Freedom 35: Trailer Park Boys Lager

Recently, my father and I headed to Toronto for a U2 concert and to try some fantastic beer. Unfortunately, terrible traffic cut into our beer drinking time, but still we found a way to try some terrific beer. As soon as we reached the city, our first stop was to Bellwoods Brewery. We sampled several delicious beers there but our clear favorite was the Paper Tiger Lager. The beer was everything you would want on a hot day. It was nicely hopped, slightly fruity, tropical with a crisp, clean finish. At 5.3% this could have easily been the beer we stuck with for the rest of the night, but unfortunately there were no bottles to purchase and we could pretty much guarantee this was not going to be for sale in the Rogers Centre.

The beers at the Rogers Centre were the standard macro beers you would expect. Stella Artois, Budweiser and Labatt were pretty much for sale everywhere in the building. I was happy to find a beer I had yet to try something at the beer stand in the General Admission section. That was Mill St. Original Organic Lager. We immediately bought 2 of those and began drinking what was easily the worst beer of the trip. I wish I could remember more about it flavor-wise but U2 came out shortly after and we immediately forgot how terrible the beer was in our hands.

After the show, we went back to the hotel room and I began searching for nearby LCBO stores. Before we could leave the city of Toronto the next morning, I had to find one particular beer. That beer was Freedom 35, the Trailer Park Boys Lager. I am a huge fan of the Trailer Park Boys show and their podcast. From the moment they announced they were releasing this beer I had to try it. Fortunately, there was an LCBO about a half mile away, so we walked over as soon as the store opened and bought a few cans. I'll admit my expectations for the beer were fairly low. This was a gimmick beer, plain and simple, but I hoped, really hoped, that it would taste good. Regardless of whether or not it did, I had to write a blog about it.

To borrow a phrase from the Trailer Park Boys, Freedom 35 Lager is “DEEEEECENT.” It is a simple lager that is by no means extraordinary. It just works as an easy drinking lager. Its aroma is simple. It is grainy, grassy, slightly fruity with a hint of spice. Now I feel like I am really reaching there, but the beer's nose is basic and simple. The first sip followed suit. Lots of bread, cracker, grain, grass and a light fruitiness. The finish is crisp, clean and refreshing. To put it simply, Freedom 35 lager is an easy drinking session beer. That seems to be the intention behind it. Now, is it worth seeking out while in Canada? Absolutely. The can alone is incredible. I am hoping this is a first in a series of beer to be released with the Trailer Park Boys name on it. I am hoping to see an imperial stout aged in Liquorman's Old Dirty Canadian Whiskey Barrels. If you are asking yourself, 'is that a real thing?' Thankfully the answer is yes.

Overall rating: 3/5. A simple, easy drinking lager with a decent can.


Rating Scale:
1. Repugnant and undrinkable
2. Acceptable but forgettable
3. Good, worth a purchase
4. Excellent, a step above the norm
5. Truly Exceptional. Drop everything, BUY IT NOW!

To discuss this blog or all things beer like my Facebook page

Look for me on Instagram & Untappd and Twitter @ACraftyLook

For more beer reviews check out: http://www.acraftylook.com

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Collective Arts Saint of Circumstance

The first time I had a beer from Collective Arts Brewing was in May of 2016 at Irish Embassy in Toronto, ON. It was after my second Pearl Jam concert in three nights. That particular show was special because I finally heard my “Holy Grail” Pearl Jam song, Alone. Up to that point, I had waited 26 shows to hear Alone. Before that night, the best chance I had to hear it was in Philadelphia in 2013. Pearl Jam sound checked the song before the first show of their two-night stand. The song did not end up making the set list either of those two nights. It made the set list at the next show, in the next city they were in. I was bummed out by this because I thought that was my best chance to hear it. With an ever-growing catalog of songs, I thought the chances I would ever hear it were becoming slim to none. Then on May 12th, 2016, after a spectacular performance of Present Tense, Alone just started. When I realized what I happening, I was so excited, I practically tackled my unsuspecting cousin next to me. I yelled “This is it! This is my holy grail song!” and he just smiled. I stood there rocking out for the next few minutes with a gigantic smile on my face. That was a moment I will never forget for the rest of my life. Anything that happened that night after hearing that song was icing on the cake. I honestly believe Pearl Jam could have taken turns farting into the microphone for the next two hours and I would not have minded. That moment made my night. Later, at the Irish Embassy, I could talk about little else while surveying the beer menu. I ordered something I had never heard of, which turned out to be Collective Arts Brewing Rhyme & Reason Pale Ale. I thought it tasted fantastic, so good in fact that I ordered a few. Usually I like to mix it up a bit but that beer was hitting all the right flavor notes. Fast forward to April 2017, Collective Arts Brewing is now being distributed in Upstate New York. I immediately bought cans of Rhyme & Reason. I was hoping the beer was not enhanced by the moment last May. I am happy to report it was not. Rhyme & Reason is a fantastic pale ale. It's malty with just the right amount of hop bite. I absolutely love that beer, and the fact that it is tied to a great memory makes it even better.

Rhyme & Reason was not the only beer to arrive in Upstate NY from Collective Arts Brewing and that got me excited. When I picked up some Rhyme & Reason, I also picked up their Blonde Ale, Saint of Circumstance. I think blonde ale is a criminally underrated style of beer. With warm weather coming I was hoping the brewery that made such an excellent pale ale would make a blonde ale that could be a regular summer staple in my refrigerator.

I can safely say I enjoyed drinking Saint of Circumstance. It delivered on being a light, easy-drinking, refreshing beer. I just thought I would enjoy it a bit more, especially from the pleasant cracker, spicy, grassy and citrus aroma. I enjoyed that the flavor lemon in particular shined here, especially in the finish. The other big flavor flavor is the malt which brings a nice amount of cracker and graininess to the beer. What I was not crazy about was the finish, which was a muddled mixture of lemon, grass, grapefruit and pepper spice. It was not by any means a dealbreaker though. This is a solid choice for a summer beer. If you have to decide between this or Rhyme or Reason, I would go with Rhyme or Reason. I say that not just because I had it for the first time after one of the greatest concert moments of my life. I say that because it is a damn fine pale ale.

Overall I would rate Saint of Circumstance a 3/5. A solid beer from a solid catalog of beers. Oh, and the can art is amazing.

Rating Scale:
1 - Repugnant and undrinkable
2 - Acceptable but forgettable
3 - Good, worth a purchase
4 - Excellent, a step above the norm
5 - Truly Exceptional. Drop everything, BUY IT NOW!

To discuss this blog or all things beer like my Facebook page

Look for me on Instagram & Untappd and Twitter @ACraftyLook

For more beer reviews check out: http://www.acraftylook.com

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!