Style:  Flavoured Lager
ABV:  5.3%
Presentation:  6 packs of 341 ml brown bottles
Brewery:  Amber’s Brewing Company
Country:  Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

Following the trend of the rest of their line-up, this offering from local microbrewery Amber’s Brewing Company is planted firmly and securely outside of the box and the norm. This is a curious beer indeed, a lager brewed with real maple syrup. Actually it’s a fantastically crafted beer for those with an open mind to enjoy. There’s only one stipulation: you have to enjoy the flavour of maple. There’s no getting around that with this one.

Available in 6 packs of standard sized bottles, and maple as the theme, from the tree on the label, to the appearance, smell and taste of it. Served in a tall glass, pint glass or mug would do it justice. Possessing a light amber maple colour capped by a short lasting bubbly cream-coloured head, there’s a crisp carbonated mouthfeel of a lager, but the smell and the taste of it strongly reminds me of buttery maple syrup drenched Belgian waffles. Seriously. A beer perfectly suited for breakfast? Perhaps. However with the intense flavour yet light body, it is suitable for having more than one in a sitting. If you enjoy the flavour of maple that is…..

For those of you who are into the all-day breakfast concept this maple lager pairs great with pancakes, waffles and French toast, along with sausage and hash browns. Not only does it also pair surprisingly well with roasts (beef or pork) and grilled meat, but would stand in for a fantastic addition to marinades, including ribs. Lots of potential for this unique local beer, both in the glass and on the other end of the fork.

The next steps in the cooler:

From This Brewery:
Australian Mountain Pepper Berry
Bub’s Lunch Pail Ale
Kenmount Road Chocolate Stout
Pale Ale

More Unique Beers:
Pi Jiu - Sherbrooke
Pumpkin Pi - Sherbrooke/Alley Kat
Mateveza - California Organic Brewery

Lateral Steps:
Warsteiner Premium Dunkel
Negra Modelo
Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock

For The Adventurous:
Samichlaus Bier
Trois Pistoles - Unibroue
St. Bernardus Abt 12

Tags: Canada, Lager

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