La Granja Stout (Ontario Maple Syrup Edition)
Nørrebro Bryghus

La Granja Stout (Ontario Maple Syrup Edition)La Granja Stout (Ontario Maple Syrup Edition)
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From:
Nørrebro Bryghus
 
Denmark
Style:
Sweet / Milk Stout
ABV:
7.5%
Score:
86
Avg:
3.78 | pDev: 8.99%
Reviews:
33
Ratings:
33
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jul 11, 2012
Added:
Feb 01, 2011
Wants:
  3
Gots:
  0
This version of La Granja was brewed especially for and sold exclusively to Ontario. 160 liters of maple syrup from Combermere, Ontario was used in the production of this beer.
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Photo of kjyost
Reviewed by kjyost from Canada (MB)

3.99/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
600 mL bottle from the special LCBO release (brewed with Canadian Maple Syrup) courtesy of tbeckett, thanks! Poured between 8-12C into a tulip. Bottle dated 291010 (Edit - Drank and reviewed in Jan 2012, moved in July due to wrong listing)

A: Big tan head to start, then it drops and nothing. Future pours were disappointing in their head & lacing too. Brown to opaque and clear.
S: Enjoyable. Roasted notes, with hints of coffee and maple syrup. Some dried fruit.
T: Starts roasty, moves to fruity (raisins & figs) and sweet with a coffee bitterness that finishes. Hints of maple, but maybe it is psychosomatic suggestion...
M: Lower carbonation which fits this bee well. Sweet, with a finish that is bitter from the malts with a light building warming.
O: A solid beer that is worth having. Would like to know if the coffee was more assertive a year ago when it was bottled, as I like a coffee stout to have more than a passing hint of coffee.
Jul 11, 2012
Photo of EgadBananas
Reviewed by EgadBananas from Louisiana

3.85/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Big thanks to TheSevenDuffs for this! I'm glad he mentioned it was a special Canadian edition...I'd have never noticed! lol

Pours black with ruby edges. Head was small, light brown. No lace and minimal retention. Light chocolaty roasted aroma, with a nice maple note backed by a little bit of coffee. The maple definitely seems to outshine the coffee. Milk chocolate taste, roasted malts, coffee and a big maple sweetness. Feels nice for a sweet stout; nice and creamy.

I haven't tried the strictly coffee version, but I may after trying this...quite enjoyable!
Oct 19, 2011
Photo of CanuckRover
Reviewed by CanuckRover from Canada (ON)

4.14/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
This one has a bit less than a year under its belt. Was in London when it was released and girlfriend picked up it for me once I saw it was a maple syrup edition.

Pours a very dark red, nice ruby highlights in the lamp light. Lively mocha head settles too quickly to a thin ring and a few clusters of bubbles.

Lucious would be the word for the aroma me thinks. Combined coffee and maple gives it a real woody flavour, almost, but not quite, smoked.

Almost milk chocolate up front. Creamy sweetness is gradually overtaken by an almost harsh coffee bitterness that really defines this one. That really nice woodiness hangs around in the background though, and it really makes the brew for me. They've managed to make a barrel-aged beer without barrel-ageing a beer. Alcohol is well-concealed, just faintly warming

Beautiful mouthfeel. Super-smooth with a perfectly understated carbonation.

Really liked it, incorporating maple into a beer is tough, but this gets it just about right. Bit more pronounced flavour from the syrup, and a touch less coffee, and it would be a homerun.
Sep 14, 2011
Photo of mmurphy525
Reviewed by mmurphy525 from Canada (NS)

3.63/5  rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Bottle pour into a duvel tulip. The following info was stamped on the bottle.

Bottle on: 29/10/10
Best Before: 26/10/12

Pours a deep black with a light tan head that dissipates very quickly. The aroma is very sweet (possibly a hint of maple but not sure) with some roasted malt and a little coffee grind in the mix. The sweetness in the smell is dominant in the taste but it is not over powering. Other notes include a hint of espresso, burnt malt and some vanilla. I personally could not taste any maple. Mouthful is a little thin for a stout and has moderate carbonation. Overall this is a very light well balanced stout. I think this would be a good entrance beer for people just beginning to get into stouts.
Jun 15, 2011
Photo of DrJay
Reviewed by DrJay from Texas

