Chilkoot
Yukon Brewing
- From:
- Yukon Brewing
- Yukon, Canada
- Style:
- American Lager
Ranked #271 - ABV:
- 5%
- Score:
- 83
Ranked #32,998 - Avg:
- 3.61 | pDev: 10.25%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 16
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jul 21, 2025
- Added:
- Aug 16, 2003
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 3
SCORE
83
Good
83
Good
After a couple of years in operation (we were making our two flagship ales), we started to hear: “Brewery guys, these ales are tasty, but when are you going to give us a good old lager beer at a good old lager price?!” In May 2000, we caved into peer pressure and created our own chemical-free alternative to the big brand lagers.
We describe it as “Crisp and clean, pure and natural” – everything you want in a lager. Light and effervescent, without that nasty chemical tang, Chilkoot Lager goes down pretty smooth and easy. As one of our best selling beers, Chilkoot lives up to what we hoped it would be – a perfect alternative to mainstream beers and the best place to start trying craft beer.
The name Chilkoot harkens back to the Gold Rush days when prospectors hiked the world famous Chilkoot Trail from Skagway, Alaska and down into the Yukon, eventually hitting the lakes and rivers that become the Yukon River. This was, by far, the most traveled route to the Klondike gold fields of Dawson City – the territory owes its existence in part to the historic gold claim and it was a logical name for our first lager.
We describe it as “Crisp and clean, pure and natural” – everything you want in a lager. Light and effervescent, without that nasty chemical tang, Chilkoot Lager goes down pretty smooth and easy. As one of our best selling beers, Chilkoot lives up to what we hoped it would be – a perfect alternative to mainstream beers and the best place to start trying craft beer.
The name Chilkoot harkens back to the Gold Rush days when prospectors hiked the world famous Chilkoot Trail from Skagway, Alaska and down into the Yukon, eventually hitting the lakes and rivers that become the Yukon River. This was, by far, the most traveled route to the Klondike gold fields of Dawson City – the territory owes its existence in part to the historic gold claim and it was a logical name for our first lager.
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Reviewed by TheBierdimpfe from Canada (QC)
2.65/5 rDev -26.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.5
2.65/5 rDev -26.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.5
Medium: Capped.
Opacity: Bright with soft hazy.
Color: Golden with moderate activity.
Head: Moderately foamy 2-3 finger.
Legs: Decent.
Smell: Caramel/Diacetyl.
Taste: Corn/Barley/Lemon.
Feel: Syrupy/Cereal/Minerals.
Body: Medium slickness, a bit bland.
Carbonation: Below average, quite dull.
Overall: Weird taste and quite acidic. Poor quality. Probably a spoiled bottle.
Visual 6/10 - Flavors 4/10 - Sensations 4/10 - Balance 5/10 -
Freshness 4/10 - Intensity 4/10 - Complexity 4/10 - Appreciation 4/10
Jan 25, 2019Opacity: Bright with soft hazy.
Color: Golden with moderate activity.
Head: Moderately foamy 2-3 finger.
Legs: Decent.
Smell: Caramel/Diacetyl.
Taste: Corn/Barley/Lemon.
Feel: Syrupy/Cereal/Minerals.
Body: Medium slickness, a bit bland.
Carbonation: Below average, quite dull.
Overall: Weird taste and quite acidic. Poor quality. Probably a spoiled bottle.
Visual 6/10 - Flavors 4/10 - Sensations 4/10 - Balance 5/10 -
Freshness 4/10 - Intensity 4/10 - Complexity 4/10 - Appreciation 4/10
Reviewed by biegaman from Canada (ON)
3.77/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.77/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Very pale, almost water-white in the glass, Chilkoot Lager would hardly be recognizable as beer if not for all the bubbles and frothy white foam. I've had Rieslings with more colour than this! Oddly, for a beer so fair its clarity is far from immaculate - transparency is intact but surprisingly distorted.
The aroma blends the customary bready malt notes with tantalizing hints of orange blossom and ripe lemons. It rivals a world-class sparkler as it shares a similarly dry profile enlivened by a bright ribbon of acidity and a rush of water minerals. Is this really a lager or did I stumble on a mis-labelled bottle of Dom Perignon?
The lager is distinguished by bright, pulpy lemon notes. It's almost tangy and I've no idea what to credit for it. One thing's for sure: it's delicious. There is a distant key lime flavour as well as a subtle note of apple peel that spruce up the bale of hay flavour. It glides over the palate with crackling carbonation.
Chilkoot has a low but zippy acid streak that is unusual for a lager. Bittering hops keep everything on point - very quenching - but there is no tension between hop and malt; this is tight, dry and refined by a racy, zesty lemongrass-y finish. It has weight, firmness and, above all, refreshment - atypically rewarding for a lager.
Yukon Brewing manages to make distinguished beers without going upstream. Their way of approaching popular, universally agreeable styles isn't to grind an axe - it's to brew them exceptionally well. There's nothing crazy or unusual about Chilkoot Lager except that it's crazy and unusually great for a beer in this style.
