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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Two beautiful boys got together to create B52, a @brasserieharricana and @memphre_fabrique collaboration, conceived by the lovely @francis.f.richer and @davidplasse . This double porter is brewed with coffee, orange, lactose, vanilla, and aged in Grand Marnier barrels! I had it a few years ago at Mondial, and I’ve been craving it ever since.
The coffee aromatics blast my nose with some serious espresso roastiness. There is subtle vanilla, mixed with earthy coffee grinds, and some orange zest. The grand mariner soaked oak peaks through as well, but it’s hard to tell where the adjuncts end and the barrels begin. The nose makes me want to swim in this beer.
The palate matches, but the coffee isn’t quite as pronounced, integrating well with the other flavours. Although a touch rich and sticky from lactose, the beer is balanced and on the dry side of the spectrum. All the adjuncts - although quite perceivable - are actually quite subtle, without one overpowering the other. The orange provides a hint of acidity and juiciness, while the vanilla carries just the right intensity, without diving into powdered sugar territory.
Like the nose, given that the ingredients match the profile of grand mariner itself, it’s hard to tell where the beer ends and the barrels comes into play. That said, the oak is there, with some nice tannic dryness, and a rich woody complexity adds a nice depth and richness to the whole thing. One tasty experience right here. #b52 #brasserieharricana #memphremagog #memphre #doubleporter #beerism #beer #grandmarnier
@lespacepublic just dropped this hoppy little can. “Trempette Tropicale” is listed simply as an IPA, and it’s just that. I feel like it falls within the aromatic IPA spectrum, carrying fruity hops on the palate, without being a sludgy and juicy NEIPA. Somewhere in the spectrum of Focal Banger or other pre-haze Vermont offerings, but definitely not a caramel malty west coast IPA by any stretch. It’s bright, juicy, very dry, and goes down easy. I really dig this one!
Double hazel is one of the latest @microbrasserievoxpopuli creations to hit shelves. This is an imperial version of their brown ale “hazel”, which I’m in love with. Hoping this one impresses me as well.
The nose matches the OG perfectly. It begins with rich mocha aromatics, alongside loads of nuttiness. Pumpernickel bread, and some light spiciness come through in the finish. It smells amazing.
The palate is quite different, but still carries the same vibe as the original. Rich darks malt deliver toasted grain notes, and lots of bready flavours. The body is luscious and creamy, but not overly viscous - and the bitter finish cuts through everything. The booze is perfectly hidden though all the layers of richness, but it’s still surprisingly dry throughout. And at 10%, that’s impressive. I loved this one and wish I had another for the cellar. There better be a barrel-aged version next year! ;) #beerism #voxpopuli #microbrasserievoxpopuli #doublehazel #hazel #brownale
This week a special can dropped. Alex from @brasseriechamplibre teamed up with Gabriel from @biereboreale to create Nordicité, a kveik fermented IPA.
The nose throws out lots of yeasty phenols, mixed with some serious juicy hops. A slight herbal tang comes through on the aromas, delivers a potent clove-like spiciness, mixed with orange and grapefruit juices.
The flavour profile matches. Again, There is a phenolic thing happening from the kveik strain, but it’s quite juicy, with citrus and some tropical notes coming on strong. The carbonation is creamy and soft, complimenting the luscious body nicely.
Overall this is a solid beer, but I’m not in love with the yeast profile. I find it a touch aggressive. That said, the juicy hop notes really come through and help balance the whole thing, creating a “Belgian IPA” type experience, but more on the New England spectrum.
@brasseriedieuduciel is celebrating their 11th anniversary today out in Saint-Jérôme! For those going, stay warm@if you can! Facteur Cosmique is a brand new bottle this year. At it’s base it’s a quad, but blended with grapes from Frontenac du Vignoble Rivière, spontaneously fermented, and the aged in barrels.
It pour out a gorgeous dark purple, with lots of brown highlights. The nose is vinous, alongside some spicy phenols. Chocolate, dates and a lot of what smells like coffee beans come next, finishing with light Bretty aromatics.
The palate is crazy complex. It’s tart, vinous, and carries a subtle sweetness. The Brett however does dry things out and there has to be coffee in this, or it was in a Péché barrel. The quad qualities carry rich dates and figs, with general dried fruits. The wild yeasts clearly ate away all the traditional clove-forward phenols, and instead have more of a berry presence. There is a sweet tang to this, with lots of cherry and red wine complexities. Overall this beer is pretty amazing. The layers in here are endless and brilliant.
