Estrella

Brewed by: C.C.Damm
Brewed at: Barcelona, Spain
Type: undisclosed
4.6% A/V

First Impression
Like a bit of old Spain embodied in a can. All red and gold, bullfighting and stunning brunettes.

First Sip
Surprisingly fresh tasting for a can shipped across the seas. Good malt presence.

Halfway
Thoroughly enjoying this! Surprised? Yes I am. I haven't considered myself a great lover of Cerveza, however this is a compelling case.

Bottoms Up
Despite its obscurity this is a reasonably well crafted beer that should provide much beer drinking pleasure to most beer drinking enthusiasts. Not outlandish in anyway just sincerely good beer.

79/100

KLB Raspberry Wheat

Brewed by: Kawartha Lakes Brewing Co.
Brewed at: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Type: Flavoured Beer
4.5% A/V

First Impression
This is my sister's favorite beer so I may have had one or two of these in the past. I recall the can being better looking.

First Sip
Thinner tasting than I remember it being when my sister would bring it fireside.

Halfway
Not a lot going on. Disappointing.

Bottoms Up
Not as delicious as I recall. Where it had been a uniquely tasty,refreshing beer that seemed brewed with care and quality; it seems now to be little more than a light beer flavoured with raspberry. Perhaps I drank it before Kawartha was invaded by Amsterdam... Was about 2004 when I had it last.

58/100

Rickard's White

Brewed by: Molson Canada
Brewed at: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Type: Wheat Beer
5.4% A/V

First Impression
The good folks at one of Canada's largest brewers; Molson, were early to hop aboard the microbrewery bandwagon many months ago with the introduction of Ricard's as a smaller label. Rickard's White is brewed in the fashion of the European white beers like Hoegarden et al.

First Sip
The citrus character is a little overdone for my taste. Almost fake tasting. That aside it possesses all of the other characters of the white and wheat beers of Europe but perhaps a little closer to home, played safely as big money likes to do.

Halfway
So so. One of my all time most preferred styles done too safely. Like dating the girl of your dreams and treating her like your auntie. A tragically wasteful dose of caution.

Bottoms Up
Nothing ventured nothing gained. To the bold go the spoils. Never were these adages more true. Sadly disappointing.

45/100

Erdinger Weisbier Dunkel

Brewed by: Werner Brombach GmbH
Brewed at: Erding, Germany
Type: Dark Wheat Beer
5.3% A/V

First Impression
An almost intimidating bottle wrapper on this bold German. All gold and red and brown. Rather attractive if I'm honest. Dark wheat beer? Who let the dogs out?

First Sip
Okay. Full disclosure, I've tested four-ish beers prior to this one; but "Erdinger Dunkel" has to be the silliest name worn by a bottle of beer. Kinda nutty. Kinda caramelly. Dark for a wheat beer. Shockingly light tasting.

Halfway
Very easy to get along with, Erdinger Dunkel is surprisingly gentlemanly.

Bottoms Up
Drinkable. Hints of cinnamon and allspice. Dark but light. A nice formal beer. Like a tuxedo.

82/100

Hacker-Pschorr Weisse

Brewed by: Hacker-Pschorr Bräu GmbH
Brewed at: München, Germany
Type: Weisse Bier
5.5% A/V

First Impression
I think I've had it before. Seems I haven't. Looks great. They don't put bad beer in swing top bottles. This should be good! The head on this beer is amazing. Text book.

First Sip
Not my favorite wheat beer. Oddly detecting a hint of smokiness. Pretty though! Order this if you want everyone to know you're drinking beer.

Halfway
Getting better! This is another lovable, huggable, wheat beer.

Bottoms Up
Very nice all things considered. Confession: I like wheat beer. Take everything I have to say about Hacker-Schorr Weiss with a grain of salt. It's awesome.

76/100

Crest Super

Brewed by: Crest Brewing Company
Brewed at: Bedford, UK
Type: Extra Strong Beer
10% A/V

First Impression
I find blue is a reliably appealing colour for beer vessels. Wholly mackerel. Ten percent alcohol! Golden with a gregariously white foamy head.

First Sip
Hard to place. Not offensive, contrary to the expectation a double strength beer might elicit. Surprisingly malty. Or perhaps not. I'm confused.

Halfway
Getting lightheaded. If I was in a hurry to render myself inebriated I am not any longer.

Bottoms Up
The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. The shortest distance between sober and hammered is a Crest. A nice long lasting fine foam head. Not bad.

72/100

Smithwick's Draught

Brewed by: Guinness & Co.
Brewed at: St James's gate, Dublin, Ireland
Type: Ale
5% A/V

First Impression
A thoroughly polished presentation that reminds me of a freshly minted penny. If you look closely there is a little copper, okay brass, gold maybe. Anyway we are here for the beer. A very reputable name. Brewed by Guinness.

