Alexander Keiths

[JDGator]

Anyone try the new Alexander Keiths Hop series beer yet? May just be up here in Canada.

Wondering what its like.

 

[Oddball]

I haven't tried yet, but I will eventually. I have my doubts though considering their IPA tastes like a lager with little to no hop character....

 

[JDGator]

I feel the same thing. First time i had it in a bar, i didnt realize it was an ipa. Figured it was just a typical BMC beer.

 

[Oddball]

That IPA can't be more than 25 IBU's...

The commercial for the Cascade Ale is definitely intriguing though and I will try just because I love cascade. On a side note, I was really surprised by Boreal's IPA.

 

[JDGator]

I haven't really drank a ton of ipa's that had that hop punch too it. Most store bought commercial ipa's sold in Ontario taste like every other beer. Now that i'm brewing my own beer, i don't even want to go buy beer.

 

[Cyclman]

I had a couple of different Muskoka's, and found them excellent. Can't stand Alexander Keith, tasted like Canadian Budweiser.

 

[Bloom_198d]

Got a few of these beers Xmas time bc my parents are friends with the founder of biermarket. He developed the beer as a introductory ipa/hopped beer for the restaurant, and used Keith's to brew the beer. They are now releasing it as a Keith's product as well.

The beer is good, not great. I believe cascade to 55 ibu's and only a slight adjunct flavour in the malt. Would recommend it to someone who has never tried that style (your girlfriend or wife?) but would ignore it if you are an avid hop head or craft beer fan. I would compare it to wild rose ipa (calgary beer).

 

[JDGator]

All in all an ok beer? If you were a coors light guy, would you drink it?

 

[TVM71]

From PA but was in Kitchener, Ontario recently and hit the LCBO to grab a few brews to bring back and saw some of these and grabbed a few cans of the Cascade and Hallertauer. Overall I like them both, especially the Cascade. I also grabbed some Barking Squirrel (love it) and one called "Hops and Robbers" that I haven't tried yet.

 

[JDGator]

cool. maybe i'll swing by the LCBO and grab a few cans to try out.

 

[SudsyPaul]

I had the Cascade "IPA" on Saturday... boring, to the max. It's definitely not an IPA, in my opinion, but it's not awful

 

[jrstacey]

I am in Minneapolis on business and I wanted to buy some Surly but the Liquor store was sold out. What did I buy? A 4 pack of Barking Squirrel a Canadian beer.

 

[JDGator]

I had the Cascade "IPA" on Saturday... boring, to the max. It's definitely not an IPA, in my opinion, but it's not awful

not a 10 out of 10 then? pretty light on the hops?

 

[SudsyPaul]

There's a hint of Cascade in there... not nearly enough to warrant mentioning it in the title. I'd say it's something like 30IBU, if even. They may have dry hopped it with like 0.1oz/gallon. I dislike Keiths in general, so I may have a biased view towards this beer, but I'm yet to encounter someone that thought it was good.

 

[JDGator]

Keiths is by no means my favorite either. but if your not tasting a ton of cascade then I don't think i'll rush out and get a case. and 30ibu doesn't sound like much of an ipa either. LOL

 

[SudsyPaul]

Find a patio and have one there... even if the beer is mediocre, at least you can enjoy the patio and sights to be seen

 

[baulz]

I think it's an ok beer, just don't expect it to be an IPA as the name implies.

It's a gateway beer for BMC drinkers. My dad drinks Rickards red (ugh) and enjoyed the Keiths I gave him to try.

 

[b-boy]

I had their IPA when I was up in Temagami last year. Not good. I kept looking at the can to make sure it actually said IPA because it didn't taste like one. I've never seen this brand in the US.

 

[JDGator]

Fishing in Temagami? I'm from Haileybury (45min north) and live in Powassan, so i've spent lots of time fishing the small lakes around there. Nice area.

I will try the beer but i'm not rushing out to get it.

 

[Feldmann]

I'm not really a Kieth's fan but I didn't mind the cascade one, it wasn't terrible but to echo an earlier posters comments, the flavour isn't very bold. I haven't had a chance to try the hallertau yet.

