Blind-Quad Tasting: The Results

Part of my rationale for engagement in the Great Ontario Westvleteren Shit-Show of 12/12/12 was to procure some Westy for a blind tasting of Trappist and Abbey Quadrupels and Strong Dark Ales and, despite the delay in blogging about it, I am happy to say the event occurred and was a marvellous success!

Having had Westvleteren beforehand, I wanted to compare it without the inadvertent effect of name recognition determining my thoughts.  What resulted was an experience that taught me a great deal as well as offering lessons for others and for the future.  Those lessons will be elaborated shortly.

Who tasted what?

Five beer-geeks were able to participate and our nine-beer list included the following, comprised of 4 trappist offerings, 2 Belgian Abbey offerings, 2 Quebec offerings, and 1 American take on the style:

Westvleteren XII
Trappistes Rochefort 10
Koningshoeven/La Trappe Quadrupel
Chimay Grand Reserve (Blue)
St. Bernardus Abt 12
Gouden Carolus Cuvee Van de Keizer Blauw
Unibroue 17 Grand Reserve
Ommegang Three Philosophers
Charlevoix Dominus Vobiscum Hibernus

The most lamented absent-beer (as there were a few absent friends) was Achel Extra Buin, but alas we went ahead without it, it being nearly as difficult to procure as the Westy, though if and when I do again procure Achel, I will taste it, the Rochefort, and a remaining Westy alongside it.

How?  The Methodology

We each had some of all nine beers on the table at once by the end, with cups filled originally to about 4 ounces set atop numbered card-stock place-mats I created for the occasion so that people could return back and forth to directly compare each side by side.  Though I had devised a double-blind method of allowing everyone to participate without knowing which beer was which, a present non-participant poured and served for us allowing us all to imbibe without worry!

Several limitations can be noted: first, that these aren't always identical styles (with some considering the Quad a variation of the strong dark style) and the difference with the Van de Keizer was obvious as will be noted below.  Moreover, the U17 was over a year and a half cellar-aged and the Westvleteren was 10 months old according to the bottling date from the cap, while the others were much fresher.  However, as I often hear Rochefort to be better fresh and Westy to be better aged, I was curious and I believed I preferred Rochefort to the fabled Westvleteren.

Additionally, many of these beers can allegedly vary greatly by bottle and, for these reasons and others, I wouldn't presume these results to be definitive, though they do show a clear pattern that I think we can take fairly seriously.

The Group Results

My first lesson is how much blindness messes with what you previously thought - or, in other words, how much supposition plays a role at other times!  Yes, additional factors come into play - the order presented/first tasted, palate exhaustion, and many other factors affecting taste and smell on the day in question, but there are some telling trends the astute observer will quickly discover!

Though some us rated by personal Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) assessment out of 50, others simply ranked, so we will go with ordinal ranking here - without consideration of precise distance between places.

And the results by average ranking (and # of people picking that beer in each position):

1st:   Rochefort 10 (Two 1sts, one 2nd, two 4ths: Avg 2.4)
2nd:   Westvleteren 12 (One 1st, One 2nd, Two 3rds, One 5th: Avg 2.8)
3rd:   Gouden Carolus Cuvee Van de Keizer Blauw (One 1st, Two 3rd, Two 4th: Avg 3)
4th:   Chimay Grand Reserve (One 1st, One 2nd, One 4th, One 5th, One 6th: Avg 3.6)
5th:   Dominus Vobiscum Hibernus (Two 2nd, One 5th, One 6th, One 7th: Avg 4.4)
6th:   St. Bernardus Abt 12 (One 5th, Two 6th, One 7th, One 8th: Avg 6.4)
7th:   Three Philosophers (One 3rd, One 5th, One 7th, Two 9th: Avg 6.6)
8th:   Unibroue 17 Grand Reserve (Two 5th, Three 8th: Avg 6.8)
9th:   La Trappe Quadrupel (One 3rd, One 8th, Three 9th: Avg 7.6)

My Own Results

These are followed by the BJCP rating out of 50 each received from me:

1st:   Chimay Grand Reserve (46)
2nd:   Rochefort 10 (44.5)
3rd Tie:   Westvleteren 12 (42)
3rd Tie:   Cuvee Van de Keizer Blauw (42)
5th:   Unibroue 17 (40.5)
6th:   St. Bernardus Abt 12 (39.5)
7th:   Dominus Vobiscum Hibernus (39)
8th:   La Trappe Quadrupel (37.5)
9th:   Ommegang Three Philosophers (37)

