Today's beer review is from one of the newest breweries here in Ottawa- Stray Dog. Was lucky enough to meet one of the great team members who handed me this beer to try. So let us jump straight in:

Name: The Count
Style: Spiced Autumn Ale aka Pumpkin Ale
Brewery: Stray Dog
Country: Canada, Ontario, Ottawa.
Price: N/A - 473ml Can
ABV: 5.6%
Commercial Fluff:
"In the spirit of Halloween, we decided to brew a beer in honour of Orleans' most ravenous, undead, blood sucker...our accountant, *Yann Brisebois, AKA The Count! Nothing strikes fear in our hearts more than Yann when he starts talking about beer tax. It's truly frightening (especially when he's wearing his Anthrax t-shirt)! This spiced autumn ale gets some of its alluring colour and character from the generous helping of pumpkin puree added to the mash, plus the brown sugar, fresh cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and allspice added to the boil. The Count balances the wonderful flavours and aromas of Thanksgiving with the insatiable excitement of Halloween. 5.6% ABV, 27 IBU and ready to par-tay. *Yann is an amazing accountant who has helped bring our brewery to where it is today. We are truly thankful for him; however, we can neither deny nor confirm if he is undead."
Own Opinion
Look: Not a topic I always discuss but how on earth did they get permission to use the Count? It will help it stand out on the shelf for sure.
Sight: Darker amber, orange pour. White foamy head that quickly dissipates, not the prettiest looker (bit like me lol).
Aroma: The spices are definitely there on the nose. Cinnamon, clove, a sweetness. But like many in this style why add the pumpkin as you could get all these aromas without it.
Taste: Definitely getting all the spices, nicely balanced and reminding me of a pumpkin spiced tea/latte. As like a lot of this style I just don't get the pumpkin flavour. The spices are all there though and fill you with the flavours of Autumn. Has a warming spice in the finish, no bitterness and very balanced.
Would I buy it again? Maybe. It wouldn't be a first a choice, but I would happily spend money on it and recommend it to people who enjoy this style or are after a festive drink.
Overall a solid beer. Has definitely peaked my interest in the brewery and I will have to either take a ride out there soon or find some of their other beers on tap. It's also great to see such a young brewery experimenting like this and taking some risks to stand out in an area with a lot of breweries.Thumbs up guys!
As always drop me a comment and let me know your thoughts. Happy drinking!
Look: Not a topic I always discuss but how on earth did they get permission to use the Count? It will help it stand out on the shelf for sure.
Sight: Darker amber, orange pour. White foamy head that quickly dissipates, not the prettiest looker (bit like me lol).
Aroma: The spices are definitely there on the nose. Cinnamon, clove, a sweetness. But like many in this style why add the pumpkin as you could get all these aromas without it.
Taste: Definitely getting all the spices, nicely balanced and reminding me of a pumpkin spiced tea/latte. As like a lot of this style I just don't get the pumpkin flavour. The spices are all there though and fill you with the flavours of Autumn. Has a warming spice in the finish, no bitterness and very balanced.
Would I buy it again? Maybe. It wouldn't be a first a choice, but I would happily spend money on it and recommend it to people who enjoy this style or are after a festive drink.
Overall a solid beer. Has definitely peaked my interest in the brewery and I will have to either take a ride out there soon or find some of their other beers on tap. It's also great to see such a young brewery experimenting like this and taking some risks to stand out in an area with a lot of breweries.Thumbs up guys!
As always drop me a comment and let me know your thoughts. Happy drinking!
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