Centennial Lager
Great Western Brewing

I picked up a set of these cans in Moose Jaw on the last trip to Saskatchewan. 3 different 355ml cans: Black can has picture of a grain elevator, maroon can has a wagon scene, and green cans has 3 cowboys. I really only purchased it to keep the cans (but you still have to taste the beer).

Pours a pale yellow watery color. Clear with lots of bubbles, but no sustained head. Smells like a basic adjuct - grain and corn. Smell gets quite bitter as it warms up. Taste is very plain, more corn and grain, bit of metallic aftertaste.

I have to agree with Noxious26 and his assessment that this was kind of a missed opportunity - unique packaging that will get people to pick it up, but the beer is certainly lacking.

355ml can poured in a pint glass. This beer is put out by Great Western to celebrate the centennial of Saskatchewan and Alberta. On the can it reads: "Saskatcewan Made. Toasting 100 years in Saskatchewan and Alberta. 1905-2005." This beer is only available in 6-packs of cans. Cans have a variety of colours and graphics.

Extremely pale yellow, almost looks like water with a drop of yellow food colouring added. Clear with many streams of carbonation bubbles. Head is white and 1/2 inch at the pour, but quickly reduces to a thin cap across the top.

Smells grainy and corny. The corn gives it a bit of a sweet undertone. Fairly average for an adjunct lager, but a little harsh in the nose.

Taste is all grain and corn. No semblence of hops or malt. Most of the flavour profile is washed away by the large carbonation rush. Aftertaste is metallic and grainy.

Mouthfeel is very fizzy. Overcarbonated in my mind. Thin and watery.

While this beer isn't really offensive in any particular way, it is below the standard that I've come to expect from Great Western (GW). When they first started in 1990, this is what most of their products were like and it has only really been in the past 5 years that they've been putting out a better product, but this one is a step back. I don't know why they wouldn't just put their "Western Premium Lager" in these cans. The whole Centennial celebration theme has to be giving them some decent sales with these cans. Why not put a decent product in it? I gave a couple of these out to friends (usually macro drinkers) at a party last night and their reaction was "Tastes like a regular plain beer. Nothing special." Waste of a good opportunity for GW. Waste of time and money for me.