing because it seems different from the first one we saw here. There is little or no "Pacific Northwest" hop character, but rather a more neutral, almost cinnamon-like bitterness - more English in style, like a good Imperial Stout. Chocolatey and rich, nicely done.
Kirin Ichiban 100% Malt (canned beer made under license in U.S.). Thin, disappointing.
Gary
Gary Gillman
- markaberrant
- Seasoned Drinker
- Posts: 1664
- Joined: Fri Nov 16, 2007 4:28 pm
- Location: Regina, SK
Smashbomb Atomic IPA - someone left a bottle at my house on the weekend. Bottling date was mid April, so 6 weeks old or so. Had a mild, but good hop nose. Picked up the usual metallic finish. Harsh lingering bitterness. Not much else going on. My wife confirmed these thoughts, I had one more sip, and down the drain it went.
Mt Begbie Nasty Habit IPA - another leftover beer. Don't think I have ever tried this one. Smells like nothing, tastes like nothing. An extremely bland pale ale. Wife confirmed the same, had one more sip, and down the drain it went.
Orkney Dark Island - Guess what, another leftover beer! Really good nose, could smell it as I was pouring it. Nice mild roast finish in the taste, but the rest of the flavour was just watery and non-descript. Finished about half the bottle, hoping more flavour would come out as it warmed, but it never happened, so... down the drain it went!
Not much of a Monday night sampling.
Mt Begbie Nasty Habit IPA - another leftover beer. Don't think I have ever tried this one. Smells like nothing, tastes like nothing. An extremely bland pale ale. Wife confirmed the same, had one more sip, and down the drain it went.
Orkney Dark Island - Guess what, another leftover beer! Really good nose, could smell it as I was pouring it. Nice mild roast finish in the taste, but the rest of the flavour was just watery and non-descript. Finished about half the bottle, hoping more flavour would come out as it warmed, but it never happened, so... down the drain it went!
Not much of a Monday night sampling.
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- Seasoned Drinker
- Posts: 1486
- Joined: Thu Feb 19, 2009 12:24 pm
Renaissance India Pale Ale 6%: excellent-tasting beer, good melded flavours of English/New World-citric hops and rich English malt. Drink half-chilled.
Spaten Helles: the current canned import. Fresh-tasting, good barley malt notes, no "stinky can", no sulphur notes. I'd add more hops in the aftertaste, but it's very good beer.
Black Oak 10 Bitter Years (bomber bottle): Sweet malt sets off the bitter-but-flavouful American hops, well-balanced.
Gary
Spaten Helles: the current canned import. Fresh-tasting, good barley malt notes, no "stinky can", no sulphur notes. I'd add more hops in the aftertaste, but it's very good beer.
Black Oak 10 Bitter Years (bomber bottle): Sweet malt sets off the bitter-but-flavouful American hops, well-balanced.
Gary
Gary Gillman
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- Posts: 329
- Joined: Wed Nov 14, 2007 8:20 pm
- Location: Etobicoke
I drank four of the six bottles I was given and gave the others to my sister who has decided that wheat and gluten are terrible and should be avoided at all costs. I haven't heard back et if she has tried them and what her thoughts are but I am regretting my decision to part with them. I am sort of missing the light body and fruity / spicy flavour of this beer. I was told that it available for private order and will soon be available at some TBS locations. If I see it at TBS I will grab a few more. Nice on the hot days while working the BBQ. My friend who is the I porter for Schnitzer said this morning that he is going to sign up on Bartowel, maybe he will chime in with more info and ordering details.toweringpine wrote:Schnitzer Brau Organic and Gluten Free
An acquaintance who is getting into a beer and wine importing business is bringing This one to us. I was told it will at select The Beer Store locations soon. It's a different sort of beer, made from millet rather than sorghum like many gluten free beers. It has an interesting enough flavor. With some nice German hops and a touch of banana and clove there is some aroma too. The head was pretty decent and clung to the sides a bit as it dissipated. The body of the beer is too thin and leaves the beer with no backbone. I don't think I'd get t as an everyday brew unless gluten free was the main criteria. As far as gluten free beers go, it's much better than most.
- markaberrant
- Seasoned Drinker
- Posts: 1664
- Joined: Fri Nov 16, 2007 4:28 pm
- Location: Regina, SK
Was at a music club last night, awful beer selection and bottles only, but figured it was a chance to try some beers I normally wouldn't:
Big Rock Saaz Republic Pils - What a surprise, it has the same disgusting house ale yeast character that all of their ales and so called lagers exhibit. Had an offensive sharp bitterness to it, but fortunately it was extremely mild.
Keith's Hallertauer - Had me wishing I ordered another Big Rock. Mild dirty floral taste, with something approximating an unpleasant bitterness in the finish. Got slightly better as it warmed, but couldn't finish it.
Good thing the music was excellent.
Big Rock Saaz Republic Pils - What a surprise, it has the same disgusting house ale yeast character that all of their ales and so called lagers exhibit. Had an offensive sharp bitterness to it, but fortunately it was extremely mild.
Keith's Hallertauer - Had me wishing I ordered another Big Rock. Mild dirty floral taste, with something approximating an unpleasant bitterness in the finish. Got slightly better as it warmed, but couldn't finish it.
Good thing the music was excellent.
- Torontoblue
- Beer Superstar
- Posts: 2136
- Joined: Fri Dec 24, 2004 6:12 pm
- Location: Edmonton via Toronto via The Wirral
- markaberrant
- Seasoned Drinker
- Posts: 1664
- Joined: Fri Nov 16, 2007 4:28 pm
- Location: Regina, SK
- markaberrant
- Seasoned Drinker
- Posts: 1664
- Joined: Fri Nov 16, 2007 4:28 pm
- Location: Regina, SK
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- Beer Superstar
- Posts: 2009
- Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2004 7:00 pm
- Location: Toronto
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- Seasoned Drinker
- Posts: 1486
- Joined: Thu Feb 19, 2009 12:24 pm
Renaissance Marlborough Pale Ale (IIPA) - Great fresh piney and delectable pale-fruit aroma does not warn of the big bitterness, piney and resinous with grapefruit pith and citrus fruit. Hops overwhelm a bit, hiding the big caramelly base. Bitterness carries long, and for me this is not the ideal IIPA but some do like it this bitter, and the quality is definitely here. Points for unusual hop variety, Rakau and the sheer aggressiveness.
In Beerum Veritas