The Waubuno

Instead of a lengthy description about the beer within, the 650mL bottle of The Waubuno opted for six paragraphs on the history of the eponymous side-wheeled steam ship that wrecked somewhere on Georgian Bay in 1879--appropriate for the sixth beer in the Midland Beer Works' "Legends of the Bay" series, but vaguely frustrating if you're a beer geek hoping to learn about the sauce you just brought home. There were some facts to be gleaned from the bottle though. The beer contains 5% alcohol, is brewed for Tiny, Ontario's Midland Beer Works by the folks at Hockley Valley Brewing Co., and that it contains "[a]romatic malts and choice hops, blended with great care to create 'The Perfect Balance'". However, no indication even of the style, which I'm going to call an amber ale.

The Waubuno (beer not boat) was a brassy amber brew, and poured with a thick off-white head. It had a nose that merged metallic and caramel malt notes. As to flavour, malt, bread, and caramel all had their places at the table. As well, there was a seat for hops at the kiddie table.

While both the historical copy on my bottle of The Waubuno and the beer itself held my interest, in the end, it was the story of the ship lost and the prospect of a ghostly captain guarding the wreck that proved more captivating. The beer was easy to drink and tasted nice, but it was a tad too sweet and not particularly memorable. A fine ale, sure, but just that.

Rating: 7.0 out of 10.