Barking Squirrel Lager
Hop City Brewing Co.

Barking Squirrel LagerBarking Squirrel Lager
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From:
Hop City Brewing Co.
 
Ontario, Canada
Style:
American Amber / Red Lager
Ranked #50
ABV:
5%
Score:
79
Ranked #26,604
Avg:
3.47 | pDev: 15.27%
Reviews:
150
Ratings:
622
Status:
Active
Rated:
Aug 29, 2023
Added:
Nov 16, 2009
Wants:
  16
Gots:
  148
Barking Squirrel is a 5% ABV amber lager with a distinct rich burnt orange colour and subtle noble hop aroma. Its medium body, pleasant hop bitterness and caramel malt sweetness makes it smooth and drinkable with a slight hop aftertaste.

24 IBU
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Ratings by JohnnyBarman:
Photo of JohnnyBarman
Reviewed by JohnnyBarman from Canada (ON)

3.38/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
On tap at the Snooty Fox in Hamilton.

Poured a pale amber-golden hue. About a half inch of foamy white head, decent lacing and retention.

Nose is caramel, slightly off hops, malt.

Not bad, certainly drinkable. A decent blend of malt and caramel, with a fruity hop finish. Not exactly the flavor I was looking for, but it did alright. Thin, a touch watery, but with average carbonation to prevent the beer from feeling syrupy.

I could certainly have a few of these in an evening, although there wasn't much going for it that I haven't seen in other Ontario red lagers (Creemore, for example). Wasn't bad, but by the end I was enviously eyeing my brother's Hoegaarden bucket. Next time...
Oct 02, 2010
More User Ratings:
Photo of Vforvalletta
Reviewed by Vforvalletta

3.76/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
A decent beer with a smooth taste, slightly thinner than I was hoping; although fine for an amber lager. I would happily drink it again but wouldn't go out of my way to get some.
Aug 29, 2023
Photo of sulldaddy
Reviewed by sulldaddy from Connecticut

3.85/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
Sampling a cold 16 oz can poured into a small plastic cup (im not at home, so best Ive got). Can is date stamped 019 3 20:08. No real idea what that means.
The beer pours a clear amber color, which fits the style. A creamy khaki colored head foams up about 2.5 cm and fades to a sturdy surface covering. As I drink the beer I get dense sticky lattice on all sides of my cup.
Aroma is some toasted malts and caramel graininess. I get a little bit of earthy hops. Overall the aroma is pretty mild.
First sip reveals a medium body with pretty smooth texture and fine gentle carbonation that gently slides across my palate. This is an easy drinking beer on the physical traits.
Flavor is similar to the nose with caramel and toasted grain mixing with a bit of toffee that lingers a bit. Finish is definitely toasted bread. Never any hop notes nor hint of ABV.
Easy drinking simple beer, not overly powerful flavor nor nose, but certainly not an offensive easy drinker.
Jul 23, 2023
 
Rated: 3.52 by tpauer from New Hampshire

Jun 26, 2023
Photo of jlindros
Reviewed by jlindros from Massachusetts

3.47/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Draft at YYZ Airport
Pours a large foamy bubbly 2 finger head with med retention, light lacing, hazy amber to orange color

Nose sweet toasty malt, amber slight biscuity, caramel sweet hint of toffee and bready, mild fruity esters, light floral hops

Taste brings mild sweet malt, little caramel toffee, toasted amber malt, touch bready biscuity like, little sweet almost syrupy character, light floral herbal hop, light bitterness turning to med bitterness late, semi sweet finish, little weird bitterness almost sulfury skunky like

Mouth is med bod, med prickly carb

Overall eh, ok but not great
Feb 03, 2023
 
Rated: 3.54 by Electros from Canada (ON)

Nov 21, 2022
 
Rated: 4 by igl from Russian Federation

Jun 25, 2022
 
Rated: 3.53 by bigpoppa67 from Wisconsin

Jun 25, 2022
 
Rated: 3.38 by Dentist666 from Russian Federation

Jun 24, 2022
 
Rated: 1.44 by Spark420

May 08, 2022
Photo of karsten61
Rated by karsten61

3.25/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.25
Strong caramel smell. Has a redish brown colour. It has a strong toffee/caramel flavour. Has a stale aftertaste but has a nice texture. 44/100
Jun 23, 2021
Photo of BPVandenbroek
Reviewed by BPVandenbroek from Canada (AB)

2.77/5  rDev -20.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
Barking Squirrel is a crystal clear, medium copper colored lager with a packed, cream colored head. Retention is decent, if not outright great.

Taking a sniff, the first thing I smell is caramel sweetness. Nuttiness combines with soda cracker to lend support and depth to that up front sweetness. The rest of Barking Squirrel's nose is dry and slightly bready with no notable hop profile in the finish.

On the tongue, Barking Squirrel starts off sweet, with carbonation swooping in pretty quick in a way that feels maybe a little over assertive. As with the nose the flavors are nutty, and dry in a generally bready sort of a way. The flavors don't really come together well though, they somehow just don't mesh together in a way that's balanced or harmonious. There seems to be a slick, out of place sweetness in there as well, driving things a little more out of balance.

Barking Squirrel just tastes like a mainstream lager's attempt at an amber ale. The flavors are there, they just don't compliment or balance each other in a way that's enjoyable.
May 26, 2021
Photo of jujugo
Reviewed by jujugo from Canada (ON)

3.58/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Light, creamy, caramel flavours accompanying a deep, bronze pour. Wafts of nuttiness with a slight bitterness and undertones of hops. Great after a heavy meal.
Mar 17, 2021
Photo of Richard_Hung
Reviewed by Richard_Hung from Florida

2.36/5  rDev -32%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5
You’re in a band. Not a great band, but you see potential in your drummer. You play mostly tribute gigs, Ozzy and Warrant, at a dive bar in Brampton. You drink Barking Squirrel.
Oct 29, 2020
 
Rated: 3.75 by Skellbop from New York

Aug 15, 2020
Photo of milkshakebeersucks
Reviewed by milkshakebeersucks from Maryland

3.06/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Clear bronze appearance with an average size, short lived, off white head and a fair amount of lacing. Subtle, grainy, sweet malt aroma. Sweet caramel malt taste dominated until a modest amount of spicy hops popped up in the aftertaste. Medium bodied, decently carbonated mouthfeel
Jul 05, 2020
Photo of Tony787
Reviewed by Tony787 from Canada (ON)

3.9/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
This beer was bought at lcbo and poured into glass with nice 2 finger head the small 1/2 finger head lasted as you are drinking which is nice
The color and look of this beer is amazing.
No date on can
Taste was good
Mar 17, 2020
 
Rated: 3.75 by paulish from New York

Nov 11, 2019
 
Rated: 4.28 by DannyBaldoni from Canada (QC)

Oct 13, 2019
Photo of Floridasbeerman
Rated by Floridasbeerman

1.89/5  rDev -45.5%
look: 4 | smell: 1.25 | taste: 1.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2
Looks great. Lacking on the palette. Too easy drinking to be notable.
Sep 08, 2019
Barking Squirrel Lager from Hop City Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 79 out of 100 with 622 ratings