Molson Canadian Wheat: Wheat Were They Thinking?
Molson Canadian Wheat from Molson Coors Canada is a hazy pencil yellow colour with golden tinges and a large, frothy white head that leaves hefty amounts of lace and settles as a thick cap. This wheat-infused American adjunct lager smells of sweet grain malts, corn, burnt wheat, green grape and has very slight orange peel, floral and clove notes.
Leaf Me Out Of This
The taste of Molson Canadian Wheat is rather sweet and malt heavy. Burnt wheat, corn, earth, orange rind flavours lead to a dirty tasting finish with floral and metallic notes that poke through in the aftertaste. This beer is thin bodied and somewhat watery with a mild carbonation. There isn't much life on the tongue, but what's there is mainly syrupy and grainy.
Labatt 50: The New Sixty
This American Pale ale from Labatt Brewing Company (Anheuser-Busch InBev) pours a clear golden colour with a medium-sized, creamy white head that is retained as a thin collar without leaving any lacing. Labatt 50 smells mainly of corn and grass, with a mild apple or white grape fruitiness and a touch of floral hops.
This Ale Oddly Tastes More like a Lager
Labatt 50 has a grainy, yeasty taste that strikes me as more lager-like than that of an ale, with a distinctive note of corn and subtle bitter and mineral qualities. This ale is medium-bodied with plenty of fine carbonation. Earthy and creamy sensations are felt on the tongue along with a very light oiliness. The finish is dry with soft metallic and earthy notes in the aftertaste.
Dead Elephant IPA: Turn Your Attention to the Centre Ring
This American-style IPA from the Railway City Brewing Company in St. Thomas, Ontario pours a golden-amber colour with a medium-sized off-white head that leaves a moderate amount of lacing and gets retained as a thin collar and film. Dead Elephant IPA has the traditional berry and citrus aromas fans of the style know and love, but here they take a back seat to a warm, toasted grain smell and deep caramel tone.
This Stylized Can Holds a Solid American IPA
A nicely embittered grapefruit flavour is much more prevalent in the taste of Dead Elephant IPA and is joined by a slightly sweet, dark caramel tone, as well as a biscuit-like one. The ale is full-bodied with almost no carbonation beyond the first few minutes after being poured, yet there is a bright pop on the tongue followed by a heavy yeast note. The finish is bitter and the aftertaste is oily and grainy, with a subtle fruit tone.
Beaver River I.P.Eh?: Dammed if You Don’t
The spring seasonal from Beau’s All Natural Brewing Company in Vankleek Hill, Ontario pours a gem-like amber colour with a frothy tan head that settles as a long-lasting collar while leaving some spotty lacing behind. Beaver River I.P.Eh? has a bright and rich floral hop aroma with a solid, tangerine-esque citrus tone and a caramel malt backing.
This American IPA is One of My Favourite Seasonal Releases
The taste of Beaver River I.P.Eh? is anchored by a toasted grain and malt taste. A citrus-laced bitterness has fruity, floral and pine notes to it and the finish has a slight sourness. This light-bodied American IPA is moderately carbonated and gives off a creamy mouthfeel with a mild oily character. The aftertaste brings another wave of citrus flavour, along with a yeasty, biscuit-like quality.
Black Creek Stout: Taste the Pioneer Spirit
This traditional English stout from the Black Creek Historic Brewery in Toronto, Ontario pours an opaque black with a spongy, tan coloured head that gets retained as a frothy collar and leaves some spotty lacing. Black Creek Stout has a thick aroma with smoky wood and roasted grains backed by a fatty, nutty tone. A soft and appealing chocolate smell also comes through, along with hints of coffee and dark fruit after warming.
Smoke and Wood Notes Accent the Taste of Black Creek Stout
Black Creek Stout tastes of thick, roasted chocolate malts and burnt coffee, with a defined oak-like wood flavour and a hint of smoke. The finish is very dry and bitter. This stout is full-bodied and thick with a low carbonation, but still delivers a nice pop on the front of the tongue. It takes on a heavy, bready character, but the aftertaste is fairly clean with subtle smoky and earthy notes.
Bog Water: A Murky Situation
The appearance of Bog Water from Beau’s All Natural Brewing Company in Vankleek Hill, Ontario certainly lives up to its name. This gruit ale pours a murky, sludgy rust red and copper brown mixture with an off-white head that burns off almost immediately, leaving a thin ring and almost no lace. Bog Water has a very smooth and appealing aroma anchored by earthy grains, grasses and malts. Sweet flowers, raisin, banana, spices and a bit of an overripe pear note also come through.
This Wild Ale is One of Ontario's Most Creative Beers
Bog Water tastes of honey sweetened flowers with a syrupy malt backing. A solid bitterness takes over, then grassy and flowery tones come through in the finish. The wild ale is medium-bodied with a very low carbonation, with both syrupy and yeasty qualities noticeable on the tongue. The aftertaste is bitter, with a floral taste and a sort of medicinal quality.