6 Reviews! Product Samples Edition!

One of the pro's of being in the restaurant industry is every now and again you get product samples.  The frequency of which is greatly increased for people in the craft beer industry.  Here's the latest samples I've been given.  The Chill Winston and Pumpkin ales are both available at the Great Lakes Brewery store in Etobicoke.  The St. Ambroise is likely to show up in the LCBO, and would make a good pear with your Thanksgiving Day turkey.  The KBC Tilt will only be available in select craft beer bars (and is worth seeking out).  The Waterloo products can be found in the Beer Store.

Great Lakes Chill Winston

650 mL bottle. Pours a hazy straw with a foamy white head. Nose is citrusy hop, tangerine, lemon, banana, coriander and clove like yeasty spice. Crisp and light bodied with moderate carbonation. Dry and clean on the palate with only a touch of bitterness and a fruit laced finish. Another great session saison from GLB.

Great Lakes Pumpkin Ale
650 mL bottle. Pours a light orange with a frothy head. Aroma is mostly nutmeg and pumpkin. Dry and light bodied with medium high carbonation. Seemingly thin with alternating vegetable and spice notes with a rather hoppy finish. Not bad, but not to my taste.

St. Ambroise Citrouille
341 mL bottle. Pours a dark copper colour. Nose is pumpkin, nutmeg, clove, ginger, molasses and biscuity malt. More balanced than I expected, dry and vegetal with depth from the malt and spices. Moderate body with medium carbonation. Rounded out with a hint of hop bitterness. Quite good.

Kensington Brewing Company Tilt
473 mL can. Pours a hazy straw color with a nice white cap. Aroma is layers of citrus fruit, a touch of mango, citronella and wax. Dry and fruity with a lightly hop spiced, bitter finish. Medium bodied and creamy on the palate, yet light and refreshing. Delicious.

Waterloo Dark
473 mL can. Pours a dark reddish black with a thin beige head that’s already gone. Caramel malt, raisin,a hint of chocolate. Thin body with little carbonation. Dry with a slightly tart finish. Uneventful, meh.

Waterloo IPA
473 mL can. Pours copper with a off white head. Muted nose with a hint of hop. Vienna and light caramel malts, a hint of herbal hop and toffee. Medium body and medium carbonation. Pretty one dimensional and bland. Pass.

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