(I checked in with Leïla at DDC to asked about the coffee notes. The barrels were indeed 2nd fill Péché Bourbon barrels, but washed prior to use). #facteurcosmique #quadrupel #barrelaged #beerism
Isseki Nicho from @brasseriedieuduciel is a imperial dark saison that has been coming out every year since 2011 – it has always been one of my favourites. Back in 2013, we were all treated to the first edition of a Pinot Noir barrel-aged version, which simply blew my mind. It returned once again in 2016, and this is now the third time we have been treated to this exquisite variant. Isseki Nicho Pinot 2019!
The nose is on fire as usual. Intense Pinot vinous notes marry with the saison phenols beautifully, creating bright and spicy aromatics that really don’t compare to anything else out there. Dark chocolate meets berry notes and lots of oak. This is truly one of the most amazing beers to inhale.
The palate is the usual Isseki Pinot delight, with some seemingly subtle differences. Fruity dark chocolate and light coffee notes meet some bold Pinot grapes alongside a light, almost blackberry tartness. Big espresso and a luscious body add a richness that resembles the original batch a touch more than recent years. The barrel is also very pronounced, with huge vinous layers and some cutting tannins that dry everything perfectly. Always amazing. #issekinicho #issekinichopinot #ddc #dieduciel #barrelaged #pinotnoir #beerism
This coming Saturday is @brasseriedieuduciel 2019 Bottle release and 11th anniversary party! As usual there is an amazing list of barrel-aged bottles to take home and a slew of deliciousness on tap. I was fortunate enough to get some bottles ahead of time so I could tell you all about them! Check out the post at www.beerism.ca (link in bio) #dieuduciel #beerism #exomures #barrelaged
Hopération is a brand new double IPA from @4originesbeer and can be found on tap at their brewery or to take home. It has also hit stores around the city.
It pours out a dark golden orange, with some copper highlights. The nose is composed of bright hops, delivering some citrus (especially tangerine) alongside a bit of strawberry and papaya. A light pine profile follows. It smells malty, but not caramel focused - instead think more marmalade and cooked fruit.
The mouth carries a similar profile. As expected from how it looks and smells, this beer isn’t about being a contemporary juice bomb, or even a beer from early days of haze, like Heady Topper or SOS. This is a classic all the way, in the vein of Pliny - or something along those lines, anyway.
Big fruits up front: overripe tangerine and general orange flavours blend with light tropical fruits and some tanginess in the finish. There is a hefty bitterness, but balances well against any sweetness. It’s impressive how well the sugars to bitterness are in play together, without an overbearing ethical booze burn.
My only issue with this is that there exists (what I can only assume is) a malty component that when combined with the hops, creates a sticky cooked-fruit-tang on the palate that I don’t love. I don’t think it’s a flaw, but rather just a personal taste thing.
Just like all 4O to date, this beer goes down incredibly well and in perfect balance. Drinkability is certainly at the forefront of its creation. Once again they should be proud of creating something delicious without concerning themselves with what’s trendy - doing exact what THEY want.
Right here is the last creation from @microriverbend - a blended barleywine aged in Mistelle de Poir and Vin Passerillé barrels. Let’s dive in.
The nose delivers loads of rich stone fruits: stewed peaches and fresh apricot meets marmalade and light caramel. Zesty hops notes comes through as well, adding more fruits to the mix.
Upon the first sip, I’m hit with some serious ethanol burn and a lot of bitterness. This barleywine is dry! As my palate adjusts and the beer opens, I start being able to pick up on the subtler components. The pear notes provide inviting juicy layers, complimenting the subtle caramel notes quite well. Stone fruits from the Vin Passerillé add a Sauternes-like sweet essence (without the actual sugars). There is a tannic wine quality as well, further drying the whole thing, while some grassy hops finish it off.
I actually really like this, but the sharp booze burn and bitterness creates a really sharp overall profile that’s a bit too intense. I think a year (or two) in the cellar will transform this into something more round and more delicious. #riverbend #microbrasserieriverbend #beerism #barleywine #bil #barleywineislife #vinpasserillé
Néron from @bbascanada made it’s way back into stores a few weeks back. This juicy gem is always a pleasure to drink. I can’t wait to see what’s next on the Bas Canada DIPA roster. #neron #néron #brasseriedubascanada #bascanada #gatineau #quebec #beerism
Categories
Beerism
- A Quick Guide to Dieu du Ciel!’s 2019 Bottle Release: Marché du 11ème
- Beerism’s Top 13 New Quebec beers of 2018!
- Brasserie Harricana Celebrates Their 4th Annivesary with a Party and a Bottle Release
- Brasserie du Bas-Canada Celebrates Their First Anniversary with a Bottle and Can Release
- A Guide to Brasserie Dunham’s Fall 2018 Bottle release!
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