Alexander Keith's India Pale Ale

Tim: This is a full bodied beer. Robust and malty. If you appreciate the taste of a full beer you will really enjoy this one. Good solid aftertaste, but not quite as funky as I've sometimes experienced with this brewery's nut brown. My personal preference for darker beers make this my favorite beer from this brewery. What can't be denied is that Amsterdam males very high quality beer and you won't go wrong with any of their products. If you ever find yourself in Toronto, touring their brewery is certainly a worthwhile diversion. (10/26/2002)

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Amsterdam Framboise

Tim: As the name suggests this is one of those fruit beers (lambic) and in this case it's a raspberry flavoured beer. It comes in a nice ceramic bottle with a lovely story of how somebody created this lovely beer for their lovely wife or whatever. Enough to make me gag. I was sort of worried about some pink beer that'd look like a chick drink. But no, it pours a nice mahogany colour. I suppose you could say ruby red. But it's not pink and for some reason that was important to me. I liked this beer and I'd drink it again. It has a tart taste, not overly sweet. High alcohol content well masked. And yes it tastes of raspberries, but maybe not as strongly as you'd expect. Smells good, not at all like beer. This is a beer to be drunk on it's own, maybe after a meal. It wouldn't work well with food though. Although I could see drinking it with desert. (6/26/2004)

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Amsterdam Natural Blonde

Tim: This is a beautiful lager. A nice fresh and very drinkable beer. Some find the flavours in Amsterdam's beers overbearing. You won't find that with this one. Yet it doesn't dissapoint the die hard Amsterdam drinkers either. It has a solid flavour that's just right for a lager. Strong enough that you'll taste it, but the aftertase is neglegable. I'd say, as far as lagers go, this beer has more flavour than Keith's and if you're not drinking it with a meal than I'd give it the nod over Creemore. But no matter how you drink it, this has got to be one of the finest Canadian lagers that you'll find. (10/26/2002)

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Amsterdam Nut Brown Ale

Tim: A good dark beer. Starts with a good taste that you'd definitely expect from a brown. The nut flavour is certainly there. Quite enjoyable. But the aftertaste is a little harsh for my liking and takes some getting used to. Not enough to ruin the overall taste of the beer though. Brewed by a fine little brewery in Toronto, and quite common on the taps of many downtown Toronto bars. (5/25/2002)

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Best Bitter

Granite Brewery

Tim: This tastes smooth and light without being at all watery. And with the hops, you get this incredible bitter finish that is powerful but doesn't linger. This is a wonderful session beer, and definitely worth looking for if you like the style. (10/6/2007)

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Big Rock Honey Brown

Tim: You know I think they just wanted to say they had a "honey brown". Probably because Sleeman's Honey Brown is so popular. This honey brown is too sweet. Or perhaps it's the absence of a raosted malt flavour to balance out. Either way you look at it, this honey brown doesn't work. I'll call it descent, but I won't call it good. And so far it's the worst offering I've tasted from this brewery. (2/21/2004)

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Blanche de Chambly

Tim: When you first pour it into your glass it will appear white. Once the yeast settles you're looking at a champagne colour. This is a fine white ale, and a real oddity in the North American beer market. It has a fine, refreshing flavour with a hint of citrus. This would go well with a meal. I can vouch that it goes well with roast chicken and fresh cut vegetables. By itself it is still very good, but I like a more heavy and flavourful beer than this. If it weren't for that bias I would've rated it higher. (5/24/2003)

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Bohemian

Tim: A long standing Saskatchewan classic. Available almost everywhere in Saskatchewan and for a long time not anywhere else. Molson bought the local brewer that made "Boh" in the 60's. They waited until the 90's before they started f'ing around with the ingredients. And now they sell it as an adjunct in Ontario. They're killing a part of Saskatchewan those mega brew bastards! Well before people get that upset they should ask themselves if "Boh" has ever been that much better than the likes of "Canadian" anyway. It's hard for me to say. The current "Boh" that you'll find in Saskatchewan is an inexpensive working man's beer. Straightforward beer taste, nothing special. It's easy drinking with low carbonation. It starts crisp, has a light body, and little aftertaste. It gets better the more you drink, provided it's cold. It's also good and cheap. I'll have to try the "Boh" that`s sold in Ontario in order to see if I can taste a difference. (12/31/2005)

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Brewhouse

Great Western Brewing

Tim: This is an excellent pilsner, at least i think it's a pilsner. I definitely know that it's good. Best when cold and makes for a wonderful party beer. Smooth and light in color, but has a nice crisp taste. Easiest to find in western Canada as it's brewed by Saskatoon's Great Western Breweries. (5/18/2002)

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Brick Amber

Tim: Clean, crisp, and very drinkable. This beer has that good mix of having a noticeable flavor and being easy to drink. You could drink a lot of it, but can still enjoy it just as much if you only drink one or two. Well unless your the type who doesn't enjoy any beer until you've had 6 or 7, in which case go buy some Molson Black Ice and don't bother with good beers like this that are made for people who like the taste of beer. If you're looking for something to compare it too I'd say it's a better version Amsterdam Dutch Amber. So far I've been very impressed with this small craft brewery. (10/26/2002)

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Budweiser (Canada)

Anheuser-Busch

Tim: Yes they sell it north of the border too. I remember the US stuff as being undrinkable. Canadian Bud is a little better. It has more flavour than the US version, maybe better flavour. But not good flavour. It's still watered down swill. It does have a higher alcohol content which maybe helps you forget how much it sucks after the first dozen. And that's generally who drinks it, the kind of people who sit around on their porch and guzzle beer until they fall over. (10/25/2003)

