REVIEW: Steam Whistle Pilsner

The Canadian beers have finally arrived! I'll be honest. I have a soft spot in my heart for Canadian beer. The first beer I ever had was a bottle of Labatt Blue in Canada. I've drank a whole lot of Blue, Labatt 50, Molson Export, Molson Canadian, and the like over the years. I have never really ventured out into the world of Canadian craft beer though. The LCBO in Pointe au Baril, where we go every summer, has a pretty meager selection. This summer though, I was bound and determined. My girlfriend and I made the drive down to Parry Sound, the closest "big city," (It's still pretty tiny. Hometown of Bobby Orr!) and after much consternation, and a poutine stop,  we made our way back to the island with craft beer in tow. The first we'll be looking at is Toronto's Steam Whistle Pilsner. To the beer!

Steam Whistle pours a perfectly clear straw colored gold. It's topped by a couple of fingers of frothy white head that laces very prettily.

The aromas are pretty simple, much as one would expect from a beer like this. Light toasty grain, a bit of sweetness, faint floral/ herbal hops, and a touch of bitterness. Clean, simple, yet still inviting.

Steam Whistle is pretty simple on the palate as well. It's light in body and has a subtle creaminess that leads directly into delicate flavors of lemon and a biscuity, grainy, malt sweetness. It finishes very clean with a nice crispness.

I think this was an appropriate beer to start my foray into Canadian craft beer with. In amy ways it's very reminiscent of those classic Canadian lagers that iIve been drinking for years, your Blue's, your Molson Canadian's. But it's better. It has a subtle depth of flavor that those others lack while maintaining the crisp, clean, drinkablity. I liked this one quite a bit.

HD