Blood Brothers, Beer Delivery and A Beautiful ‘Pilsner’: Trans Human State 

The point of this post isn’t just to review the lovely Trans Human State Pilsner(ish) from Blood Brothers — it’s a nod to them and all local breweries for stepping up quickly and efficiently to continue providing access to their myriad ambrosias during this global pandemic.

I have been a fan of Blood Brothers Brewing for years — hell I’ve even written about them before. But I’ve never viewed them as an essential service before until recently. When my fiancee Christine called her France trip short last month and grabbed a rushed flight out of Paris, it quickly dawned on me I’d be headed into Quarantine — and for at least a couple weeks my leisurely strolls through the LCBO would be cut abruptly off.

Luckily, after a frantic Google, it became clear there was nothing to fear (at least from a beer perspective) — Blood Brothers offered same day local delivery within our neighbourhood, at a reasonable flat rate or free if you ordered $50 or more. Basically, whether you’re in quarantine like I was or simply wanted to avoid rubbing elbows or standing in line at the LCBO, Blood Brothers has you covered.

Best part is, they’re not the only ones. Dozens of Toronto breweries have risen to the occasion and are offering home delivery at reasonable rates. I recently walked passed a long line at the Beer Store of people waiting in the cold for what presumably amounted to a case of middling macro domestic and I felt a pang of sympathy. Did people not know they could support local businesses AND drink better WITHOUT leaving the house?

If you didn’t know before, you do now. And, if you’re as lucky as I am to live in the neighbourhood  Blood Brother’s delivers to, you might want to check out Trans Human State, a wonderfully drinkable lager they describe as “Pilsner-ish”. Here’s what I thought:

Blood Brothers Trans Human State Review

I’ve been on far too long of an IPA kick recently and needed a change. With the warmer weather teasing but not yet here, I was stuck in a pre-sour, post-stout grey area. When I saw there was a lager I hadn’t yet tried (one with an attractive blue label and a fuggin cool name) I grabbed a six pack.

Trans Human State pours a lovely gold-tinged amber, certainly looking like it packs more maltiness than your standard European pilsners. On the nose, Trans Human state certainly smells that way too, with a lovely breadiness and a kick of bright piney hops. It’s not terribly complex, but that’s not a bad thing in the case of a lager I just wanna, you know, drink.

The taste is simple, refreshing and just damn good. Trans Human State is a fairly sweet, with a solid malt backbone enhanced by the addition of Waimea Hops, which bring a lovely pine-verging-on-citrus flavour and a very mild bitterness. After a month of IPAs it was just the ticket I needed to refresh my palate and quench my thirst. The finish was crisp, brief and refreshing, and welcomed a next sip.

Check Out Your Local Breweries

If you live in the Blood Brothers delivery area, great! Order from them soon. But even if you don’t, check out what local breweries are in your neighbourhood, and get something sent to your house. Your supporting them, you’re avoiding the crowds, and you’re probably drinking better beer than you would be anyways.