Side Launch Brewing Company: Dark Lager – An Unfiltered Review

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The holiday season is well over now but I, for one, am still working through the beers I got as gifts from relatives who know of my love for tasty brews. As I’ve drunk all the rest, the only beer I have left from the holiday influx is Side Launch Brewing Company‘s Dark Lager. Having previously reviewed Side Launch’s Pale Ale, I won’t go into much detail here about the Collingwood brewery.

Dark Lager is a well-established brew, having won Bronze and Gold in the 2016 and 2014 Ontario Brewing Awards respectively. But, even with its award-winning history, I’ve never had one, so I look forward to enjoying this well pedigreed lager for the first time.

Side Launch Brewing Company: Dark Lager – First Sip

Side Launch’s Dark Lager pours an opaque brown with a thick layer of tan foam that dissipates slowly. This brew has a semi-sweet taste with notes of roasted nuts. Closer, in my mind, to a porter than a lager, Dark Lager is just that. Dark Lager’s flavour lingers, and its slightly bitter aftertaste dries out my mouth. With relatively active bubbles, Dark Lager’s mouthfeel is fizzy like a lager rather than watery like some porters.

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Side Launch Brewing Company: Dark Lager – Last Sip

Because of its bold flavour, 5.3% ABV rating, and 473-mL format, I limit myself to one per night. Although the can says “lager,” this is a wholly different experience from drinking a Moosehead. It’s more like a stout minus the foam and watery mouthfeel.

This is a great brew to have with dinner, whether that dinner be ribs or seasonal vegetables. Just make sure that whatever you’re eating is savoury. Dark Lager’s sweet flavour pairs well with salty and/or spicy foods.

Despite its name, Dark Lager isn’t likely to please your “lager-only” friends (those who only drink golden-coloured beer), so save this one for yourself unless you’re giving it to someone like me who loves all the good beers … mmmmm, all the good beers …

REVIEW OVERVIEW
Sidelaunch Brewing Company: Dark Lager
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Michael Bedford
Under intense scrutiny by the Temporal Authorities, I was coerced into actualizing my capsule in this causality loop. Through no fault of my own, I am marooned on this dangerous yet lovely level-four civilization. Stranded here, I have spent most of my time learning what I can of the social norms and oddities of the Terran species, including how to properly use the term "Hipster" and how to perform a "perfect pour." Under the assumed name of "Michael Bedford," I have completed BA's with specialized honours in both theatre studies and philosophy, and am currently saving up for enough galactic credits to buy a new--or suitably used--temporal contextualizer ... for a friend.
beer-side-launch-brewing-dark-lagerThe holiday season is well over now but I, for one, am still working through the beers I got as gifts from relatives who know of my love for tasty brews. As I've drunk all the rest, the only beer I have left from...