The 2-4 Beers of Christmas 2018 Edition Day 3:

Beer # 460 Wee Heavy



Brewery: Highlander Brew Co.


Type: Independent Microbrewery    
Est.:  2009

Location: South River, Ontario, Canada

Beer Style: "Wee Heavy" Scottish Ale

ABV: 8.0 %      IBU: 39

Format: Aluminium Can  Size: 473 ml

Cost: $4.25 CAD     Purchased At: The Brewery 


highlanderbrew

    @HighlanderBrew

Back up to Highlander Brewing Company in South River for tonight's #2-4BeersofChristmas entry. I picked this up early this year and have been holding on to it for just such an occasion. Tonight we are trying the Wee Heavy which is a higher alcohol version of a Scotch Ale.

Onto our beer..

Pours a slightly cloudy reddish chestnut with a darker tan head made up of small to tiny bubbles. Nose is a toasty, caramel, malt forward, alcohol-laden aroma. First sip is sweet and bready with lots of smoky caramel. Lots of biscuit and bread through the middle. Aeration brings out some more complex flavours, coffee and molasses warming alcohol and nutty.

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
Christmas Cheer 5/6 PASS
Final Thoughts:

A good warming Christmas beer with lots of complex malty flavours, and a nice hit of alcohol. Definitely worth a shot... pick one up.

Cheers
CJT

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Beer 397: Scottish Ale Highlander Brew Co.

Beer # 397 Scottish Ale

Brewery: Highlander Brew Co.


Type: Independent Microbrewery    Est.:  2009

Location: South River, Ontario, Canada

Beer Style: Scottish Ale

ABV: 5.4 %      IBU: 34

Format: Aluminium Can  Size: 473 ml

Cost: $3.25 CAD     Purchased At: The Brewery

highlanderbrew

    @HighlanderBrew

First, stop on my mini near North Ontario brewery tour (well two breweries anyway... I had other things to do...) Highlander is a brewery we have tried before, most notably Lion Grass Flavoured Ale, which until recently my blog was quoted on the description page of Highlander's website. (Nobody even told me I found out by (happy) accident). Tonight's beer is their signature Scottish ale. Let's give it a try.

Pours an orange/amber chestnut colour with a light tan fluffy head made up of small to medium bubbles. Nose is very grainy with hints of malt and molasses. Hints of nuts and toast and a touch of freshly mown grass. The first sip is malt forward with a surprising creaminess. Very nutty and slightly bitter with an herbaceous midsection. Hints of marijuana and medicinal hops. Aeration brings out a biscuit/toast

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 good, flavourful Scottish ale. Refreshing and delicious.

CJT

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Beer # 197 Lion Grass Highlander Brew Co

Lion Grass Blonde Ale

Highlander Brew Company

South River, Ontario, Canada
Independent
Flavoured Blonde Ale 5.4 % ABV Brown Glass Bottle 650 ml
$5.00 (Canadian) At LCBO 

Twitter: @HighlanderBrew

Highlander Brew Company is up there on my list of favourite new breweries. I have done their three core beers a while back Here, Here, and Here, and I was thrilled to find this one in the local LCBO, just recently.

Tonight's beer is a blonde ale that has been flavoured with organic lemongrass and dandelion leaves.

Onto the tasting...

Pours a cheery gold colour with a fluffy off-white head made up of tiny bubbles. Nose is very green and herbaceous with a distinct lemon scent and a hint of lemon bread.First sip gives us sweet lemon and lemon curd, with a chicory/coffee note from the dandelions. There is a slight herbal bitterness, that tastes similar to a frisee salad with a citrus dressing. Finish brings out a touch of barley and bread before going into a tangy lemon zest aftertaste. The beer tastes very green, lots of leafiness to it fresh and bright  ( a nice change from all of the heavy stouts and ales I have been tasting lately). There is also a very wine-like feel to it I get a nice grapey taste with the citrus and there are moments I feel like I am tasting a sauvignon blanc or a light riesling. Aeration brings out a good hit of malt, tangy sweet and dark malt sugars and a hint of caramel right at the back.

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:

Well that is a different, interesting, and very refreshing beer. It has a lot going on in the flavour department while still being light. You definitely need to get one of these in you. If only to say you have had a beer made with dandelions.


