Saturday, April 25, 2015

King Brewery Dark Lager

I love dark lager.  A good schwarzbier is a nice alternative to a traditional blonde lager on a sunny day so I tend to be optimistic when I get my hand on one and King Brewery have a reputation for making good beer, so on paper this has the makings of being a very promising brew.  Unfortunately beer isn't brewed on paper so this didn't exactly live up to expectations, but is still a decently tasty beverage.

Now don't get me wrong, this isn't a bad beer, it just isn't all that great either.  The intro is nice and malty, but it has a really odd sour taste.  I am not sure what to make of it, and it is hard to describe but it is definitely interesting.  This sour taste is followed by a clean and smooth finish, slightly watery but perfectly drinkable. King Brewery Dark is definitely different from most black lagers which tend to be heavier, in fact this is actually quite light for a dark beer (which seems like a weird thing to say).  It is definitely not the worst black lager I have ever had, but it isn't the best either.  The weird malty flavour will probably be a bit off-putting to some, but I think it adds an interesting aspect to the beer that most other black lagers don't offer.  I am definitely willing to give it another try, some beers need multiple samplings in order to fully appreciate them, and this is one of them.

It's available at the LCBO, the Beer Store, and at their brewery in Nobleton, ON.  I had it in a bottle, but their website says it is on draught in some parts of Ontario.

Alc 4.7% Rating: 3 Steins

What you need to know

Brewery
5645 King Road
Nobleton, Ontario
L0G 1N0

Website:
www.kingbrewery.ca

Twitter:
@kingbrewery

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/kingbrewery?fref=ts

Saturday, April 11, 2015

Bicycle Craft Brewery, Belle River Blonde

A lot of craft brewers struggle with lighter and paler ales. They are a lot more complicated to make than you would expect, especially compared to IPA's where the general solution is to throw hops at any problems.  Unfortunately to make a good, drinkable lager or pale ale you need to be a bit more creative.  Some succeed, some fall flat on their faces, some end up somewhere in between, and that's where Belle River Blonde comes in. 

I will admit that my first glass of Belle River blonde did not impress me, but that was after having had a glass of Nita's much maltier and hoppier OPA, so Belle River sorta fell flat to me.  I really needed to step back, and have this as a standalone beer, instead of following something stronger.  Belle River is not complicated, nor does it pretend to be, bit it is refreshing.   The nose is actually quite pungent, almost sour with a noticeable hop aroma, but when you actually take a drink it is not hoppy whatsoever.  The pour is quite cloudy, so you would expect it to be a bit wheaty, but it isn't, it is just simple and refreshing with a slight hop finish.  Personally I like it, it's what you want after a hard day of work, not complicated, not too strong, just pure beer.  I imagine it would be great in the summer in front of the barbecue, but even in the winter it really goes down smooth, and at 4.7% it's nice and sessionable as well.  Fans of more complicated beers might complain that this is a bit bland, which it can be, but that's not the point of this beer, the point is to be a refreshing, clean beer to be enjoyed after a hard day of work.  It's simplicity will prevent me from giving top marks, but this would be a great beer to introduce to people who don't drink craft beer, it's not easy to win over the Coors Light crowd, but this could be a good stepping stone. 

It's available in Growlers at their brewery and you can order it online at brewdonkey.ca.  You can also get it on tap at various pubs and restaurants in Ottawa, a list is available on their website.

Alc: 4.7% IBU 22

Rating: 3.5 Steins

What you need to know

Brewery and tap room
850 Industrial Ave, unit 12
Ottawa, ON
K1G 4K2

Website:
http://www.bicyclecraftbrewery.ca/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/bicyclecraftbrewery

Twitter
@Bicyclebrewery 

Thursday, April 2, 2015

Ontario Beer Company 100 Mile Lager

Local, a word that you often see in connection to Craft beer, but just how local is your beer?  It may be made down the street, but where did those ingredients come from?  If your hops were grown in Germany, and the barley grown in Saskatchewan then it is not really that local, at least according to the Ontario Brewing Company who make beer comprising only ingredients grown in Ontario.  Despite the fact that the ingredients aren't grown within 100 miles of the brewery in Toronto, is still a novel idea so I was very intrigued by the concept. 

Lager can be a tricky business because the flavours are so subtle it is very hard to make something unique, and unfortunately 100 mile lager misses the mark somewhat.  The first thing you note is that it is quite sweet, and a bit wheaty on the tongue, almost pilsner-esque.  Unfortunately that's where it goes a bit downhill because the middle and finish are pretty watery, with a slight bitter and hoppy note.  It's not that it is unpleasant, just watery and a bit bland with some balance issues.  I can definitely see the potential here but what I tried was a bit of a letdown.

It's available at the LCBO, and on tap in Toronto, including at the Duggans Brewery, who are one of the collaborators in this company

Rating: 2.5 Steins

What you need to know

Website
http://www.ontariobeercompany.com/

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ontario-Beer-Company/205451729636616

Twitter
@Ontariobeerco