It’s been a while since I reviewed a beer from Lake of Bays Brewing Company. The last one I reviewed was their 10 Point English IPA, and before that I reviewed their Top Shelf Classic Lager. I’ve enjoyed the Lake of Bays brews I’ve had in the past, so I was happy to see a 473-mL can of their Golden Chai Ale, part of Lake of Bays’ Wild North Series, at my local LCBO. Always interested in trying new brews, I wasted no time in pouring what I hope will be a spicy and flavourful beer.
Lake of Bays Brewing Co: Golden Chai Ale – First Sip
Golden Chai Ale pours a slightly cloudy straw yellow colour with a healthy amount of foam that reduces to a thin layer at the top of my pint glass. This brew has a slightly fruity smell. I had expected it to smell spicier. When I take my first sip I taste lots of malty orange flavours upfront that slowly fade to a cinnamon-y, clove-y aftertaste. With a relatively low carbonation level, Golden Chai Ale has a smooth mouthfeel. It’s surprisingly easy to drink for a flavoured ale.
Lake of Bays Brewing Co: Golden Chai Ale – Last Sip
Although I had expected a more robust chai flavour when I purchased this brew, its chai personality is there. It’s just subtle. After finishing a tall can, I have a strong sense of it and would definitely like to have a couple more.
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Unlike with some other flavoured craft brews, subtle is the word. As the can promises, this is a good beer to crack open in the spring, but with its gritty cinnamon aftertaste this is also a good beer to have when it’s cold out. Because of its smooth-drinking quality, you’ll have to keep track of how many you’ve had, especially because this surprisingly smooth beer weighs in at a respectable 5.2% ABV.
