San Antonio

Brewed by Sleeman Brewing & Malting Co. (Sapporo)
Style: Smoked
Guelph, Canada

Serve in Dimpled mug, Lager glass, Stein

UPDATED: MAY 10, 2006 Bottle... Crystal clear, amber ale with a large, whispy, off-white head. Decent retention. Looks a lot like a glass of an old Scotch or Irish malt. Fruity, spicy aroma. Maybe a hint of smoke; maybe not. Banana, apple and pear. Good balance in the flavor. More spice and fruit, but thin. Medium-bodied and fizzy. Finishes fruity and lightly bitter. Weird. Who entered this as a rauchbier?

Golden ake with a thick white head. Slightly spiced malt aroma, herbal notes. In mouth, light peaty malt with some orange peels, lighter bodied. Bought at Joanette, 1.79$,

Scared veggies mar the feeble caramel maltiness, as well as any kind of possible malt flavors...The Belgian-style carbonation projects the earthy, dirty yeast onto whatever fruit esters were intended...Smoked? C’mon...This isn’t even fun to drink...

UPDATED: NOV 24, 2005 Dull fizzy white head dissipates automatically like that of a soda pop. The pour is of an orangey-amber, deploying abundant carbonation. Rather grainy, peaty nose comes out surprisingly vegetal, almost corny and doing all it can to stay out of anything close to rich meatiness to rather remain accessible and grainy. Limited flavour range, hinting at salty peaches, weak smoke and not much besides. Faintest yeast influence betrays the heavy filtration (clear enough to read through). Develops a mineral dryness toward the end that cuts abruptly, leaving a most forgettable aftertaste. Thin, rather fizzy in mouth and short flavoured. Shockingly bland. More Sleemanish than Unibroueish and the fact that they conceal who brews this on the label is a bit scary. Maybe an attempt without engagement at a future replacement for the Raftman (pure speculation)?

Dark gold/amber body with a good off white head. Sweet yeasty notes with a lightly smokey aroma. Dilute vaguely smokey flavour. Surprisingly suffers more from a lack of taste than the smoke. Touch of yeast, it definitely shows its Raftman heritage.

Botlle.Clear pale amber with visible carbonation, medium fine creamy head. Sweet aroma of caramel, yeasty-rye and aromatic hops. Medium bodied with dry carbonation up front, bitter medium and light smoky end. Clean ale with good bitter sweet character. Quiet drinkable. Would have again if given.

Bottle (341ml). Magic bottle appeared out of the mist, drank it alone, yessir officer sir. Gold, still, frothy white head. Sharp spicy yeast aroma, maybe some coriander, fruity faintly vegetal malt - smoked? Taste - sweet, lemony, lightly spiced - smoked? Nah ... a generic Unibroue, not one of their better efforts, going for that spicy belgian thang, getting a sticky, sugary, weak white beer - yeah, it’s spicy, but it’s also BORING - but I do see a little sweet generic whisky in the finish.

UPDATED: NOV 22, 2007 Clear amber with a short lived white head (within a few seconds it’s only a ring). I did get some smoke in the nose along with some malt caramel. Taste is mainly single-malt (whiskey type) with some roots (or earthy vegetables, as you want) and a light touch of smoke in the finish. I didn’t find it nearly as bad as many prolific ratebeerians. Decent session beer but the type of taste I quickly get tired of. No mention of any relationship to Unibroue or Sleeman on the label or packaging. As if everybody where ashamed to admit a relationship with it. Kind of like my family and my cousin Louis.