Sleddin'
Refined Fool Brewing Co.

At my lady Pamela's house; canned and chilled, 473mL in a pint glass. From their Winter Beer League 6-pack at my favourite but now closed The Beer Store on Goyeau St. in nearby downtown Windsor. My 26th beer from the Sarnia, Ontario brewery, and 16th for 2026. With Sundae the cat's permission, of course...

473 mL can from the LCBO, included in Refined Fool's 2024 Beer League winter mixed pack. Dated Oct 31 2024 and served slightly chilled.

Pours black as night, with port wine-coloured glints around the edges; it's fitted with an inch-thick cap of foamy, tan-tinted head that settles off within three minutes or so. A modest collar of froth and a smooth, filmy cap hold their position, with decent lace deposition after each sip. It smells of cocoa, espresso and hazelnut flavouring, with hints of vanilla, raisin and dark chocolate.

It tastes alright - a little sugary, but the coffee bitterness balances it out somewhat. Dark chocolate and cocoa come through early on, with hazelnut flavour and espresso joining by mid-sip. Hints of vanilla later on, with burnt sugar, roasted malts and bitter baker's chocolate rounding out the tail end; hazelnut and coffee persist into an aftertaste that starts out sweet before becoming more bitter. Medium in body, with low carbonation and a smooth mouthfeel; after a few sips, my lips were getting sticky. Fair drinkability, but even if it were lighter than 6.8%, I'd prefer to move on after this glass.

Final Grade: 3.62, a serviceable B grade. Refined Fool included a 6.8% hazelnut espresso porter in last years' pack, too, and Sleddin' could easily be the same brew with a different name. That's just an observation, and it's not meant to imply that I know for sure, or even to suggest that I give much of a shit either way. Just that I don't see much of a difference between the two beers. Whether it's a brand new recipe or a surreptitious rehash, it's still just a forgettable flavoured porter. I doubt I'd buy this as a single, but if it slides its way into another mixed pack, I won't complain.

 

 

473 ml can served cold into a pint glass. Part of the Refined Fool 2024 Winter Sports pack. Previously named for a different beer, this one is a Hazelnut Espresso porter. 2,900th review.

Appearance - Near black with a thin three quarter finger of loose tan head. Moderate staying power.

Smell - Coffee, hazelnuts and chocolate in that order.

Taste - Matches with the nose with moderate bitterness from the coffee, and some richness and depth of flavor with hazelnuts. Some chocolate blended in for a cohesive sip.

Mouthfeel - Medium full bodied and there's a creaminess which adds to the fullness and even a slight chew to the body. I like that with a near 7% stout.

Overall - Good solid beer that is one of the winners from the winter pack. While not amazing, certainly fills a roll and doesn't disappoint.

Oct 10 2024