KLB Raspberry Wheat Ale
Publican House Brewery
- From:
- Publican House Brewery
- Ontario, Canada
- Style:
- Fruit and Field Beer
- ABV:
- 4.5%
- Score:
- +5 ratings needed
- Avg:
- 3.52 | pDev: 5.97%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 2
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- May 12, 2025
- Added:
- Jul 09, 2019
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
NO SCORE
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-
17 years after Kawartha Lakes Brewery beer was last brewed in its birthplace of Peterborough, ON, our vision of bringing it back home was realized with our first batch of KLB Raspberry Wheat brewed in our Brew House in May 2019. After years of KLB production in Toronto, ON, Publican House Brewery is thrilled to have to opportunity to take over production of KLB Raspberry Wheat and return KLB to the Kawarthas.
KLB Raspberry Wheat is one of the original fruit flavored wheat beers made in Ontario and has won many awards and accolades over 20 years. Raspberry Wheat is lightly hopped with a high percentage of wheat malt, and a pure raspberry extract is added in the final stages of the brewing process. This brew is light amber, with a frothy white head; a crisp, full bodied brew with a unique raspberry aroma & a satisfying wheat finish
KLB Raspberry Wheat is one of the original fruit flavored wheat beers made in Ontario and has won many awards and accolades over 20 years. Raspberry Wheat is lightly hopped with a high percentage of wheat malt, and a pure raspberry extract is added in the final stages of the brewing process. This brew is light amber, with a frothy white head; a crisp, full bodied brew with a unique raspberry aroma & a satisfying wheat finish
Recent ratings and reviews.
Reviewed by thehyperduck from Canada (ON)
3.26/5 rDev -7.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
3.26/5 rDev -7.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
473 mL can from the LCBO; dated Feb 12 2025 and served slightly chilled. I was aware that Publican House bought the rights to the KLB portfolio from Amsterdam, but I didn't realize it happened like, six years ago. Ah well, time sure does fly.
Pours a clear amber-orange colour, producing an inch of frothy, foamy white head that seeps steadily away over the next five minutes or so. A creamy collar and thin cap live on, with fair lace deposition after each sip or swirl of the glass. Light raspberry syrup notes on the nose; a little sweet, with hints of bready, wheaty malts and honey.
The flavour profile is familiarly straightforward, comprised mainly of bready, wheaty malts and raspberry flavouring. Maybe a little bit of a biscuity sweetness on the back end, with a wheaty finish followed by more raspberry fading into the aftertaste. Light-bodied, with moderately low carbonation that gently brushes across the palate; smooth, slick mouthfeel that I have never found especially refreshing. Tossing one can back is no problem, but after that I always want to move onto something else.
Obviously there are quite a few people who enjoy this beer, or there's no way it would've survived as long as it has - even when I first reviewed this in 2011, it had already been around for at least 10 years. That makes it positively *ancient* for the Ontario craft beer scene.
Final Grade: 3.26, a C+. I've never personally been a huge fan of KLB Raspberry Wheat Ale, so it's not all that surprising that I feel the same way about this iteration. I don't get the impression that this recipe has changed, despite swapping hands a couple of times. It is what it is - a beer I don't mind drinking, but if I'm really craving a raspberry beer then there are plenty of others higher up the tier list. I am still giving it a much better grade than originally - this isn't a *bad* beer, it's just one that I have never had much interest in.
May 12, 2025Pours a clear amber-orange colour, producing an inch of frothy, foamy white head that seeps steadily away over the next five minutes or so. A creamy collar and thin cap live on, with fair lace deposition after each sip or swirl of the glass. Light raspberry syrup notes on the nose; a little sweet, with hints of bready, wheaty malts and honey.
The flavour profile is familiarly straightforward, comprised mainly of bready, wheaty malts and raspberry flavouring. Maybe a little bit of a biscuity sweetness on the back end, with a wheaty finish followed by more raspberry fading into the aftertaste. Light-bodied, with moderately low carbonation that gently brushes across the palate; smooth, slick mouthfeel that I have never found especially refreshing. Tossing one can back is no problem, but after that I always want to move onto something else.
Obviously there are quite a few people who enjoy this beer, or there's no way it would've survived as long as it has - even when I first reviewed this in 2011, it had already been around for at least 10 years. That makes it positively *ancient* for the Ontario craft beer scene.
Final Grade: 3.26, a C+. I've never personally been a huge fan of KLB Raspberry Wheat Ale, so it's not all that surprising that I feel the same way about this iteration. I don't get the impression that this recipe has changed, despite swapping hands a couple of times. It is what it is - a beer I don't mind drinking, but if I'm really craving a raspberry beer then there are plenty of others higher up the tier list. I am still giving it a much better grade than originally - this isn't a *bad* beer, it's just one that I have never had much interest in.
Reviewed by TerryW from Canada (ON)
3.33/5 rDev -5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.33/5 rDev -5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
I've never been fussy on this one. Not quite enough raspberry. Very brittle mouth feel. Too much metal on the palate. Not one of their better offerings to my mind. Pale, short head, no lace.
May 26, 2021
Rated by Pmicdee from Canada (ON)
3.85/5 rDev +9.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.85/5 rDev +9.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Jan 7 2026
Dec 05, 2020
Rated by ewpass from Canada (PE)
3.65/5 rDev +3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.65/5 rDev +3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Clear light orange with a modest head. Pleasant raspberry nose. Light wheat body, good crispness. Easy-drinking light fare.
Jul 29, 2019
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