Lions Winter Ale - Granville Island Brewery

elricorico

Alberta (Canada)

2.08/5  rDev -43.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 1.5

Pours a reddish brown with almost nothing for head despite an aggressive pour. Something about it is not very appetizing.

Smells a bit like vanilla, with a cut grass, peed on clothing smell mixed in. Again, not entirely appetizing... Things aren't looking too good for this one.

Taste is right up front vanilla. Tastes like the filling of an oreo cookie. Finishes up bitter and leaves a cloying flavour in the mouth.

I have nothing good to say about this beer. I've had a couple of bottles before, and tend to like it less each time.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2004 03:11:17 | More by elricorico

EskimoDave

British Columbia (Canada)

2.88/5  rDev -22%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Lions Winter Ale is a blood red beer. Vanilla dominates the nose with a milk chocolateliness to it. This carries over to the taste of the beer. Toffee is subtly present in the background through out. The low carbonation leads to an incredible smooth beer with a solid medium body. There is a residual cloying sweetness in the finish.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2010 22:53:21 | More by EskimoDave

BigBry

Alberta (Canada)

2.9/5  rDev -21.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

One of four selections in the Graville Island Winter Mingler 12 pack.
Orange amber color, with an off white-orangish head. Foam quickly disappeared leaving a thin ring around the glass. By the end, there was no carbonation left. First smell is sharp with some kind of spice, later on the aroma is quite strong vanilla. At first taste it is smooth, with some light vanilla, a little bitter finish leaving a tingle on the tongue. However, the more you drink of this the sweeter it becomes. Half way through I thought I was drinking a cherry cream soda. Very sweet and heavy feeling, could only drink 1 at a time.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2005 14:44:21 | More by BigBry

Frozensoul327

Michigan

2.98/5  rDev -19.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Pours out to a flat brown auburn color with a small head of foam that quickly dissipates. No lace. Low carbonation. Aromas of raisins, grainy caramel and roasted malts. Taste was a bit bland, but notes of grains, malt, and mild dark fruits were noted. Mouthfeel was far too flat and boring. Drinkability is not up to par. Thanks to Derek for the 12 oz. sample.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2006 01:02:47 | More by Frozensoul327

Grunewald

British Columbia (Canada)

3/5  rDev -18.7%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A - poured from a 341ml bottle can into a tulip glass. It pours red with a quickly vanishing white head.

S - vanilla, toffee/tootsie roll,root beer, nuts and breakfast cereal

T - spicy malt with pop (vanilla cola and root beer) undertones and a strange tangy/vanilla finish

M - medium carbonation, medium body and a sticky finish

D - the flavors seem very artificial and remind me of name brand snacks/pop. The finish has a chemical taste and mouthfeel like cola.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2010 11:18:22 | More by Grunewald

beerayrton

British Columbia (Canada)

3.05/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I`ve had this beer multiple times, and thought it would be a good beer for my first review.

Appearance - Pleasant, not much head at all, less than a finger. Minimal to no lacing.

Smell - Vanilla with a hint of nuttiness. Not too bad, but for some reason I`ve had better pours.

Taste - Maple notes up front, desolving into vanilla notes the deeper you get into it. There`s a bitter note there as well.

Mouthfeel - Medium amounts of carbonation, and a crisp and clear, slightly bitter feel.

Overall - Very drinkable. The vanilla is really the key here, it is what makes it as palatable as it is. I most likely will order again next time I am at the pub that offers this beer, seeing as it`s the best one on tap. I will order it soon, especially if I am having a dessert.

Serving type: on-tap

11-18-2011 06:43:52 | More by beerayrton

HATS4BATS

Ontario (Canada)

3.13/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Balanced but single-minded. Pours clear root beer brown. Overpowering sugared scent leaves room for little else. Candied infusion of vanilla overpowers without overwhelming; but prevents whatever faint notes of dark chocolate and malts/hops to that exist to develop with any meaning. Flavour quickly disappears with no after-taste. Novelty ale with little enduring seasonal value.

Serving type: can

12-30-2012 01:29:42 | More by HATS4BATS

Derek

British Columbia (Canada)

3.2/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

This one's not retired. It's a seasonal, that's available again!

A: Copper-orange/amber, very clear. Nice off-white head, zero retention, no lace.

S: Caramel, grainy and a little astringent.

T: Bready malt, caramel, a litte nutty, good bittersweet balance.

M: Moderate body and carbonation.

D: Good. Should appeal to the general public, if they're feeling a little aventurous!

