The Bar Towel

Anyone else remember this one? (Not the lager, the Ale was completely different).

Upper Canada added this to their lineup in 1996. Unfortuantely at the time, Upper Canada had some quality control issues... though I never had a problem with this brew.

Sleemans took over in 1998, closed the Toronto plant, and unfortunately axed this product.

This was the only Canadian Pale Ale listed under the 1998 World Beer Championships, scoring an 85.
http://www.stonebrew.com/wbc/

For comparison, Three floyds Alpha king received an 86 at that time... yes, this was a great beer!

This was probably Canada's BEST (American) pale ale at the time. The flavour of the american hops and the sweet caramel malts (toffee-like) really stood out. It brought this Southern Ontario drinker to the dark side (craft brew), openning the gateway to the wonderful world of American Pale Ales.

In "The Great Lakes Beer Guide", Jamie MacKinnon gives this 3 out of 5 stars and writes:

5.2% alc./vol., O.G.: 1049
Ingredients: two-row pale, carastan and black malts; Cluster and Cascade hops

Appearance: mid amber; beige, fairly quiet and stable head; good lacing.

Aroma: toffee, peat, earth, gueuze-lactose-leather, hint of flowers.

Taste: toffee, butter-scotch, some early hop taste and bitterness. To finish, a grassy-earthy hop bitterness (29 IBU's), some plummy tartness, with residual toffee-flavoured viscosity.
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With craft beer on the rise, I wonder how this brew would do in todays market? I wonder if I'd still think it was exceptional... or just a really good drinker?

Wellington has their Headstrong Pale Ale which seems to be doing well (I drank a fair number last summer), Sleemans did their IPA special release... so I think "Upper Canada" should bring this one back!

What do you think? Should we write a letter?

I've actually wrote to request the recipe for homebrewing... but never got a response!

Sleemans, are you listening? (probably not).

IMHO, they should've axed the lager!

They actually DID just axe the lager...give or take 3 months ago. Can't remember exactly when, but that one has been put to rest as well.

So doubt they'll bring back the ale...

I would argue the accuracy of the 1996 release as this was a beer I requested and received as the staple ale at my wedding in 1994. A fine brew that stumbled me into marital bliss! Go Aggies!

(I know you're talking about the ale but) UC Rebellion Lager was the first micro I ever had. The smell and taste were a universe away from Blue and Ex.

It pretty much knocked me out - I had to have a nap after finishing it.

The original UC Rebellion Lager was a hell of a beer.

Gunny wrote:I would argue the accuracy of the 1996 release as this was a beer I requested and received as the staple ale at my wedding in 1994. A fine brew that stumbled me into marital bliss! Go Aggies!

Eh?

I visited UC in December 1994 and tasted the full range. Rebellion Ale was not around at that time.

It was, however, around at a beer festival in Vancouver in 1996 when the rep explained it was a new offering.

I didn't think that much of it, and preferred the Rebellion Lager by a wide margin. UC Pale Ale, on the other hand, was a tasty, cascade-driven APA.

Yes, the good old cluster hop isn't for everyone. I think they're a little more rustic than chinook (which some people have a hard time with), but certainly not nearly as aromatic. I think it's the author of "Designing Great Beers" that says they're aweful and there's no good reason to use them! They're probably the oldest cultivated American hop, which seems appropriate for a beer labelled "Rebellion". :D

It seems Richard J. Rench was the brewermaster at that time... anyone know where he went?

Josh Oakes wrote:

Gunny wrote:I would argue the accuracy of the 1996 release as this was a beer I requested and received as the staple ale at my wedding in 1994. A fine brew that stumbled me into marital bliss! Go Aggies!

Eh?

I visited UC in December 1994 and tasted the full range. Rebellion Ale was not around at that time.

It was, however, around at a beer festival in Vancouver in 1996 when the rep explained it was a new offering.

I didn't think that much of it, and preferred the Rebellion Lager by a wide margin. UC Pale Ale, on the other hand, was a tasty, cascade-driven APA.

My mistake, it was Upper Canada Rebellion LAGER. The marital bliss part was accurate.

I was a HUGE fan of the Rebellion Ale and was also very BITTER when it went away, and then when Dragon's Breath Pale Ale also disappeared it was very, very depressing... I would love to see Sleeman's/Upper Canada start to release some good beer... It seems their 'Signature' series isn't too bad, not worth writing home about perhaps, but certainly a step in the right direction, at least they can be considered true to style...

Another nice beer that disappeared some time ago was Conners Stout.
I think that was around the time Brick got involved. I guess they couldn't follow the recipe.