Sham Bock
Railway City Brewery
St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada
Independent
Maple Bock 6.8 % ABV Brown Glass Bottle 650 ml.
$6.95 (Canadian) At LCBO
Twitter: @railwaycity
Well I haven't had good luck with Railway city in the past. I had not been able to find one that I liked... until recently. I tried their Woodworth And Edwards Honey Bee'Lixir and I was pleasantly surprised, and then for my St. Patrick's themed beers I pick up today's offering and I must say, I am pleasantly surprised again. Hopefully this trend continues, because I love being surprised, and I love having another good source of craft beers in my home province.
Onto tonight's surprise:
Dark brown or chestnut in colour with a light coloured tan head comprised of small bubbles. Sweet grainy, wheaty aroma, some molasses, and a hint of wood and maple. First sip is smooth malty and sweet, which builds into a deep dark roasty malt flavour. There it transitions into a burnt sugar taste while being backed up with deep roasted malt and some fresh cut maple wood. Very light bodied and quite refreshing. Alcohol is slightly evident but not overwhelming, most notably in a light rum aftertaste. Aeration accentuates the alcohol giving it almost a brandy note, and a bit of a wet grain flavour.
Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional
Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 4/6 PASS
Re-Order: 3/6 SO-SO
Experience: 4/6 PASS
Final Thoughts:
This is one of Railway City's most balanced and flavourful beers so far. there are still a few flaws, some bitterness, a little sharpness on the finish, but overall a good beer. The heaviness of the burnt sugar and dark malt would lead me to only drink one of these, and at 6.85% abv you would probably want to share with a friend anyway. I like this beer for what it symbolises more than anything. I see a young brewery making it's first steps out into the world. I see them growing and maturing and improving with every bottle they put out. In this bottle I see Railway City hitting it's groove and finding it's "Flavour." I would continue to expect great things from them. Keep up the good work guys!
Cheers
CJT
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Irish Potato Stout
Black Creek Historic Brewery
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Independent
Flavoured Stout 5.0 % ABV Brown Glass Bottle 500 ml.
$3.95 (Canadian) At LCBO
Twitter: @blackcreekbeer
Back again to one of my newest favourite breweries. I love the thought process behind this brewery, to preserve the ways of the past and to tell the history of our province through beer. I know if there is beer involved in history... I'm listening.
So it's St. Patrick's Day, well yesterday was. In celebration I lined up a couple of Irish themed beers to taste this week and this is number one. This is a dry stout that has had potatoes added to the mix. Proving that if it has sugar or carbs... you can make beer out of just about anything. Black creek produced this brew in memory of the Irish potato famine that brought many Irish immigrants to our country in the mid 1800's. Toronto's population more than doubled in 1847, and the Irish have made Canada their home ever since; helping to shape our great nation into the cosmopolitan land it is today.
Enough flag waving... here is today's beer.
Dark brown to coffee in colour, opaque with a hint of muddiness. Head is small very dark tan comprised of small bubbles and dissipates quickly. Aroma is rich malt, smoke, and chocolate. Woody, with tinges of caramel, licorice, and vanilla.
First sip gives us a surprisingly light tasting stout with a difference. Extra starch is evident, no doubt from the potatoes. Then smoky chocolate malt takes over slowly transforming into burnt sugar taste. Through the middle is a hint of light fruit which is almost lost in the big bold flavours. Aeration gives us wood note, slight alcohol, more dark malt, and a bit more sugar. Potato flavour becomes more evident as the beer warms. Drink this beer at cellar temperature for best results.
Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional
Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 5/6 PASS
Re-Order: 4/6 PASS
Experience: 4/6 PASS
Final Thoughts:
A very nice dry stout. Easy drinking, well worth the price of admission. Try some with a good Irish Stew, or use instead of Guinness in a Steak and Guinness pie. As the potato flavour develpoed I thought this beer would be best served with food (meat and potatoes) or cooked with.
Cheers
CJT
Follow me on Twitter: @pintjockey
Like me on Facebook: Pint Jockey Online
