Sunday, April 18, 2010

QuaDave post - Canada is now suffering a beer shortage

I recently wrote about a trip to Montreal. Without rehashing, I’ll summarize and say my favorites (on draft in Canada) were the Le Cheval Blanc Stout (best stout I have ever had) and the Boreale Blonde.

I already reviewed the Labatt Porter. The rest are:

Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel Rosee d’Hibiscus





This beer comes from a small brewpub in Montreal that also has a bottling operation. Labelled as a wheat beer with hibiscus flowers.
Color: deep reddish amber. Unfilteres. Very little head.
Scent: Apples and flowers.
First taste: cider-y with a very hefe finish. Has more of a “beer” taste than the Sam Adams Stony Break read I reviewed earlier. Very crisp and refreshing.
Feel: Just like a wheat beer should: thick, but not so heavy as to be hard to take big sips of.
Finish: tart, like a dry cider.
Alcohol Content: 5.5% ABV
Average Price: $3.00 CAD (341 ML bottle)


Les Brasseurs RJ Belle Guele Originale





This is a pale lager that comes from a brewery consortium in Quebec (of which Le Cheval Blanc, which I mentioned above, is a part of).
Color: Golden. Nice and bubbly, with a nice foamy head.
Scent: beer. Crisp, clean, lager.
First taste: initial taste is a crisp, light malt. From there it expands to that of a traditional no-filler lager. Full-bodied, and refreshing. Tastes like a more-perfect version of a lot of American lights.
Feel: somewhat heavy on the tongue, lots of bubles.
Finish: malt to hops. Awesome beer!
Alcohol content: 5.2% ABV
Average Price: $2.50 CAD (341 ML bottle)


Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel Peche Mortel





This beer comes from Dieu Du Ciel, whose Rosee d’Hibiscus I reviewed 2 days ago. This beer is described as an extra strong imperial coffee stout. It should be noted that this beer has received a rare “A” rating on beeradvocate.com (it is actually in their top 25 all-time list of thousands of beers).
Color: dark, black. Thick, foamy head that is chocolate in color.
Scent: chocolate, leading to coffee, to malt. Delicious.
First taste: strong stout, immediately followed by chocolate and coffee blended together. Hoppy finish. Complex is an understatement. Amazing beer, does not taste like it is 9.5% ABV.
Feel: surprisingly light, given how heavy and alcoholic this beer is. This stuff is drinkable, though it shouldn’t be.
Finish: Hoppy, but with a lingering espresso taste, that tastes exactly like a strong espresso.
Alcohol content: 9.5% ABV
Average price: $2.75 CAD per 341 ML glass, $5.00 CAD per European Pint.
Delicious beer. Wow.


Unibroue La Fin Du Monde-(Note: the end of the world is a fitting name for my last Canadian beer)





This beer is from Quebec’s most famous microbrew, known for La Fin Du Monde and Ephemere. It is describeae as a Triple Fermentation Extra Strong Ale. It comes wrapped in silver foil, so you know its fancy.
Color: straw and unfiltered. Looks like a hefe.
Scent: wheat and bananas. Reminds me of a hoegaarden, or other stereotypical white beers. Tastes like a white beer.
First taste: wheat, expanding to fruit and flowers. Crisp.
Feel: light for a wheat beer, but not as light as say Sierra Nevada wheat.
Finish: refreshing. Again, like dieu du ciel above, it does not taste as strong as it is. Another awesome Canadian beer.
Alcohol content: 9% ABV
Average Price: $2.99 per CAD 341 ML bottle, $6.99 CAD per 1L bottle
Another amazing choice from Canada.




Future Dave?