Beer # 116 Lake of Bays Spring Maple

Spring Maple Belgian Blonde Ale

Lake of Bays Brewing Company

Baysville, Ontario, Canada
Independent
Flavoured Belgian Style Blonde Ale 7.0% ABV Brown Glass Bottle 750 ml
$9.95 (Canadian) At LCBO 
Twitter: @LB_Brewing

Still one of my favourite new breweries in Ontario, Lake of Bays is tireless cranking out one good beer after another. Tonight I am looking at one of their regular seasonals which I have missed getting to in the past. Thankfully, the "Easter Bunny" hid this one away for me with a small pile of chocolates. And fortunately, the beer lasted longer than the chocolates so I have managed to sit down and write about it. I will also be posting two other beers from Lake of Bays. Two limited edition beers in their NHL Alumni series... so stay tuned for those next!

Anyway, onto our tasting:  

Honey coloured and clear with a short lived very light tan head made up of medium to small sized bubbles. Aroma is fresh maple syrup, honey and light grain scent. First sip gives up the wheaty wine, and alcohol of the Belgian blonde followed by a spike of sugar and then the maple syrup sets in. Lightly effervescent. Smokiness of the maple appears as the beer warms. Maple hinges on being too cloying. Aeration gives off a creaminess backed up by more maple woodsy smoke. Finish is tangy, and slightly chemical.


Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 

Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 5/6 PASS
Re-Order:  3/6 SO-SO
Experience:  5/6 PASS


Final Thoughts:


This is a good Belgian Blonde however there were a few things I didn't like about it. The use of maple extract (organic) maybe made the maple too intense. The sweetness was a little too sticky and cloying, which detracted from the delicious ale beneath it. I find maple a a hard row to hoe, when it is added to beer, it either works wonderfully well, especially if it is a supporting flavour; or, it will take over the beer and make it miss its mark. Sadly I think the second applies here. Don't get me wrong, this is still a very good beer and I think you should try it, and make up your mind for yourself (maybe with some pancakes.... mmmm pancakes).

Cheers

CJT


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