Tuesday 17 March 2015

Terrible Ted Red Lake of Bays Signature Series

Beer # 222


Terrible Ted Red Saison
NHL Alumni Signature Series

Lake of Bays Brewing Company

Baysville, Ontario, Canada
Independent Microbrewery
Belgian Rousse 6.0 % ABV Brown Glass Bottle 750 ml
$11.95 (Canadian) At LCBO 


Twitter: @LB_brewing @NHLAlumni



The large red seven on the bottle says we are doing another Lake of Bays NHL Alumni collaboration Signature Series. Co-incidentally I just did a quick count and this happens to be the seventh edition in the collaboration. The highlighted player this time around is Renfrew Ontario native Ted Lindsay. 

Robert Blake "Terrible" Ted Lindsay was born on July 29th, 1925 to former NHA/ NHL goalie Leslie Bertrand Lindsay who had previously played for the Montreal Wanderers (Later Canadiens) and the Toronto Arenas (Later Maple Leafs). At the age of 19, Ted's junior hockey career had caught the eye of the scouts and he was invited to try out for the Detroit Red Wings. He soon found himself playing left wing with Sid Abel and Gordie Howe on the aptly named "Production Line." Six years into his NHL career, in 1950, Ted helped Detroit win the Stanley Cup, a feat they would repeat 3 more times: in 1952 and back to back in 1954-55. In the 1955 Stanley Cup Ted Lindsay was the first player to pick up the cup and skate around the ice with it. He did not loft it over his head and his only intention was to take it up to the boards so the fans could see it up close. The Victory Lap is now almost an institution where each player on the winning team skates a lap around the ice with the cup. Ted Earned his nickname by being a rough character, so rough in fact he was the reason the NHL instituted penalties for Elbowing and Kneeing. Not only tough on the ice, Ted Lindsay attracted unwanted attention from the team owners off the ice as well. In 1957 When Ted discovered that the amount of money in the players pension fund was being covered up and he realised that so many players were struggling to survive, often having to take summer jobs to make ends meet, he and fellow player Doug Harvey of the Montreal Canadiens secretly contacted all of the players in the league and quietly formed the NHLPA The National Hockey League Player's Association. Needless to say the Owners were furious. Ted Lindsay was stripped of his captain's C and he and Doug Harvey were both traded. The Owners spread rumours and lies about him trying to discredit him. But the NHLPA eventually came out on top. Player's salaries improved, and they received better benefits. The NHLPA became a union in 1967 and still represents players to this day.

For his part in the founding of the NHLPA The Lester B. Pearson Award for the NHL's most outstanding player was renamed the Ted Lindsay Award in 2010.

After 3 years as a Chicago Black Hawk Ted Lindsay returned to Detroit for one last season, in 1960, under the coaching of his former linemate Sid Abel. In 1966 he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. and in the 1960's and 70's he served as announcer and on air commentator for the New York Rangers. Ted's jersey number hangs alongside his "Production Line" teammate's numbers in the Joe Louis Arena where it was retired in 1998. Since then Ted has been active in philanthropy.

Onto our beer...

Pours a dark orange-red with an off-tan head with a strong reddish tint in it. Head is short but long-lived and made of small bubbles. Aroma is strong with malt lots of roasty caramel and some light hints of citrus and spice, especially clove. First sip is slightly tart, a tad sour, Good caramel, some banana, more allspice and clove extended flavours of wheat Aeration gives us a woody caramel with a light spicy finish.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 

Cost: 4/6 PASS

Colour: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Beer Style: 5/6 PASS
Re-Order:  5/6 PASS 
Experience:  5/6 PASS


Final Thoughts:

The most striking thing about this beer, and the aspect of it I loved the most was the colour. It was a gorgeous liquid that shimmered and shifted in hues as the light struck it. Truly living up to it's name, red shone through just about everywhere. So far this is the lowest alcohol of the signature series and I think it is the most sedate. While it is an great example of a Belgian Rousse... it's just a tad unassuming. Beyond the obvious there is not a lot going on. Is it a good beer? Yes, definitely. Should you try it? Of course. Is it in the same league as its predecessors? Well... not really. All the other signature series beers have been bold and larger than life. This one seems to be riding the pine while the others are out scoring hat tricks. But therein I am comparing apples and oranges and it's just my opinion... Bottom line, it's a very good beer and you should try it.
Cheers



CJT


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