Heineken

Brewed by: Heineken Brouwerijen
Brewed at: Amsterdam, Holland
Type: Lager
5% A/V

First Impression
Heineken brews beer too! I thought Heineken was an international sports sponsorship group... But beer eh? Let's have a go! The container looks nice. I was right! There's a "Munich Final 2012" logo on the back of the can.

First Sip
A true easy drinking lager from Holland! Gentle malt sweetness with a touch of bitterness to keep it honest. This is turning out to be a novel and delicious way to promote international soccer!

Halfway
Tastes a heck of a lot like beer, no doubt it's a popular one, might even be as popular as soccer with any luck!

Bottoms Up
Aside from my four-year old on a saturday morning I won't be watching soccer any time soon. But I'd certainly welcome the offer of a Heineken any day! Easy drinking, great on a hot day, ticks all the boxes for a nice enjoyable beer!

77/100

Stella Artois

Brewed by: InBev Belgium
Brewed at: Brussels, Belgium
Type: Lager
5.0% A/V

First Impression
Stella Artois. Brewed in Belgium since 1366! A very appealing presentation, bottled in green glass with a regal looking paper label. In a clear glass drinking vessel this beer is every milliliter a classic European lager. Golden hued, bond white head and a crisp effervescence.

First Sip
As cold as this one was, the fragrance of a true Belgian lager was yet unmistakeable. Precisely balanced hop bitterness and malt sweetness combined lightly, almost delicately to make a really refreshing beer.

Halfway
Solidly reliable, good overall quality, just not terribly adventurous. Which depending on what your tastes are, this might be a good or bad thing.

Bottoms Up
Not adventurous, but that is not to say dull necessarily... Stella Artois is pleasant enough. Satisfying and refreshing, it is a very popular beer for good reason.

79/100

Crazy Canuck

Brewed by: Great Lakes Brewery
Brewed at: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Type: Pale Ale
5.2% A/V

First Impression
Crazy Canuck couldn't appear more cheezy if it came with a pair of snowshoes. The label has maple leaves, a loon and the quintessential Canadian winter headdress; a toque.
Despite the caricature label Crazy Canuck brings its "Eh-Game" once opened! Terrific floral hop aroma, luxuriant head and a bold haze indicate this pale ale is done fooling around...

First Sip
An incredible presentation of hops, and a strong clean bitterness make this a truly entertaining pale ale! Deeply delicious and somehow still refreshing!

Halfway
A quality product always maintains a high level of performance. This is no different! Crazy Canuck is definitely good stuff!

Bottoms Up
Crazy Canuck is one of those beers that rather than calling on hops to add something to the beer, itself becomes an homage to the brilliant palate of flavor hops can produce. Crazy Canuck is not one for those who prefer their beer to come with a t-shirt or tasting like lime or iced tea. Crazy Canuck is for those hale and hearty souls who appreciate hand-crafted quality ale.
91/100

Faxe Premium Lager

Brewed by: Royal Unibrew
Brewed at: Faxe, Denmark
Type: Lager
5% A/V

First Impression
A handsome enough can. No mistaking it for anything else. The graphics are pure "beer label". A great gold colored beer, with a head that seemed to disappear as fast as the girls I went to high school with used to...

First Sip
The typical sort of German or Pilsner hoppiness only better! A satisfying concoction of malted barley and hops.

Halfway
The sharp hop bitterness characteristic of other European lagers is making an appearance halfway through this beverage. A nice sweet undertone. As good as about any of a dozen or so other lagers from Germany, Czech Republic, et al. Not terribly inspired.

Bottoms Up
A reasonably decent beer. Definitely not awful. Not really distinctive either however. Faxe just Sort of blended in with the European crowd without making too much of a fuss. Not that that's a bad thing for a beer to do...

77/100

Mill Street Organic Lager

Brewed by: Mill Street Brewery
Brewed at: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Type: Lager
4.2% A/V

First Impression
Snazzy! Clear glass with a minimalist label and classic lift-top. Very yellow...

First Sip
Just a tad sweet, light malt and hops combine for a very enjoyable opening act.

Halfway
This is a terrific organic beer! Really refreshing, Mill Street Organic is a wonderfully grounded, everyday beer.

Bottoms Up
Give this one a try! Even if "organic" isn't your thing, yet you enjoy beer there really isn't much to complain about with this one. Every bit as drinkable as your favorite light lager, the slightly lower alcohol content and laid back attitude of Mill Street Organic make it an all around winner.
92/100

Kaiser

Brewed by: Brau Union Österreich AG
Brewed at: Linz, Austria
Type: Lager I suppose...
5%A/V

First Impression
A proud looking can. Abundant with what presume to be Austrian text, my hopes for a razor sharp Euro-style lager are piqued.

First Sip
Bitter? Yep. Hoppy? Indeed. Disappointing somehow? Oddly yes but I can't really put my finger on why...

Halfway
My earlier disappointment has faded. This is looking very much like a reliable pilsner style beer. Think multipurpose...

Bottoms Up
This review was conducted at my top-secret lager assessment facility located deep in the Ontario cottage country. The beer itself went very well with the bright sunshine, the gentle breeze and the sounds of floating golf balls been driven into a lake from a dock.

71/100

Muskoka Craft Lager

Brewed by: Muskoka Brewery
Brewed at: Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada
Type: Lager
5% A/V

First Impression
Muskoka is one of those breweries that I've come to expect good things from. Craft Lager eh? Let's have a go...

First Sip
Fantastic! Craft Lager has that fresh bread quality that is occasionally found in the best, freshest beer available.

Halfway
Great balance, hops, malts, everyone pulling together for a fantastic outcome.

Bottoms Up
Muskoka Brewery does indeed craft a wonderful Craft Lager. Malty, with just the right level of hop accompaniment, Craft Lager manages to be refreshing, flavour forward and easy drinking.

87/100