3.58/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Bottle courtesy of northyorksammy. Thanks!
Black, very dark with just a bit of brown translucency. A short brown cap of fine bubbles sat on top of the beer after a hard pour. Decent head retention with some spotty lacing. Roast and coffee aroma, bittersweet, faint fruity and malty notes in the background. More sweetness in the flavour, roast and chocolate, herbal bitterness, with a little vanilla and lactose sweetness. Medium bodied with well integrated carbonation, fine bubbles on the palate, moderate astringency. I enjoyed it, but was surprised at the relatively light body and mild malt presence - it seemed more sugary than malty at times.
Jun 07, 2011
Photo of Rutager
Reviewed by Rutager from Canada (BC)

4/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bottle From northyorksammy. Oroginally reviewed on: 04-16-2011 under the wrong beer (regular version, not ontario maple version). Thanks to MasterSki for pointing this out.

Appearance. Pours a deep brown with a finger of bubbly tan head.

Smell. Light roasted coffee and a little sweet chocolate.

Taste. Lightly sweetened coffee, burnt sugar, bitter coffee finish with a little dark chocolate.

Mouthfeel. Medium-light body with medium-strong carbonation.

Drinkability. Another nice and easy drinking stout. Sweetness compliments the type of coffee used.
May 29, 2011
Photo of korguy123
Reviewed by korguy123 from Canada (ON)

3.32/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
A- Dark black pour, ruby red when held to light, two finger soapy light tan head. Quickly shrinks to thin cap. Lacing is minimal.

S- Roasted coffee, maple, brown sugar and chocolate sauce and vanilla.

T- Bitter coffee, maple syrup, vanilla and slight chocolate sauce again. Bitter aftertaste.

M- Medium bodied, chewy and sticky on the lips. Carbonation is faint and helps cleanse the palette.

O- Good stout, could use more body, definitely needs more maple.
May 25, 2011
Photo of mdaschaf
Reviewed by mdaschaf from Indiana

3.7/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Review from notes. Thanks to korguy123 for this bottle!

A: Pours a deep black with a small tan foam head that dissipates very quickly leaving behind a few bubbles on top and very little lacing.

S: Smells like coffee grounds, very fresh coffee/espresso and a little bit of chocolate. The maple comes out a little bit as the beer warms, though it is not as strong as expected.

T: Coffee/espresso forward for sure, but not over the top. The maple is more prominent in the flavor profile and provides a nice sweetness. The maple/sweetness grows as the beer warms.

M: Medium bodied with a good bit of carbonation, maybe a little much, but I didn't have a real problem with it, just prevented it from being a little smoother/creamier.

O: Pretty good, even though I typically avoid coffee beers, this one is better than most, probably from the added sweetness of the maple syrup.
May 23, 2011
Photo of crusian
Reviewed by crusian from Oregon

2.77/5  rDev -26.7%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
bottle from awesome girlfriend from LCBO in toronto.

pours a thin looking dark brown with about a finger of head that grows slowly and dissipates quickly with large bubbles. the head doesnt stick around, and there is almost no lacing.. seems almost soda like carbonation.
nose is all coffee. reminds me of a coffee "stout" I brewed in college... tasted like carbonated coffee and smelled like coffee... nothing else in it.
taste is actually pretty similar to what I made, lol... taste is all coffee... there is a sweet nuttiness as well. not sure where this Maple syrup edition thing comes from, i dont see it anywhere on the label, nor do I taste it.
Pretty basic here. thin with a strong coffee bitterness aftertaste.
May 21, 2011
Photo of wordemupg
Reviewed by wordemupg from Canada (AB)

3.96/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
600ml bottle into tulip May,17,0211

A reddish cola when held to the light not very dark for a big stout, light tan head falls very fast almost like a pops fizz and leaves no lace

S smells like chocolate syrup, with some coffee, dates, and just a hint of smokey maple

T just a little toned down compared to the nose, the coffees cold and burnt now and it tastes even sweeter

M fairly thin and a little flat, not a high point for this brew

O it smells and tastes pretty good and that's the most important thing I suppose

I could drink this again and perhaps would let it age to see what happens, thanks liamt07 for sending this one my way
May 18, 2011
Photo of mintjellie
Reviewed by mintjellie from Canada (ON)