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Cameron's Auburn Ale

Cameron's Brewing Co

Guest Review - Steven S: Cameron's is a small, family-run micro straight out of Toronto, Ontario. It's been around since the autumn of 1997, craft-brewing by hand. The bottle says it won some sort of award, although it doesn't say which one. However, I do know that it scored a 31.5 out of 50 at the 11th Annual Festival of Small Breweries in Toronto which is average, much like this ale. As for the taste - it's weak. It has a 'tiny' hint of sweetness and it's 'slightly' hoppy. No after-taste, lacks flavor, rather bland, but still smooth and creamy. I think I'll buy an ale with more 'kick' next time. (2/17/2001)

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Celebration Amber Ale

Keith's Brewery

Tim: Brewed to celebrate Alexander Keith's 208 birthday. Or so the story goes. I hope they decide to keep it around as regular. I've enjoyed drinking it this year. It's kind of pale for an amber. But it still looks classy. Goes down smooth, as you'd expect from Keith's. It starts sweet and quickly becomes hoppy. Taste doesn't linger in your mouth either. A good substantial tasting beer that you could drink quickly if you wanted too. Not special, just good. (4/10/2004)

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Chambly Noire

Steve: This is probably one of the weakest Unibroue beers most of you are likely to find. I bought this in a 4-pack, and I have to encourage aging this. I bought it about 6 months ago (March or April 2008) and am just now finishing the last in October, and I'm finding it to be a more complex beer then when I first tried it. It had a woody background, and a dark roasted malty finish. The pour was nice, it had a coffee-colored foam that formed very nicely. And at 6.2% ABV, it enabled me to have a second beer later in the evening without destroying too many brain cells. (8/9/2009)

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Coors Light (Canada)

Coors Brewing Co

Tim: I remember overhearing some guy order a pint of Coors Light in the kind of pub that wouldn't carry a beer like that on tap. The waitress replied "if you like I can pee in a pint glass for you, but otherwise you'll have to settle for a bottle". I think it was her way of telling those guys that they were in the wrong place if they didn't want to drink a real beer. I've had this "beer" on both sides of the border and don't know that I can taste a difference. It's a watery and flavourless beer. Nuff said. (11/1/2003)

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Creemore Springs Premium Lager

Creemore Springs Brewery

Tim: If you want a beer that goes well with food, this is the beer. Pretty good on it's own too. This beer is fairly smooth with a crisp, sharp aftertaste. It's got a nice amber colour to it. It goes great with chicken wings. Brewed in the small town of Creemore, ON it's bottled without preservatives. they feel that preservatives ruin the taste of beer. Probably right, but that means that this is not a beer that you want to leave sitting around in your fridge for weeks on end. Stores that sell it stock it small amounts relying on frequent shipments of fresh beer. Sounds like a lot of special effort doesn't it? It certainly pays off because this is certainly a special beer. Quite unique, and quite good. (4/6/2002)

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Creemore Springs UrBock

Creemore Springs Brewery

Steve: God, I love bocks, and this one did not disappoint. It had a screw-top metal cap, like a Pepsi bottle (or a nice malt liquor), but that didn't stop me. This is a strong one at 6% (relatively speaking, of course), so it's a nice, warming beer for the winter months. Us Americans would have a hard time finding this outside of Canada....I bought this in an LCBO in Mississauga, Ontario. (4/14/2003)

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Creemore Traditional Pilsner

Creemore Springs Brewery

Tim: Creemore is God's gift to Ontario beer drinkers as far as I'm concerned. So I was quite excited to see that they're now brewing a pilsner. And it is a really good pilsner. But it's on the sweet side, without enough bitterness and hops to make it a truly great pilsner. However I'll say that I love it. I like a sweeter pilsner. So if you can get over wanting a perfect example of "the style" and you like the bready sweetness of a pilsner, well you might really like this. I certainly do. (3/1/2009)

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Dave's Honey Brown Lager

Guest Review - Steven S: This is an all malt brown lager with a hint of honey used to enhance the flavor and give it more smoothness. As my buddy said, "the more you drink it, the more you taste the honey". He was absolutely right, after 5 bottles all I could taste was sweet honey. Despite things like "Naturally Aged", "No Preservatives", and "Pure" written on the label (which makes this lager sound like a goofy herbal health drink) it tastes great. It's sweet, goes down easy, no after-taste. Drink it up! (12/1/2000)

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Don De Dieu

Steve: This is a triple-wheat. Yeah, that's right, a TRIPLE wheat, dammit. It comes in at about 9%, and tastes like a strong golden ale. I poured this into a Duvel glass, and it worked well. I bought this in a 4-pack, and wasn't wild about the first one. Bug, 6 or so months later, I finally had the 4th and it was a LOT better than the first one. So, first and foremost, let this age a little before drinking. Or drink them several months apart like I did and get the full effect of how beers can age. (8/30/2008)

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Durham Al's Cask Ale

Durham Brewing Co

Tim: Not too many people are familiar with this style of brewing anymore. This beer is excellent. You can taste that it is dry hopped though it's not excessively bitter. It is incredibly smooth. The carbonation is so well conditioned that it just flows right over the palate. There is nothing overbearing about this beer either. It's got a nice haze to it, when it comes to appearance. Golden and cloudy. Very enjoyable. To find this beer you'll have to come to Toronto and find the pleaseant hole in the wall on Front Street known as C'est What, as this beer is brewed exclusively for them. In fact they developed the recipe. (11/29/2003)

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Durham Coffee Porter

Durham Brewing Co

Tim: There’s a lot of coffee in this, but it’s also kind of sweet. There seems to be a little chocolate taste in there. There is definitely a strong malt taste, which balances well with the coffee. It definitely tastes more of a porter than a stout. And the taste is strong enough that you wouldn’t drink this quickly. But it’s not at all heavy and goes down very smooth. You'll have to come to "C'est What" in Toronto to find it, as it's exclusive to them. But if you're in Toronto you need to find your way to "C'est What" anyway. I'm fortunate enough to work just a short walk away, so ducking out for a pint of this beats going for a quick coffee any day. (6/30/2007)

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Elephant Red

Carlsberg Breweries

Steve: Elephant is a subdivision of Carlsberg, brewed under supervision in Canada. Nice alcohol content, typical of Red's in my experience, although not as sweet. This may appeal to those who think Killian's is too, I don't know, carmelly. Decent flavor, a good Euro-lager (or is it Cana-lager?). Cool elephant on the label. It's only $4.99 a sixer tho, so tell them to get their own.

