Saison Duval – Brasserie Auval

Saison, 6%

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APPRECIATION

Saison, 6%: Bright dark straw color with storming activity. With the yeast pour it gets deep cloudy with floating detritus. Creamy and frothy white 2-3 finger head, lasting around 15-20 minutes, with generous legs and swirl reaction. Flavors of lemon, orange, pineapple, wheat, brett yeast, and floral hops. Slick and silky medium to full body with a zesty sharp crisp. Medium strength finish, moderate straw and barnyard effect, some honey with flowery hops and a tropical feel. Soft dryness but a prominent maillard sensation. More hoppy and floral than usual, less of a « cheesy » wild profile. As more yeast is poured it gets more citrusy and lemony. This is a cross Saison/IPA. Very well rounded and highly fresh, though slightly too much sugars. Overall high quality craft.

Bonhomme Sept-Heures – Brasseurs du Petit-Sault

Ale à la Citrouille, 8.5%

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Pumpkin Ale, 8.5%: Clear, slightly veiled, dark amber color with no activity. Light foamy beige 1-2 finger head, lasting around 2 minutes, with light legs but good lace and swirl effect. Flavors of pumpkins, barley, brown sugar, toffee, nutmeg, ginger, clove, and herbal hops. Slick medium body with a light crisp. Medium strength finish, spicy like a red ale but leveled a notch, nice roasted pumpkin and squash feel. Lots of sugars but well balanced from the spices and the leafy hops. Highly fresh and pleasant to drink. Perfect for autumn and halloween. Alcohol feel is hidden and incredibly treacherous. Overall high quality craft.

Pale Ale Américaine – Brasserie Dunham

Pale Ale Américaine, 5.5%

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American Pale Ale, 5.5%: Veiled and cloudy dark straw color, almost golden, with lots of activity. Thick foamy, almost creamy, light beige 3 finger head, lasting around 10-15 minutes, with average legs. Flavors of sweet grains, caramel, orange, grapefruits, wheat, Wild yeast, herbal and floral hops. Slick and smooth full body with prickly carbonation and a sharp crisp. Medium to strong strength finish, moderately tropical, slightly leafy and piney but more flowery, with a light straw and bardyard effect. A bit spicy in a coriander kind of way. Very close to an IPA in style, even closer to Belgian IPA so I’m not convinced about calling this an American interpretation. Although it’s highly refreshing and well polished, highly drinkable and pleasant. Really good balance. Overall high quality craft.

Transylvanian Pale Ale – Microbrasserie Kruhnen

Pale Ale Transylvanienne (IPA Rousse), 7%

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Transylvanian Pale Ale, 7%: Clear, slightly veiled, dark amber color with tons of activity. Gets cloudy as more yeast is poured. Thick foamy and frothy, a bit creamy, beige 3-4 finger head, lasting around 15 minutes, with good legs and lacing. Flavors of roasted grains dominant barley, clove, pears, caramel, mint, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and herbal hops. Soft and smooth medium body with a light crisp. Strong strength finish, lightly earthy and quite leafy, thick lingering bready malts on the tongue. Lots of sugars with high bitterness. As more yeast is poured you get more fruit effect of estery orange peels and grapefruits, kinda Belgian? Still feels more like a cross English IPA and spicy red ale, some autumn drinking qualities and halloween themed. The freshness is alright but effectively robust so it lacks accessibility. Though the flavors are well balanced still making this an enjoyable brew. I dig the complexity and interpretation. Overall very good quality craft.

Blanche Beaumont – Brasserie Auval

Ale de blé Américaine, 4.9%

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American Wheat Ale, 4.9%: Dense hazy and cloudy dark straw color with lots of activity. Extra foamy, bubbly and frothy, 4-5 finger sparkling head, lasting around 15 minutes, with faint legs but decent swirl reaction. Flavors of sweet grains dominant wheat, lemon, pineapples, passion fruit, wild yeast, floral hops. Slick and smooth medium body with light prickly carbonation but a good crisp at the end. Light to medium strength finish, a bit of straw and thick wheat feel, highly flowery with dry hops, kinda noble like a hoppenweisse but also similar to a table Saison or rustic pale ale from the light bardyard feel. Quite fresh and filling. Overall very good quality craft.

Solstice d’Hiver – Brasserie Dieu du Ciel!