3.87/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Black with ruby highlights. Thin, wispy tan head is dissipates as fast as it forms. No lacing. Milk chocolate aroma with hints of espresso and maple syrup. Tastes like rich chocolate sweetened by maple syrup with a balancing coffee bitterness. Bitterness lingers in the long finish, along with a black coffee acidity. ABV completely hidden. Remarkably balanced for a strong beer. Medium bodied with soft carbonation. Well crafted with sweet, bitter, and tangy flavours mingling together in a harmonious and balanced whole. It wins me over on flavour and texture, but a stronger aroma and better head formation and retention would go a long way towards making this a better beer.
May 11, 2011
Photo of ritzkiss
Reviewed by ritzkiss from Canada (ON)

3.65/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
600ml bottle, maple syrup version using Ontario maple syrup. Pours a dark brown, thin and fading to tan on the edges. Finger of head on the pour which quickly fizzes out, leaving nothing - no retention.

Nose is light coffee, roast, dark fruits, hint of molasses. Smooth flavor, espresso is well integrated and balanced, really dry, light dark fruit and lacto twang in the finish, maple syrup doesn't really add much noticeable. Roast, light smoke, dark fruits, coffee, molasses - little thin, carb is a little too zippy, hides the ABV well. Easy drinking but nothing too exciting.
Apr 20, 2011
Photo of fostachild
Reviewed by fostachild from Wisconsin

3.74/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
pours a near pitch dark color. good tan head – but fades quickly.

smells of chocolate, coffee beans/mocha.

heavy coffee in the taste. also very sweet - maybe a bit too sweet.
good carbonation and drinkability.. overall was decent but kind of a letdown given the high cost.
Apr 14, 2011
Photo of augustgarage
Reviewed by augustgarage from California

3.97/5  rDev +5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Big thanks to northyorksammy for the chance to try this one. Poured from a 600mL bottle into my Bruery tulip.

Light-sucking bistre liquid is crowned by a light tan event-horizon of foam, forming a lasting collar and arcipelago of velvety cream. Sandy lacing, fast running, viscous tears.

Roasted barley, coffee, chicory, and faint maple in the nose. It does not smell sweet at all. Some phenolics.

Handmade corn tortillas, fresh off the griddle...rich clean malt, porcini mushrooms, and delicate fruit on the palate. Coffee, burnt maple sugar, and hints of toffee and toast in the long finish. Vague chocolate malt flavors as well...very well balanced.

Smooth, not-quite-medium-bodied mouthfeel, with good carbonation.

Simple, but very well crafted stout - I'd definitely pick this up again if it were regularly available...
Apr 04, 2011
Photo of ThatWineGuy
Reviewed by ThatWineGuy from Canada (ON)

4.1/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Poured a deep black with just a glint of ruby red-brown at the edges under a bright light. Head was foamy and sticky two finger but soon reduced to reveal some tar blackness at one-quarter of the glass. A solid ring remained and gave rise to spotty lace, the appearance suggestive of a creamy milk stout.

Smell is all expresso and black licorice. Taste is very agreeable, alcohol well controlled, maple syrup sweetness makes this highly palatable. Some coffee liqueur accents and a lingering, toasty finish. Medium body yet very drinkable. If you like stouts - and I do - this is easily a sessional.

Overall, an excellent example of international good will and co-operation, I hope the LCBO in Ontario keeps stocking this one - no fooling, this is a real treat!!
Apr 01, 2011
Photo of uno99
Reviewed by uno99 from Canada (ON)

3.04/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
My quiet St.Patricks evening is being spent with this Ontario Edition of la Granja

Served at 55 Degrees into a nonic.

A: Quite dark, but sort of a porter appearance in the outer edges of the liquid. head dissipates fast and leaves no hint of lace.

S:Trying hard to get the maple on this. smell is quite sweet and malty. Not much else going on here however.

T: Just not feelin this beer too much, and I was looking forward to it. Maybe its just too sweet for me.

M: Carbonation feels really overdone and mouthfeel is sort of thin.

O: Kind of a let down for me. Seems like most other reviewers like this however, so maybe my palate is off tonight.
Mar 18, 2011
Photo of biegaman
Reviewed by biegaman from Canada (ON)

4.24/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
True to its "classic stout" origins, this beer looks like it comes from industrial, eighteenth century England: it is black as coal and has a complexion so sooty you'd think it was dragged through a dirty chimney. It's as flat and polluted as any river unfortunate enough to flow next to a factory. It looks like it would fail modern standards of sanitation.