Drawing Conclusions

On the blind aspect:

Blindly, a few things stand out.  First, the ONE I certainly identified without doubt was the Gouden Carolus Cuvee Van de Keizer Blauw (Grand Cru of the Emperor) whose telling super-sweetness was a giveaway.  In the future, I think I'd leave such anomalies out of any such blind-event.  I still enjoyed it, but it spoiled the blindness for me on that level and though I tied it with (the one I didn't know was) Westvleteren, I knew I was choosing between unlike things and chose to leave them tied in ranking rather than choosing a preference.

Second, with the exception of the uber-sweet Van de Keizer, these are all so similar that - in a different setting - their BJCP scores alone would probably be closer together, but I felt compelled to differentiate substantially in order to leave space for others coming in-between.  The gap between these probably isn't - in most  cases - as huge as it might seem, since they are all solid beers!  The closeness of these products makes it very difficult to precisely differentiate, thus I may have exaggerated differences.

On the quality:

The above caveats aside, I think there is a clear division in quality here - even if it is slight.  My top four - Chimay, Rochefort, Westvleteren, and Cuvee Van de Keizer - were also the common consensus top four and I think that reflects that these three Trappist beers (and the Cuvee anomaly) rank atop the others and are the standard the beer-world aspires to for a legitimate reason.

Beneath them, I personally feel we see two more groups: that with U17, DV Hibernus, and St. Bernardus as solid, but not on the same playing field as the top Trappists themselves; and my personal low-end of Ommegang and Koningshoeven's offerings (which were my lowest rated quads beforehand, the blindness here lending credence to my initial assessments of them!)

On my own preconceptions:

I guessed the identities of the La Trappe and Rochefort successfully (as well as the Cuvee Van de Keizer) and found a few things I previously thought confirmed and one key shocking result.

Confirmations:

• St. Bernardus really isn't all that alike a Westy (at least a 9-month old one) which I had thought before though I had never tasted them side-by-side (blind or otherwise) - and every participant confirmed this.  Those of us with a taste remaining even came to the same conclusion after the results were revealed!
• Rochefort really is a gem and at $4.60 a bottle in Quebec and with a pending affordable Ontario/LCBO release means it should be most people's go-to quad.
• Westy really is good beyond the name, and so is worthy of praise, but the hype factor does play a role (as I predicted here).
• La Trappe really is of a lower standard in this style than the other trappists and the group as a whole seemed to confirm this.
• Personally, my first uncertainty about Three Philosophers (which found it not to be that remarkable) was confirmed here.

Shocker:

• I liked Chimay the most!?  I know Chimay makes solid beers, and never doubted it, but had no idea it would top these others for me in a blind assessment and figured it would be middle of the pack for me!
• I guess (at least after a cellared year) I couldn't truly discern the Unibroue yeast as I'd expected.  It had either mellowed or my own preconceptions led me to believe I dislike the yeast strain (and that it isn't as pronounced in this product as presumed).

Primarily, however...

and with some reptition, I'd emphasize that despite some inconsistencies, some methodological issues, the lack of replicability (and unlikelihood of it), etc - it seems fairly reliable to say that:

1. the Trappists deserve their recognition for these products - especially Chimay, Westvleteren, and Rochefort
2. Westvleteren is great but benefits from scarcity-induced hype (*says the blogger as if this is an earth-shattering revelation*)
3. Rochfort 10 is a gem and its ready availability and low price at the SAQ (and soon to be at the LCBO) mean no one need feel bad about missing out on Westvleteren, if they did
4. St. Bernardus Abt 12 is not the same beer as Westy 12.
5. Blind tastings are fun and telling, if not definitive, and tougher when 9 samples are considered.

More soon... I promise!

Somehow the Cuvee Van de Keizer got left out of the cruddy phone-photo!

