Sleeman Brewing (Canada)

I like variety packs and this one from Sleeman Brewing is a good one: the twelve pack includes three bottles of four of their different brews and each one has a distinct flavour and each is highly enjoyable.

Sleeman Cream Ale (Canada) 5.0%


A golden yellow beer, it has a slightly skunky smell and taste though more so in the smell than in the taste. A little bitter and tangy with a malty sweetness rounding out the taste. Not the creamiest of cream ales but it tastes good nonetheless.



Sleeman Honey Brown (Canada) 5.2%

A warm brown colour in a glass with a pleasantly frothy head. Smoothly sweet malt taste with a hops tanginess that is mild and mellowed with honey.


Sleeman Light (Canada) 4.0%

Very clear gold in a glass colour in a glass. Smells a little skunky and nutty. It tastes sweet, a little skunky and malty. Quite enjoyable and surprisingly flavourful for a light beer.

Sleeman Original Draught (Canada) 5.0%

Another good beer from Sleeman's. It is gold in a glass. Smells barely skunky, light and fresh. It tastes watery (but not in a bad way) and barely malty, skunky, sort of sweet and fruity which surprised me a little. A noticeably different beer from the light beer, certainly the Sleeman Light isn't based off of the Original Draught. I appreciate that the light beer is it's own brew rather than just a watered down version of a different beer.

Molson M - Molson-Coors Canada (Canada) 4.9%

Microcarbonated... okay whatever that means, the bubbles do seem smallish and the beer a little smoother than most. The beer is a light gold colour in a glass, a little malty and barely bitter. Overall fairly bland but refreshing. It seems like an upgraded version of a light beer: a slightly better kind of bland with slightly more alcohol.

Molson M is a good enough lager and when I think of just how bad some other international lagers are, I think Molson is justified in using the distinction (slogan?) of "premium lager".

Maple Cream Ale - Picaroons (Canada - New Brunswick - Fredricton) 5.0%

Maple Cream Ale - Picaroons (Canada - New Brunswick - Fredricton) 5.0%

This ale has a velvety head and is the colour of a dark genuine New Brunswick maple syrup. The aroma is a combination of wisps of smokiness and sweet, dark maple syrup reminds me of the campfires back in the sugar woods where syrup is best enjoyed poured over a scoop of freshly fallen snow.

The taste is sweet and distinctive: while there is a malty smokiness, sweet maple syrup is the dominant taste and smell too. Pick up this seasonal treat while it's here!