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Fin Du Monde

Great Lakes Brewing Co (Ontario)

Tim: Triple fermented and 9% alcohol, this could get you pissed in a hurry. It comes in a 750 ml bottle too. Now English Canadians like myself are often told that Quebecois culture is often more "continental", meaning European. Well bring it on because when it comes to beer it enriches all Canadians. This is another damn good beer from "unibroue". This beer is probably more gold than blonde. It's murky too. You can't see your hand on the other side of the glass. The taste is slightly tart, but the subtle flavour is worth getting used to and if you give it a chance you'll like it a lot. Wild spices, malt, hops. this beer is allegedly brewed in a way developed by Trappist monks in the Middle Ages. I'd compare it to Belgian beer like Corsendonk if I were to compare it to anything. (4/5/2003)

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Fort Garry Dark Ale

Fort Garry Brewing Co

Tim: My rating for this beer will likely seem high because I really like it. An easy drinking dark with negligable aftertaste. Nice sweetness to it with just the right amount of hops. Good maltiness to it too. Very comparable to Waterloo Dark. I'd like to drink them side by side to see if I could notice a difference. But since you won't find this too far east of Manitoba, I doubt if you'd ever find the two available in the same place. (12/31/2004)

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Golden Horseshoe

Tim: Well if you're thirsty and you want to drink a non-offensive lager that's a notch or two above what Labatt and Molson put out than this is a good beer choice. If you want something memorable, well this isn't quite that. Good none the less with a light hop taste and a hint of citrus. Very likeable. (9/16/2006)

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Grasshopper

Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery

Tim: I was wary of this beer for a while. During my early college years in Saskatchewan this was one of those party beers where guys would talk about drinking 15 in one night and how they were pissed out of their tree. I always figured that it's either really watered down, or it tastes bad like a lot of the other beers people drink at college parties. So for all these years I'd stayed away. It turns out Grasshopper is a good beer. This is a unique wheat ale. It's finley hopped and has a somewhat fruity taste to it that makes it an excellent warm weather beer. It goes down crsip and smooth. Has an excellent finish as well. It'd be easy to down several of these in one sitting. This is an excellent alternative to a lager. (11/22/2003)

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Great Western Lager

Great Western Brewing

Tim: The story behind this brewery is as follows. Back in 1989 Molson bought out Carling O'Keefe and as a result of that takeover they closed down several of their newly acquired breweries and jobs were lost. Well in Saskatoon 16 "former" employees of Carling O'Keefe pooled their resources and bought the recently closed brewery from Molson in an effort to save their jobs. Fast forward several years and Great Western makes a lot better beer than what spews out of Molson's taps. GW Lager is your straight forward clean tasting lager. Not overly carbonated, not watered down, and not overpowering. And it tastes good. It has a wonderful hop flavour and smooth bitter finish. The type of beer that's easy drinking without sacrificing any taste. You'll likely only find it in Western Canada (particularly Saskatchewan) where it'll be priced just as low as the mega brews, which makes this an excellent value beer. It's head and shoulders above anything else in it's price bracket. If you find this beer somewhere else and have to pay microbrew prices, well it's probably still good enough to hold it's own. (3/11/2006)

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Great Western Premium Pilsner

Great Western Brewing

Tim: Well I was a little ticked that they stopped brewing their "bitter" in order to brew this. This may wind up being a seasonal beer, we'll see. It's definitely an excellent summer beer. This is a North American pilsner, it doesn't have that bitter tanginess that the European style pilsners have. This beer certainly is smooth and refreshing though. It has that clean, crisp finish that a pilsner should. This is good beer and the Saskatchewan "Pil" drinking crowd would do well to switch to this. As blasphemous as that may sound to some. Worth keeping your eye out for this one if you're ever in western Canada, sometimes labeled as "Western Premium Pilsner". (12/31/2005)

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Gritstone Premium Ale

Niagara Falls Brewing Co

Steve: I'll admit, when I saw "Premium" on the label, my thoughts drifted to beers described as "premium" here in the US, like Old Style, Budweiser, Strohs, etc. Generally speaking, it's not a selling point. However, this turned out to be a decent amber ale with a fairly good Cascade hop presence....a bit less than a pale ale, a bit more than a plainer brown ale. All in all, not bad. (11/6/2004)

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Hoptical Illusion Almost Pale Ale

Tim: Between the name and the psychedelic label you'll either dismiss it or be intrigued. The "almost pale ale" is certainly tongue in cheek as this pours rather dark. There's lots of hops in this. Although there's some malt taste to balance it out, the predominant tastes are hops and citrus. It's fun, tasty, and maybe not what you'd expect. it reminds me of "Blind Faith" from Magic Hat for those of you familiar with that beer. I may have rated this a little on the high side, but I appreciate local craft breweries who are creative and like to have fun with the beer that they produce. In this case I think they got it right. (4/16/2011)

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King Pilsner

King Brewery

Tim: Starts with a bready taste, than the bitter tang, and finally a crisp finish that lingers for a while. This isn't a North American interpretation of a pilsner, this is a North American brewery trying to brew an authentic pilsner. And they pull it off. This is a great pilsner. You can drink it along side a Czech pilsner and it will stack up. Would I reach for this instead of a Kozel or Budweiser Budvar? I'm not sure but the fact that I'd even consider the idea is a compliment to a North American brewery. And I would reach for this ahead of Pilsner Urquell. For me this beer is local, always fresh, and everything a pilsner is supposed to be. (4/2/2005)

