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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!
Trafalgar Left Coast Pale Ale
Trafalgar Left Coast Pale Ale
Thoughts? Another variant of their bitter/ESB styled beers, this one (surprise!) also with no American-style hop character? Not to be cruel - but did we need another one of these?
Maybe this should just be the new thread for Trafalgar beers that boast something about "hops" on the label. Merely tolerable, nearly flat, and nothing above the predictable.
Maybe this should just be the new thread for Trafalgar beers that boast something about "hops" on the label. Merely tolerable, nearly flat, and nothing above the predictable.
In Beerum Veritas
I actually thoroughly enjoyed my first two bombers. My expectations of Trafalgar are actually so low I barely even pay attention to what their products are claiming to be. The third bomber I had though, was a tad too minerally and earthy, the hops were going south and as I've experienced with all their semi-decent products, after a couple weeks on the shelf they aren't worth buying any more.
I'm a big fan of the ESB so a slightly hoppier version, when fresh, was highly enoyable. I look at it this way, at least they're headed in the right direction, from a horrifyingly awful brewery to a moderately okay one, however slowly they may be taking to getting there.
I'm a big fan of the ESB so a slightly hoppier version, when fresh, was highly enoyable. I look at it this way, at least they're headed in the right direction, from a horrifyingly awful brewery to a moderately okay one, however slowly they may be taking to getting there.
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If you see trafalgar west coast ale on the shelf at the LCBO, just keep moving. Do not be seduced by the claims of “dry-hopped” and “unfiltered” on the bottle. There is no way that this beer is unfiltered…way too clear. Not sure what kind of hops I was supposed to detect either? Instead of left coast ale I would have called this one "Lame Ontario Ale".
it may or may not be unfiltered but one thing's for sure, it's undrinkable. At the very least, it's not worth buying, particularly when there is so much good beer on the shelf... that is unless you are a ratings whore.hopaddict wrote:If you see trafalgar west coast ale on the shelf at the LCBO, just keep moving. Do not be seduced by the claims of “dry-hopped” and “unfiltered” on the bottle. There is no way that this beer is unfiltered…way too clear. Not sure what kind of hops I was supposed to detect either? Instead of left coast ale I would have called this one "Lame Ontario Ale".
Or, as unbelievable as it may seem, you actually enjoy the beer as it's far from 'undrinkable', unless the bottles you've got have been vinegar bombs like Trafalgar used to make. I'm no huge fan of them (apart from the occasional bomber of the Elora ESB), but this beer is at the very least drinkable every time I've had it. The only real issue with it is that it advertises itself as something that it's not.Sanchex wrote:...that is unless you are a ratings whore.
Yeah I'll drink something to rate it occasionally ('rate whoring' - AKA Rate drainPouring can be a fun way to keep your mind open about macro lagers, as well as you might go 'hey. I'd drink this.) But moreover I'd like to give any beer a chance - and realy, really allow it's merits to shine rather than pre-judging anything. Ever try to really describe a mediocre beer rather than just go into trashing it with epithets and hyperbole? It's just different, you use your descriptive ability and stay unemotional about your reactions.
It's like with people. Each is unique, some are a little tough to figure out, but that's why it can be interesting to hang in there & discover what's actually good about them and not immediately judge them too harshly. That's just why I don't write off some breweries after one go.
It's like with people. Each is unique, some are a little tough to figure out, but that's why it can be interesting to hang in there & discover what's actually good about them and not immediately judge them too harshly. That's just why I don't write off some breweries after one go.
In Beerum Veritas
The bottle I had was stunningly decent. It was also very fresh, before it was even showing up in the LCBO system. As always with Trafalgar, it all depends on how lucky you are with getting a fresh bottle. I can say fresh it was more than drinkable - kind of like a kicked up Flying Monkey's Hoptical.
But it would appear nothing has really changed at Trafalagar in terms of quality control. I really appreciate their creativity, and the fact that they actually get their interesting one-off type experiments into bottles and on the shelves, but how they remain in business when basic issues like quality control cannot be addressed is a mystery to me.
But it would appear nothing has really changed at Trafalagar in terms of quality control. I really appreciate their creativity, and the fact that they actually get their interesting one-off type experiments into bottles and on the shelves, but how they remain in business when basic issues like quality control cannot be addressed is a mystery to me.
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- SteelbackGuy
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Sanchex wrote:it may or may not be unfiltered but one thing's for sure, it's undrinkable. At the very least, it's not worth buying, particularly when there is so much good beer on the shelf... that is unless you are a ratings whore.hopaddict wrote:If you see trafalgar west coast ale on the shelf at the LCBO, just keep moving. Do not be seduced by the claims of “dry-hopped” and “unfiltered” on the bottle. There is no way that this beer is unfiltered…way too clear. Not sure what kind of hops I was supposed to detect either? Instead of left coast ale I would have called this one "Lame Ontario Ale".
It is an above average beer from one of our worst producers, but their beer is getting better over time and I hope it continues. And I am a ratings whore.
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