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Random Reviews

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

Moderators: Craig, Cass

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sprague11
Seasoned Drinker
Posts: 1907
Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2008 1:37 pm
Location: Newmarket, ON

Post by sprague11 »

Peche Mortel from Early 2009 - Coffee is still there, but well in the background. On it's own this would be a damn good stout. - Still fairly big and bitter. The result of buying far too much of this stuff (48 bottles) back in January of 2009.

Bell's Expedition 2012 - Bit bitter hops up front, dark coffee, but getting some dark fruit as this warms. A couple friends commented that this was "ashy", but I'm not getting any significant burnt taste. It's very good "now", but this would have been killer when it was -20 out. Very smooth for over 10% abv.
"A good light beer is one that doesn't taste like piss!" - Frank d'Angelo

mintjellie
Seasoned Drinker
Posts: 1118
Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2009 1:22 am
Location: Barrie, Ontario

Post by mintjellie »

Ran into some bottles of Banana Bread at the Yonge + Big Bay Point LCBO here in Barrie. Picked some up because I missed this one when it was released.

3.44/5 rDev -0.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Medium copper body topped by thin, poorly retained, pale beige head. Huge banana aroma with subtle cake batter and brown sugar nuances. One dimensional banana and toasted nut flavour profile with a very mild bitterness in the finish. A little bit of butterscotch that feels appropriate for this beer. Simple but pleasant. Light-bodied with low carbonation. Feels a bit on the thin side. Slight diacetyl slickness. If you like the taste and aroma of bananas then you'll probably like the scent and flavour of this beer, however, it could be much better with a more substantial mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2013 03:29:57

sprague11
Seasoned Drinker
Posts: 1907
Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2008 1:37 pm
Location: Newmarket, ON

Post by sprague11 »

Dirtbag McQuaig's malt beverage for fine gentlemen: Liquid gold in colour, drank from the bottle cleverly concealed by a leather haliburton.

Aroma reminiscent of all things a fine gentleman appreciates: Top hats and Monacles, Box Seats at the opera, Diamind cuff links, Players club cards, and high stakes gambling in Reno.

Taste: Destiny up front, with hints of high society. Notable success in the aftertaste. Like having a cocktail party in your mouth with all of Hollywoods finest clamouring to get in.

Mouthfeel: Similar to the best damn french kiss you ever had, but with more tongue action. I closed my eyes for a second and found myself trying to get to first base with the bottle.

If you're anything less than a fine gentleman I suggest either taking up latin or fucking off right back to Coors.
"A good light beer is one that doesn't taste like piss!" - Frank d'Angelo

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groulxsome
Posts: 470
Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2012 3:24 pm

Post by groulxsome »

sprague11 wrote:Dirtbag McQuaig's malt beverage for fine gentlemen: Liquid gold in colour, drank from the bottle cleverly concealed by a leather haliburton.

Aroma reminiscent of all things a fine gentleman appreciates: Top hats and Monacles, Box Seats at the opera, Diamind cuff links, Players club cards, and high stakes gambling in Reno.

Taste: Destiny up front, with hints of high society. Notable success in the aftertaste. Like having a cocktail party in your mouth with all of Hollywoods finest clamouring to get in.

Mouthfeel: Similar to the best damn french kiss you ever had, but with more tongue action. I closed my eyes for a second and found myself trying to get to first base with the bottle.

If you're anything less than a fine gentleman I suggest either taking up latin or fucking off right back to Coors.
ISO!

sprague11
Seasoned Drinker
Posts: 1907
Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2008 1:37 pm
Location: Newmarket, ON

Post by sprague11 »

Not really reviews per se, but I've finally had Leo's Early Breakfast and Rye ESB from Dunham. The early Breakfast was great, but the Rye ESB was a surprise - very drinkable! This brewery might be Quebec's most improved if they keep up with the quality offerings.
"A good light beer is one that doesn't taste like piss!" - Frank d'Angelo

toweringpine
Posts: 329
Joined: Wed Nov 14, 2007 8:20 pm
Location: Etobicoke

Post by toweringpine »

sprague11 wrote:Not really reviews per se, but I've finally had Leo's Early Breakfast and Rye ESB from Dunham. The early Breakfast was great, but the Rye ESB was a surprise - very drinkable! This brewery might be Quebec's most improved if they keep up with the quality offerings.
I hadn't heard much about these guys but when I aw some black IPA and pale ale at the LCBO I grabbed it. Both are super tasty. Every bottle has been a gusher but it doesn't seemed to have affected the taste. I hope they develop more of a presence in Ontario.

toweringpine
Posts: 329
Joined: Wed Nov 14, 2007 8:20 pm
Location: Etobicoke

Post by toweringpine »

sprague11 wrote:Not really reviews per se, but I've finally had Leo's Early Breakfast and Rye ESB from Dunham. The early Breakfast was great, but the Rye ESB was a surprise - very drinkable! This brewery might be Quebec's most improved if they keep up with the quality offerings.
I hadn't heard much about these guys but when I aw some black IPA and pale ale at the LCBO I grabbed it. Both are super tasty. Every bottle has been a gusher but it doesn't seemed to have affected the taste. I hope they develop more of a presence in Ontario.