Nov 25, 2012The aroma blends the customary bready malt notes with tantalizing hints of orange blossom and ripe lemons. It rivals a world-class sparkler as it shares a similarly dry profile enlivened by a bright ribbon of acidity and a rush of water minerals. Is this really a lager or did I stumble on a mis-labelled bottle of Dom Perignon?
The lager is distinguished by bright, pulpy lemon notes. It's almost tangy and I've no idea what to credit for it. One thing's for sure: it's delicious. There is a distant key lime flavour as well as a subtle note of apple peel that spruce up the bale of hay flavour. It glides over the palate with crackling carbonation.
Chilkoot has a low but zippy acid streak that is unusual for a lager. Bittering hops keep everything on point - very quenching - but there is no tension between hop and malt; this is tight, dry and refined by a racy, zesty lemongrass-y finish. It has weight, firmness and, above all, refreshment - atypically rewarding for a lager.
Yukon Brewing manages to make distinguished beers without going upstream. Their way of approaching popular, universally agreeable styles isn't to grind an axe - it's to brew them exceptionally well. There's nothing crazy or unusual about Chilkoot Lager except that it's crazy and unusually great for a beer in this style.
Reviewed by leaddog from Canada (AB)
3.76/5 rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.76/5 rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance - Clear golden yellow with a thin white head. Carbonation is present.
Smell - Apples, sweet malt, and slight citrus notes.
Taste - The sweet maltiness and slight taste of apples comes through upon the first sip. Hardly any bitterness is detectable. Refreshing flavours.
Mouthfeel - Light bodied and smooth lager with light carbonation.
Overall - A good, refreshing lager from Yukon Brewing. I was excited to see this one when at the brewery earlier this month, as it is not available in Alberta. Certainly a much better alternative to the mass-produced lagers out there.
Jan 15, 2012Smell - Apples, sweet malt, and slight citrus notes.
Taste - The sweet maltiness and slight taste of apples comes through upon the first sip. Hardly any bitterness is detectable. Refreshing flavours.
Mouthfeel - Light bodied and smooth lager with light carbonation.
Overall - A good, refreshing lager from Yukon Brewing. I was excited to see this one when at the brewery earlier this month, as it is not available in Alberta. Certainly a much better alternative to the mass-produced lagers out there.
Reviewed by ChrisCage from Canada (AB)
3.91/5 rDev +8.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
3.91/5 rDev +8.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
A- This brew pretty much looks like a typical quaffing lager....lots of big bubbly carbonation rising to the top, bland grassy coloration, and little head formation, of which settles to a small patch of fizz in the middle of my glass. There's little to talk about in terms of lacing either...
S- Very nice I have to say! It has a generally clean aroma with notes of sweet malt and slightly of fruit....apple to be exact. It just has a hint of cider in the smell. Very mild hop profile in the background but nothing serious.
T- The flavor is most definitely dominated by sweet malt goodness, which is different for such a light lager IMO. There is an underlying bread like quality that gives this a richer flavor. The finish doesn't have much in terms of hop bitterness but is slightly dry.
M- This is actually a nice light/medium bodied brew that is accentuated by the richness of the yeasty quality. The carbonation starts out big but ends up very fine as the beer warms a bit.
D- I quite like this beer and would enjoy this over an evening! It is definitely all malt (without adjuncts), is nicely carbonated and is light on the palate yet full of flavor. A very good choice for those who want to move on to micro-brewed lagers without getting into anything to heavy.
Jan 14, 2011S- Very nice I have to say! It has a generally clean aroma with notes of sweet malt and slightly of fruit....apple to be exact. It just has a hint of cider in the smell. Very mild hop profile in the background but nothing serious.
T- The flavor is most definitely dominated by sweet malt goodness, which is different for such a light lager IMO. There is an underlying bread like quality that gives this a richer flavor. The finish doesn't have much in terms of hop bitterness but is slightly dry.
M- This is actually a nice light/medium bodied brew that is accentuated by the richness of the yeasty quality. The carbonation starts out big but ends up very fine as the beer warms a bit.
D- I quite like this beer and would enjoy this over an evening! It is definitely all malt (without adjuncts), is nicely carbonated and is light on the palate yet full of flavor. A very good choice for those who want to move on to micro-brewed lagers without getting into anything to heavy.
Reviewed by wordemupg from Canada (AB)
3.77/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.77/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
341ml bottle poured into pint glass dec30 2009
A clear straw yellow with a fast falling fingers worth of head that leaves a single ring of lace where the foam existed
S sweet malts with a little tropical fruit and some honey
T less fruit and more sweetness then the nose and some hops but similar to the smell just a little to sweet
M light bodied and crisp no major complaints here
D very easy drinking would make a great summer beer
I liked this beer and you might too, a good lager and yet another worthy beer from yukon
Dec 31, 2009A clear straw yellow with a fast falling fingers worth of head that leaves a single ring of lace where the foam existed
S sweet malts with a little tropical fruit and some honey
T less fruit and more sweetness then the nose and some hops but similar to the smell just a little to sweet
M light bodied and crisp no major complaints here
D very easy drinking would make a great summer beer
I liked this beer and you might too, a good lager and yet another worthy beer from yukon
Reviewed by biboergosum from Canada (AB)
3.38/5 rDev -6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.38/5 rDev -6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
20oz pint at Original Joe's downtown.