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Kokanee

Columbia Brewery

Tim: OK so this beer sucks. Good commercials, lots of hype, it's a well known party beer in Western Canada and it's making it's way east. It's easy drinking because it's watery. Kind of like Coors Light with some kick. But it tastes kind of like plastic, or was that sasquatch piss? Maybe both, no that's too harsh. But it doesn't taste good. If you drink it cold enough it's alright for a party or a bbq, but that's about it. There is a myth that the stuff you can buy in BC (where it's brewed) is better than what you can buy in Ontario (where people suspect that Labatt may mass produce it). That is a myth because I've tested them side by side and they were both equally bad. My theory is that people who grew up in Western Canada but have since moved to Ontario have fond memories of drinking this stuff at bush parties and weekend pissers while they were in high school. When they try it now they can't believe that they used to like this stuff, and thus the myth was born. (9/2/2006)

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Labatt 50th Anniversary

Steve: They've been brewing this since 1950, which was the real anniversary, and it was good enough that they made it a stock item. I can't wait until 2000, when they come out with a 100th Anniversary. However, this tasted suspiciously like their Ice. Sharp, clean taste, smooth going down, with no aftertaste. A bit weak as far as ales go. Nice label makes it a good addition if you have a collection.

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Labatt Blue (Canada)

Steve: This was purchased at The Beer Store in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, while I was on vacation, and came in a nice 650 mL bottle (approx. 24 oz). Hearing for years that the Labatt exported to the US sucked compared to the stuff sold in Canada, and liking Labatt, I jumped at the chance to buy this. I stuck the bottle into my cooler, drove back across the border to Michigan, and anticipated a great after-dinner beer. What I found instead horrified me so much, I almost cried. American Labatt is better tasting than Canadian Labatt!!! Sure, the Canadian stuff has more alcohol (5%, whereas ours is what, 4.5?), but I guess you need that extra kick to make you forget you're drinking the stuff. This tasted like I was drinking it right out of a can, I swear. And the flavor was a bit on the watery side, very little going for it in the way of flavor. Ours doesn't either, so maybe it's the can taste that does it. All I know is, I was very disappointed. Good thing I picked up a case of some decent Canadian beer while I was there. (11/2/2002)

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Labatt Blue (US)

Steve: Very little Canadian beer is sold in the US outside of the Labatt, Molson and Moosehead names, so among those this was always my favorite, and among the Canadian mega-brews, this still is. This is a light, crisp, refreshing beer, much superior to its counterparts in the US and Mexico, and an all-around everyday beer, not a special occasion beer. After trying some craft-brewed Canadian beers, it fell down the list a little, but it's still a sentimental favorite. Not as strong as its Canadian version, since they feel us Americans can't handle the good stuff, but the taste is different (see Labatt Blue-Canada review). I'll take better taste over higher alcohol any day. (11/2/2002)

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Labatt Blue Light

Steve: Like many of the "light" versions of the North American pale lager (Miller, Bud, etc), this has one constant quality: It's like making love in a canoe....f'ing close to water. However weak it's overall flavor might be, though, it's still better than its competitors in America. And on a hot, sticky day, this would be perfect. Much better than Corona (and still not as much water). However, for a light beer, I would still recommend Amstel over this. Stick with this if you don't want to send your hard-earned dollars to those troublesome Dutch. (12/17/1998)

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Labatt Canadian Ale

Kris: Not much to this. Not much taste, not much smell, not much color. A perfect trifecta of bland. On the plus side, not much good also means not much bad. In other words, I've had worse. (9/3/2005)

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Labatt Genuine Honey

Tim: I had this while sitting on some restaurant patio right along that tacky tourist strip in Niagara Falls called Clifton Hill, probably across from a wax museum. It figures that they wouldn't have a good tap selection. I think my options were Blue, Bud, Bud Light, and this. The "honey brown" phenomenon in Canada must be too good for Labatt to pass up. So they made one. But you know they should have done more than just pour a half cup of honey into a bottle of Blue. You could say that's a little harsh, but I was honestly thinking of buying a bottle of Blue and pouring some honey in it just to see if it would taste any different than this. But then I'd have to buy Blue. This is the worst honey brown I've had, but it was better than the other Labatt swill that they had on tap where I was. If only they would have had some Labatt 50. Maybe I should have tried the Niagara Falls branch of the Royal Canadian Legion. That would have been good times. (12/18/2005)

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Labatt Ice

Steve: Like many ice beers, crisp, no aftertaste. Similiar in taste to Molson Ice, but IMHO a little better. Not as tasty as Blue, but after a sixer of this, who the hell cares?! Kris has his "Get drunk beer." Now I have mine.

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Labatt Maximum Ice

Tim: People drink this for one reason. The 7.1% alcohol content. And I'm convinced that Labatt brews it under the assumption that people only drink it in order to get drunk quickly, so who the hell cares what it tastes like. The majority of it's drinkers probably don't notice the colour as they just guzzle it straight from the can, usually shotgunning it. But I did pour it into a glass and noticed an amber colour to it. Usually I like beers that are this colour, it means that they've got some taste. This one has a taste. A vile disgusting taste that you won't be able to bear unless you drink it quick. But then isn't that the idea of a beer like this. I rated it one because I can conceive of there being worse beer out there, but I've yet to taste it. (9/13/2003)

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Labatt Wildcat

Lakeport Beverage Corporation

Tim: Apparently they use a "unique corn adjunct" in making this beer. You can sure smell it, and maybe that was what I was tasting. But what I remember tasting most was a unique metal adjunct. Overall it's just real watery. Although after the first few, I took to drinking the rest of this stuff that I had at the coldest temperature possible so as to avoid the full brunt of it's metallic taste and bad corn funk. Popular because it's cheap, not because it's good. (8/7/2004)

