Trafalgar Oak-Aged Rye

22oz bottle purchased from LCBO in Toronto. I had sworn off giving any more money to Trafalgar after too many quality control issues, but broke down in the store after having read that this beer was much better than its recent offerings (though still mediocre in general). The bottle opens without exploding - so that’s already an improvement over the last Trafalgar bottle I’ve had. Though there is some unpleasant looking goop on the bottle where the cap was. Pours a clear gold with decent head and lacing and just a bit of carbonation. Light tinny/metallic aroma - not good. But the flavour is not bad - or at least not infected! The flavour is medium-bodied with just a hint of something oakish. It has a very smooth mouthfeel - likely from the low carbonation. A decent Trafalgar - and that’s quite the compliment!

650ml bottle, 5.0% a/v Very bubbly copper with an almost non existant tan head. Aroma is malty, citrus hops, and a bit floral. Taste is sweet malt, with a bit of a hop taste and the already mentioned citrus. Very quick afterfaste, but then a strange aftertaste which is barely there but lingers. One of Trafalgars better beers for sure.

650ml bottle
5.0 ABV
I tried this beer on March 19, 2008 after purchasing from one of my local LCBO outlets. The beer poured a translucent orangy-red colour with very little head, and a lot of effervescence. The aroma was primarily sweet malt. The mouthfeel was medium bodied, somewhat dry, and with a lot of carbonation. The flavour was mainly malt with very little else. I didn’t get any rye or hoppy feel from this brew.

Watery. No oak and little rye. Short finish. Contrary to most raters, I didn’t find it grainy, grassy, or fruity! Easy to quaff and easy to forget.

650 ml bottle from the LCBO. Deep amber colour with a thick beige head. Arom ais a bit grainy and fruity. A kiss of light berryish sweetness. As it warms I get a bit of cherry and a light graininess. Lightly citrusy with a little bit of grassy character. I do get some rye spiciness in here, although I don’t get any oak to speak of. It’s quite a decent brew, but not a great one.

Well 1st off, I have to say I’m surprised this is drinkable and not infected! Trafalgar has a brutal rep for infected beer. Amber pour, very small white head, next to no carbonation, almost a flat beer. Aroma is very grassy, with some rye in there, i can actyually tatse it, but the grassiness dominated the aroma. The flavour definitely has some rye, i can taste it,and its pleasant, but the grassiness comes back, and dominates the finish. I’m not sure about the oak ageing......i cant tatse it at all. Decent beer, it’s drinkable, which is saying alot about the other Trafalgar beers i’ve had.

Wow, I really didn’t enjoy this one, and they only sell them in 660ml size, so I had a while to let my opinion form. Oak Aged? I dunno, smelled like grass and tasted like a slightly fruity macro ale. Water,weak and ended up with a chemical tang of an aftertaste. Feh!

650 mL bottle from LCBO, served at cellar temperature in a tulip glass. MR27/08.

App.: Clear, medium copper, fair white head. Aroma: Lots of crystal malt – brown sugar, caramel and toffee, slightly woody, very slightly vegetal, a little burnt sugar, slight hints of ginger and cinnamon. Palate: Medium-ish body, fairly soft carbonation, a little astringent. Flav.: More vegetal that the nose, ‘raw’ oak, a bit of crystal malt, minerals, a bit of light fruit (apple, pear, apricot); dry, almost no bitterness.

Bought this against my better judgement due to the somewhat favourable ratings. It wasn’t too exciting, but it wasn’t infected either. A step in the right direction, I guess.