Vin d’orge Américain, 10.2%

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American Barleywine, 10.2%, aged around 6 months : Deep murky dark brown color with a copper hue and lots of activity. Light creamy and bubbly beige 1-2 finger head, lasting around 5-10 minutes, with poor legs but strong lacing yet wild swirl effect. Flavors of walnuts, dark berries, prunes, liquorice, vanilla, toffee, cinnamon, dark grains dominant barley, and herbal hops. Slick and oily medium body with a light crisp. Strong strength finish, quite alcoholic and whiskey like with a slightly leathery feel. Thick ester fruits, leafy and earthy. Very lightly sour from the aging, so it did age well, it’s not really vinous but more boozy and less fruity. Rich and powerful, yet the balance is good, ending with a nice barrel feel. It’s the bold type of barleywine for real cold times. Could easy fit as an appetizer but would really appreciate a big portion for warming sessions. Easy to down and still highly enjoyable. Overall high quality craft.

L’Arlequin – Microbrasserie Pit Caribou

IPA Double Américaine, 8%

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American Double IPA, 8%: Deep cloudy, slightly veiled, golden color with hard to see activity. Creamy light beige 2-3 finger bubbly head, lasting around 10-15 minutes, with good legs and swirl effect. Flavors of pineapples, mangos, lemon, caramel, wheat, herbal and floral hops. Creamy and silky medium to full body with light prickly carbonation and a soft crisp at the end. Strong strength finish, tropical all the way, citrusy and slightly vinous, also quite yeasty and zesty with a hint of straw and bardyard effect. Robust but well balanced flavors, some English style of dry hops. Really smooth with good freshness. Overall high quality craft.

No. 13 Tennessee Imperial Porter – Microbrasserie Pit Caribou

Porter Impérial, 10%

Head: Creamy brown 2-3 finger.
Legs: Not much but good lacing and a nice swirl.
Smell: Alcohol/Toast/Toffee.
Taste: Barley/Coffee/Vanilla/Cherries/Herbal.
Feel: Roasted//Earthy/Leafy/Woody.
Body: Light to medium creamy/milky and a bit silky.
Carbonation: Moderate, fits with the style.
Overall: Decent whiskey barrel effect and quite warming (alcoholic feel).

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Amiral Gin Ale – Le BockAle

Ale Épicée et Herbacée (champignons), 6.9%

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Herbed and Spiced Ale (mushroom feel), 6.9%, bottle Lot 003 : Clear golden color with poor activity. Foamy, slightly creamy, white 2 finger head, lasting around 5-10 minutes, not much legs nor swirl effect. Strong dominant sweet clove and nutmeg smell, quite unique and interesting. Flavors of flowers, nutmeg, lemon, coriander, dark berries, clove, sweet grains, and herbs. Slick and almost creamy full body with prickly carbonation. Medium strength finish, sugary cinnamon and grainy, sour dark fruits and orange, thick herbal, a bit minty with lingering leafy hops. Weird feel of old straw or forest mushrooms, hard to explain but it’s heavily vegetal, not bad at all and having lots of character and complexity! Slightly dry but still quite fresh. Overall high quality craft, it’s experimental and strange at first but I get to enjoy it. Fits well in the categories of amber or brown ale in the feel, without even being that dark.

Patersbier – Beau’s All Natural Brewing Company

Pale Ale Belge rustique, Série Farm Table, 4.7%

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Rustic Belgian Pale Ale, Farm table series, 4.7%: Hazy straw color with low activity. Deep cloudy with the yeast. Foamy and slightly creamy light beige 2-3 finger head, lasting around 10 minutes, with poor legs and a decent swirl effect. Flavors of lemon, sweet grains, wheat, spices, Belgian yeast, Wild yeast, caramel, and floral hops. Slick and oily medium to full body with strong crispy carbonation. Light to medium strength finish, sharp and dry, a slightly vinous with citrusy dry hops, a bit of straw and flowery. A cross between Pale Ale and Saison from hints of cheese, kinda like a Belgian rustic pale ale. The maillard effect is too pronounced and overwhelming. So it lacks a bit of complexity. Feels a bit more alcoholic, like 7%. Balanced bitterness and sugars. Still really fresh and pleasant to drink. Overall high quality craft.