On ONs Great Westy Debacle of 12/12/12

Here are some semi-disjointed observations on the Westvleteren insanity of the past week and I will finish with some tips for those who missed out, or at least would like to know what they were missing:

• Obviously, the LCBO underestimated demand and the hype machine, but I find this somewhat incomprehensible since I predicted months ago it wouldn't last a day in stores, reducing my own estimate to hours after Josh Rubin's first Toronto Star article.  Why this wasn't distributed by lottery, I do not know - yes, that would still be random, but equalized random.
• The subsequent explosion of inquiries at the LCBO main contact line must have tipped them off, yet several things happened:
1. They seemed to have no-or-little information, and grew increasingly annoyed at the calls, such that they changed their FAQ page to list this as the #2 concern (after store hours and locations for the last few weeks).
2. That FAQ page changed and said call the stores (as of Monday).
3. Upon beginning my own calls to stores Monday evening, the first two told me I was "without exaggeration" over their thousandth and seven-hundredth call that day and none had legitimate information, but told me to call back each day despite growing increasingly annoyed each day at my calls!
• At this point the LCBO had another opportunity to coordinate release dates and times, but again they randomized it.
• Though the vast majority of staff I dealt with were friendly and cordial, and helpful beyond the call of duty, some deserve mention for the pros and cons:
• 2 stores (one Wednesday, one Thursday) lied to me at 8:30 in the morning claiming it wasn't available when they had (small) lines outside and plenty of chance to still procure it
• Many were friendly yet lamented the download of call to individual stores themselves, though one person I spoke with (twice) was extremely angry and rude.  I get being upset with your employer over the mishandling of this release, but that doesn't necessitate extreme rudeness to customers (once rudely saying no and hanging up before hearing my follow-up question).
• That said, most staff ran a tight ship, came to work early, were super-friendly, and did an admirable job of dealing with a difficult situation imposed on staff and consumers alike
• One amazing manager, at a tiny LCBO in small-town Ontario (closest to my home), not only spent many hours on calls for me, provided me more information than others, and tried her hardest to make me a special order (that the head office and the importer both told me they could/would do).  When this didn't happen, she even offered to have her son stand in line for me to procure me a pack!  Having never met this woman, I will be bringing her a beer sometime!  I called her to tell her I'd gotten a pack and she was genuinely thrilled for me and my sincere thanks made her day.  That was truly heart-warming.
• Allegedly, the discrepancy between the 1404 packs for public sale and the 2000 the LCBO purchased is for licensees.  However, as far as I know, these monks have insisted none be provided for markup and wanted signed agreements from places as they do with individual buyers.  There may have been an exception here, but with this demand I am pretty disappointed that nearly 1/3 of the entire LCBO purchase goes to bars who will be charging anywhere from $30-$60 a bottle for this and profiting immensely from the hype for quite some time.
• However, this does open up options for people who never got a case and wish to try it, but can I recommend that those who caught into the hype, but don't know the beer style, try the following first:
• Wait until the new year, when the LCBO will allegedly begin regularly stocking Trappistes Rochefort 10 (for probably less than $4/bottle).  Try it and see roughly what you'd be getting.  Otherwise, come into Quebec or the United States, or go to one of Toronto's better beer bars (Volo, Sin & Redemption, BeerBistro, Bellwoods, Burger Bar, The Only Cafe, etc) and buy a Rochefort 10 or a St. Bernardus Abt 12 first
• If you like those, you'll probably like Westy 12, and if you don't you probably won't.
• If you do, then go shell out the bucks to a bar for Westy but let's drive their prices down by buying it only from the cheaper folks - which so far looks like Bellwoods at a promised $30/bottle (maybe share one!)

In conclusion, I am glad the LCBO got this and that I got one, but reports of thousands more purchased for Nove Scotia and Alberta, both with a far lower population means I can't help but wonder how and why the LCBO let this situation unfold as it did.

Best Beer in the World at the LCBO? The Pending Arrival of Westvleteren 12

Just what makes Westvleteren 12 so special? Well, really there are two things both tied tightly to those ever-present economic 'laws' of supply and demand.

Part of the demand comes from the fact that this beer is delicious and often rated as the best in the world. See my original review here, though this is a living, bottle conditioned ale of evolving complexity and it will likely seem different the next time around as it matures.  It is, though, assuredly excellent and, if you get the chance to drink it, please do it at cellar temperature (or just above) with a pour into an ideal glass (chalice, goblet, tulip, or snifter ideally, wine glass otherwise) that allows the growth of a full head, and don't pour the yeast sediment from the bottom into the glass (at least at first unless you want to explore the changes the yeast creates afterwards!).

