Craft Beer Predictions for 2019

Like most predictive posts, this one has serious belief twinged with hyperbolic projection. Nonetheless, I thought I'd share some of my visions of the coming year in craft beer.

Prediction 1: People will start to realize that milkshakes and bruts are no substitute for the hazy successor to the American IPA.

It ain't really about the haze, it's about the juice, but NEIPA aren't going anywhere. Brut and Milkshakes though? I know very few people who even like these styles at all or much, and certainly nowhere near the numbers of those who <3 the West Coast and New England versions of the American IPA. Yeah, maybe I just want milkshakes to die, and maybe they won't entirely. Nonetheless, though, I maintain that in five years we'll look back on them as we currently reflect on the Black IPA - even though those were far superior to all but the best milkshakes.

Prediction 2:  Before the milkshake madness ends, someone will brew a milkshake zwickel/keller/kölsch or some equally ridiculous nonsense contaminating a clean and/or Reinheitsgebot style.

I mean, it may well be a DDH zwickel (or gruit?!?!) or some other wacky pursuit of the new, but it will be a failure nonetheless.

In fact, it's likely to come from some brewery who pumps out 700 new beers annually rather than perfecting a current one.

Yeah, this prediction is half facetious... but only half. I mean, how far from beer can we go? How far from style? (Don't get me wrong of course: it is in innovation and transformation that new styles are born and I truly applaud this when done thoughtfully.) As much as I abhor sounding like those non-craft drinkers who lament craft beer for allegedly 'not tasting like beer' (when they have no historical understanding of the styles that predate their beloved corn-syrup-fueled race-to-the-bottom macro lager), but how far from beer will we go? Can we simply make good beer, not weird limited beer and try to focus on that?

Speaking of which...

Prediction 3: Brasserie Auval will release yet another great beer, alongside several decent but immensely overvalued ones.

While brewmaster Ben Couillard is an excellent brewer and while all of his products are at least solid (though I am not sure I understand Braggot or even Double Nordet), there is no perfect brewer. Yes, even Shaun Hill and Jean Van Roy have released products below their legendary bests.

Auval has some tremendous beers (*cough* Trifolium, Nordet, Grisettes *cough*) and the rest are generally good to very good (saisons, fruited sours, Super A), while a few are simply fine. They certainly beat many a shelf beer, even at their worst, yet that gets to the crux of the matter: the fact that they aren't found on shelves in Quebec's largest market converges nicely with a trend in craft beer that I hate - the ongoing pursuit of the rarest/newest beer over the best.

Don't get me wrong, I also seek new untappd beers and badges (and once foolishly traded Fou'Foune for a pastry stout), and appreciate the chance to buy a rare product, but a product shouldn't be seen as great or more valuable BECAUSE it's harder to get, but rather because it is superior (which then legitimately boosts value in conjunction with scarcity). I'm not saying Auval's product is all hype - much isn't - but the after-market value on these beers needs to simmer down.

The result here is decent beers (in abundance in some parts of the province) being traded for epic rarities of greater value (in cost, scarcity, and quality terms) because of uneven distribution compounded by beer geek overhype. If you think I'm wrong, Trifolium hit Montreal at 1 per person and sold out before launch due to massive lines, while a guy I entered in trade discussions with claims to have brought 48 bottles from the Gaspé and wanted BA Hill Farmstead for each one... AND THAT IS ONE OF THE GREAT AUVAL BEERS.

Hence, the other crucial part of my prediction: Auval will launch a great beer, but trading for it and 4 others at that price to determine which is the one perhaps worth the cost of entry is evidence of flawed perceptions - with no disrespect to a phenomenal brewer.

Prediction 4: Everyone will (pretend to be) shocked when ____________ sells to a macro.

I have no inside scoop, beyond any oft-repeated rumours, but you can fill in the blank and rest assured that as craft continues to boom, the macros will continue to pursue shelf, tap, and brand dominance with dollar figures that may be a pittance to them but offer lifetime security for the owners of small operations and their families.

Don't blame the seller though, blame the system. By that, I mean capitalism.

Prediction 5: My cellar will continue to grow despite my best intentions to shrink it - and I will not be alone.

Somehow I've got like 400 bottles/cans in my cellar. This was never the intention, and I've even now had beers go bad. Further, despite periodic attempts to keep the inventory up to date and to avoid spoilage, the reality of working/parent life keeps things from getting dwindled.

The chaos began when I'd have a chance to buy something like 48 PMB and I'd buy 48 (or more realistically 24). Then I'd drink and trade 12 and accumulations would ensue.

During the past 2 years or so, I have reduced my RIS purchases, for example, from 4+ bottles to 2 of high quality product (one to drink and one to age) or sometimes just one, but it bodes well for craft beer that there are simply more quality offerings to select.

When I moved to Quebec in 2012, there really was one imperial stout worth buying and so I'd hoard that BA delight. But now, there are many and I have switched from buying too many of one beer to buying one of far too many beers.

I don't know if this is a condition and therapeutic confession, but it is a warning: don't let good beer rot.


Anyway, I wish you all a happy new year, a frothy new beer, and nothing but the best in 2019. Cheers!

Brasserie Auval: Tasty Treats from the Gaspé's Hot New Brewery

In the current era of craft growth, new breweries open all the time.  Most of these, sadly, are mediocre at best (and at times far worse).  If you are at all like me, you await solid word before you spend your hard-earned dollars on something that is unlikely to impress, with the unfortunate ratio of crap-to-quality craft cluttering our shelves (as everyone seems to think brewing a good - or at least sellable - beer is like building a 90's era webpage on dreamweaver).

