Laker Lager
Waterloo Brewing

Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Waterloo Brewing
 
Ontario, Canada
Style:
American Lager
Ranked #304
ABV:
5%
Score:
67
Ranked #28,214
Avg:
2.68 | pDev: 27.99%
Reviews:
24
Ratings:
52
Status:
Active
Rated:
Aug 12, 2023
Added:
Feb 16, 2003
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  1
This multiple award winning beer is brewed with 100% Canadian two row malted barley, a unique blend of premium hops and crystal clear water, Laker Lager delivers a well balanced finish that is smooth, crisp and refreshing, making this beer exceptionally easy to drink and very satisfying.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by thehyperduck:
Photo of thehyperduck
Reviewed by thehyperduck from Canada (ON)

2.55/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Tallboy can from the LCBO; packaged in January of this year if I am deciphering the code correctly. Brick seems to have removed the 'premium' from this brew's name - whether that indicates a relative drop in quality or just acceptance of reality remains to be seen.

Pours that familiar golden-yellow colour, generating a fizzy white head which puffs up rapidly, but disappears almost as quickly as it came, leaving no remnants in its wake save for a few wisps on the surface. Looks like any other cheap beer, and the aroma doesn't stray very far from this theme - wet hay, grainy pale malts, and corny sweetness are the dominant notes. It has that same apple juice vibe that I find in most of these 'value brand' lagers.

Pretty standard taste, with barely any traits worth mentioning, good or bad. It basically just tastes like grain and corn water. A bit too sweet, a little vegetal, but also very diluted and watery, so none of these flavours are particularly overbearing. Slight lemony flavour toward the finish; aftertaste is a bit metallic. Thin-bodied and watery, with good carbonation for the style that provides a crisp bite - and for all its flaws, Laker Lager is still easy to throw back.

No one is going to mistake this for quality beer, but it's at least tolerable - and from a pale lager at this price point, you can't really expect much more than that.

Final Grade: 2.58, about a C- on the letter grade scale. You could do much worse than Laker Lager...that being said, doing better will probably only cost you a quarter more, and the difference is noticeable. I wouldn't turn this down if offered, but I can think of plenty of other pale lagers I'd rather have. As far as Ontario value brands go, I would place this somewhere in the middle - not great, but not monumentally unappealing either. Reminds me of a crappier version of Carling.
Mar 16, 2012
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 2.65 by MakerMachiav from England

Aug 12, 2023
Photo of Spark420
Reviewed by Spark420

3.1/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
One of the cheapest beers available in Ontario and in my opinion it’s not that bad. Crisp taste not loaded up with adjuncts. For $2 a pint you can’t go wrong.
May 18, 2022
Photo of Tony787
Reviewed by Tony787 from Canada (ON)

3.27/5  rDev +22%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
I bought a can at the lcbo in Ontario 473ml at 5%.
poured a 2finger head into glass good carbonation crystal clear look .
smooth and easy to drink it is refreshing on a hot day
Jun 05, 2021
Photo of woodychandler
Reviewed by woodychandler from Pennsylvania

3.92/5  rDev +46.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
My local, in-person trader @tone77 was on a recent excursion into CANada & he brought back a number of CANadian CANned beers for me for inclusion in The CANQuest (tm)! I ran through a LOT of them on CANada Day & now, I am returning to polish off the remainder.

From the CAN: "Proudly Brewed In Ontario".

The CAN is SO much more beautiful than the bottle in the approved pic! It has a maple leaf in white and a dark oak tree in stark relief with a deep-blue brushed-aluminum background. 8=O This will make a great add to my buddy's spent CAN CANlection.

