So, in the desire to have something different, I cracked open my Route des Épices from Quebec's excellent Dieu du Ciel. This is one unique beer - as if you couldn't tell from the style listing on the label! This is a red rye ale brewed with peppercorns and is, as far as I'd imagine, alone in this category! That said, however, we could call this a Rye Beer or even a Spiced Beer with no problems.
The beer itself is a gorgeous deep copper red with a thick, white head. I'll even note the beautiful, smooth, seamless transition from body to head as the fineness of the bubbles and flowing thickness of the initial carbonation seem so noteworthy. Head retention is fair and the lacing is fine, though not incredibly long-lasting in lacing. On the nose this beer has a malty primacy, exemplified by brown sugar, alongside fainter hints of bread, nuts, oak, smoke, and a trace of toffee. I detect no pepper on the nose, but I devour pepper and may well be immune! Flavourwise, though, this beer begins like a sweet nut brown with toffee, nut and bread flavours most discernible, yet finishes with a bold, spicy, peppery kick that has a lingering finish and gets stronger with every sip! This is complimented by a sufficiently balancing hoppy dryness. On the tongue, it is primarily crisp, tingly, lively and medium bodied, while warming from the sharp spices (but not the moderate 5.3% ABV). This is a very nice beer, but is assuredly not for everyone. If you like spices and love pepper, as well as beers with a kick, grab one when you can! Grade: A-
And, in Ontario beer news, those Garrison brews (mentioned by me here) are about to arrive on LCBO shelves and will last until the end of March or until we devour them! Apparently, according to The Bar Towel, these beers will only be available at 25 select LCBOs and the list of which can be found in that link. Let me know if you try any - though I hope to get my hands on all five and write about them shortly thereafter!
But, for now... Cheers!
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