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Random Reviews

Contribute your own beer reviews and ratings of beers that are made or available in Ontario.

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G.M. Gillman
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Post by G.M. Gillman »

Innis & Gunn Pale Ale Aged on Scottish Oak: Very good, lacks the coconut/vanillin taste of most of the I&G beers (due to American oak), the British wood seems a subtle but welcome accent. It's flavoured with gale which I don't really like or think was needed, but all told a good effort.

Worthington White Shield: AFAIK this is from the original stocks received by LCBO, some is still on the shelves. Very good, the aging has improved it, no oxidation or "tiredness" whatever but a fuller, more rounded flavour with noticeable bitterness. An excellent "real ale in bottle" quaffer.

Granite IPA: Tasting very English again (the beer to me seems to go through different periods) with flowery hop aromas and that so-good English profile. Quite different to the Worthington yet both Old School in their way.

Bolshevik Bastard Imperial Stout Draft: At Stout a few days ago, very big beer in every way. In this particular case, I think it might benefit from longer storage.

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Post by CA_in_VA »

Bell's Brewery: Third Coast Old Ale (Barleywine?)

Stop what you are drinking. This is better. Smooth, velvety, and thick. A nice dose of maltiness with just enough booze to make you aware of its 10.2% ABV.

I picked up a bottle at AJ's Beer Warehouse in Rochester, NY, along with 5 other singles (Ommegang, Delirium, etc), and this blew everything away.

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Post by grub »

CA_in_VA wrote:Bell's Brewery: Third Coast Old Ale (Barleywine?)
yeah, bit of a misnomer there, calling it an "old ale" in the name yet having it be an american barleywine... but whatever, she's a tasty one.
@grubextrapolate // @biergotter // http://biergotter.org/

G.M. Gillman
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Post by G.M. Gillman »

Lowenbrau, tasting very fresh (streams of bubbles surging from the glass frame), zero "stinky can", good malt, moderate non-aroma hopping, just good clean beery values. An excellent helles which, on draft on its home turf, must be even better.

O'Hara's Irish Stout. Also very fresh, but it has that "roast grain" quality I don't really like. Many Irish stouts, as made in North America, are similar. I prefer an all-malt character to stout or porter, but still it's a well-made beer in top condition.

Neustadt 10W 30. On draft at the Longo bar. Rich-tasting and rounded, the first time I really enjoyed this beer. Either it has been upgraded or was a particularly good and fresh draft batch.
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Belgian
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Post by Belgian »

G.M. Gillman wrote:Neustadt 10W 30. On draft at the Longo bar. Rich-tasting and rounded, the first time I really enjoyed this beer. Either it has been upgraded or was a particularly good and fresh draft batch.
Aways liked this brewer, the Brown Ale and Scottish Pale and Neustadt Lager have all been pretty gratifying in cans. Sheepish that I haven't kept up with them for five or six years, but their best stuff holds its own as more 'regular' beer that's not pasteurized.
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G.M. Gillman
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Post by G.M. Gillman »

I was surprised how good 10W 30 was at that bar. I would go back just for that.

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Post by admviolin »

G.M. Gillman wrote:Lowenbrau, tasting very fresh (streams of bubbles surging from the glass frame), zero "stinky can", good malt, moderate non-aroma hopping, just good clean beery values. An excellent helles which, on draft on its home turf, must be even better.
Isn't it being produced domestically now? Maybe that's the reason for freshness

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Post by Belgian »

admviolin wrote:Lowenbrau, Isn't it being produced domestically now? Maybe that's the reason for freshness
Oh, fawk. That is not acceptable. Not unless it's $1.10/can and a 12-pack comes with an ugly nylon toque.

Stop messing with our German beer.
In Beerum Veritas

G.M. Gillman
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Post by G.M. Gillman »

admviolin wrote:
G.M. Gillman wrote:Lowenbrau, tasting very fresh (streams of bubbles surging from the glass frame), zero "stinky can", good malt, moderate non-aroma hopping, just good clean beery values. An excellent helles which, on draft on its home turf, must be even better.
Isn't it being produced domestically now? Maybe that's the reason for freshness
I didn't know this, and just checked another tin I have in the fridge, you're right! It says brewed by Labatt under license.

