Random Reviews

[lister]

Block 3 The Wall Berliner Weisse.

Crystal clear. Very grainy flavour. Smelled like wet dog.

I didn't realize it at the time that Brett was involved. That explained the smell, though it was still unpleasant. I'm not sure about the first two though.

I finished the glass but won't be ordering that again.

It also wasn't very popular with the bartenders.

[midlife crisis]

likewise. toasty caramel and a mild citrusy hop profile make for a good go-to

Agreed. I guess what I was thinking, though, is that Tankhouse has gone through changes over the years, and though I probably only try it once a year or so (if that), I find that sometimes it is appealing (to me), other times not so much. Right now it is well formulated and tasty, on draught at least - caramel and citrus as you say. Perhaps we had a nice fresh keg, who knows.

[matt7215]

Block 3 The Wall Berliner Weisse.

Crystal clear. Very grainy flavour. Smelled like wet dog.

I didn't realize it at the time that Brett was involved. That explained the smell, though it was still unpleasant. I'm not sure about the first two though.

I finished the glass but won't be ordering that again.

It also wasn't very popular with the bartenders.

agree with your assessment. the worst example of the style ive ever had. the first bad beer ive ever had from Block Three.

[JeffPorter]

Spirit Tree Applelager - 3.5% from the cidery.

I've always passed this one up, but had a sample on the weekend and ended up bringing some bottles home.

Aroma is straight up crisp apples - none of the barnyard funk as with the draught. There's a faint crisp (sorry) lager yeast aroma in the background which is also unique.

Taste is sweeter than the their other ciders, but not cloyingly so. Finish is still somewhat dry and that "lager" flavour comes in again at the end.

Delicious cider and (while costly, as with all ST stuff) worth checking out if you get up there.

I think the ciders that we'll be seeing soon in the LC are from this year's crop which was (and still is, because there's still apples there in storage) phenomenal so look out for it. Any recent West Ave ciders coming out around now should also be fantastic as always.

[toweringpine]

Trou de Diable Punkrauch. Clearance at Crossroads.

An interesting beer. I don't have much experience with smoked beers so wasn't really sure what to expect. The only other I have tried tasted like what I imagine an ashtray would. The smoke is present in this but not overwhelming. Lots of dried fruit taste, prunes stand out. A giant blast of foamy head. A bit too sweet for my tastes. I am glad to have tried it but doubt I will pick up another.

[sofakingdrunk]

Side Launch Pale Ale, recently purchased cans: A cracker, completely in my sweet spot, very close to my personal ideal of beer (if I had to pick just one, it would be English Pale Ale). Those who prefer AIPAs and whatnot may scoff, but this might be my favourite new Ontario beer of 2014. There is perhaps, as Gary says above, a "new world" aspect to the hops on the finish, but to me it is firmly in the English camp overall. Which doesn't matter that much one way or another - I just know I really like it. Way to go Michael.

It's interesting but I'm having the can now and I do get a noticeable English accent here. The draft struck me as more American-tasting. What I'm getting in the canned one is a clove note, similar to Greene King's Abbott in that respect. There is still some American citric taste too. Wonder where that clove is from, maybe First Gold? (An English hybrid hop, I think Golding and a German hop). I'm sure the recipe is all the same but serving temperature and other factors (carbonation level) can sometimes make beers taste different.

Anyway I definitely agree that this pale ale is one of the best of 2014. Michael Hancock has hit a home run with his first production ale.

Gary

I finally got around to picking some of this up, and couldn't agree more with you guys. I love it. Kind of the perfect English/American mix for my palate. I almost get a bit of that kind of hard??water taste/mouthfeel. A new regular buy for sure, and I'd put it up there also as one of the best of 2014

[beerstodiscover]

Trou de Diable Punkrauch. Clearance at Crossroads.

I didn't expect to like this as I couldn't finish the only other rauchbier I've tried (Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen). But I am enjoying this.

[Craig]

Beaus b-side gigantic



It's actually awesome. For reals. It's basically a west coast IPA made with a Belgian yeast. So think terrific west coast IPA with a mild funk from the yeast. On tap at barhop. I had it and the stone stuff and this was decidedly better for me.

Collab with gigantic brewery.

[Craig]

And the same beer at hill bar. Really, surprisingly, good. Can't recommend this enough.

[skaghevn]

Trou de Diable Punkrauch. Clearance at Crossroads.

I didn't expect to like this as I couldn't finish the only other rauchbier I've tried (Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen). But I am enjoying this.

I found it under-smoked for my liking, but then I'm more used to the Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen, which never quite measures up to the first time I had it anymore. Miss the sensation of drinking smoked meat...

[Coronaeus]

Trou de Diable Punkrauch. Clearance at Crossroads.

I didn't expect to like this as I couldn't finish the only other rauchbier I've tried (Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen). But I am enjoying this.

I found it under-smoked for my liking, but then I'm more used to the Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen, which never quite measures up to the first time I had it anymore. Miss the sensation of drinking smoked meat...

I had the same experience with Aecht Schlenkerla just the other day. I had not had one in a couple years, and I thought the smokiness was lacking compared to bottles I had in the past. I wasn't sure if the anticipation led me to expect more than I should have, or if maybe something about the beer had changed. Still enjoyed the bottle though.

[sofakingdrunk]

Bellwoods Bounty Hunter

A delicious drink, and dangerously easy drinking for the abv,but i'm struggling to really pick out the Vanilla and even more-so, the coconut. The vanilla kind of hits me with a touch of oakiness, but thats about it. The coconut is ever so slightly there on the finish I find. Overall very tasty, but want more coconut flavour out of this. Maybe its just me......

[G.M. Gillman]

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (Draft, at BierMarkt). Fresh-tasting with the signature elegant taste of the marque, yet a little underpowered in the flavour department compared to the bottle or can. I hope it isn't pasteurized for export here, perhaps the long trip takes a bit out of it. But still excellent, and you hardly notice it when the beer warms and loses a bit of carbonation.

McKinnon Brothers Spiced Stout (at Volo). This wild peppermint-flavored stout is a winner. I've had it a few times at Volo, presumably from different kegs, and it tastes a little different each time. I like it when the mint is just an undertone, a light accent. But a great start out of the gate for these guys.

Bourbon Barrel Aged Brown Ale (9%), also at Volo, from Sawdust City. Not a success, in my view, rather mild and inoffensive tasting. For that octane and barrel treatment "more" of everything is in order: more malt, hops and barrel. IMO of course.

Gary

[G.M. Gillman]

Baltika 7. 3 months old by the date code. Despite green bottle not a hint of skunk. Fresh and good-tasting, it must be all-malt. It has something of the "East European" taste e.g., as the Polish beers have but reminds me too of good Czech lager, it is kind of a cross between those two types.

50/50 blend of Centurion and Smuttynose Imperial Stout and it tastes like a superlative 7.5% export or double stout.

Gary

[Belgian]

Spirit Tree Spiced Pumpkin, at Only, a bit different at first but a winner. Ontario is making some great individualistic ciders.

Rogue 7 Hop double IPA, extremely impressive home-grown effort of their own unusual hops - very herbal and multi-layered hops, kind of like SN Harvest. I like the lemon undertones very much.