But, really, despite being a solid beer, it is certain that its scarce supply drives up its stature, though this doesn't take away from its delicious sweet complexity.  Normally, procuring a case of this beer - outside of the grey market - means purchasing it from the monastery itself or its associated cafe; it means having called in advance - and lucked into an answer; it means scheduling your pickup date; it means getting whichever of the three beers they are making available the date of your pre-scheduled pickup; it means signing a waiver promising not to resell it; and it means not being able to use the (recorded) license plate or phone number for a certain varied amount of time (2-6 months) for any other purchases at the monastery.  Yes, I am serious.

You see, the monks of St. Sixtus (where Westvleteren 8, 12, and Blonde are brewed) brew beer one day a week.  When asked why they don't step up production, their reply amounted effectively to [paraphrasing here] 'we are in the beer business to sustain our devout life, not to make beer.'

This excellent Belgian strong dark ale normally sells for the very reasonable price of 39 Euros for 24 bottles at the monastery, but grey market cases in Canada (which must be sold by the case by law through private import in Ontario - when even available) sell for $400.

However, the foundational disrepair of the aging monastery is to the (potential) benefit of many a beer drinker!  You see, for a limited time, the monks brewed twice a week to make 163,000 extra 6-packs (plus two special edition glasses) of their beer for what is likely the only time for off-site legitimate sales.  93,000 of those gift packs sold out in hours upon their release in Belgium.  Of the other 70,000 - bound for various markets in North America - between 1400 and 2000 have found their way into a pending LCBO release.

At $75.40 per six-pack, the price isn't cheap, but these beers will age, make for an excellent gift, and are probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.  Most folks I know who are fans of good beer, but know little about it have probably come closest (and not immensely close) to tasting something similar when drinking a Chimay Grand Reserve ("Chimay Bleu").  If you like that, this bodes well for you!

However, as exciting as this opportunity is, the LCBO neglected to use a lottery system as they did with Sam Adams Utopias and I (and many others) will be remarkably shocked if stocks of this remain in any store through the end of a single day upon the unknown time of their arrival on the shelf.

The exact date of release is unknown - though it could/should be any time within the next two weeks.

Watch for it in their online inventory database if interested - and if you wind up finding a cache before sell-out, please let me know in case my odds fall through!  It'll be your ticket into my pending blind quad tasting that will be complete with Westy!

Experiments in Aging: Rochefort 8 and 10 One Year In

Around the time I started this blog, I also began cellaring beers (or, I suppose more precisely, I began systematically adding to the limited selection of 2007 and 2008 Thomas Hardy Ales I already had aging).

If you are unfamiliar with this process, yes, some beers can improve with age and aren't best drank fresh. Typically, Old Ales, Barley Wines, Imperial Stouts, and Belgian Strongs age well: note these are mostly 8+ % ABV beers. The exceptions to the strong rule are live/bottle-conditioned beers and gueuzes/lambics which can be aged even if lower in alcohol, while generally hoppier if-still-strong IIPAs (for example) which lose their hop profile fairly quickly should basically always be consumed fresh.  For more tips on the process, check out this excellent article.

Of course, like with most other things about beer, I am sharing my personal writing as I learn myself. Likewise, I am no expert at this. I have drank a few aged beers at establishments, but having just begun my own aging experiments, this is my first week of tasting the outcomes.

I am going to discuss two such 1-year attempts here. Trappistes Rochefort's 8 and 10, their dubbel and quad respectively. Neither was stored in a strictly climate controlled setting, but both were stored in predominant darkness in an actual cellar with temperatures ranging from 55-65 degrees Fahrenheit with slow seasonal variation.

The 8 was originally reviewed here, while in year-old form it remains extremely frothy, but with an even sweeter, less boozy fruity-sweet nose of plums but also sweet cherries. The taste is similar but with a drier earthier finish, and just a slight trace of chocolate towards the end. Simply marvelous! In my opinion this beer went from excellent to unearthly! I did not taste a fresh one beside it, but living in a Province where the local liqueur store makes this regularly available means I get to consume it frequently and this improvement is clear... And an improvement on a phenomenal beer is, indeed, noteworthy.  The fruity nose seems to exemplify the change, as it gets sweeter and bolder, while the taste and mouth likewise get even less boozy than beforehand - which was negligible for its high ABV.

