Beer # 370 Freedom 35 Trailer Park Boys Lager

Beer # 370 Freedom 35 Lager

Brewery: N.A.C. (North American Craft) Importers 

Type: Contract brewery, Brewed at Wellington Brewing Company    Est.: 

Location: Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Beer Style: Lager

ABV: 5.0%      IBU: 

Format: Aluminium Can  Size: 473 ml

Cost: $2.95 CAD     Purchased At: LCBO

wellingtonbrewery

    @namericancraft

As the news spreads that we lost Canadian Actor John Dunsworth yesterday lots of Trailer Park Boys fans are still in shock today. I can't say I was a Trailer Park Boys fan; however, there is no doubt what the show has done for Canadian identity. In the words of my esteemed partner, The Queen of Pint Jockey Headquarters, "Why do I need to watch Trailer Park Boys? You've seen the neighbours." But watch a lot of people did. The show held up a mirror to Canadian society, not a perfect mirror, one of those wavy carnival ones. It poked fun at us, kept us humble and most of all made us laugh at ourselves. That's what good TV should do.

Onto our beer tonight. Freedom 35 is a craft lager produced at the Wellington Brewing Company in Guelph, Ontario for N.A.C. Importers. The North American Craft Importers is an alcohol distribution agency that represents Canadian and American brewers and distillers and sources places for their products in the Beer Store, the LCBO, and now grocery stores across Ontario. They commissioned this beer with Wellington, who also produces under contract the beers for Double Trouble Brewing, one of their other clients. The interesting thing I have found is that in the announcement on the Trailer Park Boys Facebook Page here, they say there is corn in the beer to add sweetness, but it is not listed in the ingredients; but this beer is definitely sweet so I would imagine there is still corn in it. So be cautious if you have a corn allergy.

Onto our freakin' beer...

Pours a light gold colour with an off-white fluffy head made up of small bubbles. Aroma is grassy and sweet with hints of citrus. First sip is surprising. As lagers go this one is not an over-commercialised barrel wash. However, is it malt forward with a surprising amount of sweetness, almost syrupy. Hops are there, lending a bitter green, medicinal bite. The hop varieties are not listed but they taste like German varieties to me, possibly Hallertau. The wheat flakes give it a slight breadiness which makes the beer taste like toast doused in sugar. As the beer warms hints of spice and raisins come to the surface. Aeration gives us some clove and bitter mustard greens.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 4/6 PASS
Re-Order:  2/6 SO-SO
Experience: 3/6 SO-SO


Final Thoughts:

This tastes like a hangover in a can. It's not terrible. I honestly thought I would have to issue another #drainaward, but, I was surprised. It has flavour, it has the bones of a good craft lager, it's just not balanced. It's like sucking on a tin of malt syrup. Save this beer for Trailer Park Boys re-runs, on nights you don't have to be anywhere the next morning. Poor decisions are almost guaranteed.

Cheers

CJT

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Beer # 292 Red Falcon Ale Stouffville Brewing Company

#292 Red Falcon Stouffville Brewing Company

Stouffville Brewing Company/Falcon Brewing Company

Ajax, Ontario, Canada
Contract Brewing Company  Established 2014
Brewed at Wellington Brewery in Guelph, Ontario Canada
Red Ale
5.0 % ABV IBU: 16
473 ml Aluminium Can
$2.85 (Canadian) At the Beer Store

Twitter: @falconbrewingco

Best as I can figure out this brewery is at a transition point right now. I remember hearing that a Stouffville  Brewing company was coming and I thought, "That's cool." My parents used to drive me up there as a kid... They had a really fun Antique and Flea Market. Interesting side note my Dad was a carpenter, and he made my sister an octagonal keepsake box that she used as a piggy bank. She doesn't remember losing it, but I think it disappeared when she was in college. She went with my parents to the Stouffville Flea Market one day and said "Hey Dad, this looks like the piggy bank you made me." She turned it over and it had her name written on the bottom. She still had to buy it back. She still has it along with a spooky story. 

Back to our brewery. I'm guessing that not unlike the lost piggy bank, this brewery slipped my mind. I hadn't thought of it until I saw the cans of Falcon Ale in the Beer Store.

Thanks Deadpool... But I mean the City of Ajax...
not the foppish British Antagonist

 However when I looked it up it started to get confusing. First off they are a contract brewery and they rent brew time from Wellington in Guelph. Second their address is listed as Ajax.  Third the beer comes up as being brewed by Falcon Brewing Company, and the picture on the Internet still says Stouffville Brewing company on the can.  Confused? Well I was a first but I am assuming this means plans have changed. It is not unusual for a new brewery to contract out the brewing when they first start, especially if your brewing skills are limited or you need to find a brewmaster. I guess a location could not be found in Stouffville or a property became available in Ajax that fit the bill better, or there could be any number of legal reasons that Stouffville Brewing Company could not be used, prompting a name change. Something similar happened to Flying Monkeys Brewery in Barrie Ontario. They were originally named Simcoe Steam Brewing Company, but that name was still owned by a family that had run a brewery in the past. They then changed it to Robert Simpson Brewing Company, and a few years later changed it again to it's final for "Flying Monkeys." So for whatever reason Our beer tonight is made by the former Stouffville Brewing Company now called Falcon Brewing Company, based in Ajax, brewed (for the time being) in Guelph, and currently in my hand right now.

Clear as mud?

Yeah, me too.

Onto the beer...

