Lions Winter Ale - Granville Island Brewery

hopsolutely

Ontario (Canada)

3.76/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

My expectations of any Molson-Coors product are pretty low, but purchased based on a local recommendation and this can offered a very pleasant surprise!

Pours a dark amber colour with a minimal off-white head that has good staying power. Sweet aroma of chocolate "nestle quik" and vanilla is pretty powerful. That sweetness is tempered in the taste, which has a decent malt presence and underlying hop bitterness to the finish. Still reminds me a bit of chocolate-covered candied pineapple, but that's only one side of the flavour and it's better balanced than that sounds. The vanilla is not as subtle as I'd personally choose.

All in all, a winter warmer I'd recommend and a vanilla-lover’s dream. My compliments to Granville Island and I hope Molson continues to allow them brewing autonomy...

Serving type: can

01-20-2013 23:05:52 | More by hopsolutely

TerryW

Ontario (Canada)

3.69/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Actually a fairly interesting brew built around a very nice malt backbone. Very sweet, but not overpowering, nicely balanced off by hop bitterness. Interesting flavours of vanilla, caramel, cocoa, dark fruit work together well.

Clear coppery-amber brew under a short head that settles to a steady cap and gives up lots of lace. A pretty beer.

Nose is full of vanilla, caramel, very pleasant malt character.

I like this simply because it comes off as fun to drink. Lots of simple, interesting things happening in the glass. On one hand almost comes off as caramel sundae topping, but is quickly brought around by malt and spice.

Reminds me off a lighter, poor man's Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock. Nicely done.

Serving type: can

05-25-2013 02:11:30 | More by TerryW

MrTinnedPEach

Alberta (Canada)

4/5  rDev +8.4%

05-12-2013 03:50:32 | More by MrTinnedPEach

KENNEDYBREWS

Arizona

3.75/5  rDev +1.6%

05-01-2013 05:36:12 | More by KENNEDYBREWS

beerhunter13

Ontario (Canada)

3/5  rDev -18.7%

04-30-2013 00:41:01 | More by beerhunter13

KrisDLSmith

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +8.4%

04-23-2013 02:26:12 | More by KrisDLSmith

Digimaika2

Ontario (Canada)

3.68/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

(4.0) A: Beautiful clear mahogany-amber with a sizeable and creamy head. Recedes to a blanket fairly quick while clinging to the glass well.

(4.0) S: Dry cocoa, vanilla, marshmallows, figs and dates, some dark fruits (mostly cherries), and spice. Overall leans towards a generally sweet (marshmallow & cocoa) aroma but it’s very enticing and wonderful stuff.

(3.5) T: Cocoa, dark fruits, nutmeg, and caramel. The taste comes across as a subdued and scaled back version of the aroma. Slight mineral quality. Restrained hop and malt presence.

(3.5) M: Lighter bodied with a lighter carbonation. Fairly thin, a bit powdery, and rather flat.

(3.75) D: Flavours could be more prominent and mouthfeel is lacking a bit, but overall still a decent winter ale. This would actually be a good gateway winter ale to introduce to those just getting into spiced/hoppy ales.

Serving type: can

04-19-2013 01:54:09 | More by Digimaika2

souvenirs

British Columbia (Canada)

4/5  rDev +8.4%

04-18-2013 09:14:32 | More by souvenirs

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle: Poured a clear deep amber color ale with a medium size foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of caramelized sugar and light toffee notes with subtle fruity ester are quite interesting. Taste is also a great mix between some caramelized sugar and toffee while retaining a good balance of sweetness with some light subtle fruity ester. Body is about average with good carbonation. Easily drinkable winter warmer style beer with just enough complexity.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 19:50:41 | More by Phyl21ca

TheHammer

Ontario (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: A respectable amount of lace with two fingers of head that retained respectably as well compliments a deep ruby red body with low carbonation.

Smell: Vanilla, caramel, and candy cane mint with huge brown sugar smells. It's strong and didn't need a lot of warming to come out, but it smells like it's going to be sickeningly sweet.

Taste: As I predicted, this beer is REALLY sweet. It starts with caramel malt mixed with molasses and brown sugar that turns more herbal as candy cane mint, cinnamon and vanilla notes come out and then fade away. It's just so overwhelmingly sweet...I'm almost inclined to think of it more like a liquor then a beer.

Mouthfeel: The carbonation is very low, and I think it's absence is what is letting some of the sweeter elements run wild here. The sweetness thankfully doesn't linger as a nice cinnamon/nutmeg note provides nice closure.

Drinkability: I don't know if I could stomach more then two or three of these. It's surprisingly heavy bodied, which you wouldn't think at first, but then makes sense as they must had added a lot of spice and malt to this to make it so sweet. Still it goes down well enough.

Final Thoughts: Well, this beer tastes like Christmas, simply put, and like Christmas, it is good it only comes around once a year. The good outweighs the bad here, but I wouldn't want to drink this on a regular basis.

