Brewery: Lost Craft Inc
Origin: Toronto ON, Canada
Style: Lagered Ale
Abv: 4.8%
Marketing: Matte white with gold accent coloring on the can. Minimalistic arrow and initials logo. The can is very simple but has a very classic elegant look to it which I quite like. I'm not sure about the whole lagered ale thing, since ales aren't traditionally lagered. But I'm not an expert brewmaster either, so I guess I'll leave that to the professionals.
Color: Pale yellow with a fluffy billowy white colored foam on top (where else would it be right..?). The liquid is crystal clear which is probably due in part to the lagering process.
Nose: Fresh smelling aroma with grassy notes, light citrus and yeasty bread. Quite nice to me.
Taste: Dry upfront, tangy with a quick bitter finish. Distinctively fresh and crisp tasting.
Texture: Nicely carbonated with small sharp bubbles. Light bodied.
Impression: This was a very good beer to me. It was noticeably fresh and crisp and had a very refreshing quality about it. Perhaps these are all the benefits that come from lagering the ale? This would be great on a hot sunny day.
Brewery: Mcauslan Brewing Inc
Origin: Montreal Quebec, Canada
Style: Oatmeal Stout
Abv: 5.0%
IBU: 45
Hops: Cascade, Willamette, Golding
Marketing: Black white and red color scheme. Pixilated griffin image in a Brand logo style. The can is very classic in its design. Some additional information about the beer and awards showcased which are always welcomed information.
Color: This beer poured thick and black as ink. It didn't let any light through. Nice and foamy head of bubbled that are a rich mocha color. Layers of foam ribbons on the glass and a thin creamy layer lasting throughout which I like.
Nose: Strong roasted notes, smoke and leather, almost reminds me of a peaty scotch and/or like walking into a shop that specializes in cowboy boots and leather horse saddles (just to paint a picture for you).
Taste: Dry, tangy, distinctly bitter. Bold roasted notes, cocoa, dark bitter chocolate, coffee, smoke. Maybe a little subtle dark fruit in the background. Very complex flavor. Not balanced by any means, this one is straight up bitter - but in a good way for me.
Texture: Small sharp bubbles with a velvety mouthfeel underneath. Noticeable weightiness on the tongue. Full bodied for sure.
Impression: I've always liked this beer and have probably even reviewed it in a previous beer post. I tend to pick one up now and again when I'm feeling like a bold tasting Stout. It has tons of flavor and aroma. Its probably not something that I would want as my everyday "go to" beer (I don't drink beer everyday) and I probably couldn't drink more than one in a sitting. One of these is enough for me to feel satisfied. It was fresh tasting this go around and I often return to this particular beer periodically. Two thumbs up from me.
These two beers were very different from each other but both were very good for their particular style. It wouldn't be worth comparing them to each other to say which one is best since it isn't really an apples to apples comparison. Let's just say, I would drink either of them again myself or recommend them to anyone and leave it at that.