Well, assuming it is brewed the same way as in Germany, I'd think freshness must be the deciding factor. I noticed the difference right away (as you all saw) even though I didn't know why.

I suppose some may consider that the recipe will change when made locally yet I don't necessarily accept this. Why go to the trouble of canning a separate line and label unless you take some care with it?

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Post by G.M. Gillman »

Belgian wrote:
admviolin wrote:Lowenbrau, Isn't it being produced domestically now? Maybe that's the reason for freshness
Oh, fawk. That is not acceptable. Not unless it's $1.10/can and a 12-pack comes with an ugly nylon toque.

Stop messing with our German beer.
I find it amusing to read some of the critiques in that link when I think the beer is much better now and formed my view without knowing the change had occurred. Of course, Lowenbrau as we got it here for years may have tasted different prior to export - to me it never tasted "right" here, the odd can apart, and I am very glad to have a locally made version.

Bass Ale too, still available here and there on draft in Toronto, is locally brewed and is very good.

I much prefer Becks in the States to the import we get here, the one in the U.S. has been brewed there for some years.

I suppose some may say it's the foreign flavour I really don't like, but I don't think so, I think the transport factor alters the taste in some way, either that or the beer is processed different (maybe more heavily pasteurized) for export.

The only way to know is to do a taste test of a locally made version vs. the same beer bought in Europe and brought back on a plane.

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Post by Belgian »

If they start making, ah 'better-tasting' euro beer locally under contract, I would like to be clearly informed at any rate. 'Now Made Right Here' or 'Proudly Canadian' would be fair notices that don't directly put down the frankenstein brand.

Most any European brand is generally assumed to be somewhat authentic in place of origin... should MolBatt be allowed to 'clone' another Munich beer like Hofbräu Oktoberfestbier or any other regional classic like Köstritzer Schwartzbier?
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Post by midlife crisis »

It's an interesting debate. Guinness, for example, is making a big deal out of going the other way. You may have noticed the weird, can-shaped insert in your Saturday paper that proclaims "every drop of Guinness draught sold in Canada is brewed in Dublin", amongst other things.

Didn't Carlsberg also do this (go back from domestic to import) to little effect?

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Post by G.M. Gillman »

Yes, Carlsberg did change over and not that I drink it that often, but I had a Carlsberg Light the other day and thought it was pretty good for what it was.

Guinness Draught has always been brewed in Dublin I believe. I guess Diageo wants to make more hay of its quintessential Irishness.

IMO, what matters more than location of brewing is how it is approached. Today, one can brew anything anywhere, I'm convinced of it.

Still, I'd like to do a taste test now of the Munich and local Lowenbrau's, it would be interesting to do it. If anyone is going there and interested to bring back a couple (ideally cans), let me know, I'll contribute the local ones for a comparison. My sense is they should be very similar.

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Post by midlife crisis »

Yes, the Guinness thing is based on a misconception, I presume, that originated from the horrible bottled version of Guinness that was (is?) brewed under licence by Labatt.

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Post by G.M. Gillman »

midlife crisis wrote:Yes, the Guinness thing is based on a misconception, I presume, that originated from the horrible bottled version of Guinness that was (is?) brewed under licence by Labatt.
I think the use of the famous Guinness concentrate by local bottlers perhaps gives rise to this misconception, i.e., that Guinness Draught in North America at any rate is brewed locally. But so many people think it's true, I hear it all the time including from some bartenders even though the kegs are clearly labelled as to origin. It is like the myth that Canadian beer is better than American, I just heard it the other day on the radio, I think in an ad. 35 years after the advent of craft beer, 40 years after major inroads by Budweiser in Canada, people still say this. Old habits die hard..

I am having a Lowenbrau now. It tastes all-malt, good clean beery taste, slight appley background possibly, hops moderate but there. It is toned-down helles but very right for the market, I think. Munich Lowenbrau itself was considered similar AFAIK, i.e., it is not I believe regarded as the nec plus ultra of Bavarian brewing (say by beer advocate or that kind of circle).

It has no sulphur notes by the way, a characteristic of much German lager, in this respect the brewing was very well done as personally I don't like that flavour.

Very sound stuff, I'd like to try it on draft now.
Gary Gillman

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