February
15
Talking Valentine’s Day Beers on CBC Montreal’s Radio Noon with Shawn Apel
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February
15
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Bank Hotel from @bbascanada was released briefly several months ago in crowlers, and then a couple more times in a smaller format carrying its own artwork. And it came back again this week!
The nose on this! Massive (and I mean massive) explosions of tropical fruit. Peach and apricot meet mango and grapefruit. It smells like candy – specifically Fuzzy Peaches swimming in Tropicana orange juice, with hints of banana.
The palate matches, driving intense hop fruitiness into my senses after each sip. Huge grapefruit mixes with orange juice and some mango in the finish. It’s a touch bitter, carrying a bit of astringency, but not off-putting at all.
The body is richer than their HYPA series, while not being as big as their double IPAs. It’s a perfect middle ground IPA that gives you a bit more heft without being a boozy beast. Amazing. #bankhotel #brasseriedubascanada #beerism
@lagabiere has released two new beers at the @lasaq - an NEIPA and a Blanche. It might be the first time we’ve seen a hazy IPA hit their shelves, and it’s damn solid. Keep an eye out. #lagabiere #neipa #beerism #saq #lasaq
Hors Limite from @brasserieauval started as a braggot (honey beer) and was then re-fermented with Pinot Noir Pommace, which are the solid remains of grapes after pressing for juice (It contains the skins, pulp, seeds, and stems of the fruit). The pommace used was for Les Entêtés 2018 from Domaine du Nival.
The nose is a subtle and soft mix of vinous tartness and dusty layers of Brettanomyces. Lots of juicy Pinot notes lend compliment to the wild character, while spicy oak delivers tannic aromatics all around. Hints of berries come through, with raspberry in particular.
The palate matches, combining lots of wild flora and big Pinot layers. The beer is quite dry, placing a rich tannic profile on each sip. Grape skins marry an extremely subtle malt backing, alongside layers of dusty Brett funk. The Pinot is really the star here, delivering some subtle berry notes and tannic grape skins, with rich oak flavours of the barrel. This is lovely and exceptional. #beerism #auval #brasserieauval #braggot
@4originesbeer has a clever way of creating innovative beers that don’t necessarily fit within the confines of what’s trending. And “Impasse” is definitely a good example of this. It’s an IPA brewed with fuzzy peaches (the candy! ) and peach tea. It’s their take on the ever trendy fruited IPA or milkshake IPA. Let’s try this madness.
The nose kicks up earthy yeast aromatics that are now becoming a 4O staple for me. Behind this, big notes of sweet peach candy come through - it brings me back to my childhood, sneaking bags of fuzzy peaches into movie theatres. Floral layers of tea leaves come through as well.
Up front on the palate you get the peach candy, which provides an almost cloying sweetness alongside the rich malts. However, it’s immediately cut down by an aggressive bitterness and slight tea-induced astringency.
This may be an IPA, but the hops aren’t truly the star. Instead, the candy runs the show. That said, everything is in balance and actually works - it’s odd, but it works. #fuzzypeaches #candybeer #beerism #4origins #microbrasserie4origines
Achillée from @robinbierenaturelle is a rye saison, fermented with their house culture, brewed with larch, spruce, and tried flowers. It’s aged then refined in barrels.
The nose begins with lots of vinous notes, giving off green grapes and some dank wine-soaked oak. Spruce comes next, delivering woody notes that provide ample spiciness – like hints of cinnamon. It has a slight acidic base, alongside dusty brett funk. There is a bit of a mulled wine thing happening.
Off the bat, this is truly unique and not like anything I’ve had. It starts with hints of sweetness that are balanced against a slightly tart edge that rounds it out nicely. The piney spruce components are certainly the focus here, but they aren’t over the top, working well with the rich vinous tang and spicy oak.
The flora is more subtle here if compared to Léa, adding some light acidity and bretty characteristics, while still being soft and quite palatable as a whole. Unique and perhaps not for everyone, but it’s certainly for me – love it. #beerism #robinbierenaturelle
Throughout 2019, @brasserieauval continued to impress us here in Quebec. Their ability to balance innovative bold flavours and techniques without ever coming off gimmicky or overly trend-focused is always refreshing. Check out my latest post, where I give my take on Auval's "hype", as well as examine four new beers that arrived this year. Please visit www.beerism.ca for the article (link in bio). What are your thoughts on this illustrious brewery? #auval #microbrasserieauval #beerism
This past weekend, @smallponybarrelworks released “All the Best Hats, a blend of sour beer aged in oak barrels with Haskap berries. I’ve had a few beers now that contained this sexy fruit, and I’m excited to try more. The nose is fruity, delivering notes of Concord grapes, blueberries, and hits of blackberries. Lots of balsamic aromatics come through as well, complimenting this layered Haskap richness.
The palate matches, giving you plenty of juicy fun alongside that usual small pony sourness. However, the acidity isn't overly aggressive, and blends well with all the fruitiness. black cherry, red grapes, and lots of blueberry flavours come through, finishing with hints of cranberry. It's tangy and tart, with a tannin-rich finish that cuts through the jamminess.
I don't generally love acetic flavours in beer, but it works here - there is balance to the whole thing that functions quite well overall. Cheers! #beerism #smallponybarrelworks #haskapbeer #613beer #Ottawa #ottawabeer
@toothandnailbeer does so many beers so well, but Truce is certainly one of my favourites. It’s a Trappist style Belgian strong dark ale brewed with dried figs, raisins, and star anise. I have several versions in the cellar and with the temperature dropping tonight, I thought it was time to crack one open. As always, it’s 🔥🔥🔥. #toothandnail #toothandnailbrewing #beerism #belgianbeer #613beer
@messorembracitorium opened their doors last Saturday in the south west of Downtown Montreal. Beer geeks from around town showed up to sample some of the haze that they were brewing - seems as though there was some hype brewing as well. Well, Right here is “Ok’ L’Enfer”, a double dry hopped IPA.
The nose is bright and exceptionally dank, bursting with sharp tropical notes, fresh cut lawn, and pithy grapefruit rinds. Aromas here are stellar.
The palate matches, launching a dank hop bomb at my senses, alongside citrus peel, tangerine, and a general grapefruit-like essence. This beer is extremely dry - perhaps too much so - and it carries an intense hop burn that takes away from any possible malt presence. The finish is sharp and overbearing with a hop-focused acidity, but there are echoes of sweet tropical fruits in the backdrop.
Although abrasive, this is my second can now, and it’s improving. I’m thinking in about another week, this will be right on point, and perhaps up there with some of the best of the province. There is something special about this one and I’m very excited to try more.
Léa from @robinbierenaturelle is a wheat saison, fermented with a mix of lactobacillus and wild yeasts, then aged on French oak. The nose delivers bright and zesty phenolic funk, alongside flora-induced citrusy layers of lemon peel, grapefruit, and hints of tart apple. Light tropical notes come through as well, carrying some pear-like aromatics in the finish.
Like the nose, the beer is extremely citrus forward, delivering all kinds of lemony fun. It’s tart, bordering on sour, and showcases an acidic bacteria-induced tang that really helps cut through everything. There is a subtle cider-thing happening as well. Layers of oak provide a tannic dryness to the whole thing, making the finish pretty clean, leaving me with lingering flavours of pressed apple and grapefruit bitterness.
There is a vinous quality to Léa, and when coupled with dusty, brett-forward farmhouse funk, it really creates that perfect contemporary tart saison profile that we’ve all come to love. Seek this out. I don’t think you’ll regret it. #robinbierenaturelle #mixedfermentation #wildsaison #soursaison #beerism
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