First Sip
Ah yes a proper ale! Gently bitter. Not too malty. Low effervescence. Friendly enough to spend an afternoon with or or perhaps while away the hours fireside with a few Smithwick's and some lively conversation.

Halfway
I wish I had another of these. Very nice stuff. Beer lovers this could be your other favorite beer.

Bottoms Up
Having mindlessly enjoyed great big, thirst quenching gulps, I again find myself regretting purchasing only a single of this wonderful ale. Great colour, medium brown amber. Easy bubbles. Great populist ale palate. Delicious!

89/100

Highballer Pumpkin Ale

Brewed by: Grand River Brewing Company
Brewed at: Cambridge, Ontario, Canada
Type: Flavoured Beer
5.2% A/V

First Impression
Oooh cheezee label! I don't know what the graphic is. A train? Highballer? Huh? Alright lets get this over with.

First Sip
Not bad! Not a caricature of a thanksgiving dessert at all! Pumpkin, spices, hops, malts. Truly decent.

Halfway
Very good. Very passable. Perhaps not the best out there, but very good nonetheless.

Bottoms Up
Overall a very enjoyable pumpkin spiced beer. The marketing effort remains a mystery. Highballer? According to the urban dictionary online a Highballer is "someone who works harder than a m______ f______."
I'm still lost. Good stuff though.

76/100

Black Creek Pumpkin Ale

Brewed by: Black Creek Historic Brewery
Brewed at: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Type: Spiced Beer
5% A/V

First Impression
Another pumpkin ale! Awww Mom! Do I have to?!? It seems everyone making beer these days resorts to the big orange squash this time of year. To be fair, Black Creek is a producer of some very respectable beers from Southern Ontario. The colour of liquid pumpkin pie. Fitting I suppose.

First Sip
Not a terrible smell. But not only the most disappointing pumpkin beer I've tried but easily the worst offering to be had from Black Creek Brewery.

Half way
Thin flavour. Not only falling down as a seasonal attempt but as a beer in general. A very poor beverage by any measure. Ick.

Bottoms Up
You can't make me finish it! You can't! You aren't the boss of me! This is awful stuff. If you enjoy pumpkin beers I'd wager you won't like this one. Stick to any of the others. Trust me on this.
6/100

10 Point India Pale Ale

Brewed by: Lake of Bays Brewery
Brewed at: Baysville, Ontario, Canada
Type: India Pale Ale
6% A/V

First Impression
Nice large 750ml bottle wrapped tastefully in minimalist graphics. Poured into a drinking vessel, this is a fine looking IPA. Nice brown, amber colour.

First Sip
A really nicely stated India Pale Ale. Clean, crisp bitterness. Well rounded flavour profile fitting of a proper IPA.

Half way
Excellent balance. A wonderful beer the would be suitably enjoyed by beer lovers far and wide.

Bottoms Up
Great job Lake of Bays! Well done! At the price paid it asks a little much; but overall it's a nice beer that would be very well paired with something at dinner and shared at the table.

81/100

Harvest Ale

Brewed by: Muskoka Brewery
Brewed at: Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada
Type: Strong Ale
7% A/V

First Impression
I love big swing-top brown bottles. And Muskoka makes fine beer. This ought to be good!

First Sip
I knew it. Amazing. Beautiful hops. Brilliantly executed.

Half way
Absolute pleasure in a beer. The malt content is matched precisely to complement but not overwhelm the hops. Nicely brewed with the finest possible inputs.

Bottoms Up
I want to go again! I want to go again! Great beer. Period.

98/100

New Morning

Brewed by: Birrificio Del Ducato
Brewed at: Roncole Verdi Di Busseto, Parma, Italy
Type: Saison
5.8% A/V

First Impression
Fancy, fancy! A smallish, teardrop shape bottle with an English name brewed in Italy. Fascinating. The closure is an uncommonly robust crimped lift off cap; it took roughly double the effort to pry with my go-to bottle opener! Terrific orange amber colour with suspended yeast. This is a looker!

First Sip
Santa Maria Madonna! The nose on this beer rivals the finest wine. And the palate is so lively with complexity and furor it could only come from Italy! Citrus, yeast, coriander, melon, caramel, red pepper and notes perhaps of even malts and hops.

Halfway
The above mentioned symphony of sense experience is presented on a base of almost soda water drinkablility. This is a fascinatingly drinkable yet adventurous beer. A steadfast back palate bitterness is a touch distracting.

Bottoms Up
I've said more about New Morning than most other beers you'll read about here and for good enough reason! In typical Italian overdone fashion, there has been a great deal of thought and effort put into crafting this beer. It should come as little surprise to anyone that the countrymen of those responsible for things like the Lamborghini Aventador, Ducati Desmosedici, Casu Marzu and anything Ferrari would create such a beer. Cin cin!

