Brasserie Dunham: Previewing their Latest Innovative Concoctions

Every once in a while, I get sucked into these debates about the best brewery in the province, or the country, or the world, but really, it comes down to individual products and personal tastes. It's tough to put a brewery above all others when so many make delicious beers, but I can easily compare two IPAs or two dry-hopped kettle sours, or two business models.

I've heard Brasserie Dunham ranked in the tops of the province or the country many times, but that all depends on the criteria we use to assess them. They, deservedly and once again, made ratebeer's list of the world's top 100 breweries for 2016. But where they rank specifically is so subjective. Regardless, that success is certainly merited!

One thing is for certain to me though: Dunham leads the (Canadian) charge in thoughtful experimentation driving forward the beer scene for all of us, bringing up those influenced by them rather than simply competing against them. The innovations brought by founder Sébastien Gagnon, brewmaster Eloi Deit, and sommelier Simon Gaudreault don't always result in success (though they usually do), but they always inspire, advance, and propel the ideas of what beer is and can be!

How you may ask? Well, it starts with their forward-thinking blogger/beer media scene invite to taste their products ahead of their pending May 13 Bottle Release Party (details here and here), and it continues with their ticketed, lineup-reduced, well planned release events, but it carries forward mostly into their beers, often weaving mixed fermentations, barrel-aging, fruit, blends, and funk. What's not to like?

I'll leave you to read through the specifics of the beers on the order page, aside from what I add below, but we were able to grab a sneak peak of 7 beers (6 from the release and one other) and I offer some preview thoughts below. Note that despite the invite, I will critique where I feel criticism is needed and, indeed, Simon asks me to do so as he insists their invite is partially for such reflection and not simply to demand unwarranted praise.

What I loved:

Most of them! I also enjoyed the latest incarnation of Cyclope Dzeta (pictured above) and Ask For Paul (brewed for the Toronto Comic Arts Festival), but these beers are not a part of the release and so won't be thoroughly reviewed here.

Viti Vini Vici: Cuvée of Coussergues

This 5.6% ABV Saison is the first in a series of local (semi-)collaborations in which Brasserie Dunham will showcase local wine grapes, through a process of cold fermentation with the must before a lengthy (in this case 5.5 month) barrel-aging process before brett re-fermentation (in this case with four different brett strains plus whatever existed on the grape skins to begin with). Though the plan is to showcase grapes and barrels from the same wineries, it was impossible this time, though the grapes here are of the Vidal variety (often used for ice wines) from L'Orpailleur (one of Quebec's earliest wineries).

The base beer here is Dunham's classic Saison Rustique, but that won't be obvious to any but the most seasoned imbiber as this beer has transformed majestically. The nose is boldly aromatic wafting an exhilarating complement of vinous notes, wood, and that funky bretted white wine character that is unique and difficult to describe but which simply shines when wild yeast, barrels, and white wine are allowed to coalesce in a funky beer. There is a fermenting fruit quality to it, though it also has more than a passing resemblance to the nose of Assemblage 1: Sauternes. Perhaps there is something about these sweeter grapes providing a specific sugar for the brett, but whatever it is, it smells seductively enticing! Perhaps, to be even more precise, it presents what I am starting to understand to be Dunham's classic signature funk, and the development of such a complex signature is a sign of maturity from this relatively young brewery.



Up front the taste brings a moderately tannic but quite musty and fruity white wine character. Though inviting up front, I find it gets fairly muted and non-descript with a lightly watery finish that is a slight let-down after the nose. There is a faint linger. It is supported by a medium body, but feels lighter due to fairly low carbonation and the mild flavour-finish. Don't get me wrong, this isn't problematically low carbonated or entirely bland, however, Simon assures me it should both funk up and continue to carbonate as our bottles were extremely fresh.


