MONS ABBEY BLONDE ~ BELGH BRASSE

This is another beautiful brew from Amos, Quebec. It is brewed with esker spring water, using Pilsen and Pale malt, Styrian Gold hops, Saaz hops for aroma, and a classic Belgium yeast. Sampled from a caged and corked bottle, the beer poured a slightly hazy golden-copper with white head. There was some left sediment in the bottom of the bottle. The head lasted several minutes before fading into a cap, leaving impressive lacing in its wake. The nose is quite sweet with notes of florals, European hops, caramel, spice, orange peel, bread, and orchard fruit (especially apple and pear), and possibly some banana bread. The beer is sweet, but not as much as the nose would suggest. Flavours include light orange, banana, orchard fruit, breadiness, spice with hints of pepper and coriander. Grassy herbal hops are present in the finish. Overall, I think this is a very acceptable example of a Belgian style blonde (the brewmaster is apparently originally from Belgium). Worth trying.

7% Amos, Quebec

MONS ABBEY DUBBEL ~ BELGH BRASSE

This was my first experience from Quebec brewery Belgh Brasse, and what a revelation it was. An excellent dubbed! The beer is made with natural Abitibi Esker water in a Belgian style. A blend of Pilsen, Munich and Carafa malts are used along with Styrian Gold hops for bitterness and Hallertau Hersbrücker hops for aroma. The brew is finished with spice and bitter orange peel. Sampled on draught in a tulip glass, the beer poured a slightly opaque deep reddish brown with a foamy light brown head. The head left some lacing as it receded quickly into a thin cap. The aroma had a lovely complexity with a real melange of smells including molasses, liquorice, dark fruit, floral hops, peppery spice, citrus and Belgian yeast. The tastes echoes the nose, with a lovely sweet complex mixture of molasses, dark fruit, spice, citrus, spicy Belgian yeast, anise, caramel and leafy herbal hops. The body is medium full, the carbonation moderate to lively and mouthfeel was slightly sticky with a boozy warmth. This was a fabulous surprise and a delicious beer. What a treat! I look forward to more from this brewery.

8% from Amos, Quebec

ISSEKI NICHŌ ~ BRASSERIE DIEU DU CIEL! 

Isseki Nichō is an Imperial Dark Saison made in collaboration with Tanamura Honten Co., a microbrewery from Nagano, Japan. The name of the beer translated roughly means, “two birds One Stone” in Japanese. Some tout this brew as a hybrid between a stout and a dark saison. Sampled on draught, in a tulip glass the beer poured a rich dark brown-black with a finger of tan head. The head receded after several minutes leaving lacing along the glass and finishing in a ring around the glass. The nose like the beer has a fair bit of complexity containing notes of roasted malts, dark fruit, molasses, faint smoke, coffee, dark chocolate, leather, touch of funk and peppery spice. The taste is fairly bitter, matched by strong dark roasted malts, under this cloak other flavours emerge: molasses, spicy Belgian yeast, coffee, cocoa, dark cherries, liquorice, and fruit. The finish is off dry and has a lingering bitterness - a spiciness lingers as the booziness warms.The body was creaming and medium and the fine carbonation was average. This was quite an interesting brew, not for the faint at heart, but definitely worth a try.

9.5% from St. Jerome, Quebec

MORALITÉ ~ DIEU DE CIEL! & THE ALCHEMIST BREWERY

Moralité is an IPA, created in collaboration between Quebec’s Dieu de Ciel! and Vermont’s, The Alchemist Brewery. Sampled on draught, the beer poured a slightly hazy golden amber with a generous frothy off white head, that left lots of lacing. The nose is bursting with hops and tropical fruit (pineapple, papaya, mango). Notes of resinous pine, citrus (lemon, orange and grapefruit), bready grains, caramel, earthiness, and yeast also make appearances. The flavour follows the complexity of the nose. Pine, grapefruit, caramel, fruitiness (citrus & tropical), floral, grass, combined with a slight sweetness swirl and party on my palette. The finish is somewhat dry with a lasting bitterness. The body is medium-full and the texture is creamy and smooth. The carbonation was on the soft side. It is rare that I have a beer from DDC that I don’t enjoy, this was no exception. Quite quaffable for such a high IBU and ABV. I loved the complex flavours and the balance between the bitterness, sweet fruitiness and the malts. Bravo!

6.9% from St. Jerome, Quebec & Waterbury, Vermont, USA 100 IBU
Hops: Simcoe, Citra and Centennial

HERBE À DÉTOURNE ~ BRASSERIE  
DIEU DU CIEL!

