Originally rated June 2007. Found this one in a LCBO in Toronto... came in a bomber. Pours a darker brown that is clean, with no sediments at the bottom. The head is medium, slightly creamy, mildly tanned and leaves a bit of lace. The nose is on the plumb side, with some dark malts undertones. Very smooth mouthfeel with a little stick at the end. The taste is pretty well-balanced. Not too sweet, I am surprised. They must of changed their recipe, or had good aging. The maple is hard to even detect. No bitterness, but slight hop taste appears in the aftertaste. The burnt malt and the sweetness equalizes everything. Decent maple bock.

Bouteille 650ml. De couleur brune foncée et claire. Nez de sirop d’érable, de malt rôti aux faibles notes fumées (fumée de bois), moyen de sucre brûlé avec des notes de chocolat noir et des traces de houblon herbeux. Moyenne-mince en bouche avec un pétillement moyen et une texture légèrement aqueuse et aux petites notes sirupeuses. Goût de sirop d’érable (présent en arrière-goût toute la gorgée) accompagné de notes de fumée de bois lors de l’entrée en bouche auquel se rajoute rapidement un goût de malt rôti/ grillé avec un léger goût de chocolat noir et de faibles notes de sucre brûlé puis en finale l’on retrouve une légère amertume de houblon herbeux ainsi qu’un léger goût boisé (bois humide). Post-goût moyen et aux notes sèches, légèrement amer de rôti avec des notes de chocolat noir et de houblon herbeux ainsi qu’un restant de goût sucré de sirop d’érable.

Originally rated March 2009. Another Trafalgar brew at the LCBO, but this one has a weird label (not sure what they are aiming for - to much shit going on) and not sure about the words "cedar" and "cream ale" following each other. Anyways, has a best before date of July 2009, so even though their beers always taste outdated, I will give this one a try. Pours a clear golden-orange colour with hardly any carbonation. I guess this is for the smoothness ? Decent off-white head, that does not last too long, but creates a bit of lace. Grainy malt nose, with a little maple syrup in the background. Flat watery mouthfeel with a little stickiness in the end. The taste is a bit hoppy with the grain malt. The mild bitterness continues through the finish. Actually, probably one of the first Trafalgar I enjoy more then hating it. This brewery is getting better, and this is an interesting product (except for the lack of carbonation).

Bottle: Poured a clear dark amber color bock with a rather large foamy head with good retention and some good lacing. Aroma of light caramelized sugar and unrefined malt is more or less interesting. Taste is also dominated by some caramelized sugar with good notes of brown sugar and some slightly unrefined grain notes. Body is a bit light for style with good carbonation and no apparent alcohol. Nothing special here but a lot better then most of their other offerings.

Originally rated December 2009. Comes in a bomber with a best before date, clipped on the front label that reads, April 2010. Pours a hazy amber colour with a very small head and little lacing. Had a big aroma of butter at first pour, but now getting the hop, the fruits (like apricot and peach) and a bit of caramel. A nice medium mix of the hop and some grain malt. Medium-bodied with a little dry mouthfeel. Good hop taste in the aftertaste and a better product for Trafalgar.

Bomber from the LCBO. Pours a dark copper colour with an average off-white head that has moderate retention and does not have much lacing. The nose is quite grainy with the roasted barley and notes of nuts and toffee. Smooth and velvet mouthfeel. Same as the aromas for the taste, but much tamer. Nutty, with the roasted malt in the aftertaste. Very lightly carbonated with one tiny bubble coming up from time to time. Not sure if this one is better as I have cellared it, or if it just got better recently. Better than most other from this brewery and a decent session brew.

Originally rated January 2010. Little special from Trafalgar for Halloween 2009 at the LCBO. Best before date on bottle says January 2010, so right on time. Wow... hardly no head (like a beheaded corpse) with a dark caramel-red colour body. Mild aromas of nuts, brown sugar, coffee and chocolate and this is the best part of this brew. Watery mouthfeel and boring (as in flat). The taste is quite mild with burnt sugar, caramel and the coffee, but like I say... pretty, pretty mild. Could be a nice brew, but needs head and way more punch. For next Halloween maybe ??

Originally rated January 2010 - 2009 edition in a bomber bottle. Hops were picked the same day as the beer was brewed, so must be fresh. Pours a cloudy-hazy golden-yellow colour with a big white creamy head that stays a while and leaves mini-island lacing. Lots of sediments are floating all-around. At first pour, smell like those little tart candies in a roll you get at Halloween. After that, the hop comes out, but very floral and sweet with citrus notes. Smooth and mildly watery mouthfeel with no stick. The hop is not really dominant in the taste though. Not really bitter, not really dry. Way too toned down. Good taste, but just not as punchy as one would expect. More refreshing than a hoppy brew.