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Lakeport Honey Lager

Tim: This beer is dirt cheep and all the kids buy the stuff. It's as if it's trendy without really being trendy at all. You see, "honey" beers are trendy in Canada. Sleeman made a name for itself with their honey brown and now everyone wants to cash in on the popularity of that style. So this is clearly the low budget answer to the honey brown craze. At $1 a beer, this stuff is will soon turn up at your friends cottage, the next camping trip, or a backyard bbq. So how does it taste? Well it's watery with a basic lager taste. There's a bit of a honey taste in there, but it's faint. This leaves you with a beer breath aftertaste and before too long some chemical induced sickness. Although really you can drink 4 or 5 of these before that really kicks in. Overall it's easy drinking and decent. For the price its not really anything you wouldn't expect. (4/15/2007)

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Lakeport Pilsener

Lakeport Beverage Corporation

Tim: I've got to give this beer credit for being cheap. Don't let the name fool you. This is just watery beer, far from being a "pilsener". I rated this the same as the honey lager, but frankly I'd reach for this instead. It's not much for taste, but it's not too carbonated. My experience has been that you can drink this all day without getting the gut rot and head thumping hang over that the honey lager might give you. (5/12/2007)

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Laker Strong Premium

Tim: "Make 'er a Laker" is what the ad says. You can get a 24 for $24, which is a cheap price here in Canada. I was expecting a cheap bad beer. What I got was an inexpensive beer that I could drink regularly. Tastes like a strong lager, nothing premium about it though. It's well balanced and average. A bit of an apple cider taste seemed to come through, and I kind of liked that at first. But after a few I was kind of bothered by it. Average, which for a cheap beer is good. (3/19/2005)

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Lucky Lager

Tim: I drank 7 or 8 of these one night playing poker with the guys. And if that's the type of thing you're doing this is a good fit. My buddy thought it was great that he could get a 24 of this and a pack of smokes for less than $30 (CDN). If that's the way you're thinking about things than this beer is also a good fit. This is cheap beer and tastes like cheep beer. A little sharper than most cheap beers, and not awful. You can drink several over the course of an evening and not feel ill the next morning. That said don't drink this stuff warm or it will taste a little too chemical. So if you enjoy drinking beer for the sake of drinking beer, this will do. I'd drink this ahead of a lot of the cheap tasting beers that I've tried. I suspect that this is the same as the beer of the same name down in the states. Just brewed under contract by Labatt for the Canadian market. Because, well you wouldn't pay import prices for this. (4/16/2005)

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Maudite

Tim: Pronounced mo-zit, this was my first foray into Quebec beer. I'd seen it in the liquor store with all the french on the boxes and bottles, and well I'd stayed away. No more, not if all Quebec beer is like this! Apparently Unibroue is constantly rated as one of the world's top 10 breweries and it shows. This beer is unique and tastes good. It's a yeast base fermented beer. Meaning that it ferments in the bottle. You could age it and the taste would get stronger. But if you drink it young you won't be disappointed. It has a mahogany colour and quite a rich and complex taste. Fairly spicy, coriande and such. At 8% alcohol it releases a warmth that is perfect for a cold winter's night. It should be served cool not cold. The name "maudite" means "the damned one" and has something to do with a flying canoe. Apparently there's a Quebec legend about some lumberjacks who struck a deal with the devil to fly home for Christmas in a canoe, guided by Satan himself. The bottle itself is kind of cool. It's 750 ml and has a cork on top that pops off as soon as you loosen it. The contents of the bottle under pressure. Anyway this is one of those beers that is a real gem if you appreciate craft brewing in the continental brewing style. Kind of an anomoly here in North America, but then so is Quebec as a whole. (12/25/2002)

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Mill St. Stock Ale

Mill St. Brewery

Tim: The clear bottle and simple label speak volumes of what you should expect. This is lawn mower beer par excellence. Malt, hops,and nothing else. It tastes like what the macro ales would taste like if they weren't pumped full of preservatives and other additives. It's a clean, crisp, nothing special, beer taste. And that's not always easy to find. Well worth filling your fridge with. (9/27/2008)

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Mill St. Tankhouse Ale

Mill St. Brewery

Tim: I'll take a good pale ale ahead of a lager any day and this is a good pale ale. It pours a deep copper red colour. There's nothing weak about this beer. It has a solid malt backbone which you'll notice right away. But it's well balanced with a strong hop flavour and some bitterness in the finish. This is some fine ale. This is a new brewery, opened in 2002, and if this beer is any indication they are well on the right track. Hopefully they stick around. (11/26/2005)

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Molson Canadian

Steve: This tasted less like Golden, and more like a light Moosehead. Kind of skunky, but still good nonetheless. In spite of the slight skunk taste, it had a refreshing quality to it. And it's way better than most of our domestic lagers.

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Molson Export Ale

Steve: This is an ale, but it doesn't taste radically different from Molson Golden. Where it does differ, though, it is better. This is a bit heavier, but still fairly light to to the taste buds, with a heavier alcohol content. A slight bitter taste to it, nothing overwhelming. I can see why our friends the Ottawa Senators fans would prefer this before their games. And it's obviously a bit luckier than our choice. (7/17/1998)

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Molson Golden

Steve: This is a classic example of one of Canada's Big 3, but they definitely have the sweeter end of the deal. This is a decent lager by North American standards, although I'm told by natives that this is not considered a great beer in Canada. They prefer the Export. This beer is a bit crisp, refreshing, and must be drunk cold. It's best feature is that it is lucky to drink before home hockey games. Not as good as Labatt Blue, though.

