Rickard’s Cardigan Premium Spiced Lager — Molson-Coors

I must, once again, begin this review with some apologies.  The good folks at Rickard’s are very consistent in sending me their new products to review, and while I’m generally not bad at getting the reviewed in a timely manner, I totally dropped the ball on this one.  So I’m sorry; better late than never, as they say. Cardigan is Rickard’s fall seasonal beer, and if the signs up around town told me anything, it was that they were serious about getting people to try new things.  It’s a spiced lager, which certainly could act as a great gateway for people who are very loyal to one beer brand.  Obviously, spiced beers gain in popularity as the weather turns colder, but the recipe being a lager will (I assume) keep this accessible to most drinkers.  Wrap yourself up in a warm cardigan, and let’s give this a try!

Cardigan Premium Lager — Rickard’s

From a 341ml bottle, Cardigan pours a deep straw gold with a low but fair dense head.  A few swirls readily brings back a nearly nitro-like layer of thick head.  Aroma is immediately spicy, I’m definitely getting cloves and allspice, perhaps some nutmeg and cinnamon.  There are big sweet cereal grains present too, and just a little pop of herbal hops. Taste is sweet grains right away, almost a little biscuity.  Spices swell up on the mid palate, again cloves and allspice, and maybe more.  They give a warming quality to a lager, which says something.  A bit of herbal hops show up on the finish, but the linger is still sweet grains and spices.  To be honest, as a straight lager, I’d like a little cleaner/quicker finish, but the spices lend themselves well to the lingering sweetness.  Cardigan is a nice little fall beer, and a good example of a brewery know for a few mainline products encouraging their customers to try new things.

Cheers, Rickard’s!

Buy This Beer

Available at the LCBO #279356 and The Beer Store, as well as many bars around the city.

Drink It With

Well, the spices certainly would lend themselves to a nice sturdy fall stew. While I would keep it to root vegetables and such, a nice bit of beef, slow cooked in a crockpot or braised all day in the oven could be just the ticket.  I would be inclined to eat this with medium hard cheeses, like a younger cheddar, or a Cheshire.

About The Brewery

In 1983, a beer enthusiast named Gord Rickard’s couldn’t find a pint with real character or taste worthy of his passion for beer. So, he set out to make his own perfect pint. That beer turned out to be Rickard’s Red, and he put his name on it.

Since then, other beers with character and full flavour – Rickard’s White, and Rickard’s Dark – have been brewed to meet Gord’s standards.

Rickard’s beers are brewed naturally using the finest ingredients – they do not contain additives or preservatives. And our Brewmasters use the finest hops and barley. They combine them with other flavourful ingredients to achieve what Gord wanted to create – well-crafted beers with character worthy of the Rickard’s name.