The bouquet is much more milk-chocolaty than dark chocolaty; the espresso is restrained enough so that a lot of maple syrup is able to seep through. The sweetness had my senses puzzled for a moment, until I remembered what exactly it was I was drinking. The syrup is rich and succulent, with a sharp hit of maple, a contrast to the roasty malts.

The flavour of authentic, luscious, rich Ontario maple syrup is found in the taste as well, which conjures to mind memories of school field trips and family vacations. (Anyone who's traveled across Ontario or Quebec can attest that every gift shop sells maple syrup, and in most you'll also find homemade maple fudge, maple cookies, etc.)

This clearly isn't the crap Aunt Jemima be sellin' ya! The flavour of maple fudge sticks out of the beer just as a giant beaver or hockey stick would, an obvious and familiar demarcation of true red-and-white gastronomy. Along with it, interestingly enough, is a particularly sooty and stale espresso taste as well as some roasty, bittersweet malts.

The 7.5% alcohol does nothing to make this seem like anything other than a standard, sessionable stout; it is easily (and best) consumed in big gulps. The gloppy sweetness of the syrup is a perfect adversary for all the bitter coffee and roast malt flavours. A shot of lactose sweetness fits in perfectly. The beer has an overall low-key temperament.

It's quite a sensation to taste authentic, home-grown Canadian maple syrup in a Danish beer that was brewed with Mexican coffee. If that's not a paper on globalization I don't know what is. Any gimmicks aside, I was very impressed with the outcome of this project. I found it simply a wonderful, immensely drinkable stout through and through.
Mar 16, 2011
Photo of jrallen34
Reviewed by jrallen34 from Illinois

3.37/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
600ml bottle poured into my Rodenbach tulip, big thanks to Alex for this tick... A dark brown body, would be black if not for the deep blood red that shows off clearly in the middle when held up to the light. A light tan head rises about a finger, falls quickly to leave a half finger solid cap, light lacing... The aroma is burnt coffee with oak, smoke, caramel and big amount of maple syrup shows through. The syrup is sweet but woody, has a hint of herbs to it too. I really love the maple notes but the coffee on the front, not so much... The taste is really disappointing as I was expecting so much more out of the maple syrup. Overall, its way too weak, mostly I get stale coffee, the syrup almost disappears. Weird grass coffee finish. The mouthfeel is way to light, hurts the taste too much, as it reminds me of watered down coffee. The biggest problem with this is that it tastes way too much like bad coffee, where as a lot of beers taste like a beer with coffee in it.
Mar 09, 2011
Photo of jrenihan
Reviewed by jrenihan from Canada (ON)

3.35/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Bottled October 29, 2010.

Pours a light black, almost dark brown, with a thin tan head, which dissipates quickly.

Smell is all coffee and maple syrup, particularly the former. I am not a coffee lover or connoisseur, but it does not strike me as the best smelling coffee in the world.

The coffee that was present in the nose is multiplied in the taste, to the extent that it strikes me as more a 'beer-flavoured coffee' than a 'coffee-flavoured beer.' There is some sweetness supplied by the maple syrup, but the finish is fairly bitter. Perhaps a coffee lover would enjoy this beer, but it is not for me. I do, however, think Peche Mortel is excellent, so this is not simply a bias against the style on my part.

Mouthfeel is quite good. Medium bodies, and a good level of carbonation. From the appearance, I had feared that it would be overly carbonated, but it appears not.

Drinkability is dinged for me due to the overpowering coffee taste. The alcohol, for what it's worth, is quite hidden.
Mar 06, 2011
Photo of KingHefey
Reviewed by KingHefey from Canada (ON)

4/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours like a can of semi-flat cola. Dark and rich in colour with a tan head.

A great nose, roasted malts, dark chocolate with coffee in the background. The maple syrup is an obvious and fantastic addition.

Coffee is much more predominent in the taste opposed to the smell. Dark chocolate and the maple syrup balance the bitter coffee. A bit of a medicinal taste on the tongue at the end.

A syrupy mouthfeel, slightly creamy with good carbonation.

A very satisfying stout but the dent in the wallet makes it one (well, two) and done.
Feb 28, 2011
La Granja Stout (Ontario Maple Syrup Edition) from Nørrebro Bryghus
Beer rating: 86 out of 100 with 33 ratings