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Molson Hi-Dry

Guest Review - Dan S: Definitely the best Molson product you can buy, which is why those damn canooks keep it to themselves. The label reads "Biere Forte - Strong Beer", which it is, weighing in at 6.5% and $12 US a case. As for taste, well, it's dry, but extremely smooth and doesn't have the 'sharp' taste of Molson Ice; extremely easy to drink. If Molson Ice is a "Let's go to a bar and get drunk beer", this is Molson's "A six-pack will kill you beer." This is number 2 on Canada's Top Three List as to why they should be considered a real country, falling between Hockey and Terrance & Phillip. (9/13/1999)

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Molson Ice

Steve: Noticeacle difference in alcohol, and it tasted colder (could've been the cooler, though). Not much different from Molson Golden, although I prefer Golden for taste.

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Molson OV

Tim: This is an old O'Keefe product, which was bought by Carling, then by Molson. It's still got the O'Keefe knight on the can and it still has it's reputation. OV is supposed to stand for "Old Vienna", suggesting that it's a Vienna style lager. The guys in the locker room will call it "old vagina", suggesting what it really tastes like. But it isn't a BAD beer, at least not awful. It has little to no head so first impressions aren't good. It tastes a little sweeter than your regular megabrew with a reasonably good and definitely inoffensive aftertaste. That said it is fairly bland. You certainly don't have to choke it down. This is one of those beers that is dirt cheap, and everyone thinks it is horrid, but it's really just an average megabrew beer. No worse. It's a decent candidate for good bad beer status. If you can put up with the ridicule that you'll to be subject to, this isn't a bad cheap beer choice. Nobody will drink it on you that's for sure. (3/12/2005)

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Molson Red Jack

Steve: I believe this is just Elephant Red with a Molson label on it, the taste is so similiar. Not to say it's not any good, just unoriginal.

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Molson XXX

Lakeport Beverage Corporation

Guest Review - Dan S: At 7.3% alcohol and a very cheap price, it figures those damn canooks discontinued it. (This review brought to you by TACE, The Association for a Canadian free Earth.) (10/2/1999)

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Mongoose

Guest Review: We received this letter a few months back, and decided straight out that we don't have the balls to drink anything that smells of "old gym socks". So consider the email as our review. Our thanks go out to Chris DesBarres for sacrificing his internals so we wouldn't have to. (6/1/1999)

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Moosehead

Moosehead Breweries

Steve: While it has a cool label, the taste hints of skunk cabbage. I can't call it skunky, because I think it's supposed to taste that way. This was one of my favorite beers in college, mostly because my friends were too wimpy to try it. I never had any disappear from my fridge. High alcohol content, nice low price for an import.

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Muskoka Cream Ale

Lakes Of Muskoka Cottage Brewery

Tim: The "Muskoka" lakes region is where all the rich people in Toronto have their summer cottages. So it kind of has that preppy, stuck up vibe to it. Thus I kind of wanted to not like this beer, as I kind of lumped it in with that same sort of vibe. If that all sounds stupid, it is. Because this is a very well hopped beer with good favour. Word has it that it's suffered a bit since they started to mass market it. Nevertheless it's a tasty beer. (1/18/2003)

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Neustadt Lager

Neustadt Springs Brewery

Tim: Neustadt is a nice little microbrew relatively new on the scene. Their distribution seems limited. But I can usually find it where I live. It's pale gold in colour with low carbonation. It has a mellow malty taste, sort of that sweet bread kind of vibe. Well balanced with hops. Very good, and if it were the only craft lager around here it would border on special. But instead it blends in with the rest. It seems to be missing that little something that sets it apart. But good nonetheless. (4/9/2005)

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Northumberland Ale

Church-Key Brewing Co

Tim: Often just referred to as Church-Key, or even Church-Key Cream Ale, this beer comes from a tiny micro brewery that's housed in an old Methodist church in Campbellford, Ontario. It can be very hard to find, but being crisp and light with a dry finish, this beer is worth looking for. Not at all bland, with some real good flavour. Kind of a cirtus tasting finish. Tastes good enough drink slowly and enjoy. But also easy drinking if you want to drink it quickly to quench a thirst. If I had beer like this around all summer, I don't know if I'd drink lagers at all. Well, maybe I'm just saying that. (11/29/2003)

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Peculiar

Granite Brewery

Tim: This is a good ale, which isn't always easy to find in North America. Good brown colour. Has lots of malty goodness, some toffee taste up in there, a hint of mint in the finish. It does have a sweetness that makes it unique and it's dry tasting too. Aftertaste not as mediciny as some ales are, and I appreciated that. I found one of these buried in the back of my fridge, a good 6 months old. I guess I'd forgotten it was there. Still tasted really good. (7/3/2004)

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Pilsner

Tim: I have countless memories of seeing mullet laden hockey jocks picking up a couple of 24's of this stuff on weekends as they were undoubtedly planning to get "ill on the Pil" later. You could call this a trailer park beer. But it is more than that. Originally brewed by Sick's Brewery, this beer is a Western Canadian icon. You'll rarely find any sort of party, bbq, or camping trip out west that doesn't have Pilsner. And the mullet laden, pick up driving sort are the prime suspects for downing this stuff at a rapid pace. This is a light Canadian pilsner, so don't expect German or Czech style pilsner. It's got a straw colour and a decent head that dissipates quickly. Easy drinking but with enough flavour to prevent it from being boring. More carbonated than it used to be (likely due to the Molson takeover). I've got a sentimental warm spot for this beer, but it isn't a great beer. Maybe not even a good one. Decent though. (2/14/2004)

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Red Cap Ale

Tim: It doesn't get much more Canadian than this. Dust off your copy of "Strange Brew," put on your toque and enoy an evening downing a sixer of this stuff. Comes in the old school Canadian stubby that somehow had dissapeared somewhere between the 70s and now. And in fact "Red Cap" itself dissapeared over that same time period. Brick bought the rights to the recipe and resurected this beer. Back in the day it was apparently "THE" ale in taverns all across Ontario and popular in other parts of the country as well. This is a dry ale, no citrus taste, little hop taste if any, mild malt taste. So you get a sweet ale with no bitterness. You can down a lot of these in a hurry, but it isn't at all watery. Old timers tell me that this new incarnation isn't as good as the original, but it still works for me. Overall this is probably only a slightly above average beer. But it's a good everyday beer that's much better than Canadian, Blue, or Pilsner. And definitely more of a winter beer than any of those are. So when I'm at home watching "Hockey Night In Canada" there's a good chance I'll be drinking this. (7/3/2004)

