Sleeman Brewing & Malting Co. Upper Canada Dark Ale

Upper Canada Dark Ale

 

Sleeman Brewing & Malting Co. in Guelph, Ontario, Canada 🇨🇦

  Brown Ale Regular
Score
6.46
ABV: 5.0% IBU: - Ticks: 10
A medium chestnut brown color, delicate fruity bouquet and a robust, malty character.

Combines traditional Challenger hops from the English region of Kent and a special blend of select carastan and black patent malts.
 

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6
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 6

nice sweet nose, some fruit. great sweet/malty/bitter finish. On tap this beer is wonderful, in a bottle, leaves alot to be desired.

Tried from Draft on 27 Feb 2025 at 05:32


7.4
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

11.5 ounce bottle into pint glass, bottled on 9/16/2016. Pours fairly crystal clear deep ruby red/light brown color with a 1-2 finger dense and rocky cream colored head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings down that glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of caramel, brown sugar, brown bread, toasted biscuit, nuttiness, herbal, floral, and grass; with lighter notes of chocolate, coffee, toffee, pepper, raisin, plum, apple, and yeast/roast/toasted earthiness. Nice and pleasant aromas with good balance and complexity of dark/bready/light roasted malt and light-moderate fruity yeast/earthy hop notes; with solid strength. Taste of caramel, brown sugar, brown bread, toasted biscuit, nuttiness, herbal, floral, and grass; with lighter notes of chocolate, coffee, toffee, pepper, raisin, plum, apple, and yeast/roast/toasted earthiness. Light herbal/grassy/spicy hop and roast bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of caramel, brown sugar, brown bread, toasted biscuit, nuttiness, herbal, floral, grass, pepper, light chocolate/coffee, and yeast/roast/toasted earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Nice complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/bready/light roasted malt and light-moderate fruity yeast/earthy hop flavors; with a great malt/bitterness balance, and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Light dryness from hop/roast bitterness, increasing through the glass. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy/bready/grainy, and lightly sticky/chalky balanced mouthfeel that is nice. Zero warming alcohol as expected of 5%. Overall this is a nice English brown ale. All around nice complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/bready/light roasted malt and light-moderate fruity yeast/earthy hop flavors; very smooth and easy to drink. There was a bit of an odd stale grain note going on, but this was really spot on for the style otherwise. A nicely enjoyable offering.

Tried from Bottle on 29 Apr 2017 at 18:13


6
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6

Clear dark reddish brown with a small tan head. Nose is roasted nuts with light coffee and chocolate. Light sweet with a light bitter middle and an acidic finish. Light medium mouth with soft carbonation.

Tried on 13 Aug 2014 at 17:11


8.5
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

Originally sampled in 2004 (back when it was probably much better brewed than today). Last, but not least, of my Upper Canada tester 6-pack. I saved the best for last. This dark ale poured a deep red-brown colour with a nice tanned head that stayed longer then any of their (Upper Canada) brews. Very good lacing. The nose was composed of wonderful aromas, from toffee, to malt, to bitterness. The taste had caramel and molasse hints with some smoked malts. Very, very pleasant... especially the smoked aftertaste.

Tried from Can on 30 Sep 2010 at 16:58


5.5
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 5

Cask @ Black Bull, Toronto. Brown colour, off-white head. Aroma of toasted malts and nuts. Flavour is nutty, caramel malts, and some fruits. Forgettable.

Tried from Cask on 26 Apr 2009 at 17:41


6
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6

bottle - Pours dark amber with a one finger head and a light malt aroma. The flavor is sweet and malty with some very light fruit and nut notes. It’s really easy to drink, but could use a little more body. Not bad.

Tried from Bottle on 29 Aug 2007 at 19:25


6.4
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

Nice brown ale with a light off-white head. Sweet caramel aroma without character. In mouth, nice sweet malt with lots of nuttyness, and decent hops . Light coffee notes, not bad overall. Medium bodied.

Tried on 19 Feb 2005 at 13:28


7.2
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 8

Pours a dark brown with a white head. Roasted malts and citrus with a little toffee scents. First taste had more roasted malts with a slight coffee flavour. Slightly sweet but really smooth. Great amount of roasted flavour even if it is a little watery. Palate was clean and it left behind only a nice roasted flavour. Very good!

Tried on 30 Jan 2004 at 19:55


5.9
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 6.5

Brown with lasting tan head. Light malt profile. Clean and smooth...........

Tried on 07 Jan 2003 at 10:00


5
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 5

Shorlin, how could you dare say that this is mass produced? Everybody knows that Sleeman, the nations third largest brewer, is an artisinal producer. That big plant they have in Guelph is just for show, they really brew in the shed out back. It only TASTES mass-produced.

Tried on 17 Jan 2001 at 12:12