It has been a little while since I had a beer from my favourite local brewery. Thirsty Moose Brewing Co have never made a bad beer in my eyes so far and the only ones I am yet to try is the Stout (Probably won’t try this as I am not a fan of stouts) and the Belta Blonde (Can in the cupboard ready to sip). I have never been let down. A blend of experimentation and attention to detail makes this brewery a real hidden gem. During this review of Thirsty Moose Canny Cannock I will cover the history of this beer and brewery, the pour, the taste and aroma and finally what I think of this beer.
It’s like Newcastle Brown Ale with a Canadian twist.
Situated in the Galaxy Park in Blaydon-on-Tyne, Thirsty Moose Brewing Co first brewed in August 2022. This is a family run microbrewery which pride themselves as being ‘North East brewers with Canadian heritage’. Thirsty Moose Brewing Co specialises in small batch brewing which allows them to give each beer the attention and detail it deserves. I think their flagship beer is Canny Canuck which is a maple Brown Ale.
And their flagship beer is the subject of this beer review. Thirsty Moose Canny Canuck blends the beer Geordies love in the form of a Brown Ale, and adds Canadian flair which the maple touch. This is a SIBA award winning beer. The term ‘canny’ gives a nod to the North Eastern slang for nice or pleasant, this mixed with ‘canuck’ which another term for Canadian. This overall nods to the microbrewery’s mix of North Eastern and Canadian roots.
A foamy Brown Ale pour
Canny Canuck pours a dark brown chestnut colour which has a red tint when held up to the light. This had all the hallmarks of a very well brewed Brown Ale, it was a full bodied ale which was rich and thick. The head is light brown and foamy which left a deep lacing down the glass. Furthermore, the carbonation is gentle but relatively lively, typical of a traditional brown ale. Overall, this is an inviting brown ale which exemplifies its roots back to the North East of England.
A nutty-caramel based taste and aroma
Aroma
When pouring this beer, Canny Canuck presents a warm natured aroma. It has notes of caramel, biscuit and toasted nuts. There is a sweetness which may be from the maple addition which doesn’t dominate however adds a pleasant addition to the depth of this beer. This had a faint touch of earthiness at the end which may be from the ‘woodland’ aroma. Overall, this is a beer which allows the malt base to shine which allows for the key flavours to present such as caramel, biscuit and nuts.
Taste
The first sip of Canny Canuck is immensely smooth with a malt forward profile. The flavours that are apparent in malt forwardness are biscuit, roasted nuts and caramel. Similarly, the maple addition to the beer is added gently which allows for the Canadian touch to be added and be noticeable. Also, this allows for the traditional brown ale style to shine through. The mid-taste on the palate I noticed a chocolatey flavour which is finished with clean and slightly sweet flavour, leaving a malty aftertaste. Overall, Thirsty Moose Canny Canuck balances traditional brown ale with its Canadian roots which is great for craft beer enthusiasts and casual beer drinkers alike.
Time for my verdict
Well first things first, Thirsty Moose Brewing Co continue to not let me down. I am not a big drinker of Brown Ales usually, I like them but wouldn’t usually go for them, opting for an IPA instead. This one was outstanding for a Brown Ale, seemed perfectly balanced and it allowed for the traditional flavours to shine whilst allowing for their stamp to make a nice little impression. When I said it tastes like Newcastle Brown Ale, it imitates and almost perfects it as it allows for a nice clean finish unlike the modern renditions of Newcastle Brown Ale. Overall, I rate this an immense 4.5 out of 5. Top notch as always. Cheers guys :).
Where did I purchase this beer?
I purchased this as part of beer haul from Enjoy in Morpeth located in the Sanderson Arcade building. I can’t remember how much this cost but I know I purchased Belta Blonde when I was there.
Thanks for reading this review of Thirsty Moose Brewing Co. If you enjoyed this review, you will love my review of Thirsty Moose The Full Mountie.
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