Skokie Tail
Sawdust City Brewing Co.

From a 473ml can dated Sept 11 2025. Poured into a pint glass. A 1/4 inch of fine light brown head on a clear, very dark reddish brown. The head soon diminished to a very thin layer. Some spotty lacing.

A strong toffee and maple aroma. The taste is lots of desert flavours, as advertised. Maple, cinnamon, some other things. The cake flavours give way to grainy malts and dries to an almost imperceptibly bitter hop finish.

A medium body and light carbonation. Overall an interesting American brown Ale.It delivers the promised desert flavours. Well worth a try but probably not more than one in a sitting.

 

 

473 mL can from the LCBO; dated Oct 15 2025 and served barely chilled. Deemed a "dessert brown ale" - it's pretty clear they're going for a Beavertail angle, as the marketing copy alludes something to that effect.

Pours a lovely chestnut brown colour; it takes on more of a crimson red hue when held to a bright light, which also reveals its perfect clarity. At least two fingers of foamy, beige-coloured head rises from the surface, falling back slowly over the next five-plus minutes; it leaves behind a half-inch band of lace, in addition to a creamy collar encircling a thin cap. Huge maple sugar notes on the nose, especially when you sniff directly from the can. Likewise, the vanilla and cinnamon are hard to miss, though comparatively more subtle; hints of brown sugar, donuts, and a bit of a coffee cake vibe complete the illusion.

A decent brown ale: it's rather sweet, but considering the dessert theme, that isn't terribly surprising. Brown sugar, maple sugar, cinnamon and doughy malts come through early on, with roasted grains and cocoa developing mid-sip. Vanilla, lactose and sweetened coffee round out the tail end, with a mix of cinnamon, vanilla and coffee persisting beyond the finish and into a malty-sweet, toasty, spicy aftertaste. Medium in body, with light carbonation that weakly agitates the tongue, giving a smooth, satisfying mouthfeel. Limited drinkability - one serving should be enough for most folks.

Final Grade: 3.65, a B grade. Skokie Tail isn't the first Beavertail-themed brew I've reviewed - Whitewater also has a seasonal brew based on the same treat, though I think Sawdust City's interpretation is the more well-rounded of the two. That being said, Skokie is still more saccharine than I'd like, and thus probably not something I'd be inclined to revisit much more often than once or twice a year. Of course, that's just, like, my opinion, man - if you enjoy sugary brown ales and/or winter warmer-type brews, this might be just what you're looking for.

At my lady Pamela's house; canned and chilled, 473mL in a pint glass. From the Huron Church Rd. LCBO in nearby Windsor. Canned September 11/25. My 6th beer from the Gravenhurst, Ontario brewery, and for '25. Astutely accoladed by Gracie the cat, with love...

Oct 13 2025