The 10 seemed to change less, or at least less for the better, though not necessarily for the worse. Originally reviewed here, this offering again unsurprisingly retains its carbonated excess evidenced by a thick head.  The extra fruity nose, with plums, prunes, figs and faint wisp of chocolate is similar to the original, but also a honey/fermenting strawberries as it warms and a touch of leather and faint mustiness. Tastewise, however, this beer was far more boozy up front with a honey-ish sweetness (almost like a boozy/sticky mead, if far less cloying) with a hint of faint chocolate. The boozy notes temper somewhat after a few sips, though I am not sure if this is the beer's evolution, or my acclimatization to it.  It remains complex and smooth, though slightly sticky if finely carbonated.

The 10 was still good, but when fresh the 8 tastes far boozier than the 10 and this tasting brought the converse.  This is extremely odd since the 10 is remarkably non-boozy despite its hefty ABV normally.

Many online swear the following that could all be factors:

• That the 10 could and perhaps should be aged for 5 to 10 years to see a substantial difference
• That aging can be a crapshoot in that there are waves of good and bad times, ups and downs and it is virtually impossible to know when opening one how it will be at that point in time.

Things I have learned:

• Next time, I won't be overly hasty and will drink them side-by-side with fresher examples (even if I am quite familiar with both)
• With the success of the 8, I cannot wait to see what the 10 can - and hopefully will - become!

Belgian Beer, Trappists, Abbeys, and Official Designations

Many speak of Belgian beers with reverence, many of Abbey beers, and many simply (or specifically) of Trappist beers.  Many others are simply confused (isn't beer beer?  Monks make beer?  How can Belgian beers be made outside of Belgium?)  Some others, like... ahem... myself, have a slightly faulty memory and err on public blogs.

Despite my correction, I hope to also make this post clarifying and enlightening by, first, considering what Trappists and Trappist  Beers are and, second, distinguishing them by style and from Belgian/Abbey beer designations.

Trappists themselves are Benedictine monks who, as prescribed by Saint Benedict, strive to sustain themselves through quality production and sale of goods rather than through tithes and community contributions/donations.  Though Trappists also make cheese, liquor, wine, bread, soups, cleaning products, religious products, artwork, and more, they are famous in the beer community for their remarkable (and remarkably) strong ales.

Trappist Beers are, technically, only those marked by the Authentic Trappist Product hexagonal logo (easily found by google search) according to criteria set out by the International Trappist Association to protect their brands (which are not only beers). Amongst other criteria that are less pertinent herein, this logo essentially means that the product was made within the walls of the monastery either by monks themselves or at least under their supervision, while much of the proceeds go towards charitable endeavours.

Of late, this meant there were seven Official Trappist breweries, recalled by many via the memorable acronym WOW RACK:

Westvleteren (who sell a Blonde, a Dubbel [8], and a Quadrupel [12])
Orval (who sell a unique Belgian Pale Ale only)
Westmalle (who sell a Dubbel and a Tripel)
Rochefort (who sell two different strength Dubbels [6 and 8] and a Quadrupel [10])
Achel (who sell two Tripels [Blonde and Extra Blonde] a Dubbel [Bruin] and a Strong Dark/Quadrupel [Extra Bruin])
Chimay (who sell a Dubbel [Premiere/Red], a Tripel [White], and a Strong Dark [Grand Reserve/Blue])
Koningshoeven (or La Trappe, who sell nine different beers including the standard Blonde, Dubbel, Tripel, Quadrupel, and an oak-aged version of their Quadrupel)

However, it was widely known that another would be coming soon, presumably from Mont des Cats, and surprisingly, it was officially beaten to official designation by Austrian monastery Stift-Engelszell.  Mont des Cats, however, despite being allowed to call itself a "Biere Trappistes" (and the first from France, with the others all being in Belgium, except for Koningshoeven from the Netherlands and the newest from Austria) does not and will not for the foreseeable future carry the Authentic Trappist Product label - despite being brewed within the halls of a Trappist monastery by the monks themselves, since it is being brewed and bottled at Chimay's monastery as Mont des Cats lacks its own brewery.  Stift-Engelszell, however, does carry the official designation, thus officially being the eighth Trappist brewery (and the ninth may not even be Mont des Cats since "The Trappist monks of the Abbey of ‘Maria Toevlucht’ in Zundert have plans to start a brewery between the walls of their Abbey."

I had inadvertently recalled Mont des Cats as being the eighth in my prior blog post, but it is not officially the eighth - though it is the unofficial ninth in many ways!

For me, personally, the new acronym to recall this next time is WOW RACKS (or perhaps, WOW RACKS 'eM, I guess!)

