Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

I’m not all that impressed with the F&M Brewery as I feel their beers lack complexity. This is a fine example of a beer that lacks complexity as the roasted malt is expected to carry both the aroma and the flavour and it falls short for me. There needs to be more of a coffee/chocolate note to make this a winner.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 4 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 4 | Overall: 4

For a brewery that boasts as much as Sleeman does, I would expect their products to go above and beyond, but unfortunately that fall as flat as the macros. This is a medium to dark brown pour with a light brown head that laces well. Toasted malt and caramel make up the bulk of the aroma with light hints of dark chocolate joining those to make up the flavour. Nothing that you need to try in this lifetime.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Fifteen years ago this was a highly sought after IPA in Ontario. Every time it was at the LCBO, it would sell out in short order. It pours a clear rust colour into the glass with good effervescence and a creamy light brown cap. Aroma was very piney and citrusy with some caramel malt and yeast thrown in to make it more beer-like. The flavour had a grapefruit zing on top of caramel feel, yet definitely balanced.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Today, a session ale means it’s probably a low ABV IPA or APA, but back in the day it referred to a well made flavourful English Bitter. This is lighter in colour than most British bitters coming in at a light to medium gold with a good sized off-white cap topping it all off. Floral hops, some clean caramel notes and light fruity notes comprise the aromatic component. Flavour is here is spades when compared to light lagers with notes of caramel and toffee leading to a citrusy finish

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 10 | Overall: 10

Scotch Irish made two legendary Imperial Stouts, and John By was the easier of the two to find. It was a dark brown beer, almost black with a thick creamy brown head. Dark fruits and coffee filled the air with aroma while both tantalized the tongue with flavour. A hint of black licorice made it all complete.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

The Scotch Irish brown beer. A deep murky mahogany liquid fills the glass topped by a good inch of foaming light brown bubbles. Roasted malt, nuts, and resiny hops fill the nasal cavity with delight while the tastebuds yearn for their sampling of caramel, roasted malt, and a bitter chicory finish. If this is Corporal Punishment, sign me up!

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Scotch Irish were a master at roasted malt beers in my opinion, or at least, I enjoyed all that I tried. It pours a solid black coca-cola like colour with a tight creamy cap that lasts a while. Loads of roasted malt and chocolate in the aroma with a little vanilla and licorice. The tastebuds get much the same experience as the liquid flows over them…lots of coffee and chocolate notes leading to a bitter finish.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 10 | Flavor: 10 | Overall: 9

The beer pours a viscous dark black into the tulip, capped by a full inch of a creamy dark brown head. Notes of roasted malt, molasses, coffee, plums, and licorice fill the air while the same notes tickle the taste buds a few moments later. Just a great beer.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

This is the #1 selling witbier in Toronto….go figure. It pours a pale straw colour with a huge foamy white head. Aroma is wheat, grainy malt, light citrus, and spices. Flavour is nicely balanced by the sweetness of the wheat and the citrusy hops. I’ve had better wheat beers however.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 6

If there was ever a contest for the stupidest name of a beer, and the accompanying design, this would be a finalist. The beer behind the name/design isn’t all that bad. It pours a light amber colour with a thin tan ring for a cap. Cinnamon and nutmeg are the first thing to hit the nose and then comes the grains, and unfortunately, some old plain hops. The flavour is weak with the spices dominating the hops and malt. Better than most macro products however.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

I think this was the second Rickard’s product after the Red, and it disappeared almost as quickly as it appeared. The pours is clear, golden-brown in colour, with a weak off-white coloured cap. Aroma is dominated by grains and caramel with weak notes of floral hops. The flavour is sweeter than the aroma would indicate with hints of caramel, and honey.

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

Is this supposed to be simply a take on German styles in general or is it supposed to be an authentic attempt at a Marzen? It fails if the latter. A nice golden pour with some red highlghts, and a creamy white head that lasts. Aroma has more hops than a true marzen, and they compete unfavourably with the sweet malt. Flavour is the same for me, too hop forward for a true marzen instead of the malt being the star.