Pours a amber honey colour with a short white head made up of small bubbles. Head dissipates rapidly. Caramel nose with lots of malted barley and the barest hint of wet dog. First sip is sweet with touches of sourness a little smoke and leather. Body is medium to light with lots of light caramel. Some vanilla and hints of apple and pear. Aeration  brings out some tartness... some mineral qualities and the barest hint of molasses.

 Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


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

Final Thoughts:

A nice fruity red ale. Good to see a great representation of a British/Irish staple over here in Canada. The malty sweetness was on point as was the bright fruity notes. Worthy of a redo. I hope they get their brewery opened up soon and they can maintain a high standard with this beer. I rather enjoyed it.

Cheers

CJT

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Beer# 280 Hopsta La Vista IPA Longslice Brewery

#280 Hopsta La Vista

Longslice Brewery
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Contract Brewery
India Pale Ale 
6.5 % ABV IBU: 69
473 ml Aluminium Can
$2.90 at the LCBO

Twitter: @LongsliceBrews

Longslice brewery is a new one on me. I was initially attracted by the punny, bright packaging. Started by two brothers from Bracebridge, Jimmy and John Peat who started homebrewing in high school with their Dad... ( way cool Dad!) In 2013 Jimmy Peat took second place in the Toronto Beer Week Homebrew competition with a hybrid English Pale Ale/ American IPA. That beer would go on to become tonight's offering Hopsta La Vista. The Peat Brothers were joined by longtime friend Sebastian Lesch and on March 20 2014 Longslice Brewery was born. In 2015 Hopsta La Vista added another medal to the trophy cabinet taking home a Gold at the Ontario Brewing Awards.

They also have the most awesome retro 1990's style website that made me laugh when I saw it. Please check it out here.

Onto the tasting...

Pours a darker orange amber in colour with an off tan head made up of small bubbles.The nose is malty with a herbal hop and tea nose. First sip is strong and malty with notes of bitter greens black tea. A bit of a creamy mouthfeel. Spikes of pine and cedar with some leather in the background. The beer is viscous, almost oily and clings to the glass when swirled taking on almost a bubbly honey look cascading down the inside of the glass. Aeration gives us some malt and molasses with hints of dried fruit and very mild spice. Finish is bitter herbs and a slight marijuana feeling. 

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


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

Final Thoughts:

A very good IPA Deep flavours, well constructed. Great mouthfeel, and well balanced. Definitely pick this one up, if you like full bodied IPAs this is the beer for you.

Cheers

CJT

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Beer # 279 Heroes Cold filtered Lager

#279 Heroes Cold Filtered lager

Southpaw Beverage Company

Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Contract Brewery
Lager 
5.0 % ABV Aluminium Can 473 ml.
$2.75 (Canadian) At The LCBO

Twitter: @southpawbevco

This beer appeared in the LCBO for the summer and it was very bright and stood out on the shelf. It was fairly easy to see this beer was more of a marketing stunt than a craft beer. It's packaging is overtly patriotic bordering on jingoistic. Southpaw is a contract brewery but my research has not turned up at which brewery they brew at. I figured I would give it a quick taste anyway...

Onwards... heroically.

Pours clear gold  with a short off-white head made up of small bubbles. Nose is citrus and light grain with hints of some chemicals. When I first cracked the can there was a fairly strong off, sulphurous smell. First sip is tart grainy and some hints of citrus. Beer is light and lacks substance. Aeration brings out some acidic breadiness.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 1/6  FAIL
Re-Order:  0/6  FAIL
Experience: 1/6 FAIL

Final Thoughts:

My initial thoughts were correct. More insight was placed into the packaging and marketing than actually brewing a good product. The beer is dominated by off-flavours and chemical notes. Trust me you could be far more patriotic by supporting a local brewery that hires your neighbours than giving your hard earned cash to this company. Avoid.

Cheers

CJT

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Beer # 122 Arch Brewing Dinner Jacket O'Red IPA

Dinner Jacket O'Red IPA

Arch Brewing Company

Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Independent
IPA 6.3% ABV Aluminium Can 473 ml
$2.85 (Canadian) At LCBO 
Twitter: @ArchBrewingCo

Tonight we are trying a new beer that I just came across from a new brewery I hadn't heard of yet. Arch Brewing Company is a contract brewery that utilises the facilities at  the Wellington Brewery in Guelph Ontario. Run by husband and wife team Sue and Bill King, who brew with the jet setting brewmaster to the stars Paul Dickey; who has worked with craft brewing Icons such as Dennison's, Black Oak, Mill Street, Kensington's, and Claude and Nathan's Double Trouble Brewing (where he formulated a Pint Jockey Fav: Hops and Robbers). Most Recently he created the debut beer for Sue and Bill: Dinner Jacket O'Red IPA. The O in O'Red stands for oatmeal. and I must admit this is the first time I have seen it in an IPA.

Enough backstory... onto the tasting:

Dark amber to light chestnut in colour with a small off-white head made up of small bubbles. Aroma is light malt, some sugar, and a touch of bread. First sip is roasty and malty, very light, slightly thin but still refreshing. Drinks similarly to an English Bitter ale. Caramel and brown sugar through the middle, finishing is a hoppy, green, bitter finish. Despite being 6.3 % ABV the feeling of the beer is very light. Aeration gives us sweet caramel, taffy and light malt.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


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


Final Thoughts:

A very good brew and a wonderful first offering from Arch. Hopefully we will see more from them in the future.
Cheers

CJT


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