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Red Maple Premium Lager

Northern Breweries Ltd

Steve: The last of the beers that I picked up from my trip to Sault Ste Marie Ontario last summer, I almost cried as I drank the last one. Sweet flavor, with that touch of maple sugar in the background, nice copper color, warming 5.2% abv, this is yet another beer that should be available in the US but isn't. I had to get this in a half-case, and it was worth it (I never risk buying half a case of something I've never had, but the guy at The Beer Store seemed trustworthy). If you go to the Sault, I recommend trying this, as this is one of their local beers. The next 5 months are going to be very long, until I can take another day trip to Canada. (5/10/2003)

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Rickard's Dark

Tim: This is Molson's most recent addition to their Rickard's line. I think it's supposed to be a porter. It's malty and there's a nice taste of maple syrup. In fact for me that's the redeeming feature of the beer. I really have a thing for maple syrup. I suppose that's very Canadian of me. But back to the beer, it's pretty good on tap. However I'll say that it's kind of generic for a porter, so much so that's really not much of a porter at all. It's just another non offensive beer that's a little different and little better than what it's usually up against at the bars where it's served. And the touch of maple syrup is a nice touch, enough to get them a slightly higher score from me. (11/12/2011)

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Rickard's Honey Brown

Tim: Like other Rickard's products it is very smooth with a pleasant aftertaste. Nice full taste, not as sweet as say Algonquin Honey Brown. Probably a little more smooth tasting than Sleeman's. All in all this is an above average honey brown and worth looking out for. (1/18/2003)

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Rickard's Red

Tim: This is my regular beer, and let me tell you why. It's inexpensive, widely available, and tastes good. It has a nice dark red colour to it, and it goes down very smooth. It's got a nice full flavour with a pleasent aftertase, but not a sharp one. This beer used to be harder to get maybe 10 years ago, as it was originally brewed by a smaller brewery out in British Columbia. But then Molson bought the recipe and now you can get it easily and inexpensively throughout the country. the quality doesn't seem to have suffered either. If you are into brown and red beers you should give this one a shot. I've had a few better beers, but this one is quite good. (7/16/2002)

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Rickard's White

Tim: Molson continues to take on different styles under its Rickard's line of products. And for a macrobrewery they do a good job at making beer that stands up well to its microbrew competitors. This is their foray into the witbier market. Now while I'd hardly order this instead of a Hoegaarten or a Blanche de Chambly, it is a good beer. You can taste orange and coriander in this, as well as the wheat malt taste that you're looking for. The one negative is that you can also taste carbonation, which means that it's not as smooth and enjoyable as the really good witbiers. But at domestic prices it's enjoyable enough. (7/4/2007)

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Sleeman Clear

Steve: Those rat-bastard sons of bitches. On the Canadian version of their label, it clearly is advertised that this is a low-carb beer (2.5g of carbs per serving). On the US (Imported) version...no mention whatsoever. Thus, when I bought this as a single, I thought I was grabbing a Sleeman (I missed the "Clear" part, thought I was getting the Cream Ale). So yup, I got screwed. But that's OK, I'm giving those bastards a crappy review. So what's the deal, Canadians got to thinking that they're too fat? Well, try laying off the back bacon and ham, Gordie, Dougie and Scottie. (But for the record, it didn't blow AS bad as Michelob Ultra). (1/8/2005)

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Sleeman Cream Ale

Guest Review - Steven S: Mr. Sleeman, you got the lager right, but you messed up on your ale. When you think of "cream" ale you think of a thick drink that goes down smooth. Sleeman Cream Ale goes down flat, with no flavor (watered-down smoothness, right?) followed by a potent after-bitterness that hits you from out of nowhere. This ale tastes like the liquid medicine that most kids dread. Stick to Mr. Sleeman's lager. (12/8/2000)

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Sleeman Fine Porter

Tim: Not as robust tasting as most porters, but it does have some porter like qualities and is easily among Sleeman's best offerings. It doesn't have as much of a coffee taste as it does a chocolate malty taste. There's a hint of vanilla up in there too, and you'll taste nuts and hops in the finish. This is a good porter for those who are new to the style. This means that you don't have to appreciate a porter in order to appreciate this. If you do appreciate porter you may find this a little too half-assed for your liking. This was a seasonal brew for Sleeman's this year so look for it again in the fall. Rumour has it that they're going to hit the US market with it next fall as well. (11/20/2005)

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Sleeman Honey Brown Lager

Guest Review - Steven S: This lager tastes much like Dave's, but there is more honey in it which gives it a sweeter taste. I know you're never suppose to judge a book by its cover, but this lager comes in a clear elegant bottle so you can see its beautiful golden color. Brewed since 1834 in Guelph, Canada Sleeman is definitely worth drinking. You won't regret buying a case of this lager. (12/1/2000)

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Sleeman Original Draught

Tim: This beer is refreshing and sweet. Kind of that bready sweet taste. However it's a little more carbonated than it needs to be. This beer doesn't necessarily taste better out of a glass than it does straight out of the bottle. And that's just as well since this is definitely the type of beer that you pull out of the cooler at a backyard bbq or on a camping trip. Or just as good, out of the fridge after you come in from mowing the lawn. It's a good every day summer beer, and that's nothing to turn your nose up at. (12/10/2005)

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Sleeman Steam Beer

Tim: When summer comes and everyone seems to reach for the mass produced lagers this is a nice option. It's easy drinking enough, but very crisp in character. Well rounded flavour, nicely fruity. It's mild mannered compared to many steam beers, which again makes it nice for warm weather. It's fermented in the traditional style which means that though it is a lager it will remind you of an ale when you drink it. (9/20/2003)

