Bier Garden
Canvas Brewing Co.

473 mL can from the LCBO; dated Sep 9 2025 and served barely chilled.

Pours a relatively clear golden-orange colour, producing one finger of foamy white head that fizzles within two minutes. A thin collar of frothy suds remains, with a modest smattering of lace strewn about the glass; looks alright. Grainy malts, doughy sweetness and bread on the nose, with suggestions of apple skin and earthy, herbal hops.

It tastes alright: a little sweeter at the forefront, with notes of cereal grain sweetness, whole grain bread and a touch of honeyed biscuits. Hints of apple by mid-sip, giving way to grassy, herbal hops and a dirty, earthy bitterness that continues into the aftertaste, fading after a few seconds. Light in body, with low-ish carbonation levels that meekly nudge the surface of the tongue; feels smooth and a little slick. Fair drinkability, but the aftertaste might be off-putting if you don't care for noble hops.

Final Grade: 3.56, a B grade. Bier Garden is alright, but there's still room for improvement. To be fair, I can't find any marketing copy where Canvas explicitly refers to this beer as a Helles-style lager - they just call it "German-style", which is pretty non-committal. That being said, it doesn't strike me as a pilsner, nor does it resemble any other German-style lagers than I can think of, so I suppose Helles is the best fit available. I don't think this is a particularly great German lager, but it's at least passable - try it and decide for yourself.

At my lady Pamela's house; canned and chilled, 473mL in a pint glass. From the Huron Church Rd. LCBO in nearby Windsor. Packaged September 3/25. My first beer from the Huntsville, Ontario brewery. With Sundae the cat...

Nov 21 2025