Well, I’m getting closer to caught up on the review front (so so close!). This one is actually timely! Rickard’s is obviously committed to doing a rotating seasonal beer; Cardigan was the fall seasonal, and now we have Oakhouse, their winter lager. Now, as you might know, oak-aged beers are becoming a kind of big deal. From sours that are barrel-aged for years, to home brewers using various forms of oak (from cut barrel staves to BBQ smoking chips to carpenter’s off-cuts). To be honest, though, I was surprised that Rickard’s decided to use oak in their winter seasonal. Innis & Gunn has proved to be successful, both in bottle and on tap, though, and I know these guys keep their ears close to the ground. Let’s see how it goes.
Rickard’s Oakhouse Winter Lager — Molson-Coors
From a 341ml bottle, Rickard’s Oakhouse pours a medium-amber with shimmers of orange. A fairly aggressive pour generated about 3/4″ of dense head that dropped to a fairly thick layer of creamy foam. Aroma is very clearly oak, a little charred, as well as generous sweet malts. Taste is quite oaky too, though it’s not overpowering. It actually tastes like fairly fresh oak, which makes me assume that the beer was probably aged on chips, as opposed to in a barrel; though if it was a virgin barrel, that might explain it too. I suspect they have neither the space nor the barrels to barrel-age enough beer for coast to coast sales, which this beer has. Still, it lends a touch of smoke and some light vanilla notes to the taste. Like Cardigan, malts are quite sweet and grainy. In this case, though, the oak adds a lot of interest, and I think if the beer were less sweet it would get lost. Finish is fairly clean and quick, with a lingering woodiness from the oak. Body is light, with a creamy carbonation. Comparing it to Innis & Gunn (as that’s what a lot of people will be able to relate to), the body is a bit thinner with a bit more pronounced carbonation. But they are similar in approach to the use of oak. A great entry into oaked beers for the wider market, and a safe bet if you’re a big time craft drinker and you find yourself in a big-brand dominated bar. This would also make a good beer to take to a party if most of the drinkers are not crafty folks, but were open-minded to new things.
Buy This Beer
Available at beer and liquor stores across the country, from October to February. In Ontario it is at the LCBO, #315291 and The Beer Store
Drink It With
With that notable oak character, this would be an excellent choice with roasted game bird or turkey (or chicken if that’s how you roll). The light vanilla notes could also work well with a dessert, perhaps a crème brûlée. The creamy custard would work well with the lighter bodied beer and the vanilla, and the smokey flavours would dance well with the burnt sugar. For cheese, I would probably keep it in the medium hard category, especially smoked cheeses. Think smoked Edam or Gouda.
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.
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