Kekumba
Posts: 385
Joined: Tue May 29, 2012 3:39 pm
Location: Ottawa

Post by Kekumba »

Last time I went over to Quebec to get some Breakfast IPA, I was told it was selling like crazy. Even at $17-18 a 6pk. One of my favourites as of late.

G.M. Gillman
Seasoned Drinker
Posts: 1486
Joined: Thu Feb 19, 2009 12:24 pm

Post by G.M. Gillman »

Monk Stout: This is Dupont's revival of a 1950's label of the brewery, but I understand the recipe is a current one. Nice period graphics and label fonts. The beer itself is extremely dry, it tastes as if almost all the maltose and dextrin has been used up by multiple fermentations. There is some wood-smoked malt in the beer, or something has been done in the kilning of the brown or black malt to lend a smoky taste. It is light, but there. For me, its best use was in a blend with a sweet stout so I mixed it with Mackeson, about 3:1 Mackeson to Monk although 2:1 would likely work well too. The blending was very good, with dashes of sweet and dryness, perhaps emulating an early "three-threads" or one kind of those.

Molson Canadian Wheat: Saw this in the can at LCBO so gave it a whirl. It is cloudy but the flavour is very light and clean, it tastes mostly like a mainstream lager to me. At Six Pints Brewing Company in Toronto a very good hefeweizen (top-fermented) is made but the canned wheat must be a different recipe. Geared to the mass market IMO.

Draft Rodenbach: Tried this at Bar Hop and I think it is only the second or third time I've had some iteration of the Rodenbach line. I believe this is the regular version which is pasteurized, has some adjunct and is a blend of young and some oak-aged beer. I thought it was excellent and I don't mind the pasteurization because clearly it stabilizes the beer to the palate wanted, if you didn't do it the old beer component would probably ferment out the young beer sugars with unpredictable results. Nice winy/sweet/dry blend again, a classic with a fruity almond finish.

Gary
Gary Gillman

toweringpine
Posts: 329
Joined: Wed Nov 14, 2007 8:20 pm
Location: Etobicoke

Post by toweringpine »

Schnitzer Brau Organic and Gluten Free

An acquaintance who is getting into a beer and wine importing business is bringing This one to us. I was told it will at select The Beer Store locations soon. It's a different sort of beer, made from millet rather than sorghum like many gluten free beers. It has an interesting enough flavor. With some nice German hops and a touch of banana and clove there is some aroma too. The head was pretty decent and clung to the sides a bit as it dissipated. The body of the beer is too thin and leaves the beer with no backbone. I don't think I'd get t as an everyday brew unless gluten free was the main criteria. As far as gluten free beers go, it's much better than most.

matt7215
Beer Superstar
Posts: 3047
Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2008 11:18 am

Post by matt7215 »

2 new Ontario lagers

Lake of Bays Rock Cut:

473ml can from the lcbo. Pours golden with a white head. Fresh cereals and light hops. The flavour is clean and balanced but uninteresting. I feel like I’m back in 2005 when this is the only type of beer Ontario brewers tried to make. This is actually a decent North American pale lager but its just a totally unnecessary addition to the market. it does drink like a genuine lager though so it does scatch my lager itch, but there are much better products out there, imports and from the OCB

Double Trouble Prison Break Breakout Pilsner:

473ml can from the LCBO. pours golden with a lasting white head that laces. puffy pils malt aroma, some generic nobel hops there too. the flavour is similar but there is a yeasty bite in there as well. served in a trappist glass this might pass as a belgian blonde ale. not clean, or soft like a true pilsner but its weird but enjoyable, ill buy this again

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MatttthewGeorge
Bar Fly
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Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2012 4:45 pm
Location: Woolwich, ON
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Post by MatttthewGeorge »

matt7215 wrote:Double Trouble Prison Break Breakout Pilsner: this might pass as a belgian blonde ale. not clean, or soft like a true pilsner
Kolch yeast.
I used to sell beer. Now I don't.

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Belgian
Bar Towel Legend
Posts: 10033
Joined: Sun Jul 04, 2004 7:15 pm
Location: Earth

Post by Belgian »

MatttthewGeorge wrote:
matt7215 wrote:Double Trouble Prison Break Breakout Pilsner: this might pass as a belgian blonde ale. not clean, or soft like a true pilsner
Kolch yeast.
= Kölsch, from Greg Koch's own mutant strain.
In Beerum Veritas

matt7215
Beer Superstar
Posts: 3047
Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2008 11:18 am

Post by matt7215 »

MatttthewGeorge wrote:
matt7215 wrote:Double Trouble Prison Break Breakout Pilsner: this might pass as a belgian blonde ale. not clean, or soft like a true pilsner
Kolch yeast.
Same thing for trailhead?

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MatttthewGeorge
Bar Fly
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Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2012 4:45 pm
Location: Woolwich, ON
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Post by MatttthewGeorge »

Belgian wrote:Kölsch
yes, yes. Typing on my phone doesn't always produce the results I'm looking for.
matt7215 wrote:Same thing for trailhead?
I don't know. Wellington only had one yeast strain, however I heard they got a second (Kölsch) for Prison Break, so it's possible they've changed.
I used to sell beer. Now I don't.

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