Spark House Red Ale - Lake of Bays Brewing Company

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bottle: Poured a medium brown color ale with a large foamy head with good retention and some light lacing. Aroma consists of light dry caramel malt with some light cereal notes. Taste is also a mix between some non-descript cereal notes with some dry caramel malt. Body is average with good carbonation. Middle of the road amber ale.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2012 18:28:59 | More by Phyl21ca

atr2605

New York

3/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A-pours a deep red amber with an off white head with decent retention
S-roasted malt and a bit of sweetness
T-toasted malt with a dry biscuit malt flavor in the finish with nice hop bitterness supporting the malt
M-medium bodied
O-a well balanced beer that is very drinkable but not the best red ale I have had

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2013 01:04:24 | More by atr2605

TerryW

Ontario (Canada)

3.19/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Clear chestnut red under a moderate head. Some lace. Looks better than your average brew.

Nose is malty and a little sweet. Noticeable graininess. Similar to taste, sweet up front, but gently bitter and slightly metallic to finish. Grassy to taste. Moderate body. Better than a macro, but nothing special.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 00:36:06 | More by TerryW

decimator

Ontario (Canada)

3.23/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

341ml bottle poured into a pint glass. ABV 5%.

A - Pours a clear reddish brown with a thin off white head. Some lacing.

S - Caramel, bread, some nuttiness, earthy.

T - Malts upfront with caramel, bread, & hint of toast. The finish has a a mild earthy & grassy bitterness.

M - Average carbonation, medium body, dry finish.

O - Decent tasting beer that's certainly drinkable. Above average.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 02:13:29 | More by decimator

hopsolutely

Ontario (Canada)

3.4/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Certainly more flavour than the Rickard's Red against which I assume it is competing!

Colour is a dark amber with very red tones. Aroma is heavily malted, with a slight yeasty background. The taste is also very malt focused; with caramelized, roasted & toasted notes highlighted. There is a surprisingly smoky finish with the hint of a bittering hop.

I give Lake of Bays full credit, being a new microbrewery trying a completely new flavour profile - good for them. Personally, this isn't an ale of which I would enjoy more than one or two in a sitting, but would recommend everyone try it and I will certainly try anything else this brewery puts out!

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2011 22:46:19 | More by hopsolutely

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.45/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

341ml Bottle from the Ottawa LCBO - part of the winter OCB 6 pack for 13$

Appearance - Dark reddish-brown colour with an average size fizzy beige coloured head. There's an average amount of carbonation and there isn't much lacing. The head lasted for around 3-4 minutes.

Smell - Malts, grassy notes, caramel, light hops

Taste & Mouth - There is a below average amount of carbonation and I can taste malts and a hint of chocolate. There is also a touch of dark fruit flavour, some grassy notes, and some caramel. It ends with a malty aftertaste with a bit of a herbal/hoppy lingering spiciness.

Overall - Not really what I was expecting given it's listed on this site as an american amber. It's kind of like a ESB or a nut brown if anything. It's okay to drink but not something I'd buy again.. there are too many other better beers to choose from.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 00:55:37 | More by spinrsx

patre_tim

China

3.5/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Dark brown with a red tinge when held to the light, little carbonation, no head but a little off-white foam only on edge of the glass.

S: Smells off dark malts like some munich dunkels, fresh malt bread, pumpernickel, some caramel, very bready.

T: Somewhat dark and toasty, munich dunkel type malt, some pumpernickel, toast. Not overly sweet, bitterness seems to be coming from the toasted malts but surely there is some hop bitter aftertaste as well. There is sort of a glassy taste on the front. A bit nutty like brazil nuts.

M: Light body, low carbonation.

O: Good, nice to try, not loving it but a fine tasteful beer that would go well with bbq, breads and sandwiches, cheeses etc. Not up my alley, but if you like dunkels, you might like this beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 04:22:10 | More by patre_tim

andrenaline

Ontario (Canada)

3.55/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A recent addition to the local LCBO selection...

A - Pours a nice ruby red colour, finger of head with some retention and some sporadic lacing.

S - Quite mild on the nose, hints of metallic notes, touch of honey and hint of bready malts.

T - Again the taste is mild, but a nice caramel malt intermingled with hints of espresso. Buttered bread and grassy hops come through on the finish.

M - Medium bodied, smooth and a touch of dryness.

O - A tasty amber that has a decent flavour profile and is easily seasonable. Well worth a try and glad we have solid amber available locally.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2012 03:58:29 | More by andrenaline

JohnnyBarman

Ontario (Canada)

3.58/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Single bottle from a 6 pack.