Minor critiques aside, this beer is unique, innovative, aromatic, and tasty, while delicate and nuanced, not to mention that it embodies a spirit of collaboration in showcasing local wineries. It is precisely the model of Dunham innovation that I adore, even if I think the execution here is merely good and not yet perfected. I remain as excited for the evolution of this specific beer, as I do to the evolution of this line.

Grisettonosaure à l'argousier

 

Despite being called a grisette, with a saison base and at nearly 6% (5.8) ABV, this might better be called a saison. It does, however, drink easily as if lighter. Based on a grisette/saison brewed in collaboration with Le Cheval Blanc for their 30th Anniversary, this beer evolves with weizen yeast pitched after two days of primary fermentation, with the addition of Sea Buckthorn, and with aging in white wine barrels.

And, WOW, is it wonderfully aromatic! The nose presents an enticing bouquet that dominates the first flight (Ask For Paul, Viti Vini Vici, and this were presented first). It expresses notes of funky wet wood, with some floral esters, and a tannin-forward vinousness. Oddly, though the nose here is the boldest of the three at the pour, it becomes the most muted after 15 minutes on the table as the aromatics express rapidly, but seem to diminish just as quickly. It, likewise, brings a characteristic Dunham funk quality that I find both appealing and evidence of a brewing maturity.

In the mouth, I get a slightly tannic quality with a low level of spicy phenols complemented by what I imagine are the fruity elements of sea buckthorn - not that I have ever tasted it outside of a beer - before a nicely dry finish with a moderate (and I'd say perfect) level of tartness. Oddly, though I wouldn't call the tannins high, they stand out despite this beer following my tasting of VVV above. Carbonation is moderate, but should still be picking up a bit, and though it smells bolder than it tastes, it is delectably dry, tart, and crushable now with the promise of increasing funk over time.

Oro Zuur - Batch 3 (Mosaic)

 

 This batch of Dunham's barrel-aged dry-hopped sour is a treat once again! Unlike the original Oro Zuur (with Mosaic), this is less sour overall, but perhaps more funky on the nose. The nose here has a deep level of the noted characteristic funk complemented minimally by some berry and tropical fruit-forward hops. Unlike some dry-hopped sours that are full of (clean) fruit without funk, this is more funk with a hint of fruit. There is a trace of wood underneath, but it is aromatically dominated by something like musty sour fruity candies.

Tastewise, it is much more muted up front than past versions but ends with a musty, mildly tart, quenching signature that is evident in many of these beers, and it is very, very enjoyable. The beginning here is a bit fruitier than in other elements, where mild strawberries and shades of lemon zest come to mind.

The carbonation and feel are both moderate, to moderately full, but somehow the dryness and finish (not to mention delightful flavours) still invite drinking over sipping!

I don't find the differences between batches of Oro Zuur to be too large, but I do believe I slightly prefer this more funky version to the more sour versions that preceded it. Regardless, I can't see anyone who enjoyed the others being turned off here as the strengths all remain, if in slightly different proportions.

Berliner Dragon Weisse

Dunham's Berliners just keep getting better and better! This latest incarnation presents a gorgeous pink hue, with a head that lingers and laces despite the bolder carbonation of the style.

Aromatically, it is milder than expected, but still offers a pleasing nose characterized by the dragon fruit. It doesn't smell very sour, as a kind of floral and fruity quality takes over. Though I am unfamiliar with dragon fruit, I would say it comes a bit close to kiwi in my assessment of the nose. Again, being unfamiliar with the base fruit, I'll also add that I get something on the nose that smells almost artificial, but not in a bad way. Though it doesn't smell at all like cherries, I mean artificial in the way that maraschino cherries smell a bit different than unaltered fruit. This isn't off-putting in the least, rather it is simply descriptive of something I lack the language precision to otherwise explain.

Tastewise, this offers a massive fruity character up front before evolving with a decent acidity and dryness that spreads across the palate. The carbonation is bold, as it should be, but somehow there is an oilyness to the feel that works excellently as it seems to stick the beer against my entire mouth forcing a linger of fruit and moderate acidity as I swallow. Somehow, this just works perfectly with this beer!

