Labatt Prohibition Series Canadian Style Wheat Ale
Labatt Brewing Company Ltd.

My beloved, in-person trader, tone77 (who has departed for points south for the winter) dropped this off for me at one point, only to have it become part of the interminable bottle backlog at Chez Woody. I am on a (modest) hiatus from leaving Chez Woody to try and get caught up.

I unscrewed the cap to about as little fanfare as I have ever received. The previous reviews seemed to indicate that cloudiness was allowed in this one, so I let fly with a heavy-handed pour. Things began to happen really quickly after that! First I got three fingers of puffy, tawny head with great retention, then it all began to fall, leaving great, sticky lacing in its wake. Color was a hazy amber (SRM = > 7, < 9). Nose was odd, kind of an admixture of Pops' morning Wheaties when I was a kid and some sort of pink bubble gum sweetishness. Mouthfeel was thin-to-medium. Taste was sharp, unexpectedly gagging. It was like a tart wheat, but I cannot believe that such was their target. After the initial shock, I got used to it, but it was still quite sharp. Finish was semi-sweet, but whether it was the wheat, the yeast or some combination of the two, this was close to a drain pour for me.

Pours a very nice orangish gold color. Very hazy, typical wheat beer appearance. Has a nice head with plenty of lacing. First taste is stronger than I expected, but pleasant, and mellow out to a dry finish. The nor I sip on this brew, the more it mellows out and the more I enjoy it. Definitely has a good Hefe wheat beer feel and taste. Overall, if you enjoy a wheat beer you will love this beer. I would actually like to have a case of this.

 

Light, spicy, citrus perfect for a warm summer eve in the woods. Wish it wasn't just seasonal as wheats are one of my most sought after ales. I could drink this all year.