78/100

Extra Special Bitter

Brewed by: Trafalgar Ales & Meads
Brewed at: Oakville, Ontario
Type: Bitter
5% A/V

First Impression
A kind of rudimentary label-bottle combination. These guys packaging-wise are all over the map. Good thing this isn't a marketing critique... They make fabulous beer, truth be told.

First Sip
This is another genuine article from Trafalgar! Burly bitterness showcases some amazing hop character. Fantastic stuff!

Halfway
A good solid and crisp bitterness. Very pleasantly satisfying.

Bottoms Up
A wonderful version of a rarely seen variety of beer. This is as the name implies an Extra Special Bitter. If you like full flavored hoppy beers give this one a try!

84/100

Altbeir Collaboration Ale

Brewed by: Creemore Springs Brewery Limited

Brewed at: Creemore, Ontario, Canada

Type: Altbeir

5% A/V

First Impression
Altbeir? What is Altbeir? Creemore makes good stuff but their forte is definitely lager. An ale made in collaboration with some brewing heavy hitters from the old country; this should be fun!

First Sip
Great colour. Ooh la la! C'est tres bon!
Smooth, round malts, comfortable hop toward the back. Very nice!

Half way
As good as one might come to expect from Creemore. Holds up well to slight temperature variations. This beer will only help improve Creemore's already enviable reputation.

Bottoms Up
By the end I found myself a tad disappointed. As a fan of what I consider true ales-English-I found this one to have a little too much hop bitterness for my palate's preference. Which isn't to say that this isn't a fine beer. Quite the contrary. This is a good beer from one of Canada's most respected breweries. Not familiar with the Altbeir style, my opinion is one of ignorance. Would I drink it again? Absolutely. Will I be seeking other Altbiers for comparison? Indeed.

76/100

Mister Beer Red Lager

Brewed by: me

Brewed at: my house

Type: home brewed lager

5% A/V

First Impression
At this point I've developed something of a familiarity with Mister Beer's quality products. For those who've not read the earlier reviews of these home finished beers, Mister Beer is simple to make and impressively delicious to drink!

First Sip
Once again Mister Beer comes through. Without a word of hyperbole this stuff is as good or better than many of the beers sold by the big brewers.

Half way
Very nice, honestly. Malty and slightly sweet this is a smooth drinking beer that would be just as nice along side a hotdog as with a duck confit.

Bottoms up
I'm not usually a lager enthusiast however this is one that I find I could happily have any day of the week!

83/100

Mister Beer Blonde Ale

Brewed by: me

Brewed at: my house

Type: home brewed ale

Approximately 4% A/V

First Impression
Again I'm impressed with the simplicity of this idea for a home brewed beer. Just add the yeast and in this case the the lime essence and wait.

First Sip
Wow! Cold and refreshing and once again surprisingly good for something brewed next to a broom and a bottle of bleach...

Half way
This isn't my favorite variety. It's a light summertime sort of beer. With the lime essence added during the brewing procedure it is very much like the currently popular citrus flavored light beer offerings of the major global brewing concerns.

Bottoms up
Once again Mister Beer has surprised me with exposing the brewmaster elf who is apparently hiding in my broom closet. This is a very drinkable home finished beer. Light and fruity with the festive lime essence this could well prove itself a favorite with the burgers and potato salad in the backyard type stuff.

77/100

Imperial Russian Stout

Brewed by: Wellington County Brewery Inc.
Brewed at: Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Type: Russian Stout
8% A/V

First Impression
Great looking graphic. A rubber boot (AKA a "Welly") predominates this simple but appealing can. Russian Stout eh? Hold the phone! Eight percent by volume! Syrupy. That is how the pour felt to me...

First Sip
Viktor! Put down the vodka! This is incredible! Cold coffee and liqueur. Dark and delicious. As a stout properly ought to behave.

Half way
This is powerful stuff. Deep coffee and dark chocolate just as the label promises. This is an honest job of combining beer and anticipation.

Bottoms Up
Rich, sweet, bitter. I don't suggest pairings as a habit but this one with dark chocolate would be a world beating combination. Top marks.

95/100

Celt Golden Crafted Ale

Brewed by: The Celt Experience Ltd.
Brewed at: Caerphilly, Wales, UK
Type: Organic Ale
4.2% A/V

First Impression
In my humblest of well informed and impeccably rational opinions this is the best dressed beer in the universe. Matte black label with elegant white and gilded font.

First Sip
This is exactly how a light beer should taste. Full adult strength hop bitterness with a level of authentic sophistication.

Half way
Not only full flavored, but with a nicely presented hop profile featuring floral and acidic fruit elements.

Bottoms up
If you are a beer snob looking for a thoroughly enjoyable lower alcohol content beer look no further. And organic to boot! Coming from a different angle, this is one the best organic beers anywhere.

92/100