Bierbrier Premium Ale
Bierbrier Brewing Inc.

Nearly no head that settles to rim bubbles. No lace at all. Clear amber color.

Crystal malt aroma, low hop.

The flavor is of toasted malts. Slightly sweet. High carbonation with average body. Decent hop bite in the swallow with mid-range aftertaste.

Bierbrier Premium Ale
On tap at The Burgundy Lion, Montreal, QC
$4.34 Canadien / verre (glass)

I can only assume that the Premium Ale is the beer I tasted as when I asked what Bierbrier beer was on tap I was told that they only make one. So much for that "Joe Beef" beer!

It was clear, deep golden/light amber in color, and had a decent head of slightly off-white foam atop it. The head retention was average, and the lacing limited, although that could have been due to a dirty glass. The aroma was restrained, offering up some sweetish malt with a delicate caramel tinge. The flavor was clean, revealing a clear maltiness with a hint of caramel, and a background of leafy and mildly grassy hops that leant more towards England than anywhere else, although German noble hops cannot be ruled out. There was no distinct ale yeastiness beyond a hint of apple, but at the same time it did not display any leaguer yeast sulphur at all. Firm bitterness. Short lingering mainly dry finish. Overall: clean and well-brewed. Basic, but with some substance.

Round one of an interesting foray to Beer Revolution here in Calgary. Beer arrived an attractive warm honey amber color with just the barest amount of white foam. Aroma was very sweet: Honey-scented crystal malt, fruity esters that evoked red berries and banana, some earth and a slight funk or even smoke. Palate was surprisingly complex for a cream ale, there were all kinds of things vying for my attention here including dry bannock bread, sweet hay and green grass, sultanas, gooseberry, citrus pith, floral vanilla ... All against a backdrop of mellow yellow Turbinado sugar. Fairly bubbly and crisp, highly drinkable but with some herbal bitter notes in the finish that recall tobacco and licorice. I was expecting this to be a pretty straightforward beginning to the evening and it was anything but. Perhaps all of these flavor elements are ephemeral and I reaped the benefits of trying this relatively fresh on tap. Unique to say the least.

 

 

 

 

341ml bottle, another nice selection from a mixed-6-pack from a gets-it store in Edmonton's east end, and another recent arrival on Alberta store shelves from la Belle Province.

This beer pours a clear, medium brassy amber colour, with one anemic finger of thin wispy off-white head, which leaves little beyond a low surface ebb of lace around the glass as it quickly abates.

It smells of grainy breakfast cereal, a bit of black pepper and aged lemon, a twinge of earthy yeast, and leafy, grassy hops. The taste is sharp bready malt, a more than mild earthy tobacco character, soft leafy, earthy hops, and a flinty metallic essence.

The bubbles are rather sedate, and not-interventionist (not really in the vein of Quebecois students of the moment, anyway), the body a sturdy medium weight, and adequately smooth. It finishes off-dry, the off-kilter bready malt remaining resolute, the unlit cancerstick earthiness and other, more normal APA hops more understated in their stature.

Well, definitely interesting, this one - and tasty enough, but with a stringent warning for anyone expecting a normal APA - expect some just outside the office building effects on top of the standard balancing attributes.

Poured from a 341ml. bottle, no notches on the months.

Appearance: A clear, light amber body with a huge head and actual clumps on the sides. Retention is average to good.

Smell: Lemon zest, cereal, bit of pineapple, hops and light orange.

Taste: A slight mineral taste, faint earthy hops and some citrus fruit. Simple flavors.

Mouthfeel: A tinge of bitterness but otherwise the malt smoothness reigns. Good carbonation.

Overall: Not innovative but a viable option in a BMC wasteland.

 

This is definitely my favourite session ale.

I first enjoyed it at Ye Olde Orchard Pub on tap and struggled to find it again. It's carried mostly on tap here in Montreal and difficult to find in stores.

If you consume it at home, be sure to allow it to warm up a little after you take it from the fridge to appreciate the complexities.

It has a simple amber colour and a quickly dissipating head. The first thing you taste is light smokiness with a bit of hop. The finish is clean and dry.

And yes, the brewer's name really is Bierbrier!

Tasted on August 29, 2009.