Oddly, despite an actual final pH of 2.86, this beer doesn't feel that sour in perceived acidity, and it remains super crushable and refreshing! This may have been my favourite sample of the evening!

Saison Cassis Reserve Brandy - Single Barrel

This gorgeous beer (pictured above beside its Tokai barrel counterpart) is super fruit-forward, with the nose offering that bitter-sweet currant aroma alongside a fair bit of alcoholic heat. As it warms, there is a very, very faint trace of what I identify as fusels, though I am told it is likely the fruit (but I am sceptical - see the Tokai review below).

Though it smells quite hot, you cannot taste the booze at all, as the currants dominate in the mouth. Less tart and less acidic than past versions, but the fruitiness complements this moderately low sourness with a full body that creates an excellent sipping treat. I would imagine this too shall still carb up some, but even if it doesn't, the body is truly juicy making for an excellent refreshment nonetheless!

What I hated:

Saison Cassis Reserve Tokai

Okay, hate is a strong word, but this had off-putting qualities to me. WARNING: do not read below if you don't want to have this and a few others beer ruined for you by the power of aroma suggestion!

This has a fairly bold chemical smell underneath the fruit. There is some of that in the Brandy version, but it falls deeply behind the fruit whereas here I get it immediately. It has two characteristics that are equally off-putting to me:

First, it has fusel components. Again, I am told it isn't fusels, but I taste them as well and I have come to be accustomed to these in a few failed homebrews that got too hot in primary. Representatives from the brewery insist it may have been a by-product of the fermented fruit, but I do not get this from any other version of this product and there were even more heavily fruited versions in the past.

Second, there is an expression - perhaps from the fruit as from the flowers in Cantillon's Mamouche - that comes across as insect repellent to me. Once, at a Cantillon tasting, someone pointed this out and everyone else present wound up able to smell nothing else after, and now I am unable to not notice it whenever I smell Mamouche. I am sorry if my description does this for you, but despite my general love of tokai barrels and of other variants of this beer I cannot help but be disappointed in whatever happened to this product. Do let me know if you agree once you smell and taste it.

That said, the yeast and bacteria in this beer could continue to transform it, and I'd be excited if they did so, but as it stands, this beer wasn't for me.



Regardless, as noted, Dunham continues to innovate and their experiments are almost entirely successful, this time no less than always! Despite my dislike of one beer, I remain enthralled by the others such that you know where to find me on May 13!

Brasserie Dunham: Anniversary Bottle Release Sneak Preview!

As has become an annual tradition, Quebec's highly esteemed Brasserie Dunham promises an exciting bottle release and party at their gorgeous brewery on May 21st, in celebration of their 5th Anniversary.  In just five short years, this brewery has stepped up Quebec saison, blending, and barrel-aging standards by pumping out countless delights.

With special thanks to their founder, Sébastien Gagnon, their brewmaster, Éloi Deit, and their sommelier, Simon Gaudreault, I was fortunate enough to be invited to a pre-tasting event hosted at Vices et Versa yesterday.  I thank them all not only for the opportunity to taste these at such a well-orchestrated event, but for essentially saying things twice so as to accommodate my franco-challenged limitations (though I did catch some of it as my ear gradually improves!)

Not only were media guests well fed and plied with ample tastings of their forthcoming treats, we were further treated to illuminating discussions of the beers, their process and aims, and further ideas of what to expect as Dunham keeps pushing things forward.

In this vein, Simon Gaudreault reminded us of Dunham's commitment to keeping beer events fun, such that their pre-order ticket and payment system seeks to eliminate lineups "so that people don't have to stand around in a parking lot for hours."  Even with all of Dunham's brewing success, this commitment is an idea that truly must catch on in the beer world!  Not only does it ensure the enjoyment of the day for attendees, but it further allows a model distribution where the number of purchasers can be maximized avoiding catastrophes where those who line up earliest get the highest returns.