CJT


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Beer # 128 Highlander Blacksmith Smoked Porter

Blacksmith Smoked Porter

Highlander Brew Company

South River, Ontario, Canada
Independent
Smoked Porter .4 % ABV Brown Glass Bottle 650 ml
$4.75 (Canadian) At LCBO 
Twitter: @HighlanderBrew

Back again for the third of three from the Highlander Brew Co. Tonight we finish up with the Smoked porter. Highlander takes it's name from the Almaguin Highlands where the town of South River is located. It is a beautiful rugged country predominated by the Canadian Shield, ancient pink to red pre-cambrian granite that runs across the country in a large band. In fact the highway through South River used to be noted for it's pink hue, that was caused by utilising the pink granite blasted away for the roadbed in the asphalt as an aggregate.

Enough already... on to the Highlander... (There can only be ONE!)


Very dark brown with a small tan head made of small bubbles, that disperse quickly. Aroma is smoky, bacon, malt. First sip is smoky and fruity, creamy malt sugars and a slight bitterness serve to round out the taste aeration enhances creaminess, sweetness and roasted malt


Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


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


Final Thoughts: 

A lovely smoked beer that doesn't taste like you are being choked out by a campfire. The smoke serves to enhance the sweetness, and fruit of the malt. A nice easy sipper, but would go great with some good BBQ as well.


Cheers

CJT


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Beer # 127 Highlander Scottish Ale

Scottish Ale

Highlander Brew Company

South River, Ontario, Canada
Independent
Scotch Ale 5.4 % ABV Brown Glass Bottle 650 ml
$4.75 (Canadian) At LCBO 
Twitter: @HighlanderBrew

Back again for the second of three from the Highlander Brew Co. This beer tonight is the original beer brewed by Brewmaster Brian Wilson (still no connection to the Beach Boys, or the catchy Bare Naked Ladies song).  Tonight's beer is actually Highlander Brew Co.'s first they brewed way back in 2009. It contains four different malts of grains and four different hops for a smooth complex flavour.

Enough already... on to the Highlander... (There can only be ONE!)

dark chestnut in colour with an off white head made up of small to medium bubbles. Aroma is dark malt, molasses, wood and licorice. First sip is nutty, and malty, dark sugars at work. Lightly smoky, yet still light and fruity. Leathery and tart on the finish. Aeration gives up smoky toasted wood, and toasted walnuts.



Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


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


Final Thoughts: 

An excellent beer and a solid flagship for the Highlander Brew Co. Very light and approachable for a Scotch Ale. Flavour is straightforward and light but still pleasing. Please go pick this one up and try it for yourself... you will not regret it.




Cheers

CJT


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Beer # 126 Twisted Spruce Highlander Brew Company

Twisted Spruce

Highlander Brew Company

South River, Ontario, Canada
Independent
Strong Spruce Beer 6.0 % ABV Brown Glass Bottle 650 ml
$4.75 (Canadian) At LCBO 
Twitter: @HighlanderBrew

I used to go to College in North Bay Ontario. It is a military and railroad city on the edge of the far north in the province. It is rugged and gorgeous and I miss it every day. The air is fresh and the water is clean and the fishing is phenomenal. On the way to North Bay is a sleepy little town called South River. Not famous by any stretch of the imagination, but popular because it leads to the second busiest entrance to Algonquin Park; Ontario's most famous and beautiful Provincial Park. Not the location I would have ever expected a wonderful craft brewery to appear... but one did, oh yes, it did. Highlander Brew Co. was started in 2009 and headed by Brewmaster Brian Wilson (no relation to the Beach Boys...). Their first brew was a Scottish Ale (which is in the Fridge of Fame stay tuned!) and now they have a total of four brews. I first encountered them in 2013 on a trip to Sudbury, of all places, they were on tap at a favourite spot to hit for craft beer in the Big Nickel. I was excited to find the bottles in my Local LCBO just recently and couldn't wait to share them with you.

Enough already... on to the Highlander... (There can only be ONE!)

Honey in colour with a small off-white head made up of small bubbles. Aroma is dark roasted barley, molasses, and a light pine tree, herbal note. First sip is heavy malt, dark sugar, juniper, pine resin, tart, and green. Mouthfeel is creamy, and slightly thick. Menthol and camphor give and herbal, medicinal feel. Aeration accentuates the spruce, and the sugars. Finish is caramel with hints of blue spruce.



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: 

Spruce beers are like chicken's teeth... incredibly hard to find. Yet, this country has a strong history of them dating back to the first settlers. It is complex and unusual, yet satisfying. This beer is a definite must try, especially if you have never had a spruce flavoured beer before. Stay tuned for two more from Highlander, coming up next

Cheers

CJT


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