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2005 01:26:04 | More by Derek

Cwrw

Alberta (Canada)

3.38/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A winter seasonal by Granville Island, BC. The appearance is average. A pop-fizz head, which is light brown and did not last long. The beer is reddish-amber, with some orange. Thin lace. Clear, but not transparent liquid. The aroma immediately reminded me of coke and vanilla. Buttery, definite maple syrup, dark candied malt, some grainy tree-bark, even pine aromas. Nuts, and root beer. A definite pop smell to it. Cinammon and tree resin. The bottle itself states there is vanilla in the taste and aroma, and it is true: vanilla is extremely evident in the taste. Almost precisely this beer resembles the aroma. There is a decent hop dryness, but a finish of cardboard or wood, which leaves a dry feeling. I dislike the finish. It is a little cloyingly syrupy on the tongue; a little lacking in balance somehow. Predominantly malty brew. This beer starts off nicely with a fruity-sweet smell, and a vanilla taste up front, but there is an undesirable feeling left in the mouth, almost as if this beer has been stored improperly.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2004 20:04:33 | More by Cwrw

OskarL

Sweden

3.43/5  rDev -7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Clear dark amber color with a two finger head that settles fast and leaves little lacing.

Smells of a lot of toffee, cloves, caramel, vanilla and spiced christmas bread.

Tastes quite like the nose but it finishes a bit sweet with some dark fruits.

Has a light/medium body and good carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2010 00:33:22 | More by OskarL

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.48/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This beer pours a perfectly clear medium amber hue, with thin puffy white head that melts away, leaving no lace to speak of. The aroma is spiced bread, like ginger and nutmeg, quite light. The taste is mild acidic hoppiness, and the aforementioned warming spices, and a bit of yeastiness, in the strong malt backbone. Carbonation is about average, carrying the light spices to the clean, and somewhat sweet, finish. There is no appreciable warming from the alcohol, just the spices. A nice mild winter sipper, enjoyable on this Christmas Day gap between brunch, and the haze-inducing wine and food extravaganza yet to come...

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2009 07:50:47 | More by biboergosum

JayAre46

Texas

3.48/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - poured firmly into a tulip produced 1 1/2 fingers of white head that reduce to a sheet that covers the top, auburn mahogany pretty deep and close to opaque. minimal lacing

A - get some pale malts and vanilla extract that smells absolutely great while not over powering maybe some earthy tones along with slight nutty aroma

T - Holy shit, up front the pale roasted malts, then the vanilla extract dominance this beer tastes very similar to the soda A&W makes, cream soda? very different beer, absolute vanilla bomb, the nose definitely suggests this flavor but not this much. Im not sure what to think exactly whether im enjoying it or not, perhaps on the slopes this might hit the spot...no hop presence or alcohol the cream soda is absolutely dominant.

M - light to medium bodied, medium carbonation, lost all focus from this cream soda....jesus christ maybe this is what a cream ale should be. slightly soothing on the palate, im going to say that this does not have a high drinkability when temps are over 50F and i live in texas....and its may

O - Thank you rutager for this brew,quite the experience. i have put this brew off for sometime now because i always looked at it and thought to myself, i already know what that tastes like...never have i ever been so wrong, the aroma got me thinking real quick im in for it. The character of this beer stands out a lot to me and while im not loving it, i am liking it and also can see how could this may be on the side of a mountain.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2011 06:39:11 | More by JayAre46

canucklehead

British Columbia (Canada)

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

This is the 2005 version and I must say that the often overpowering vanilla notes are moved to the back. The beer is creamier and more assertive in its flavour of hops. I will start buying this as thankfully the sickly vanilla esters are only a small part of the makeup.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2005 00:59:35 | More by canucklehead

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

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

473ml Can from the Ottawa LCBO for 2.50$

Appearance - Clear reddish brown colour with an above average size fizzy beige head. There is an average amount of carbonation showing and there is some faint lacing. The head lasted for 3-4 minutes before it was gone.

Smell - Malts, dark fruits, caramel/chocolate/vanilla

Taste & Mouth - There is an average amount of carbonation and I can taste malts, dark fruits, and some chocolate/caramel/vanilla. There is also a bit of a herbal flavour and it ends with malty slightly sweet aftertaste.

Overall - Not too shabby. It has a little something taste wise for everyone. I can see this working well as a good gateway beer to get into craft. Not something I'd buy another can of, but I'd probably get a pint on tap if I saw it at a bar.

