Brewery: Maclean's Ales
Type: Independent Microbrewery
Est.: 2009
Location: Hanover, Ontario, Canada
Beer Style: Flavoured Porter
ABV: 4.8% IBU: 38
Format: Aluminium Can Size: 473 ml
A number of years ago I lived in the town of Hanover and that is where I first came across this brewery. At the time they were contract brewing out of Guelph, I'm not sure which brewery though. They brewed one beer at the time which was called MacLean's (obviously). It was similar to Alexander Keith's. It is still brewed today as MacLean's Pale Ale. Since I moved away they moved into Hanover finally opening a bricks-and-mortar brewery, just a few minutes away from where I lived. I will admit to drinking a fair amount of MacLean's when I was in Hanover... It was cheap, tasted marginally better than the macro-brews, and well, it was different at the time. Tonight we are trying their sour cherry flavoured porter. If all goes well I may have to head back to where I used to live and check them out.
Onto our beer.
Pours a dark chestnut brown... a little on the light side for a porter with an off-tan head made of small bubbles. Nose is fruity and malty with hints of molasses. First sip is very dry, bitter, and quite thin. Although there is a slight fruitiness there is not much cherry going on except for a hint of tartness right at the end of the finish. Coffee builds on the finish. There is very little depth to the beer, not much happening. The malt flavours are underdeveloped and the fruit is missing in action. Not a drain award contender but not that good either. Aeration spike up bitterness and tartness.
Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional
Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style:4/6 PASS
Re-Order: 4/6 PASS
Experience: 4/6 PASS
Christmas Cheer 4/6 PASS
Final Thoughts:
As I said, MacLean's Pale Ale was ok, and its flavoured porter brother is no different. Certainly, nothing to write home about. Kind of disappointing I hoped they would have had time to improve. I will still drop in and visit if I am ever out that way again. Hopefully, they will have some better beers to surprise me with.
Cheers
CJT
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