In other exciting news, Dunham plans (in the near future) to have downloadable pdf spec-sheets of all of their beers, which will list things like grains, hops, yeasts, and processes as well as technical specs like gravity readings and more.  For a beer geek and home brewer, this is also welcome news.

Anyway, you all care more about the beer and what you should order (through your pre-order link here).  The lineup for us consisted of Saison Fleurs Sauvage, Ping Pong Wizard, Assemblage #1, Assemblage #1 Cru Paysan, Leo's Vin Rouge Brett, Tropicale IPA, Berliner Mango Weisse, Deze Monnik is Dronken (Chianti BA), and Stout Imperiale Russe Classique (Tokaji BA).

While chatting and listening, full notes were difficult to take, but there is one final thing worth noting before I provide a brief assessment of most: they stressed to us not to simply call everything 'good' but to critique and provide feedback where relevant, so I will do so as I see fit!

This delightful grisette (brewed in collaboration with Kevin Dwyer and Will Meyers (of Cambridge Brewing) pours a hazy dark yellow to very light amber with a slight head (at least in taster glass pours), though a top layer of thin-bubbled carbonation lasts throughout its consumption.  It wafts some lemon rind, fermenting grape-skins, and mild pear qualities and can best be characterized as offering a fruit-dominant bouquet complemented by mild tannic, musty, and lightly tart aromatics.

In the mouth, it reminds me of a mildly tart unsweetened apple quality complemented by low peppery phenols.  Though fairly light-bodied to make for easy drinking, it was a tad fuller than expected for the ABV, though I found it a bit under-carbonated for the style which may have given the illusion of greater substance.  Don't get me wrong it isn't flat, and the carbonation has been confirmed for me as being by design, but I personally feel it could be strengthened by a more bubbly effervescence that spreads the notes across the palate and dries it alongside the body-lightening illusion that would provide.

Still, I am nitpicking here: this is a solid beer and one I look forward to drinking on my patio on a hot summer day!  Grade: B+

I am strictly reviewing the Cru Paysan variant of this, assuming that most of you have tasted the original.  This extremely small-batch variant is aged in Red Wine AND Sauternes barrels, and is one of the highlights of the day for me.  They allowed us to side-by-side this with the original, and some of my notes come from that comparison.

This sexy beast pours out a very slightly darker colour than the original, with a very mildly hazy amber body, capped by a decent white head not unlike its twin.  Aromas are perhaps a bit less oaky, though are much stronger overall.  There is a deep vinous quality complemented by must, apricots, and a faint hint of tangerines.  This nose is big, bold, and AMAZING.

Tastes begin with a touch of honey-covered fruit up front, perhaps of the aforementioned apricot, before a switch to a more musty Brett/wine combo quality (that I suspect you'll know from other wine-barrel, bretted beers), and finishes with a dank and very dry swallow and linger.  This is medium bodied and carbed, and seems to work well with the vinous nature and funky components.  Though I slightly prefer the nose to the taste, this is a fine beer and one I wish the limits allowed multiple purchases of!  However, it is always better one per person and many taste it, than 4pp and hoarded by the few.  Grade: A- to A

The red-wine BA and bretted variant of this Dunham staple brought out the most varied feelings amongst those at my table, though was universally the least appreciated by all present.  I have, at times, had red wine beers that overwhelmed me amidst other tastings beforehand, which managed to shine when later imbibed on their own.  This could be one of those beers that, for some reason, seemed not to fly in the order in which it was presented.

The body presents a moderate amber, while a fair white head tops the base.  I found the nose must dominant, with a hint of booziness not present in the base beer - like that winey alcohol heat.  I rather liked the nose, but the other four at my table all hated the nose.

