Dray Horse Ale
Black Creek Historic Brewery

Dray Horse AleDray Horse Ale
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From:
Black Creek Historic Brewery
 
Ontario, Canada
Style:
American Brown Ale
ABV:
5%
Score:
80
Avg:
3.42 | pDev: 9.06%
Reviews:
19
Ratings:
30
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jun 24, 2014
Added:
Oct 21, 2012
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  1
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Groulxsome:
Photo of Groulxsome
Rated by Groulxsome from Canada (ON)

2.75/5  rDev -19.6%

Dec 11, 2012
More User Ratings:
Photo of taxandbeerguy
Reviewed by taxandbeerguy from Canada (ON)

3.39/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
The final bottle of Black Creek Historical Series 4 pack,

Served cool into glassware.

Appearance - Dark brown, semi transparent in color and clarity. Auburn hues. Minuscule half finger of head that is poured but dissipates in nothingness leaving only a faint white wisp of what used to be the head. Beer is dark enough that carbonation isn't visible.

Smell - Malted barley is the first things that grabs your attention, maybe a touch of treacle and some other rough grains, slightly earthy as well.

Taste - Alot like the nose with the course grains shining through. Mild hop bitterness turns into a roasty nut quality that is pretty good. Pretty straightforward and simple and reasonable well executed.

Mouthfeel - A grainy slightly coarse mouthfeel, with lower than average carbonation and a thin , lighter than average body. An unusual pairing, the coarseness of mouthfeel how it seems as if little bits of grain stick to the roof of your mouth and yet the body is light, but somehow it works. Dry finish.

Overall - Definitely not a bad beer, by any stretch of the imagination, but isn't overwhelming either. Pretty non-descript, but wouldn't turn down another.
Jun 24, 2014
Photo of spinrsx
Reviewed by spinrsx from Canada (ON)

3.19/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25
500ml Bottle from the Ottawa LCBO for $4.75

Appearance - Brown colour with a small size off-white coloured head. There is an average amount of carbonation showing and there is some faint lacing. The head lasted for around 3-4 minutes before it was gone.

Smell - Malts, hops, caramel, chocolate

Taste & Mouth - There is an above average amount of carbonation and I can taste malts, caramel, and hops. There is also a chocolate sweetness and a bit of a tobacco/burnt type of flavour.

Overall - Mouthfeel is pretty watery and the beer is quite boring. The taste is fine, but for the price point there are much better options. Not a repeat purchase.
Apr 24, 2014
Photo of mick303
Reviewed by mick303 from Canada (ON)

3.5/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Pours a dark chestnut brown colour with some whispy film and lacing. Initially a smallish bubbley head. 3.25

S – a pretty rich dark stewed sweetness. Cherries, and a sizeable malt character, some light chocolate. Some dark fruit esters in amongst the dominant maltiness. Nuttiness comes, some clove, vanilla. 3.75

T – a nutty maltiness, with some bitterness that is earthy and mildly peppery/spicy. Full caramel maltiness, light toffee, maybe vanilla also, some dry earthy hops. A flavourful, and fairly tasty brew, it doesn’t really intrigue but as a malt-forward beer, it does combine some good and interesting flavours, aftertaste is not great. 3.5

M – light bodied, with an upfront crisp dryness, mildly metallic, carbonation is moderate/high, with a long drying astringent aftertaste, slightly leathery. Needs to be quenched with another sip. 3

Could be better, but as it is it’s a pretty satisfying light session ale. I wouldn’t call it amazingly rich and complex but it gets the job done flavourwise and the (harsh) dryness on the finish makes another sip a necessity. 3.5
Aug 09, 2013
Photo of TerryW
Reviewed by TerryW from Canada (ON)

3.5/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Walnut coloured, next to no head, just a ring and partial film. Does give a little spotty lace, though.

A very simple beer. All earthy malts and treacle. Slightly watery mouth feel, little in the way of carbonation. A little dry up front. Easy to drink. Interesting just because it is so basic.
Jul 15, 2013
Photo of GarthDanielson
Reviewed by GarthDanielson from Virginia

3.68/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
Poured from a bottle into a shaker pint, the beer is a light, ruby-highlighted, auburn-brown coloring with a thin, sparse coating of off-white head. Aromas of chocolate and nut sweetness, with an overall amaretto characteristic. Flavors are bitter and roasted on the forward tongue, with a rich, roasty, syrupy/sugary sweet blast of caramel, nut, and chocolate. This brew will poke your sweet tooth with an ice pick. Thin, smooth bodied in mouth, with a roasted overtone into the aftertaste. Cloying and sugary sweet blast through the aftertaste, as well, with a slick, light finish that has a slightly cloying linger. This thing is like liquid candy. I guess it might keep people warm in the olden days of Canadian history.
Jul 05, 2013
 
Rated: 2.75 by Cramshawbar from Canada (ON)

Jun 20, 2013
Photo of Phyl21ca
Reviewed by Phyl21ca from Canada (QC)

3/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Bottle: Poured a clear medium brown color ale with a large foamy head with good retention and minimal lacing. Aroma consists of dry caramel malt with light grainy notes. Taste is also dominated by some dry caramel malt with some notes of grainy cereal. Body is about average with good carbonation. Run of the mill brown ale with dry cereal notes.
Apr 17, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by BigGruntyThirst from Canada (ON)

Mar 24, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by Molson2000 from Canada (ON)

Feb 26, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by irishkyle21 from Canada (ON)

Jan 26, 2013
Photo of TheHammer
Reviewed by TheHammer from Canada (ON)

3.34/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 3.75
Appearance: Very dark brown, body with a decent amount of carbonation in the body but a complete lack of head. The body is a dark brown that is nearly completely opaque.