I beCAN with a Crack! of the vent, followed by a slow, gentle C-Line Glug into the awaiting glass. I watched in rapt fascination as it foamed up to form just over a finger of dense, foamy, rocky, bone-white head with very good retention. The heat & humidity this Summer is & has been oppressive so the fact that the head hung in in remarkable. Color was a gorgeous Yellow-Gold (SRM = 4 - 5) with NE-quality clarity, prompting an impromptu visit from The Gelt Gang of Midas, Mammon & Croesus, all clamoring for a taste. Nose had a malty sweetness, but I was not experiencing any adjuncts, especially not corn. Hmm. I did a little investigative research on their website of https://www.lakerbeer.com/ but nothing seemed to suggest adjunct ingredients. Hmm. Mouthfeel was medium, about on-par for any Lager-style beer. The taste was crisp, clean, slightly malty, lightly hopped, but definitely free of (at least) corn. It was the kind of lawnmower beer that I would want to drink after toiling in the yard on a hot, humid Summer's day. Finish was clean, crisp & dry. Highly refreshing & ultimately crushable. I CANnot find enough info to petition this site to change it from an AAL so my numbers are going to reflect its being a very good beer in a very bad style. YMMV.
Aug 03, 2019
Photo of 1009
Reviewed by 1009 from Massachusetts

3.64/5  rDev +35.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75
For what it is it’s fantastic. It’s not trying to be a super premium brew. It’s a fantastically crushable Canadian bièr. Great for getting polluted on the river.
Jun 30, 2019
Photo of tone77
Reviewed by tone77 from Pennsylvania

2.99/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
Poured from a 16 oz. can. Has a golden color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is mild, some malts. Taste is light, malts, some corn, a slight metallic twang. Feels medium/light bodied in the mouth and overall, it doesn't totally suck, but there are better cheap lagers out there.
Apr 15, 2019
 
Rated: 2.75 by alwaysbetonduke from Canada (ON)

Jul 14, 2018
Photo of Drew_wilks81
Rated by Drew_wilks81 from Canada (ON)

4.25/5  rDev +58.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.25
Super cheap and goes down easy
Nov 11, 2017
Photo of Caveworm
Reviewed by Caveworm from Ohio

4.13/5  rDev +54.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Laker Premium Lager | Brick Brewing Co. Poured from the bottle into a pint glass, the head's two fingers thick, with spotty lacing, and a clear medium-light amber body.

I smell mellow adjunct grains and malts.

Tastes also like mellow adjunct grains and malts. Nothing really unique going on, really. Nice and clean finish.

Medium-light mouthfeel with mild carbonation.

Overall, I'll go ahead and rate Laker Premium Lager | Brick Brewing Co. with a 4. Not a bad AAL by any means, but I'm a Stroh's man in that regard.
Oct 10, 2017
Photo of BeerDrinker24
Reviewed by BeerDrinker24 from Canada (ON)

3.05/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 2.75 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
For my review, I am not comparing this beer to any other beer, but am rating it as it's own entity. I purchased this beer in bottles from the Beer Store.
This beer really is refreshing, and for the price, it is a beer I would not pass up on if you are looking for something that tastes good, but you know you need to save money for a new set of winter tires, this is the go to beer.
Look: Poured from a bottle into a standard pint glass, this beer is the typical "30 second appearance beer." By that I mean, it looks good being poured leaving a nice decent head that lasts 30 seconds or so before becoming a flat mess. It has the appearance of cheap ginger ale. Still looks good despite having very low qualities.
Smell: I for one, did not like the smell. It smells of cheap alcohol and water. I can't say I picked up on anything good here.
Taste: This beer tastes much better then it smells. It has a refreshing flavour, with very little hops, but more of a sweet syrupy corn flavour. It does not taste bad, but this beer is sweet.
Feel: The mouthfeel of this beer is light. Very light. Medium-low carbonation. It makes for a good beer to down on a hot day, or in the pool.
Overall, I would have to say this beer is good for the price. I won't be a staple in my personal weekly consumption, but will not be passed up on either at a buddies place, or when fundalage is running lower than normal. It is enjoyable, but there is better.
Sep 26, 2017
 
Rated: 2.99 by OneTuffPony from Canada (ON)

