Sorachi Lager – The Brewery
Duggan’s Brewery Parkdale is located in downtown Toronto’s burgeoning Queen Street West district. The brewery’s website proudly recounts Michael Duggan’s impressive résumé as founder of and brewmaster for both Mill Street and Duggan’s Breweries, making Duggan Canada’s most award-winning brewmaster over the past fifteen years. I stopped in at Duggan’s new location today and, even though they were technically closed, the friendly staff at the scrappy independent brewpub let me buy a six-pack of their reasonably priced Sorachi Lager.
Sorachi Lager – First Sip
I get a whiff of sour apples and grains as I take a drink. The delicate and grainy flavour are no doubt a result of using Japanese rice rather than barley during the brewing process. Where other light beers lose points on flavour a lot of the time, Sorachi Lager (4 % ABV) manages a complex and unique taste. It has a medium carbonation level that allows its clean and crisp flavour time to linger. Its thin mouth-feel combined with its grainy aroma give this brew a pleasant aftertaste that allows its malt flavours to come through, making the mouth water … FOR MORE!!

Sorachi Lager – Last Sip
This is a great beer for a barbecue on a hot day. Its low alcohol percentage makes it a good brew to have a few of and, in 275-mL mini-bottles, it’s easy to do just that. And, if you’re the kind of person who’s concerned about their gluten intake, fear not! Like most rice beers, Sorachi Lager is gluten free.
Sorachi Lager – Other Comments
It likely goes without saying, but if you’re the kind of beer drinker that has a specific taste in mind, especially if you’re hoping for hops, this probably isn’t the beer for you. The Sorachi hops used give this beer just a hint of hops flavour. Using rice rather than another grain like barley in the brewing process makes this beer stand out among its competition, one of only a few tasty gluten-free beers brewed in Toronto.