I have no theme for this #Beersaturday post, just two more beverages to review. This week i drank a golden ale from Sleeping Giant Brewing Co and a standard, everyday sort of Lager from Amsterdam Brewery. But enough preamble, let's see how they faired shall we?
Northern Logger
Brewery: Sleeping Giant Brewing Co
Origin: Thunder Bay ON Canada
Style: Golden Ale
Abv: 4.9%
IBU: 17
Marketing: The can is a Pale blue color with red and white accents. Cartoony northern style imagery of a Canadian lumberjack and a grizzly bear. Is the lumberjack riding the bear? I don't know but it definitely has a humorous vibe about it and winter look that makes it seem like it should be drank in the cooler months.
Color: The beer poured a Golden yellow, almost a burnt orange color, with a nice frothy head on top.
Nose: Malty aroma upfront with notes of doughy bread and cereals.
Taste: Sweet taste with a very quick and mild bitterness. Possibly a mild staleness starting to come through and a cheap ingredient quality that I noticed as the beer warmed. The taste made me think of a cheap malt base with fresh grains added in overtop to add flavor.
Texture: Very mild carbonation with tiny sharp bubbles. It had a very watery mouthfeel overall.
Impression: It was an okay beer. Nothing to special or anything really of note. It turned my stomach a little mid way through but I still finished it. I wouldn't bother buying it again.
My wife had a glass of white wine with me that day - a pinot grigio.
3 Speed Lager
Brewery: Amsterdam Brewery
Origin: Toronto ON Canada
Style: Light Lager
Abv: 4.2%
Size: 568ml
Marketing: A bold blue and silver can with strong lettering. Bicycle image which is fitting for a Brewery called Amsterdam (I read somewhere that Amsterdam has the record for most bicycles per capita in the world). Very simple design and pretty boring really. A super tall beer. Another one of those 20% larger than average cans, which seems to be a theme for the Brewery. The can lists this as their most versatile beer for any food and any occasion. I think that means that it tastes plain but let's try it.
Color: Pale yellow straw. No head.
Nose: Light aroma. Grainy. Maybe some hay or very mild bread coming through.
Taste: The beer had a very mild sweet and tanginess at first with a quick burst of bitterness in the finish. Well balanced overall. Light in the taste department but good nonetheless.
Texture: Good carbonation. Big bubbles in the mouth. Light bodied.
Impression: A little plain, as I expected it might be. A little boring. Nonetheless it was an all around good beer, especially if you're not looking for anything too punchy or special. It would make for a good daily driver or a beer to turn to if you are going to be drinking a lot in one sitting. Sometimes it's nice to have a bland beer if you are going to drink a lot. What do you think?