Belgian beer styles - and not only those of Trappist production - developed a unique history through their geographical exemption from the Reinheitsgebot, often called the German (or Bavarian) Beer Purity Law which allowed them to experiment with different adjuncts (as well as through the specific qualities of their divergent yeast strains and their bottle-conditioned processes unlinked to the Purity Law).

Throughout European history, when water was potentially contaminated and untrustworthy, beer supported human survival (insofar as boiling killed parasites and beer wort had been boiled, but this wasn't known to be the reason at the time!)  Monasteries, as most other religious locations, had become the centre of local life and even those that didn't sell their product also brewed beer for their own consumption (and literal survival).  These beers, called paters (or, occasionally in contrast, 'singels') are still frequently brewed, but solely for the consumption of the monks and they are typically much weaker than their stronger, publicly sold counterparts.

Westmalle seemed to invent both of the styles we now, following their lead, call Dubbels and Tripels.  Though these terms often simply imply colour and alcoholic strength, as well as specific taste and aroma characteristics, they have at times reflected the gravity difference on the old scale - with the original gravity quite literally being double and triple that of the specific monastery's standard pater.

A dubbel is a strong brown ale that is bottle-conditioned (that is, primed with sugar to feed the living and unfiltered yeast within the bottle that continues to ferment and develop past the point of bottling), while a tripel is a strong(er typically) pale ale that is also bottle conditioned.  For flavour, aroma, colour, and other typical style guidelines, I link here to their descriptors from the Beer Judge Certification Program: Dubbel, Tripel.  Chimay premiere (otherwise called Chimay Red) is probably the most widely known dubbel, though I personally adore the Rochefort 8 (and long to try the much rarer Westvleteren 8).  Westmalle Tripel - the first tripel - is the standard against which all others are judged, though I personally found it less enjoyable when consumed side-by-side with the Achel Extra Blonde (even if the Westmalle defines the style and is still a clearly great beer!)

There is considerable debate as to whether a quadrupel exists as a distinct style, whether it is simply a poor differentiation from the "Belgian Strong Dark Ale" style, or whether it is simply an amped-up dubbel.  (This debate centers around the fact that the term was applied anachronistically to pre-existing beers rather than given to beers created to fit the criteria of a pre-existing style).  Regardless, and without siding in the debate herein, this characterization tells you what to expect from a quadrupel or Belgian Strong Dark Ale, again with the BJCP descriptor here.  Westvleteren 12 - often dubbed the best beer in the world - is perhaps the best known quadrupel, though the style is highly praised (when done well as it is difficult to sustain the alcohol without booziness and the resulting complexity of the style) and many of the highest rated beers on BA and RateBeer are quads/strong darks.

Yet, many praised versions of these - and other Belgian styles - are not made by Trappists (nor in Belgium) at all.  These are often called Abbey beers - a term literally without precise meaning as they could be made by non-Benedictine monks, outside of the Trappist Association's terms, or simply by a commercial brewery (occasionally masking their product as if to make it appear monastic).  St. Bernardus, Leffe, and Affligem are three famous Abbey brewers, though many others exist.

Personally, I care little for the Trappist (or Authentic Trappist) or Abbey designation and am much more concerned with the primary question of "is it a good beer?"  And, many Abbey beers certainly are, while many aren't, yet the Trappists are always of a high quality if still subject to the inevitable value of personal taste.

These - live, bottle-conditioned - beers tend to be very sweet with strong carbonation and often cater to both beer lovers and non-beer drinkers alike.  If you have the chance, I encourage you to taste them, and if you find any Stift-Engelszell or Wesvleteren, please let me know where I can procure some to advance my Trappist enjoyment!  (Note that expensive 6-packs of the famed Westvleteren 12 may be coming to Ontario soon - if briefly - though more on that when the news arrives and accordingly permits!)

The Best of Late: Beers and Bars in Brief

Don't take the infrequency of posts as an implication that my beer consumption has dissipated, but I cannot catch up on all.  Thus, I offer you the recent brief best-ofs (only of those consumed for the first time within the past month):

Montreal Beer Bars: Having now been to L'Amère à Boire, as well as renewed trips to Le Saint Bock and Vices et Versa, I have to renew my statement that Vices is a true marvel, Le Saint Bock is a pretty damn fine (if pricier) place to drink as well, while I look forward to more of L'Amère's mellow vibe and a few more tastes soon!