Serving type: can

01-02-2013 00:57:57 | More by spinrsx

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

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

Long813

Nova Scotia (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a clear red body with minimal head and lacing. Nothing to amazing about the looks.

S: Very pleasing mixture of caramel and vanilla with hints of roasted malt. The vanilla is a nice touch. Overall the aroma could be a touch stronger.

T: Following the aroma, there is a nice mix of roasted malts, caramel and vanilla. The taste is somewhat light though.

M: Water like texture with medium-low carbonation. There is a nice after taste of vanilla that lingers for a short amount of time.

O: A nice winter ale. It's a little weak overall, but as an easy to drink beer with flavour it's there.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 00:37:11 | More by Long813

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

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

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

3.58/5  rDev -3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Dark amber in colour, a bit of a caramel hue. A very small off-white head disappears almost instantly.

The nose is filled with vanilla, almost overwhelming. Behaind that, caramel malt, cocoa, hazelnut. Smells very sweet, candy like. The vanilla smells like it is probably extract or artificial- does not seem like actual vanilla bean.

The vanilla is also prominent in the taste, which is no surprise. Coupled with caramel and hazelnut, as well as some spices. Quite sweet. Finish is a bit metallic, artificial.

Beer is quite thin, strongly carbonated. Rather insubstantial, particularly for the flavours.

Overall, decent, but not something I would want often. I am a big vanilla fan, which probably helped, but I don't think it is done particularly well in this beer.

Serving type: can

04-20-2012 00:40:06 | More by jrenihan

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

3.63/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottle shared by Steve, 341ml into a tulip.

Golden brown in colour, offwhite head - only a ring of retention persists, no lacing. Nose is full of vanilla, perhaps slightly artificial in tone. Some cocoa, brown sugar and nuts as well. Taste is lightly nutty, more breadiness, caramel, cocoa and vanilla. Carbonation is a bit higher than I'd like, but a few swirls of the glass took it down to a manageable level. Fairly thin however, and perhaps a little too sweet in the finish. Nose is quite nice, but palate doesn't live up to it. I thought this could've been a lot better with some more body and mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2012 15:44:04 | More by liamt07

peensteen

Ontario (Canada)

3.63/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Amber/copper colour, one finger of dense white head, good amount of lace here as well too. Smell is a nice mix of vanilla and spices, caramel, toffee, a subtle roast malt profile as well as some chocolate present. Taste is spicy and lightly sweet, vanilla with bits of toffee, chocolate and roast were more pleasant on the nose than on the palate, bit of bready flavours with a light bitterness. Medium carbonation, light to medium body. Not a bad beer and something I apreciate compared to some other spice bomb winter ales, a bit lackluster however but still a good drink.

Serving type: can

12-17-2012 16:06:00 | More by peensteen

thehyperduck

Ontario (Canada)

3.65/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

473 mL can from the LCBO; packaged in October (apparently their codes only provide the month). I've tried this brew before, and although that particular occurrence was now many years ago, I do remember enjoying it. Served only slightly chilled.

Pours a clear ruby-copper colour, topped with one finger of off-white head that wastes no time fizzling away into a creamy collar and thin film on the surface. Almost no lacing, but other than that it looks fine. Sniffing this stuff definitely brought back some good memories - the pronounced vanilla and milk chocolate sweetness gives it a relatively unique and recognizable profile, with underlying notes of butterscotch and hazelnuts. Enjoyable, but it really reminds me of Vanilla Coke which makes me think something artificial was used. Maybe I'm paranoid.

Nice, light, drinkable flavour with a good mix of malty flavours, spice and hops. Vanilla is still a major contributor, with more hazelnut and toasted malt backing than the aroma lets on. Small hints of maple and chocolate, with some modest spice and vaguely herbal hop notes. Surprisingly dry finish, with the vanilla and spice lingering into the aftertaste. Fairly light-bodied, bordering on watery, with moderate carbonation levels. Very drinkable for the style, due to its lightness and restrained abv/spice.

Final Grade: 3.65, a serviceable B grade. Granville Island's Lions Winter Ale is a highly quaffable, enjoyable little warmer in its own right, but what it comes down to is this - if someone gave this to me blindfolded, I seriously might mistake it for Vanilla Coke or cream soda, and for that reason I really can't take it seriously. This isn't the greatest winter beer in the world, but it's still a charming brew with far more drinkability than the average warmer. Of the Granville brews I've tried, this is easily the best and probably the only one I would seriously consider recommending to others, or re-purchasing.

Serving type: can

12-24-2012 08:12:43 | More by thehyperduck

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

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