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

This is supposed to be a seasonal winter warmer, and based on that description, it fails miserably. The glass is holding a cloudy light copper coloured beer with a one inch frothy white head. Weak notes of vanilla, grass, and musty hops permeate the air. The flavour leans towards the bitter side of the spectrum with very little malt or vanilla influence.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

This beer pours a very dark brown with a brown foamy cap. Dark chocolate and roasted malt comprise the majority of the aroma, but there are also hints of vanilla and licorice. The flavours are similar to the aroma with a lot of dark chocolate and roasted malt notes, but still a hint of licorice.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

Not one of Ontario’s better craft brewer’s but they’ve been around a while so somebody must like them. A slightly clouded pale gold, with a white head. The aroma has elements of pine, citrus, and grass. The flavour is mild citrus, and grass. Certainly not an in your face IPA, but serviceable.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

This is described as an Imperial IPA, but is anything but. The alcohol is noticeable enough that maybe a strong ale moniker is in order. It pours a cloudy amber colour with a decent sized light brown head. The aroma is caramel, and hops, and the alcohol is noticeable. The flavour is definitely affected by the alcohol with a definite pronounced sweetness.

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

This beer is only available in a 750ml bottle, and that’s too much. In the glass, the beer appears as a transparent reddish-brown colour. The head is an off-white colour, slightly foamy. There is honey present in the aroma, but for the most part it is caramel and some musty hops. The flavour has sweet notes from both the honey and caramel, and finishes with a bitter finish.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

Part of the Iron Spike series that put Railway City on the map. The appearance is a slightly hazed golden brown colour, so not really amber. The head is frothy, and cream coloured. There is some caramel and fruit notes in the aroma, as well as hops and old grains. The flavour is metallic caramel, spices, and grass.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

Part of the Iron Spike series that put Railway City on the map. The appearance is a cloudy pale gold colour. The head is more of a thin white film than a full blown head. The aroma is very non-descript, but so it goes for most blonde ales. There is some buttery and grainy notes in the flavour, but they are balanced out by a weak hoppy presence.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

Part of the Iron Spike series that put Railway City on the map. The appearance is a translucent copper colour. The head is bubbly, an off-white in colour, but doesn’t last. The aroma is very malty with both grassy and biscuit malt notes present, complemented as well with some herbal hop notes and yeast. Flavour is very bland, not as caramel rich as other copper coloured ales. More like a dark coloured blonde ale.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

A decent alternative to the plethora of green beers that one sees around St. Patrick’s Day. Railway City is better known for their ales than their lagers so this one will be a new one for me from them. It pours a deep mahogany colour, murky, with a this light brown head. Lots of dark fruit and roasted notes in the aroma, with hints of bread, yeast, and maple syrup. The flavour is very sweet as the maple syrup really shines over all the other flavours.

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

Canned versions of Belgian styles always have me worried, and that worry was warranted in this case. A hazed light yellow pour is accompanied by a huge white head that doesn’t last very long. The nose is a muddled mess of wheat and spices and the flavour is no better, very heavy in the spice and light on the hops and malt.

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

I’ve been seeing this crop up in liquor and beer stores across the Ottawa Valley so I had to try it. It’s nothing memorable, that’s for sure. A slightly hazed reddish-0brown pour with a generous off-white head. Bready and caramel malt notes comprise the aroma with a hint of weak earthy hops. Flavour is a sweet malty onslaught that can’t be balanced by what little hop presence exists. A fail in my eyes.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

Not sure what to make of this one. An overhopped lager is what I presume they were going for. It pours a clear medium gold colour with a generous white head that sticks a round a minute or two, then has a plane to catch somewhere. The aroma has a definite citrus hop motif going on balanced out by some yeast, bread, and light spices. Flavour is well balanced between the grains and citrus. Not something I would seek out but not something I would say no to either.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

Another medal winning beer that doesn’t have any apparent medal winning characteristics. A transparent dark brown pour with a weak bubbly off-white cap. Aroma is weak roast, weak caramel, and floral hops. The flavour is a metallic nutty flavour with hints of roasted malt, yeast, and weak hops.