Granville Island Lions Winter Ale

Brewed by Granville Island (Brewery - MolsonCoors)
Style: English Strong Ale
Kelowna, Canada

Serve in English pint, Trappist glass

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Draught at the brewpub. Clear nut brown. Cocoa aroma. Sweetish with plenty of vanilla and chocolate.The body is fairly light and the mouthfeel clean. Low hop rate and bitternss. It does have some really interesting flavours.

Draught at the taproom
Dark amber color; creamy head. Do I smell vanilla? It’s quite artificial. Light vanilla aroma. Smooth mouthfeel, medium caramel flavor, with a more evident touch of artificial vanilla. Correct bitterness. You may like it, but it’s fake.

Reddish-bronze colour. Aroma of vanilla (which is an added flavour in the brew), caramel, a little bit of cardamom and demerara sugar. The palate is quite sweet. There is a lot of caramel flavour, with vanilla sugar...this beer is crazy sweet but because I love vanilla sugar it appeals to me.

Red copper ale with a thick off white head. Fairly strong vanilla aroma, and fruity notes. Light malt and vanilla ice cream, with light alcohol warmth and oily mouthfeel. Medium bodied. Quite an interesting beer. Thanks to JM!

Dark brown with coppery hints. Smells quite sweet, with vanilla dominating, but also hints of sweet malt, chocolate, and coffee. Flavour is also sweet with very little bitterness. Finishes with a strong vanilla flavour. I really enjoyed this one, but it might benefit from a bit more hops in the finish. Well done.

White chcocolate in aroma, mostly. Whitish thock lacey look, although mouthfeel was lighter. FInishes bitter.

Bottle from Josh and served in my La Choufee glassware:
Pours a nice nut brown hue with a fading head but some frothy ring and lace. The aroma starts with a vanilla wafer and cardboard overtone and some ripened apple character. The taste starts with the same vanilla nature with a bcakground of sweet caramel malts. Additional notes of rye bread and fruit punch. Ends with a light spice bite which helped a lot but it still got way too sweet and boring for me. The feel is oily and carbonated but the sweetness dulls the palate. Needs a swift kick of hops or something for depth, very soda-like.

12oz can courtesy of my niece, who is awesome and end of story. Clear and slightly bubbly amber with an average but long-lasting fizzy off-white head (3+). Interesting aroma - hugely grainy, with fuggles bitterness. Taste follows, cocoa and vanilla sweetness, very light - I really like it! Light body, slick, mild carbonation, quick finish - not what I think of a winter beer, but pretty drinkable.

UPDATED: DEC 27, 2011 A seasonal offering from Granville Island Brewing with distinct vanilla notes in the nose and palate, especially at the end. Spicy and cinnamon aromas too, contributing to the pie/cookie-like character. A little buttery too. Medium-bodied and warming. Finishes surprisingly clean because it seems like it would be sweet. A good effort from this brewery. Can be nice on tap...rerate wow the cream soda craP is crazy. The pie notes are there when warmer but get rid of that vanilla cream overload!

Bottle. Praline aroma. Dark brown red, low head. Fruity, marmelade, dry, filled chocolate. Light body, light spicy finish.