Poured into a nonic glass. Brilliant red-ruby colour on this; the name "rousse" is certainly appropriate here. The pour generates about an inch of frothy head, which survives very well as a thick ring with some webbed lacing. A very nice looking brew.

The nose is a malty affair, with strong notes of caramel, a bit of earth, baked bread. Also quite pleasant.

A vast improvement over their pale ale, the Rousse has a nice malty profile that is quite bready and sweet. Caramel is quite prominent, but there is a slightly acidic bitterness to the finish. Quite pleasant to drink, has enough depth to make this an enjoyable sipper. Might be a bit sweet for some palates, but for me it's doing the job admirably. Creamy, medium bodied (!), nice mild carbonation.

An enjoyable brew, and certainly reminds me of some fine red ales I encountered from Quebec breweries. A great little Ontario red that is well-worth picking up.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2011 20:29:36 | More by JohnnyBarman

cratez

Ontario (Canada)

3.58/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

355ml bottle purchased fresh from the brewery by my girlfriend's dad. Thanks for sharing, Kurt!

Pours a dark ruby hue with one finger of frothy beige head and a few strands of lacing on the tumbler. Good-looking brew.

Smell is deep bready and nutty malts, caramel, earthy English hops, faint cocoa powder, toasted pumpernickel, orange marmalade, and barley. Spot on for a malt-forward Canadian amber.

Taste follows the nose with brown bread crust, hints of caramel and roast, earthy-fruity hop tang precedes a slightly astringent and grassy bitterness with some nuttiness on the cough. Above average flavour.

Mouthfeel is silky, medium-bodied, a little juicy through the middle, modest bitterness transitions to a long, off-dry finish.

Overall, while I prefer the hoppier US-style red ales, this is a respectable malty Canuck amber brewed in the Griffon Rousse vein. A decent quaff for the fall months; however, I'd like to see this brewer "branch out" with future releases.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2011 22:43:55 | More by cratez

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

3.58/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured in to Founders Tulip Glass.

A - Poured a very dark amber/ruby colour, almost opaque, with a slight amber glow around some of the edges and two fingers of tan coloured head that receded to one finger with good retention.

S - Very sweet up front with dark caramel, toffee and toasted malt aromas. A slight bitterness is also evident with some floral notes.

T - Sweet caramel and toffee flavours complimented by a good bitter hop bite with floral notes. The finish is dry and bitter.

M - Light to medium body. Slightly creamy with moderate carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2011 04:16:07 | More by TheSevenDuffs

thehyperduck

Ontario (Canada)

3.65/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

341 mL bottle; no best before date. Courtesy of this year's OCB Holiday Sampler.

Pours a reddish-brown colour; deep in hue, but still translucent. At the surface is seated one finger of frothy, soapy, off white-coloured head that recedes over the next few minutes, leaving behind a coat of lace and thin, filmy cap at the surface. Pleasant aroma that definitely leans toward the sweet side, with plenty of caramel and bready malts, alongside notes of milk chocolate, toasted nuts, and a bit of earthiness.

This is a pretty tasty amber. Not exactly intense, but there's certainly a sizable blast of big malty flavour. Caramel and bready malts remain very prominent, some light toastiness, with nutty undertones. Finishes earthy and a little grassy, with everything except the slight earthiness failing to linger into the aftertaste. Normally a clean finish is fine with me, but for something that actually does taste reasonably strong for its alcohol content, it just gives off a watery vibe. On the thin side of medium-bodied, with mild carbonation for an otherwise smooth, enjoyable feel on the palate. Very easy to drink, as an amber should be.

I had a chance to visit this brewery earlier in the year, but neglected to try this stuff - it was probably still called Rousse at that point because this label art is new to me. Either way, the August 2012 me should be kicking himself, because this is probably one of the better things Lake of Bays brews. The other beers I have tried from this brewery (Pale Ale, 10 Point IPA) have been good, but unremarkable (and far from standouts in their style), so finding out that this is actually a solid amber is a pleasant little surprise.

Final Grade: 3.65, a B. I can honestly say that Spark House Red Ale is indeed a respectable amber, nailing most of what I like about the style - and even if it's probably not the best amber Ontario has to offer, it's still up there on the list somewhere. Something that fans of the Rickard's Reds and Keith's Ambers of the world can use to jump into the shallow end of the Olympic-sized swimming pool that is craft beer. I won't be scrambling out for more of this anytime soon (not that I've ever seen it locally), but I'd certainly consider a repurchase if I were in the mood for a solid, highly drinkable amber ale.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2012 13:26:23 | More by thehyperduck

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

3.7/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A bright, clear, beautiful ruby-brown colour, this glass resembles a Christmas tree ornament when held into the light. The tone is dark but, as stated, is flawlessly transparent. Seemingly light carbonation produced little foam atop but thick lacing coats the glass regardless. It looks like a muddy bank right after the tide rolls out.