Serving type: can

03-30-2013 00:05:53 | More by TheHammer

slitherySOB

Ontario (Canada)

4.46/5  rDev +20.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

This is one pleasant ale that reminds me of Christmas. Deep brownish red with a thick, creamy, two finger head, this beer is a beauty to behold. Smells of banana bread, malts, caramel, vanilla and winter fruits. Tastes delicious. Big bold malts, bready character, strong hint of vanilla, some banana and plums... Mouthfeel is velvety and smooth. Too bad I'm having this during the spring.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2013 23:16:13 | More by slitherySOB

valianes

Ontario (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +22%

03-24-2013 02:10:40 | More by valianes

Stephie71

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -5.1%

03-20-2013 03:09:44 | More by Stephie71

RefillMyglass

Ontario (Canada)

2.5/5  rDev -32.2%

03-12-2013 01:39:27 | More by RefillMyglass

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

3.74/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Chestnut is always a handsome colour for a winter seasonal and, indeed, Lions Winter Ale has a look that exudes both class and personality. It demonstrates flawless clarity, decent froth and is rich with gleaming highlights. You'd sell a lot of magazines with this on the cover!

A bit quiet initially, the aromas of vanilla and creamy caramel build effortlessly once they've had a chance to properly breathe. A dash of carob and pecan-like nuttiness also grows on you, as does the faintest whiffs of waffle and bittersweet Belgian chocolate. These sweet, universally appealing scents make a very friendly introduction.

The vanilla flavouring is hardly creamy or candy-sweet - it tastes like vanilla pod not vanilla cupcake. Still, the beer feels a bit artificial. The toffee and creamy caramel notes aren't the subtler, nuanced type typically suggested by specialty malts - they are the kind you get in a store-bought cake. The flavours are rather buoyant and very toothsome, which isn't bad...

though it must be said that there is hardly a palpable taste of winter in this 'winter ale'. Christmas, maybe, because of a carob/nutmeg-like spice. But winter? This doesn't quite have the body, strength or makeup to match the harsh realities of a (non-Pacific) Canadian winter.

British Columbia's Lions Winter Ale is kind of a reflection of where it's brewed. It would be a great pint to share with friends after a mild day on the slopes, but it doesn't have the depth and complexity to support a long night of solitary inner-reflection in the midst of a dark, dead, frost-bound environment. Very tasty stuff, but buy accordingly.

Serving type: can

03-08-2013 02:24:19 | More by biegaman

sbarre

Ontario (Canada)

3.25/5  rDev -11.9%

03-05-2013 11:42:51 | More by sbarre

ThinkAgain

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -5.1%

02-20-2013 00:47:22 | More by ThinkAgain

BigGruntyThirst

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev +1.6%

02-14-2013 19:03:53 | More by BigGruntyThirst

yancot

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -5.1%

02-11-2013 21:19:39 | More by yancot

JFL

British Columbia (Canada)

3.54/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Very dark red hue with a head ranging from half a finger to two fingers, within the same six pack. Head starts vanishing immediately, and within 45 seconds retreats to nothing. Very little lacing around the glass

Smell is overwhelmingly sweet, lots of vanilla, bit of caramel

Bit of the roasted malt, lots of vanilla, bit of nuttiness almost, but again, lots of vanilla. Maybe a little too much

Fairly smooth, not enough of the carbonation released during the pour

Good beer that is easily found at government stores, and many privates. Not worth writing home about, but definitely worth having a few of.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 02:14:52 | More by JFL

patre_tim

China

3.96/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Deep brown with a reddish hue, clear filtered, little carbonation, 2 finger beige head fades fairly fast.

S: Malty, deep goodness. Some fruitiness and candy like quality. Banana. Caramel.

T: Follows nose: Malty, deep goodness. Some fruitiness and candy like quality. Banana. Caramel. Some kind of fruity kids candy.

M: Medium body, medium low carbonation. Slight bitter cling, typical to winter warmers.

O: Good, malty, delicious, balanced good beer. My first by Granville Island and was glad to find it at an LCBO in Ontario. Would like to try more by them, but they're hard to find out here.

Serving type: can

02-04-2013 07:03:35 | More by patre_tim

BrewCaveDweller

Nebraska

4/5  rDev +8.4%

01-30-2013 01:44:41 | More by BrewCaveDweller

ZiggyPop

Alberta (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -5.1%

01-23-2013 04:07:29 | More by ZiggyPop

mick303

Ontario (Canada)

3.51/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Poured a pretty nice white foamy head, pretty decent retention. Leaves a good lacing and film. Colour is a dull ruby chestnut brown, very little visible carbonation.

Smell has really powerful sweet caramel and vanilla notes. Brown sugar and treacle, there might be some malt there but its sugar-coated. Some mild roastiness. A bit leather and oaky notes. Smells like caramel candy, no bitterness.

Taste has a initially dark caramel and brown sugar, some slightly roasty maltiness comes through. Some cinnamon spice and slight bitterness, sort of fireplace-like. Then more thin caramel, and lots of vanilla and really sweet coffee, which persists through the finish. Still very sweet throughout, but there are some moderately interesting balancing flavours and some complexity comes through eventually.

Mouthfeel has a moderate light body, little carbonation, and a thin caramel feel. A bit watery and noticeably sweet. Not much crispness, and finish is pretty wet, some late dryness.

Still maintain that this can at times be offensively sweet, once it develops it does show some other interesting elements. It cries out for balance though, and while a decent winter beer, I wouldn't say you're missing much if you give it a pass. Unless caramel beers are your thing.

Serving type: can

01-23-2013 00:59:57 | More by mick303

kjyost

Manitoba (Canada)

4/5  rDev +8.4%

01-20-2013 21:47:38 | More by kjyost