This beer appears a mildly hazy, very pale golden yellow hue, with one finger of thinly foamy, weakly bubbly dirty white head, which leaves some weird melting iceberg lace around the glass as it evenly subsides.
The aroma is rather tame, lightly toasted pale grainy malt, a hint of muddled citrus, and earthy, musty hops. It tastes of semi-sweet, bready, lightly crackery pale malt, a soft hard water flintiness, and a slightly herbal, grassy hoppiness.
Any action on the tongue from the carbonation is moderate, and peters out rather swiftly, the body medium-light in weight, and average in its smoothness. It finishes barely off-dry, both malt and hops turning their focus away from any inherent sweetness.
A league or so above the vast majority of lagers available at any joint in this town except this one. The overall effect is fairly crisp and adequately refreshing, a good selection for the first sunny warm day of March.
Mar 13, 2009This beer appears a mildly hazy, very pale golden yellow hue, with one finger of thinly foamy, weakly bubbly dirty white head, which leaves some weird melting iceberg lace around the glass as it evenly subsides.
The aroma is rather tame, lightly toasted pale grainy malt, a hint of muddled citrus, and earthy, musty hops. It tastes of semi-sweet, bready, lightly crackery pale malt, a soft hard water flintiness, and a slightly herbal, grassy hoppiness.
Any action on the tongue from the carbonation is moderate, and peters out rather swiftly, the body medium-light in weight, and average in its smoothness. It finishes barely off-dry, both malt and hops turning their focus away from any inherent sweetness.
A league or so above the vast majority of lagers available at any joint in this town except this one. The overall effect is fairly crisp and adequately refreshing, a good selection for the first sunny warm day of March.
Reviewed by CrazyMike from Canada (AB)
3.32/5 rDev -8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.32/5 rDev -8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Very pale, light appearance with little head. Smell is sweet and fruity, a bit floral.
Very sweet taste, malty. Fruity taste similar like pineapple and peach. Highly carbonated and medium body, after taste is dry. Drinkability is unique, refreshing but a bit medicinal to drink all night.
Overall an interesting and worthy lager of checking out.
Feb 17, 2008Very sweet taste, malty. Fruity taste similar like pineapple and peach. Highly carbonated and medium body, after taste is dry. Drinkability is unique, refreshing but a bit medicinal to drink all night.
Overall an interesting and worthy lager of checking out.
Reviewed by Shadman from Canada (AB)
3.16/5 rDev -12.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
3.16/5 rDev -12.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
Find Yukon's product's to be hit or miss. We'll see with this offering...
Slightly hazy and very, very pale in color. I got almost zero for head and lacing with this sample. The aroma on the other hand is just short of amazing for a lager. Quite fruity and floral in an almost bold kinda way. Some hint of cascade hop in there as well. I found most of the taste to be up from. Sweet, with some fruity undertone. This fades rather quickly to a slightly dry, malty finish. Quite watery and thin bodied.
Found this to be quite similar in taste and body to the Borealis cream ale. Would agree with another reviewer that one could certainly have more than 1, but then tire of it fairly quickly. A bit too sweet and thin for my palate.
Sep 05, 2007Slightly hazy and very, very pale in color. I got almost zero for head and lacing with this sample. The aroma on the other hand is just short of amazing for a lager. Quite fruity and floral in an almost bold kinda way. Some hint of cascade hop in there as well. I found most of the taste to be up from. Sweet, with some fruity undertone. This fades rather quickly to a slightly dry, malty finish. Quite watery and thin bodied.
Found this to be quite similar in taste and body to the Borealis cream ale. Would agree with another reviewer that one could certainly have more than 1, but then tire of it fairly quickly. A bit too sweet and thin for my palate.
Reviewed by markaberrant from Canada (SK)
3.23/5 rDev -10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3.23/5 rDev -10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
A - pale yellow, slight haze. Decent white head forms, recedes to a cap. Leaves some lacing too.
S - moderate, mostly soft malt
T - crisp pilsner malt, subdued hop flavour, clean, lingering hop bitterness
M - slick watery feel, light
D - respectable and refreshing, but this gets boring fast
Maybe I'm being a little overly harsh with my scores, but this beer is just boring to me. However, if you are looking for an example of a well made basic lager, this is it. I gave one to my dad, and he said it was "pretty strong."
Aug 19, 2007S - moderate, mostly soft malt
T - crisp pilsner malt, subdued hop flavour, clean, lingering hop bitterness
M - slick watery feel, light
D - respectable and refreshing, but this gets boring fast
Maybe I'm being a little overly harsh with my scores, but this beer is just boring to me. However, if you are looking for an example of a well made basic lager, this is it. I gave one to my dad, and he said it was "pretty strong."
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