Lots of nutty crystal malt wafts from this sticky, bittersweet smelling red ale. While it doesn't have the budding hoppiness that American renditions showcase, it is nonetheless equipped with enough sappy, resinous notes to conjure pine. The lightly smoky backdrop is a perfect counterpart to the stinky, ganja-like hops.

Simmered caramel and pine serum pervade from nose to palate, start to finish. The flavour of nutty, toasted grains and a healthy dosage of gritty, herbal hops pretty much sum the beer up. Although delicate floral notes do also arise on certain sips and an almost cedar-like spice can sometimes briefly be experienced on the finish.

That very satisfying flavour, however, leads to a somewhat lackluster aftertaste. Usually a beer with this kind of heavy, toasty malt leaves a long, smooth, sweet finish full of roasted nuts and gooey caramel. But the bottom just completely falls out of this one. Mind you, it's not a problem so long as you keep taking sips!

Lake of Bays Rousse is simple without being basic. It is an uncompromising ale that has enough crystal malt and earthy hops to turn the heads of an unsuspecting public. The big breweries would be crazy to put out a red ale with this much character. Unless you're absolutely used to bold American ambers, this one is definitely worth a pick-up.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2011 01:09:00 | More by biegaman

SebD

Ontario (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: It has a nice deep amber color to it with some ruby. It has a nice light beige head that dies down moderately fast and leaves some lacing.

Smell: The aromas definitely give out hints of roasted malts, caramel, some breadiness, nuts and some earthy hops.

Taste: Like the aromas, it has some caramel with some light coffee notes, roasty malts, some breadiness, light nuts and earthy/grassy hops.

Mouthfeel: It has a medium carbonation with a decent overall balance and feel.

Drinkability: It's a very smooth drinkable beer accompanied with good flavors and aromas.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 22:39:01 | More by SebD

droogy

Ontario (Canada)

3.8/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Wasn't expecting much of this one but after finishing was very impressed. Obviously going after the Rickards Red market and does a MUCH better job of it.

A - two fingers of head. very dark / amber colouring
S - Malty
T - Caramel, Malts, Not as watery as Richards; likely what that beer SHOULD taste like :)
M - creamy

head retention was awesome; tasted great throughout. a big recommendation for fans of Richards.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2011 00:29:00 | More by droogy

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

3.89/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Another of local, in-person trader tone77's many bottles. I marvel each and every time he comes by to drop off beer.

From the bottle: "In the heart of the forest, the spark house stands alone. Drawing its deep, smooth character from ... and roasted malts, this full-bodied red ale finishes dry and stands high above the rest."; "Brewed & Bottled in Baysville, Ontario Handcrafted in Small Batches".

A toast to the late Sparky Anderson! Spark up, lads! I'll be arcing and Sparking here shortly.

I got just over a finger of dense, mocha-tan head with reasonable retention from my pour. Color was a deep, coppery-red with NE-plus quality clarity and it reminded me of a former girlfriend's hair. Hers had a really coarse feel to it and it was like running my fingers through rusty wire. It even got her the nickname, "Rusty", which may have been why we drifted apart. What a beauty! The woman or the beer? Let's go with both. The nose was prevalently malt with a nutty quality to go with its inherent breadiness. Lots of sticky lacing appeared in the wake of the falling head. Mouthfeel was medium and the taste was almonds or pecans and freshly-baked bread. I remember a time when I used to eschew these types of beers in favor of heavily hopped IPAs but I feel like I now have a greater appreciation for this sort of thing. Finish was semi-dry with the yeast having done its job. I saw where they have begun CANning their lager, so if they expand and CAN this one, I would definitely recommend it.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 00:15:40 | More by woodychandler

bryehn

Ontario (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Very nice deep amber colour with ruby wisps. Moderate frothy white head that leaves spotty lace and settles as a big-bubbled collar.

Very deep, sturdy aroma. Dark malts, chocolate, coffee, black cherry, grains and earth.

Has a bready and chocolatey taste with a fruity accent that brings cherries and dates to mind. A solid bitterness arises in the finish, as well as a mineral water flavour.

Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Very heavy, grainy and earthy on the tongue. Notes of chocolate and coffee again in the aftertaste, along with a hint of burnt grain.

Quite hearty take on the style, would go best with roasted meats, potatoes and vegetables. Will definitely buy again.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 21:26:26 | More by bryehn