 

[b-boy]

Fishing in Temagami? I'm from Haileybury (45min north) and live in Powassan, so i've spent lots of time fishing the small lakes around there. Nice area.

I will try the beer but i'm not rushing out to get it.

I didn't think there was anything north of Temagami.

It's a beautiful place. I've been up there Winter and Summer. I like both.

 

[goodgodilovebeer]

If more Canadian breweries packaged in bombers I'd personally be more likely to try more from here. I can't ever bring myself to buy a six pack of something I've never tried. I pretty much know what I'm going to get...bland, non adventurous swill for the most part. Thankfully we get a lot of good US beers here in Alberta. No Sierra Nevada though

 

[Oddball]

So I just tried it tonight and there is at least a slight cascade aroma and flavor, which is more than I can say for their "IPA". It is obvious that they are trying to cross over into the craft brew market, but it is a very poor attempt at doing so...

 

[b-boy]

If more Canadian breweries packaged in bombers I'd personally be more likely to try more from here. I can't ever bring myself to buy a six pack of something I've never tried. I pretty much know what I'm going to get...bland, non adventurous swill for the most part. Thankfully we get a lot of good US beers here in Alberta. No Sierra Nevada though

Wow - times have changed. When I was in college we'd make special trips to Canada to get 'good' beer. We'd pay a lot of money for it too. I still think the Canadian version of BMC (Labatts, Molson, Carling, etc) is better than American BMC. I still like a Canadian Bud every now and then too.

What's the craft beer movement like in Canada? Is it as strong as what's going on in the US?

 

[goodgodilovebeer]

There seems to be new breweries opening up semi frequently here in Alberta, but their offerings are pretty generic for the most part (blonde ale, English IPA, etc). I understand that opening a brewery and cranking out west coast IIPA's may not go over well with a conservative culture like ours, and I commend those who love beer enough to invest and open new breweries and I'm thankful that there's more selection. I just wish there was a nice APA available for when my pipeline goes dry. All in all, it's getting better. I've gotta make a trip to Portland...it's so close!

 

[JDGator]

I didn't think there was anything north of Temagami.

It's a beautiful place. I've been up there Winter and Summer. I like both.

oh we go way farther north then that. LOL

 

[slacker1]

In Ontario, the craft scene is booming. I was talking to the beer guy at a local LCBO and he told me that there are too many new beers right now and they are having trouble fitting them into their product listings, since they must have a certain turnover to get shelf space.

As for the Beer Store carrying craft beers, their entry costs are prohibitive for microbrewers, so only the big craft brewers can get listed.

As for the Alexander Keith Hop Ales, I've tried both and the only word that comes to mind is 'meh'.

 

[SudsyPaul]

Yeah, the Ontario craft brewery scene is huge. In the Ottawa area, there are a dozen craft breweries, at least, with more popping up all the time. Lots of wacky and adventurous beers, it's good fun.

There's little reason to buy macro-brewed beers. If my friends want to drink BMC when they come to my place, it's BYOB for them

 

[Warthaug]

There seems to be new breweries opening up semi frequently here in Alberta, but their offerings are pretty generic for the most part (blonde ale, English IPA, etc).

This isn't all that unusual; most new microbreweries start with safe beers. I've found its not until they are established and the brewers are comfortable with their setup & sales that you start to see more exciting beers.

Some local acquaintances of mine are in the process of opening a brewery; despite having some amazing homebrews, they're starting off safe with some blond ales...

As for the Keiths, I tried it and...meh. Keiths is not an IPA to start with, and their 'hop series' appears to be their normal beer with cascade swapped in for the flavour/aroma additions. Since those are minimal to start with, the results are...meh.

Bryan

 

[b-boy]

Good to hear that the craft movement is so strong in Canada. I've always thought that Canada has had a huge beer culture going way back.

One of my roommates was from Toronto. During one of the Canadian beer strikes in 85-86 he loaded his car up with about 10 cases of beer every weekend and drove them up to his family. He had to make sure the pipeline didn't dry up. That's dedication!