Griffon Brown Ale

[lagerale]

I was at "The Butlers Pantry", a restaurant on Queen near Bathurst, and was heartened to see four craft beers on tap, one being Griffon Brown Ale. It's availabe by the pint or pitcher (good price as well). As I was with a small party, we ended sharing a few pitchers of the Brown ale, and even the molbat drinkers in the crowd admitted it was pretty good!

While not an extreme beer, it went well with the eclectic menu and was a nice change as I have not seen this beer around too much.

[Steve Spong]

Wow... now I'm confused. The Griffon Brown is supposed to be the same as the Griffon Rousse, which is going to be in Beer Stores soon. I assumed then that they discontinued the use of the Brown in favour of Rousse. It would appear not. Perhaps they have different names for the bottled and draught versions? Nevertheless, I do enjoy it - whatever name it is. While McAuslan is not as experimental as Unibroue, they still produce excellent, consistently solid beers.

[GregClow]

Wow... now I'm confused. The Griffon Brown is supposed to be the same as the Griffon Rousse, which is going to be in Beer Stores soon. I assumed then that they discontinued the use of the Brown in favour of Rousse. It would appear not.

I believe the beer is called Rousse in Quebec and Brown elsewhere.

I had it on tap at beerbistro in December, 2004, so it's not completely new to Ontario, but I guess they're giving it more of a push and getting it some more draught accounts now that it is due to be available at the Beer Store soon.

[lagerale]

I'm guessing they'll be marketing it as Griffon Brown as this place had matching plastic pitchers and cardboard coasters - and it all looked brand new.

Good to here that it will be available at the beer store as well as on tap (whatever the name)!

[Mississauga Matt]

I remember in the early 90's in Quebec that the beer was definitely called Griffon Brown. Some years later they re-named it Griffon Rousse; I always thought they did it because they liked Boreale's use of that word for their more reddish beer, but who knows.

[Beer Geek]

Wow... now I'm confused. The Griffon Brown is supposed to be the same as the Griffon Rousse, which is going to be in Beer Stores soon.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but Rousse means to turn brown or rust in French! Therefore I’m assuming like Greg that it will be called Brown in Ontario and Rousse in Quebec.

[Belgian]

Wow... now I'm confused. The Griffon Brown is supposed to be the same as the Griffon Rousse, which is going to be in Beer Stores soon.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but Rousse means to turn brown or rust in French! Therefore I’m assuming like Greg that it will be called Brown in Ontario and Rousse in Quebec.

Rust (iron oxide) can certainly be reddish brown - it often holds dirt which makes it seem more brown than it is, but the rust has a red tinge, not just brown.

[JerCraigs]

I'm pretty sure they changed the recipe as well. My memory of it a few years ago was much hoppier and bitter than recent samples anyways.

[Shiner]

Gents,
You are all correct in your remembrances of the Griffon Brown Ale. It is the same beer but has been re-branded as Griffon Red Ale in English Canada and still Rousse in French Canada. The tap handles and table tops still say Brown Ale but we are in the process of changing these over as well. The 6 pack Boxes have already been changed to Red Ale.
And Jeremy.....not knocking your memeory of the beer in the least bit but it was never really a beer with much hop to it.
Hope this helps.

[JerCraigs]

And Jeremy.....not knocking your memeory of the beer in the least bit but it was never really a beer with much hop to it.
Hope this helps.

I suppose its possible that *I* have changed

[HogTownHarry]

Yeah, Jeremy, after all, these days, you ....

you know

[HogTownHarry]

Interestingly enough, it rhymes with "Rate Beer"

LOL