The taste was equally divisive, as I found it to be characterized by a stale cardboard quality reminiscent of both aged hops and stale tea, though that was complemented by a decent grape must component.  Personally, I loved the nose and was not too impressed by the taste, while the other four at my table found it tasty, but unpleasant to smell.

As noted in our small sample, this beer seems driven by excess - unless it was in bottle variance - but in its boldness brought out the boldest of opinions.  Having already placed my Dunham order, mind you, I have another coming and will report back if this stands up better when not following Cru Paysan (which very few Quebec beers are well suited to follow!) Tentative Grade: C+ to B-

As is typical in a Berliner, this pours a cloudy golden with a scant head, though it may be perhaps cloudier still for the pureed mango that makes its way into this beer.  My nose detects the fruit, but it is overpowered by that acidic lemony berliner quality coupled with a trace of floral esters.  The taste, again, brings a lemony lactic sourness complemented by moderately high mango flavours.  It is quite sour, though cleanly so, with a decently drying finish.  It has the light body and sharp effervescence that bring the style to life in your mouth.  This will be one tasty hot summer day treat, indeed! Grade: A-

This year's Deze Monnik differs in its barrel-aging (this time in Chianti barrels) and as only 1/4 of the figs were added during fermentation, with the additional 3/4 added (for the first time) in the barrels themselves.

It makes for a different beer, but I think a better one!

A decent thin-bubbled white head rests atop a medium brown base.  From this head wafts a moderate amount of sweetened figs, as if the fruits were topped by substantial amount of brown sugar, perhaps even lightly charred brown sugar or burnt caramel.  There is just a scant trace of the Chianti.

In the mouth, it starts sweetly, as with the previous incarnation, with a middle characterized by the fruit (though a touch less present than before), and ends with a drier finish than in the past, with a touch of the wine and oak at this point making for what I would call a more complex, rounded, and balanced product.  When quads are done right, the feel offers a creaminess despite (in apparent contradiction) sharp carbonation.  This nails that!  It is heavily effervescent, but not sharply so as the creamy texture rounds it out in ways that blend rhythmically with the flavours. Grade: A- to A

As with the Sauternes barrels used for Cru Paysan, this variant of their classic Stout Imperiale Russe comes aged from a barrel containing a noble-rot infected wine.  Tokaji, a Hungarian dessert wine, however seems much sweeter than Sauternes - from descriptions, as I am no sommelier.  I am, however, a big fan of Sauternes-aged beers, so the options here excite me!

As expected, this pours a deep, dark brown with a scant white head (again, at least in these tasting pours).  The bouquet is brilliant!  I am blasted by something resembling a booze filled chocolate, where the booze is out of my price-range and the cacao is like 85%.  There is a fruity vinous quality, but it is mild and complements rather than overwhelming the stellar scents, and there is, underneath of course, a roasty quality but again, it takes a backseat to the booze-filled chocolate.

It starts in the mouth with sweeter chocolate notes, before a mildly astringent roastiness, and completes with a dry finish of greater complexity than in the base beer.  Don't get me wrong: I love the base beer.  Here, however, rather than a hopped-dryness, there is one complemented by oak and a style of wine I have never tasted but can now slightly imagine.

Perhaps moreso than in other variants of this stout, there is some heat in the linger, but the body remains nicely chewy and full-bodied, with fairly low carbonation discernible.  Grade: A- to A

Saison Fleurs Sauvage and Tropicale IPA have both hit stores recently and are not listed on the pre-order sheet, so I will avoid an in-depth review here, except to add that both are solid.  I am most impressed by the mild funk qualities of Saison Fleurs Sauvage being achieved without Brettanomyces, while Tropicale IPA has more (both quantity and types) of fruit than batch one and is a far better product!  Both are worth your pursuit and hard-earned dollars.

In closing, I'll simply add that there are many more excellent sounding beers than these at this release, so I encourage you to get your order in!  And if, for some sick reason, you don't want your allotted Cru Paysan (or RIS 6-pack), well... you know where to find me!