Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Hop City Lawn Chair Classic Weisse

Traditional German style weisse beers can be very hit or miss.  When done well, a good weisse can be really refreshing and sweet with lots of flavours, for mass produced examples think Hoegaarden or Blanche de Chambly, while done wrong they can taste absolutely disgusting, too heavy and malty without the sweetness of the wheat, for examples of how not to do it think Keith's White or Rickard's White (Blue Moon in the states).  Fortunately Hop City have done it right with a sweet and flavourful weisse.

On the nose you immediately get strong banana notes, but it is not overwhelmingly strong.  I may not have gotten the strong nose because I drank it straight from the can (I hate washing dishes) so if you pour it into a glass you may get stronger flavours.  On the tongue you get a delightful hit of sweetness that is the sign of a good weisse, this flows into a surprisingly sour middle that helps bring out the complex spice flavours that the side of the can advertises.  The finish is very minerally, a tad watery to be honest, but it doesn't take away from the fact that this is indeed a fine example of the weisse beer genre.

It's available throughout Ontario at the LCBO as well as on draught at a variety of pubs and restaurants in the province.  Hop City have really taken off as one of Ontario's most succesful craft breweries, they make some great beers.

Alc 5%

IBU 9

Rating; 4 Steins

What you need to know

Website
http://www.hopcity.com/

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

Twitter
@HopCityBrewing


Saturday, February 6, 2016

Waterloo Spiced Dunkel

Dunkel is a German word for dark, and Dunkel beer is a dark lager.  Most dunkels tend to be malty and sweet but not overly hoppy so I was looking forward to Waterloo's as they tend to make some really good German style beers, however their seasonal spiced dunkel is a bit of a disapointment.  

It pours a reddish brown colour (they call it mahogany colour) with minimal head.  The nose is quite interesting, with strong hints of pumpkin, cloves and other spices which gives the drinker the impression of this being an interesting and complex beer.  On the tongue you get a sweet and malty taste, but those spice notes you anticipate from the nose don't make the early appearance.  As the sip progresses, the flavour does indeed pick up as you get a nice nutmeg and clove tasted in the middle of the sip before it trails off into a watery finish. The nose really makes you think it will be a really complex and spicy beer, however it seems to fall a bit flat.  It's not a particularly bad beer, it's malty and smooth but the promise of spice doesn't pan out.

It's available at the LCBO and beer store in tallboys as well as at their brewery in Waterloo, ON.  It's a winter seasonal so only available for a little while.  

Alc 6.1% 

Rating: 2.5 steins

What you need to know

400 Bingemans Drive
Kitchener, ON
N2B 3X9

Website
http://waterloobrewing.com/

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/The-Waterloo-Brewing-Co-157802271063635/

Twitter
@brickbrewery