The color is copper/amber, and very clear. The head is so nice looking. Fine bubbles form the head and it looks like a cloud. The smell malt but I get some notes of smoke. Tasted is malts and smoke. A very unique taste that I find very interesting. Medium body. The beer is dry and crisp. This is a good beer. Simple and refreshing.

This beer is a crystal-clear and golden-amber in colour. You can see straight through this stuff like it's some kind of golden spring water. An extremely airy head takes about one minute to come and go, leaving traces of lacing behind but no head to speak of. It's actually amazing how clean this beer is. Maybe I've been drinking too many Belgian-style brews lately.

Wow, I wasn't expecting this smell to come from such a clean looking beer. Great balance of hops and roasted malt, musty and bitter in a good way.

Significant amounts of hops and roasted malt in the taste, with a burp that came up tasting strongly of wheat. Bitter, dry finish. No noticeable alcohol.

Medium bodied with a nice carbonation, both complementing the taste.

This is a great session beer, the kind of beer I wouldn't mind always having a six-pack of in my fridge. It's not a complex, beer nerd kind of beer but a great full-flavour everyday kind of beer. I will definitely buy this again. This would be a good alternative to my favorite session beer, St. Ambroise Pale Ale, if I've been drinking too much of it.

On tap at Saint Bock, Montreal, Canada.

Poured a light copper hue with a one finger foamy white head. There was good retention and decent lacing.

The smell featured a very dought aroma with a floral hop.

The taste was doughy as well with a spicy earthy and grassy hop.

The mouthfeel was toward the smoother side of the style.

Overall an easy to drink and relatively full bodied ale.

341ml bottle shared courtesy of Josh.

Poured a medium and hazy amber color with a smaller sized off white head. Aromas of caramel, vanilla, wood, and some yeast. Tastes of the same. I would have guessed this one was barrel aged!

Notes from 4/18/07

Bottle: Poured a bright clear light copper color ale with a small foamy head with average retention and minimal lacing. Aroma of grainy and lightly sweet malt is quite bland. Taste is a mix between grainy dry malt with some light sweetness. Minimal use of hops and limited refreshing qualities lack in this beer. Medium body with limited creamy texture and medium carbonation.

bouteille de 341ml.

bière surprenante la présentation à l'air d'une méga-brasserie, belle couleur ambrée, belle mousse durable et très blanche, nez de caramel, très agréable, goût plus décevant de bière un peu viellie mais très bonne, peu de houblon par contre, dans l'ensemble c'est une bonne bière.

Thanks to zrrbrrt for breaking this open...
Appears a light haze of amber with a small, off-white head that fizzles out into a tiny cap and collar. Little remnants of lacing are left around the glass.
Smell is of caramel, toffee, light vanilla, and mild cakey yeast.
Taste is of the mentioned aromas, though perhaps slightly watered down to a gentle, subtle flavor.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied, thin, and mildly fizzy along the palate.
Overall, I'd give this another shot if it were given to me but I certainly wouldn't be seeking it out otherwise.

A young brewer who put forth the effort by releasing a distinctly Montreal product. No nonsense, straightforward and good? We'll see.

Pours a crystal golden colour with a decent cap of stark white cap of foam that sadly leaves quickly and without a trace.

Aromas are malty and grainy up front with some fruitiness (appleskins, and musty peaches) but do not offer what might be expected from an american pale ale... fresh hop aromas. Instead a hint of grain husks replaces the hops in the middle and finish. Straightforward and simple.

Flavours are on par with the aromas and offer some maltiness with a hint of sweetness giving some texture to the beer and a less than dry mouthfeel. A gentle bitterness crawls in to balance the sweet character in the beer and ... let's leave it at that. Simple, flavourful but not complex and easy.

This is a very drinkable beer that could easily be served to macro drinkers without overly offending their palates while introducing them to brews with more character.

Santé

SMD

341 mL brown bottle.

Clear amber brew with a thin white head.

Intense aroma of grapefruit, pine needles and caramel.

Starts off malty and nutty with faint roasted notes. Hops kick in quickly, citrusy and resinous. Aftertaste is dry and bitter. Mouthfeel is a bit on the thin side, with moderate carbonation.

Crisp and balanced, very enjoyable.