This brew is a boozy Belgian tripel made with new world hops (citra). Sampled on draught this beer pours slighty opaque golden orange apricot with an average white head that left sticky lacing as it receded slowly. The nose has lots going on: stone fruit (peaches) tropical fruit (pineapple and mango), spice (pepper and clove), floral notes, candi sugar, citra hops and alcohol. The taste follows the smell, with lots of bitter citra hoppiness as a first impression. After the first impression, notes of tropical and stone fruit, Belgian yeast phenols and esters, and spice, abound. The finish is dry with a little lingering bitterness and a warming booziness. The bitterness next to the fruity sweetness make for interesting and complex flavour combinations. The body was medium with a slightly syrupy mouthfeel, and the carbonation was very gentle. I guess you could call this hybrid beer a new world tripel. Definitely worth a try – a really interesting complexity of flavour compliments and contrasts happening here.

10.2% from Montreal, Quebec 56 IBU

SAISON DANS LA MAISON ~ MUSKOKA & LE TROU DE DIABLE

This saison is another in a series of anniversary collaborations and one-off beers marking Muskoka’s 30th birthday. This was a collaboration with Quebec’s Trou du Diable and is a saison brewed with guava. Sampled on draught the beer poured a slightly hazy unfiltered golden straw colour with a thin white head, that reduced to a ring. The aroma contained lots of citrus, with some fruity esters, sweet malts, spice and grassy/floral hops. This was a decent saison, but I got very little of the guava, until a touch in the finish. It was light and fruity, with subtle notes of tropical fruit, tart citrus, floral hops. The beer was light and crisp, with little sweetness. Quite decent!

6.5% from Bracebridge, Ontario & Shawinigan, Quebec

LE TROIS MOUSQUETAIRES ~ BRETT SAISON

This was my first introduction to Le Trois Mousquetaires Brewery; I will be on the hunt for more! Sampled on draught this saison poured a slightly cloudy golden-orange amber colour with a moderate white fizzy head that left lovely lacing. The nose was fairly complex with the Brett being a major player. The aroma contained notes of acidic lemon and other citrus fruits, hay, barnyard funk, sour bread, orchard fruits, oakiness, and sweet malts. Like the nose, Brett is at the forefront of the taste too. Tart acidic lemon begins the palette, but is quickly followed by a plethora of other flavour: floral and grassy notes, barnyard funk, orchard fruit, oaky wood, vanilla, pepper, earth, and spicy rye malts. The finish is quite dry and moderately bitter (it was dry hopped with Chinook hops). The beer is medium-full bodied and the carbonation is on the soft side of moderate. A complex, yet puckeringly refreshing beer. I’m impressed.

7.5% from Brossard, Quebec

DOLCIS SUCCUBUS ~ LE TROU DE DIABLE

This brew is worth every penny and it isn’t cheap! Dolcis Succubus is an American Wild Ale that had been aged for up to twelve months in California white wine barrels made of oak. In addition to the aging the beer is brewed with wild yeasts (Brettanomyces), giving it lots of complexity, and hopped with new world hops. Sampled on draught the beer poured a rich hazy golden orange with a dense white head, that left lovely lacing. The nose had noes is luxurious and rich, containing notes of green apples, apricot, wildflower honey, hay, a little funk and vanilla. The taste was as complex as the nose containing apricot, pear and apple, citrus, floral undertones, subtle oak, sweet wine, delicate vanilla. The hops were subtle and the bitterness did not linger. The carbonation was on the soft side and the beer had a slightly syrupy mouthfeel. I would say this was on the full side of medium bodied. This is a rich, complex and beautifully balanced beer. A treat at any price! Well worth it!

7% from Shawinigan, Quebec

ÉPHÉMÈRE BLUET ~ UNIBROUE

I think Unibroue’s Ephemeres are a delicious summer offering. This year’s new release is bluet (blueberry). Sampled on draught the beer poured a slightly hazy salmon amber, with puffy pale pink head, which left some nice lacing as it slowly receded. The nose has lots of blueberries, reminiscent of a blueberry pie, with grainy-crackery malts, citrus and a subtle earthy Bready malts and yeastiness. The flavour contains lots of berry goodness without overdoing it. There is a moderate sweetness, blueberry and citrus all on the tongue. Spicy Belgian yeast is also evident. The finish is semi dry with a contains a very mild herbal hop, and some lingering sweetness. The carbonation is moderate and I would place the beer in the medium bodied range. A delicious fruity offering, I will be returning to this one for sure!

5.5% from Chambly, Quebec.

SAISON DU PARC ~ DIEU DE CIEL!