Smell: A nutty macadamia nut smell dominates the nose with a hint of coffee and cocoa backing it. It's decently potent, and warming doesn't really help it either way.

Taste: Robust mild molassess malt to start that turns to a more roasted character as it progress as nutty or cocoa notes come forward before a light hop dust rounds it out.

Mouthfeel: This beer went flat awfully quick, and the complete lack of head doesn't do it any favours. The transitioning however is very smooth and well done, it's very plain, to the point simple. However I guess it's supposed to be a throwback to the times so perhaps low carbonation wasn't unheard of back then.

Drinkability: No problems getting it down, and it's the lighter end of medium bodied. It walks a very fine line though between a nut brown and a more roaster porter, but it does it well.

Final Thoughts: All in all, the carbonation needs work. It strikes me that they were trying to go for more of the porter/stout creaminess in this brown, which I think works well, it just isn't prevalent enough for my liking. It's worth a try.
Jan 26, 2013
 
Rated: 3 by ThinkAgain from Canada (ON)

Jan 25, 2013
Photo of korguy123
Reviewed by korguy123 from Canada (ON)

3.58/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A continuation of the "Historic Beers of Canada"
The 1812 release was very good, I actually went back and stocked up after. Hopefully this one continues to be a success.

A- Almost completely opaque dark brown pour. There is a super frothy light tan head standing 3+ fingers high. It slowly deflates leaving lots of sticky lacing on the glass.

S- Light coffee, light biscuits, there is a little metallic aroma followed by a touch of homemade peanut butter. There is a bit of oats in the back.

T- Light coffee, peanuts, a touch of grass, some caramel.

M- Light body, low carbonation.

It's very plain and straight forward and that's nice for a change.
Jan 19, 2013
Photo of HATS4BATS
Reviewed by HATS4BATS from Canada (ON)

3.82/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Throwback; interesting combination of thin body with burst of after-taste. Dark brown. Huge deep-sugared barley nose partnered with medium carbonation. Drinkable, watery and light evolving into an unmistakable and distinctive earthy malt mouthful that doesn't impose; traces of carmel. Combination of marketing and product result in an enriching session ale.
Jan 06, 2013
Photo of patre_tim
Reviewed by patre_tim from Thailand

3.47/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A: Dark brown with a slight reddish tinge, low to medium visible carbonation, filtered and no head.

S: Typical brown ale. Dark malts, cocoa, chocolate milk, molassis.

T: Typical brown ale profile, following the nose. Dark malts, cocoa, molassis. Good, refreshing, not overwhelmingly impressive, just a good take on a brown ale. A slight fruity undertone, and crisp bitter at the end that’s not potent, nor does it linger.

M: Medium light body. Low to medium carbonation

O: Love the historic spin on the horses that helped build Canada’s great canals, establising her economic and political history in the 1800’s. I studied this at the University of Guelph and its nice to have a beer that reflects on that part of our history. The beer itself is an okay brown ale, but the history is what boosts this beer in my mind. The label is great too. Would go well with old Canadian fare, old English fare, bbq, and chocolate.
Jan 04, 2013
Photo of allergictomacros
Reviewed by allergictomacros from Canada (ON)

3.39/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
A - Left the yeast in the bottle. No head to speak of and a clearish ruby liquid.

S - Nose is a a lightly toasted graininess. Barley tea comes to mind.

T - Faint fruit and a coarse roastiness. Some coffee and mind hops. Lightly bitter and a quick clean finish.

M - A little on the watery side and very faint carbonation.

D - An OK drinker. At first I thought this one had gone off due to the lack of foam, but I think it's meant to be like this. Flavours are decent and lend themselves to drinkabililty, as does the light mouthfeel. A good deal more chuggable than your average macro, if you're into that sort of thing...
Jan 03, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by bigox420 from Canada (ON)

Dec 22, 2012
Photo of andrenaline
Reviewed by andrenaline from Canada (ON)

3.41/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5
The second offering in their series, glad to see it make it to the shelves in Northern Ontario.

A - Pours a nice dark brown colour, thin layer of head after an agressive pour with no retention or lacing.

S - Light caramel, hints of milk chocolate and espresso, and a butter caramel finish.

T - Decent flavour profile with the espresso taking the lead, followed by the milk chocolate and butter caramels. A leafy green hop note lingers alongside some fresh coffee grinds.

M - Watery and too thin for my liking, definitely in need of a carbonation boost.

O - A tasty brown ale that, although a bit weak on the presentation and mouthfeel, still offered up a decent flavour profile and pleasant aroma. Glad I picked up a bottle, though I think this would be better on tap.
Dec 20, 2012
Photo of jaz58
Reviewed by jaz58 from Canada (ON)

4.2/5  rDev +22.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Served in a tall glass

Ruby, coffee colour

Thin head

Subtle nose with warm Carmel

Typical IPA taste, lemon, grapefruit and soft toffee finished with a generous bitter.

Round mouthfeel.

A nice winter brew. Special brew to commentate the anniversary of 1812.
Dec 20, 2012
Dray Horse Ale from Black Creek Historic Brewery
Beer rating: 80 out of 100 with 30 ratings