Toronto Beer Bars: Finally got to King West's new(-ish) Barhop and was most impressed with the location, the draught, and the bottle selection!

For the beers, the new must-try gems list includes:

Les Trois Mousquetaires Doppelbock (8.7% ABV) is simply a delight with an excellent biscuit-malted nose and a finely grassy hops finish to a roasty beginning!  Grade: A

Mont des Cats, in bottle at Le Saint Bock, offered me a taste from the unofficial new Trappist Brewery and didn't disappoint, offering what could perhaps be the most light and easily drinkable of the Belgian Strong Darks I have had.  Grade: A-

Lindeman's Cuvée Renée (Gueuze) from the LCBO was a sour funky delight adding to my growing love of this style!  If you like the funk, you'll love this treasure... otherwise, steer clear!  Grade: A

Spearhead's new(-ish) Moroccan Brown Ale is a fine American Brown with raisin, fig and plum notes adding a new twist on a well-done classic.  Grade: A-

Pauwel Kwak, yes in the funky glass, is a fun experience, and though good is basically just your standard Belgian Pale, but worth having once - if in the right glass!  Having a side-by-side on the same night of two similar beers (Urthel Hop-It and Delirium Tremens made clear to all involved that the Urthel is a true marvel, with everyone preferring it!)  Grade: B+/A-

Hopfenstark's Loulou Porter continues the success of this small Quebec brewery.  With a smooth biscuity sweet aroma and a roasty, nutty taste along with a lightly drying finish, this beer is just delicious!  Grade: A

Dunham's Barley Wine likewise shows off the strengths of another of Quebec's superstar breweries in a beer with a quite dry finish following up on a smooth, syrupy, honey-like sweet malty prevalence.  Grade: A-

Brasseurs du Monde's La Seiglerie (Bitter au Seigle) is a Rye Bitter masterpiece with a malty-sweet aroma of toasted notes and bread, preceding a mild taste with a lightly/subtly dry finish.  Easy drinking and quite sessionable at a mere 4% ABV.  Grade: A

That's all for now!  That said, I have now had beers from all eight Trappist breweries and all of the available Trappist beers except for Rochefort 6, Westvleteren Blonde and Westvleteren 8 (and, I suppose the 150th Anniversary Chimay).  I should have some Westvleteren 12 soon, and have loads of Bernardus, Rochefort 8, Rochefort 10, and some aged.  I would gladly trade for the remainders.  Comment me!

Some Special Beers

Though I had planned to make rated beer number 600 something special, I was waiting for others to bar -hop and so Hops & Robbers became the beer (and quite a solid IPA in my assessment, though more at another time!).

But I started my trek to 700 with a very fine beer for number 601: Achel Extra Bruin (9.5% ABV).  Having heard that this often beats the famed Westvleteren (and other highly praised quadrupels) in blind tastings had me excited.  I wasn't disappointed!  This delicious and rare Trappist offering pours a light brown/deep red with a decent creamy head of great retention and fine lace.  Aromas are predominantly of plums and raisins, with some bread present.  The nose is simply phenomenal, lasting, complex and it transforms throughout, but doesn't diminish - getting more chocolatey as time goes on.  The taste is dominated by licorice, dried fruit and figs and is quite sweet, while on the mouth it offers a full body with fairly high carbonation that leads to a slightly tingly, yet full creamy feeling, with a fine earthy/drying finish (though it is imbalanced on the sweet side).  Grade: A+

Right after that, I tasted a properly aged 2007 Vintage Ale Millésimmée (10% ABV) from St. Ambroise (McAuslan). This barley wine didn't disappoint either and certainly ages well (though I have never had a ripe one, a year old at the earliest).    It shows its unfiltered cloudiness with a dark red colour, while the head is fair, off-white, frothy, and offers decent retention and lacing.  It smells quite boozy, yet also offers nice aromas of plums, brown sugar, and molasses.  To the tongue, the booziness remains present, but is tempered by sweet caramel maltiness that makes it highly drinkable with only a faintly drying finish (tempered by age perhaps?)  It is warming and fairly full bodied, but with a creamy low carbonation befitting the style.  I might have given this an A+ had I not drank it after the Achel quad!  Grade: A