Saison Du Parc is a new summer offering form one of my favourite Quebecois breweries. Sampled on draught, the beer poured a very pale yellow (with hints of green) with a modest white head, which left great lacing. The nose contained lots of citrus (lemon and grapefruit) along with light grains, hay pepper, a little funk with a hint of sourness. The flavour followed with notes of light grains, grapefruit and lemon, hay, and sourness with a grassy hoppy bite. The finish was bitter and very dry at first though the initial bite of the hops dissipated a little as the beer progressed. The body is light and the carbonation is moderate. This is drinkable and refreshing but a little bold in the hops department for a saison. Not a disappointment but definitely not DDC’s best.

4.2% from Montreal, Quebec

MAUDITE ~ UNIBROUE

Brewed since 1992, Maudite (Cursed, in English) is Strong Red ale, sometimes categorized as a Belgian dubbel. Sampled on draught, the beer poured an ever so slightly cloudy deep amber colour with red highlights. The beige head had fantastic retention before leaving rings of lacing. The nose like the taste had lots of complexity. Toasty Malts, orange peel, floral hops, honey, dark fruits and coriander and cloves, all swirl around in the nose. The taste has notes honey sweetness, caramel and bready malts, nuttiness, dark fruit, yeasts and spice. Crisp hop bitterness finishes the beer, along with warming alcohol. The body was medium heavy and syrupy, this was counterbalanced with lively fine carbonation. This is a complex ale, packed with a plethora of flavour. Very drinkable!
8% from Chambly, Quebec IBU 22

LA FIN DU MONDE ~ UNIBROUE

Brewed since 1994, La Fin Du Monde (End of the World) is a Belgian style tripel. It has won more medal and awards than any other Canadian brew to date. Sampled on draught the beer poured a slightly cloudy orangey-golden colour with a generous bone-white head. The ale retained the head for quite a while before it dissipated and left a generous amount of lasting lacing. The nose contained florals, bready malts, spicy Belgian yeast, coriander and clove, fruit (especially banana) and alcohol. The flavour was comprised of spicy Belgian yeasts and fruit, spice and bready malts. The finish was dry and smooth with a warming alcohol sensation. The carbonation was moderate with pinpoint carbonation. The body too was is the medium range. Overall this beer is a great Belgian tripel (without actually being Belgian). It has a lovely complexity to its flavours. A rich treat.

9% Chambly, Quebec IBU 19

DÉESSE NOCTURNE ~ DIEU DE CIEL!

STOUT WEEK -
Déesse Nocturne (translates to 'night goddess') is a lesser known stout from Brassiere Dieu De Ciel. (Makers of Aphrodisiaque and Péché Mortel) Sampled on draught with nitro, the beer poured almost black with a dense off white head. Nice lacing was left as the foam receded. The aroma was intense blend dark roasted malt with hints of chocolate and a touch of coffee and smoke. There is no obvious bitterness on the nose. The stout is a dry (very similar to an Irish Stout) with little sweetness, lots of coffee, unsweetened cocoa and dark malts abound. A nice hop bitterness and tastes of burnt toast finish this quaff. The mouth feel is silky and smooth; the nitro gives it a compact head, but offers littler effervescence throughout. Another very drinkable, delicious offering from Dieu de Ciel.

5% from Montreal, Quebec

LA RÉSOLUTION ~ UNIBROUE 

Sampled on draught, La Résolution is Strong Dark Spiced Belgian Ale. It has been brewed since 2014 and is only seasonally available. It pours an opaque dark velvety brown with deep copper highlights. It had a little off white head that persisted and then left webby lacing down the glass. The rich complex smells contained gingerbread spices, cherries, dark fruits, caramel and Belgian yeasts, and alcohol. Sweet molasses, Christmas cake, dried fruit, Belgian yeasts, caramel, roasted malts and gingerbread spice dance over ones taste buds, leaving a boozy warmness. The beer had full flavour and a medium mouthfeel with medium-high carbonation. The beer finished semi-dry with herbal spicy flavours. I really enjoyed this one. Lots of flavour, very drinkable and nicely warming. I love the melange of favours and how well they are combined. Would definitely have this one again.

10% from Chambly, Quebec 22 IBU

TROIS-PISTOLES ~ UNIBROUE

This Dark Strong Belgian Ale (Abbey Style Dark Ale) is yet another delicious brew from Unibroue. Sampled from a bottle. It is a seasonal beer, brewed since 1997. It poured a very dark brown with slight red undertones, with a big off white head. The head lasted quite a while and left beautiful lacing around the glass. The nose was a smorgasbord of flavours swirling around: Belgian yeasts, wheat, plums and other fruity esters, spices, molasses, caramel, raisins, roasted malts and perhaps even a touch of chocolate. The taste was a complex and as harmonious as the nose: Strong, sweet, with roasted malty molasses, fruit – like cherries and plums, rum and spices. Very little hop at the end but had a lingering pleasant aftertaste. The fines carbonation was moderate and the beer had a creamy mouth feel. Though the 9% ABV warms, it is also well hidden. A delicious winter treat!