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St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout

McAuslan Brewing

Rocky: I don't usually find stouts to be really enjoyable, but either my tastes are changing or this one is an exception. I think it's probably the latter. There was some stout bitterness, but very little. It was quite smooth. Along with the roasted malts, I tasted some coffee and dark chocolate, but no oatmeal. This was in a sampler pack, so I only had one, but I'd be thrilled to find it in sixers somewhere. (5/29/2004)

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St. Ambroise Pale Ale

McAuslan Brewing

Tim: Someone told me that this is a throwback to the type of beer that was very common in Quebec back in the 70's. I don't know much about that. But what I do know is that this beer is no light weight. Don't let the name fool you. It's not pale, when you pour it into your glass you get a nice amber coloured beer. When you drink it you'll taste orange, peach, and leafy bitter hops. Lots of hops. And then there's a dry nutty finish. It's almost perfect in that you get a nice robust beer that is still quite refreshing. (9/20/2003)

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Steam Whistle Pilsner

Steam Whistle Brewing

Tim: This beer is kind of popular on the Toronto bar scene, particularly at some of the more artsy bars. Sucks though. Aftertaste is overbearing and tastes like it could lift the paint off a slab of wood. (6/8/2002)

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Traditional Ale

Tim: The name couldn't say more about what you should expect from this beer. It's a dark copper color, looks high quality. Taste wise it tastes excellent. They found the right balance bewteen malt and hops. This beer is smooth, yet not week. There's a slight sharpness too it that is rather enjoyable if you like ales like I do. This is another beer that tastes good with hearty breakfast foods. So if you're one of those people who come home from work at 8:30 am and like to enjoy a beer with breakfast. Well this is a good one. Of course it's good any other time too. (11/23/2002)

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Trois Pistoles

Steve: I love Unibroue beers because their labels offer such beautiful apocalyptic artwork. Trois Pistoles is no exception. What's funny is their beers are based on Belgian Abbey Ale styles, which are brewed by monks, and here they are offering label art that is reminiscent of fire and brimstone. This beer is quite good, with a nice plum flavor and aroma, very rich and fruity. Definitely on-target as a Tripel. It's no crazy drunk-ass flying canoe beer, but it's nice for cold weather nights, especially at 9% ABV. O Canada, you lucky bastards. (9/24/2005)

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Unibroue 16

Steve: This came in a corked 750ml bottle, like all of Unibroue's specialty beers. And, aww, too bad, the cork wouldn't go back in, so I was forced to drink the entire bottle in one sitting, after Thanksgiving. Note to self, 750ml of 10% abv beer makes you feel very warm and fuzzy on a cold autumn night. It was a nice Belgian-style strong pale ale. It had kind of a fruity taste, with mild hop bitterness, and very effervescent. I let this age for a year, and was not at all disappointed. This is a one-shot deal to celebrate their anniversary, so if you have a bottle, you should enjoy it, and you might want to consider hanging on to it a bit longer. (9/19/2009)

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Unibroue Édition 2005

Steve: Édition 2005 is a Belgian-style strong ale, deep brown in color, and reminded me a little of Corsendonk Brown ale. It had a nice fruity character, I could taste a little raisin, and some plum in the background. I think this cellared pretty well, I had this in reserve for about a year and a half and I think I did a good thing by waiting. This was a special release (anniversary, perhaps), so it's no longer on the market, but you may wan to look out for later years' special releases. (4/26/2008)

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Unibroue Qatre-Centieme

Steve: Brewed in 2008 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the settling of Quebec City (and undoubtedly the following 400 years of French Canadians coming to US beaches wearing overly tight speedos). It's fairly sweet and malty, not heavy on the hops, with a strong presence of citrus. There is some spiciness in the background, mostly cinnamon from what I could taste. An enjoyable wheat beer, and a one-off brew. This was my beer of choice for New Years 2009/2010. (1/16/2010)

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Upper Canada - Dark Ale

Upper Canada Brewing Co

Guest Review - Steven S: A blend of selected malts and hops from England gives this ale a very unique taste. Somewhat crisp, goes down smooth, and the after-taste is smoky and coffee-ish. Yes, you heard me right - at the end you'll taste coffee, just like Guinness. It's too bad this ale is an imitation of the real English ales most of us know and love, but I just can't help give credit to the brewerly for doing such a great job. Thick, smooth, this is an ale you want to hang onto after a long day at work - definitely not a party beer. (3/3/2001)

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Vex Hard Lemonades

Vex Hard Beverage Co

Guest Review - Steven S: Most people comsider this to be just a cheap immitation of the #1 cooler in Canada - Mike's Hard Lemonade. Just because Mike's sells the most doesn't mean it's the best. Mike's sugary and soury after-taste turned me to other coolers to enjoy during the short summer months we get in Canada. Vex doesn't have the sourness of Mike's, but the sugar/sweetness is still present. What ultimately drove me to Vex was its crisp taste, and how it fizzles in your mouth. When you find yourself drinking water to wash the sourness out of your mouth after 2-3 bottles of Mike's, then you'll wish you drank Vex instead. (6/16/2001)

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Warthog Cream Ale

Tim: Very nice amber colour to this beer. And it goes down smooth and is indeed quite refreshing (it's that Rocky Mountain water). But this is not a weak beer. Mild aftertaste, not at all unpleasant. This is an above average beer. It has a good full flavour. Probably better than Sleeman's Cream Ale. Certainly above average, not necessarily great but after a few more pints I might be singing a different tune. Cheap and easily available from Ontario west (in Canada) and apparently available in the western US. Big Rock is a good microbrewery out of Calgary that's worth keeping an eye out for. (10/20/2002)

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Waterloo Dark