Heritage Maple Bush Lager

BEER: Heritage Maple Bush Lager (Heritage Brewing Ltd, Ottawa, ON)

ABV: 4.6%

SERVED: 650mL brown bottle (single purchased at LCBO), poured into a pint glass

APPEARANCE: Dark amber-brown, similar in colour to late-season maple syrup. Beautiful amber glow when held up to the light. Very little head, and what little there is dissipates almost immediately.

AROMA: Sweet, malty aroma.

TASTE: Initial subtle taste of maple syrup combined with a malty flavour. Very smooth aftertaste, with more of the malt on the follow-through.

OVERALL: Pretty tasty. The subtle maple flavour is nice. A rather unique beer, I would say. 7/10.

Imperial Creme Brulee Stout

I was immediately intrigued when I saw this one on the shelf at the LCBO. I debated over whether or not to buy it though, due to the price tag (upwards of $10 for a 650mL bottle). Ultimately, I decided the price and bottle size made it more like a wine, and really, this wasn't a beer that I could pass up!

Excerpt from the bottle: "How, you may ask, would a brewery determine a likeness to a hard-coated custard? Ou response is simple: it's all in the power of history, and of course, the extra finesse needed to top off a contentious treat with definition."

Thought it might also be interesting to list the ingredients for this one, as listed on the bottle: Water, Barley, Hops, Yeast, Lactose, and Vanilla Bean.

BEER: Imperial Creme Brulee Stout (Southern Tier Brewing Company, Lakewood, NY)

ABV: 10.0%

SERVED: 650mL brown bottle (single purchased at the LCBO), poured into a pint glass

APPEARANCE: Very dark, almost black. Creamy-coloured head, which dissipates fairly quickly.

AROMA: Wow! This smells amazing! It doesn't even really smell like a beer... it honestly smells like a dessert: like creme brulee.

TASTE: Again, wow. This tastes like something a master chef would create. Creamy and delicious, with an almost caramelly aftertaste.

OVERALL: Mind-blowing. This is one of those rare beers which leaves you wondering if it's really a beer. Beers like this, I think even people who "don't like beer" would enjoy. My go-to beer of that category is the Nickel Brook Green Apple Pilsner, which for some reason I haven't reviewed here yet... I'll have to get on that! Anyways... Creme Brulee Stout: 10/10!

Ebulum: Elderberry Black Ale

Another long gap in between posts... life's been pretty busy, I suppose. But I've kept notes of a few beers that I tasted, and just never got around to putting online... so without further ado, I'll share those with you!

BEER: Ebulum ~ Elderberry Black Ale (William Bros Brewing Co., Alloa, Scotland, UK)

ABV: 6.5%

SERVED: 330mL brown bottle (Scottish Ales boxed collection from LCBO), poured into a pint glass

APPEARANCE: Very dark, almost black. Like Guinness though, when held to the light, it reveals a deep, dark ruby colour. Thick, creamy head.

AROMA: Beautiful mix of malt and earthy berries, with notes of floral hops.

TASTE: Just as it smells: malt, earthy berries, with a lingering bitter hop aftertaste. Very nice.

OVERALL: Beautiful beer, through and through. A rare one, this is a beer to be sipped and enjoyed. 9/10