9 % from Chambly, Quebec 16 IBU

Namesake: Trois-Pistoles is a city in Les Basques Regional County Municipality in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region of Quebec, Canada. The town is located on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River.

ST-AMBROISE CREAM ALE ~MCAULSAN 

Sampled on draught with nitro. The beer poured a cloudy light copper gold (the colour of rich honey) with a lasting off white head. As the head slowly dissipated it left a good amount of lacing. Visible carbonation was low and the bubbles were fine. The aroma was light with fruity notes, citrus, malts, grains and a hint of hops. Taste was much the same, with caramel, malts, some spice and a touch of sweetness. It finished with a mild hop, and a clean malty finish. The beer had a velvety mouthfeel. This brew is most drinkable. The balance of the yeasts, hops and nitro carbonation are well balanced and give it some dimension.

Hops:  Cascade, Willamette, Golding

5% from Montreal, Quebec 35 IBU

FOUS ALLIES ~ BEAU’S & MICROBRASSERIE TROU DU DIABLE

Fous Allies, meaning ‘crazy allies’ was a collaborative effort from Ontario’s Beau’s Brewing and Quebec’s Trou du Diable. Originally made as a collab 2012, it was revisited in 2015, with a higher alcohol content. Fous Allies is a mango infused saison beer, which will be included in the “Best of Beau’s” holiday sampler at the end of this year and part of their “Wild Oats” series. Sampled on draught. The beer poured a dark golden colour with a pillow white head. The nose contains some saison yeasts and a faint tropical fruit, with a hint of peppery spiciness. The taste of mango is very discreet, but it is there adding a sweetness to the brew. There is a pleasant amount of hops at the end to round out and balance this delicious saison.

6.1% from Vankleek Hills, Ontario and Shawinigan, Quebec IBU 30

Malts: Pilsner, Wheat, Acidulated, Carafoam (all organic)
Hops: Organic Nelson-Sauvin
Yeast: Saison
Other: organic mango puree

APRICOT WHEAT ~ ST. AMBROISE

This apricot wheat is lovely!  Sampled from a tin, the beer poured deep golden amber, with moderate carbonation and white head that dissipated quickly.   Apricot was the show stealer on the nose.  The smell was that of sweet real apricots, with touches of wheat and malts; little hoppiness was detected.  I thought this beer was beautifully balanced.  This ale was not as sweet as it smelled, A malty breadiness started the beer, followed by a slightly bitter hops (Wilmette and Golding) and a long apricot finish.  This would be a beautiful summer beer!

5% from Montreal, Quebec                         15  IBU

CITROUILLE ~ ST. AMBROISE

Citrouille or the Great Pumpkin Ale (in English) is a fall offering made by one of Quebec’s earliest microbreweries. The beer pours deep coppery amber with moderate carbonation and a finger of off white head. Many spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger) dance around my nose complimented with caramel toasted malts (blonde and caramel malts) and pumpkin. The beer taste much like it smells, it has a sweet malty backbone, with notes of pumpkin and spice. The beer is not overly spiced or overly sweet, and has a nice crisp finish. Hop (Cascade and Wilmette) finish is subtle. Over all a very enjoyable pumpkin beer.

5% Montreal, Quebec IBU 18

L’OURS ~ LE TROU DU DIABLE

L’ours (meaning bear in French) is a sour ale/wild ale from Quebec.   It is a mixture of twenty per cent rye saison, aged in oak barrels of Banyuls for two years. (Banyuls is a fortified aperitif/dessert wine made from old vines grown on terraces on the Catalan Pyrenees and Roussilion county of France).  The other 80% is a young saison.  Each cask will be different, some with more intense notes.  I am not sure which assemblage, as it wasn’t indicated on the draft tap.   The beer is a clear blonde, nicely carbonated, but had little head.  Lots of alcohol on the nose – almost cider or wine like.  Ripe fruit, spicy yeast and funky brett make up the aroma.    Taste had a complexity and many subtleties.  It had qualities of both a young and aged beer.  Lots of ripe fruit flavours, but also a subtle rye, spicy yeast, some barnyard funk and touch of wood.  I really enjoyed this and will go back for another. 

6.5% from Shawinigan 10 IBU