Yet, brewmaster Ben Couillard, who started Pit Caribou in 2007 comes with pedigree and praise even before his long awaited brews hit shelves, and I was fortunate enough to get my hands on the first three bottles from his new brewery, Brasserie Auval.  Auval is a very small scale, farmhouse brewery with a surrounding organic small fruit orchard and honey farm.

Now, I knew in advance that I was the target market for such a brewery.  You know a brewery is targeting a special breed of beer geek when their introductory three offerings are an IPA, a wine barrel-aged saison, and a sour/wild raspberry ale.  With such an introductory spread, coupled with equal parts pedigree and praise, I knew I had to seek these out and I am certainly glad I did!  It is worth noting that all of these beers are bottle conditioned and only the IPA is capped (and says it has a three month life), while the others are caged and corked with a two-year estimated shelf-life.

My initiation began with Arcane17 IPA.  This 5.2% ABV India Pale Ale is labelled as a "Hoppy Beer," which I find far preferable to something irrelevant like "Epic Beer" even if hops presents in diverse ways and 'hoppy' is a limited descriptor.  The ingredients back this up by telling us that it contains "tons of hops" though their facebook page clarifies that these hops are of the Simcoe and Amarillo varieties.  

It presents a lightly hazy body with a light amber colour, capped by a decently thick, creamy white head of some retention and lacing.  Aromatically, this is a fruit bomb with dominant citrus notes expressing as sweet tangerines, coupled with peaches, mango, pineapple, melon, strawberries, and passion fruit all discernible.  There is a trace of piney resin, but it is masked by this super-fruit-presentation.  Though not quite as explosive, this is like that wide open, multi-layered Heady Topper type aromatic hop-showcase complexity.  Nose-wise, I think this would be my favourite Quebec IPA, though other components need consideration before such a premature assessment would be even possible.

Tastewise, it begins with an initial and slight graininess, before a rapid switch to a fairly floral, mildly resinous, and predominantly lemon-rind driven hop presentation.  A moderately bitter and fairly lengthy linger completes the taste, which is likewise supported by a fairly light body and fairly light carbonation.  As it is live, I wonder if it needed just a few more days out of the fridge to carbonate further - though the hops may then have suffered instead.

I suspect there are two or perhaps three Quebec IPAs I enjoy a bit more in their entirety (Moralité, Yakima, maybe Pit Caribou IPA Americaine), but to have an initial offering come into this range is a noteworthy achievement!  Additionally, the low ABV is, for me, an extra selling feature, making for an easy work-night pint.  Moreover, brewmaster/owner Ben tells me that this recipe is in evolution and may be tweaked before future incarnations.  With such a strong start, I cannot wait to see what it becomes!

 Next, I cracked Saison Espinay (6% ABV).  It is pretty brazen - and a show of confidence - to begin one's first release with a 3-month Chardonnay barrel-aged saison.  The mass market rarely buys such styles, and those who tend to drink them have discerning palates and numerous good options nearby (from Dunham to Hill Farmstead).

Yet, this bold move pays off!  It pours a strongly cloudy, orange-tinged amber.  The body is topped by a lightly audible fizzy white head of some retention, with some sticky lace clinging to the glass throughout.

It wafts a bouquet of spicy yeast phenols, but not overwhelmingly so, in presenting some pepper and coriander notes that are tempered by a mild floral hops quality.  As it warms, initially a mild fermenting peach character presents, before more wine notes come to the fore in the form of grape skin and must.

The flavour kicks off with a mild dough quality, before drying out substantially with a spicy phenolic and floral hops finish.  The must/grape skin quality is also present in the finish from the get-go, though it increases as it warms, but the oak (though present) is less discernible than the vinous qualities.  It finishes in a very dry fashion while cold, though is substantially sweeter and more wine forward upon warming.  A medium body with ample sharp carbonation complements the dry and spicy characteristics.

In the final assessment, it presents like a fairly typical, traditional saison, with just enough from the barrel to add complexity to its character.  The barrel-aged geek in me wants to see the 12 month (Brett?) version to be overwhelmed, but its subtlety is its strength as floral/spicy/vinous/barrel qualities are all tempered enough to bring a delightfully complex, if not palate-exhausting classic style with a mild twist.  Once again, well done and, like the IPA, this is a brew-in-process subject to change and (semi-)regular production, so keep your eyes peeled!

Finally, I turn to Framboëse (a 5% ABV raspberry wild ale aged 8-months in oak barrels).  It is a gorgeous, relatively clear,deep red in colour, nearly reminiscent of red wine but with a brighter hue.  The head is off-white (reddish-tinged) and quite boldly effervescent, with an audibility that hints at its rapid dissipation.

The nose is quite possibly the boldest, straight-up, fresh-crushed raspberry character in Quebec - yes, even counting Solstice d'été!  Once again, the wood is negligible, though it could be as it would be dominated by the tons, yes I presume tons, of raspberries seemingly present in my bottle.

On the tongue, there is a mild raspberry sweetness, before a smooth transition to a mild raspberry tartness with a hint of oak.  Though delightful, and easy drinking, I would say this lacks the complexity of some fruited sours, but maximizes the raspberry quality in the way fruited sour geeks adore.  It isn't sour - or much at all - but there is the tartness of a not overly sweetened raspberry pie.  With multiple brett strains in the blended barrels, and some lacto, there is also a slight raspberry yogurt flavour present.

The body is medium, and the carbonation is sufficient, though it may benefit from an even bolder sharpness to spread the notes on the palate, but it is still a nice treat that promises to be an annual offering.

In conclusion, this is one heck of a launch.  None of these top the styles even in the province for me personally, but they all invite comparisons to the world-class Quebec offerings, and portend a strong future for this new bright - if small - shining star in the growing Quebec beer scene.

Santé!