Sep 15, 2017
Photo of nicholas2121
Reviewed by nicholas2121 from Ohio

4/5  rDev +49.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Laker Premium Lager brewed by Brick Brewing Co., With an ABV of 5.00% This American Adjunct Lager pours a nice golden amber color with a small white head. Little to no lacing to this brew, not saying that is a bad thing. The smell is rich with grains and malts. You do pick up on a slight sweetness and mild hops in the smell as well. So far this is a nice inviting brew, for a American Adjunct Lager. Now for the taste, it is bold with flavors. You pick up a good amount of grains and malts. This is an American Adjunct Lager , with happens to one of my favorite types of brew. You do pick up on the corn and bread flavors in this brew. There is nothing overpowering about Laker Premium Larger,it has a real nice balance to it. The body of this brew is a solid medium. The mouth feel of Laker Premium Lager is Smooth , Rich, Clean and Refreshing. Overall I'm giving this brew a soild 4 out of 5. I would definitely look this brew up again givin the chance to. This brew would go nice on a hot summer day. If you are not a fan of American Adjunct Lager this is not a brew for you.
Jul 27, 2017
Photo of Cramshawbar
Reviewed by Cramshawbar from Canada (ON)

1.66/5  rDev -38.1%
look: 1.25 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.75 | feel: 1 | overall: 1.5
Today I am continuing my series of reviews on sub-par beer products.
Are you sitting comfortably? Then we begin.
I have decided to buy the cheapest available beer on the Canadian market. Upon opening this bad boy, I was surprised to find a smile on my face. The nose took me right back to my childhood in Hungary and this was the scent of the cheap beer consumed there. Not sure which, whether Köbányai or perhaps Kinizsi (which may not even exist anymore). Weasel piss yes, but with some added sweetness.
Anyway, the carbonation looks over the top, only to almost instantly disappear, making the beer taste rather flat. At least the colour is not quite as bad as some of the same in this category (it's still ugly though).
So, what of the taste? Well, no revelation, but the grainy taste here really isn't as bad as the ones I have tasted among the useless category thus far. Certainly better than Coors and Bud Light, as well as Labatt Blue. Although it leaves this weird film in the back of your throat. Not sure what that is all about. Maybe I am slightly allergic of an ingredient.
All in all, no surprise here - I want to never try this again.
May 03, 2017
 
Rated: 2.68 by Electros from Canada (ON)

Mar 11, 2017
 
Rated: 2.5 by fortyfield from Canada (ON)

Jan 27, 2016
Photo of taxandbeerguy
Reviewed by taxandbeerguy from Canada (ON)

2.5/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5
Re-review. 473 ml can served cold into a pint glass. purchased from the LCBO for $1.90 CDN. Perhaps I'm a glutton for punishment or I really want to have a full review for some decidedly mediocre beers (they may not be mutually exclusive), but I decided to revisit a beer that used to be known as the beer for "buck-a-beers"

Appearance - An aggressive pour yielded a sickly yellow colored beer, crystal clear with tons of bubbles. A mammoth three finger head was poured and has surprisingly decent retention. It didn't last for that long but it was close to five minutes.

Smell - Quite a bit of grain, some strange peppery notes and cooked veggies. Nothing horrible, but not terribly enticing either.

Taste - Clean and grainy, adjuncts are clearly in play but not too distracting. Slight metallic flavors and a sweeter than expected finish don't enhance the beer, but many AAL's are worse for these finishing notes as well. Aftertaste is non-existent and reminiscent of club soda.

Mouthfeel - Crazily carbonated, overkill with the fizz. Works for the style but very gassy.

Overall - For a former "buck-a-beer" you could a lot worse. For a drinkable AAL, you could do quite a bit better. Carbonation is overkill, but otherwise a completely enjoyable if bland AAL if that's your thing. I will pass, but definitely not as bad as I had remembered.
Oct 02, 2015
 
Rated: 2.83 by CurtisD from Canada (NB)

Oct 01, 2015
 
Rated: 2.42 by Cycle69 from Canada (ON)

May 25, 2015
Photo of Bigmrred
Reviewed by Bigmrred

2.41/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 2 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
A pretty average pale lager. I keep it around for when relatives drop by. Very cheap and also Canadian/independently owned. Nothing I'd buy for myself, but I'll buy it over a macro brand any day.
Jan 16, 2015
Laker Lager from Waterloo Brewing
Beer rating: 67 out of 100 with 52 ratings