Ochakovo - 5.3% - Russia

This brew from Moscow is pretty darn tasty. A delicious beer you could enjoy when it's 10 degrees on a sultry Siberian summer afternoon.
The extra alcohol does not influence the taste of this beer and the result is a smooth, crisp lager that any beer drinker would enjoy.
Again, this is one of those stand-by beers that you can order and enjoy around the world.
Here's to you Comrade!

Mill Street Organic Lager - 4.2% - Toronto, Ontario

Mill Street Brewery in Toronto, Ontario brews both my favourite beer, Tank House Ale, and some of the worst beer I've ever tasted Mill Street Ginger Beer. Needless to say the possibilities were endless for their Organic Lager. Fortunately, Mill Street Organic delivers.
Crisp, smooth and refreshing it is a tasty lager with a bit more silkiness that I expected.
It's nice to finally find a beer that doesn't taste like DDT.

Kostritzer - 4.8% - Germany

This beer scared me!
Judging by the bottle this is a serious beer. Bavarian Purity Laws and the like.
But this is a serious job and so I decided to try this Black Lager on a cooler summer night.
All things considered this is a pretty good beer. Lighter in flavour than I was expecting, not bitter, actually quite refreshing. The flavour but less bite and silkiness than Guinness.
Tasty.
But still a serious beer.
Beer to drink with men in lederhosen.
Okay, maybe not so serious.

Weihenstephaner - 5.4% - Germany

When you advertise on your bottles that you are the world's oldest brewery, you set yourself up for some intense reviews. Fortunately Hefe Weissbier it up for it. Full of flavour, cloudy, and rich in texture this beer is very close to Hoegaarden with a bit more depth to its flavour. Delicious!
Fortunately, this German brewery is savvy enough to understand North American stupidity. On their back label they are careful to note- "Wheat Beer...Contains wheat."


I think if you are allergic to wheat and decide to drink a "WHEAT Beer" ...you've got it coming to ya.

Tyskie - 5.5% - Poland

Having experienced the charm of Polish vodka in the past I felt was ready for this Tyskie with some paint brushes that needed cleaning. Taking a deep breath, I snapped the top off this Eastern European swill and once again found that my judgement of a beer based on label or country of brewing was completely wrong!
Tyskie is a good, solid beer. Mild and tasty this is another one of those delicious beers that surprises. While stronger than most at 5.5% is does not possess the jet fuel flavour that some stronger beers have.
Did I mention smooth? Believe me, this Polish beer is smoother than some Polish women I know.

Yankee Jim - 6.6% - Utica, NY

Having just moved a boat through Utica, New York I didn't hold much hope for this beer. However, if I was ever to go through Utica again I might just pick up a bottle or six of Yankee Jim. The 6.6% does not over power the beer and the claim of high gravity doesn't detract from the thirst quenching ability of this brew. This might be the beer to drink while passing the day fishing on the banks of the Erie Canal in upstate New York.

VB - 4.6% - Australia

This one almost got away on me. You know when you begin drinking a beer and look back at the glass and suddenly it's gone? That's how VB goes down. A pretty smooth, light, thirst quenching beer to be tossed back while sitting around the barbie (BBQ - not the doll.) A Mountain Dew of beers.

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Newcastle Brown Ale - 4.7% - England

Admittedly dreaded this one a bit. Again without justification! Expected heavy dark beer.
Not the case with Newcastle Brown Ale. Delicious and nutty with a dark colour but not the weight of some darker beers. Again, a great beer out of England. I'm noticing a trend. No wonder they have so many pubs!

Innis & Gunn Canada Day - 7.7% - Scotland

So, I've been saving this beer for today and who wouldn't seeing as each bottle comes in it's own box. Happy Canada Day Everyone! There was a time when that would have been Happy Dominion Day which brings us to Scotland and this lovely brew. Powerful stuff that Canada Day 2012! You can certainly taste the oak aged process. I might say it has a hint of apples. You can read the side of the box for more flavour ideas (madeira cake, sherbet, and pear? What the hell is that doing in my beer?). The extra kick comes across with a sweetness that would be easier to drink on Canadian Thanksgiving, but not bad on July 1st!

Neustadt Lager - 5% - Neustadt, ON

Ah, a microbrew I've never heard of. I took a break from painting my house to try this lager form Neustadt, ON. While I've lived here my whole life, I've never heard of the place!

It poured out nice and bubbly, amber and unfiltered.
It tasted like.....
aluminum!!!???
What the hell?
Best before May 31, 2012!?
Not good.
Who's in QC at the LCBO these days?
Maybe I need to try a fresh tin of this one!