Shortly thereafter, I got my hands on Innis & Gunn's Irish Whisky Cask Stout (7.4%).  Regular readers know a few things about me: I love stout, I love Innis & Gunn, and I love Innis & Gunn one-offs, but maybe this was over-hyped for me (by my own doing) for those very reasons.  Sure, it was a good beer, but it wasn't the legend I had it pegged for in advance.  It poured a dark brown with a decent, foamy beige head of poor retention.  Aromas were of chocolate and bread with a touch of oaked vanilla.  It also smelled a bit boozy.  Flavourwise, it is sweet with a hint of molasses, but tastes quite boozy with faintly discernible traces of caramel and cola as the palate evolves.  Lighter-bodied than anticipated with a balanced finish, and with a greater drying depth than most imbalanced Innis & Gunn beers, but with a very fizzy, tingly, overly carbonated mouthfeel.  It wasn't creamy at all and maybe needed a nitro tap, but it wasn't a great stout, nor a great limited edition Innis & Gunn offering.  It was fine, just not worth the hype and price.  Grade: B

Finally, for another LCBO limited-time offering, I enjoyed the saison called New Morning (5.8% ABV) from Italian brewery Birrificio del Ducato.  This saison poured a creamy, thick white head that was most attractive with excellent retention and creamy/milky lacing, while the body was a thickly cloudy golden with quite thick, chunky particulate matter.  On the nose, it offered slight yeastiness and ripe fruit and rind, alongside spicy hints of coriander and earthiness.  The nose was stronger than the taste which, though mild, offered a bit of black pepper spice alongside a crisp mouthfeel with its high carbonation.  I don't always enjoy saisons, but this was quite enjoyable and is easy drinking!  Grade: A-

That's all for now folks!

Mondial Beer Review #1: Trappists, Abbeys, and the Belgian Inspiration

As a slight disclaimer before kicking into my series of five beer review posts from Mondial, I should say that I will slightly lump together some similar, but different beer styles to review a few together and note the best of the bunch first in their respective categories.  Sometimes these categories will be a bit catch-all and slightly unfair but will help organize things.


I'll also note that, when accompanied by some assistants on Saturday (thanks to Hec and Hec!), I tasted a few beers more than once and was reminded of the differences from day to day in what appeals.  These, as always are according to my palate on a given day and are of course personal, but also hopefully helpful!  Unfortunately, I only tasted 55 new beers at the event and cannot compare all of them, but of those, here begins a barrage of posts!


On the Belgian beer trail, I'll be including not only true Belgian beers, but beer styles associated with Belgium.  I have categorized these as 1) Dubbels; 2) Tripels; 3) Quads; 4) Saisons; and 5) Belgian Pale Ales.  Next, I will do a post on Pale Ales/IPAs/Old/Vintage/Scotch Ales/Barley Wines/Browns and Reds.  The next post will cover Stouts, Porters, and variations therein.  The fourth post will review my tasted Wheat beers and Lagers, and finally I will post on various sours and oddities.


Dubbels:


Having staggered upon a few desired dubbels that were sold out, I did manage to have two long-awaited Trappist offerings narrowing my list of untasted Trappist beers to just the Westvleteren ones and Achel's quad, but Westmalle and Achel's dubbels were worth their high ticket price at the event.


Personal Best of the Fest: Trappist Achel 8 Brune (8% ABV) is simply stellar.  Plummy aromas greet the nose alongside faint hints of figs and dark bread and an even fainter note of floral hops esters.  This presented a thick, creamy, yet smooth head of fine carbonation with excellent lacing and retention.  It is, indeed, best described as brown, though since (both of my) samples came from the top of a new bottle, no yeasty cloudiness was discernible.  Flavorwise, it is sweeter even than anticipated, not so much in the sugary way of many Trappist and Abbay beers, but in a very strong malty fruitiness dominated by figs, plums, and prunes, with a trace of raisins.  Despite being sweeter than many, it was so fruity (as opposed to artificial) that it was delicious and refreshing both times.  There was no sense of its booziness as it offered a smooth creaminess alongside a medium body and nicely drying finish.  This probably equals Trappist Rochefort's as my favourite dubbel.  Grade: A+


Also: Westmalle Trappist Dubbel (7% ABV) is similar in aroma, with dark fruits up front but there is also some cherries, perhaps even smelling like a candied variant - sort of like a cross between maraschino cherries and what cherries would be like if candied like a candy apple.  I wasn't crazy about this artificial sweetness scent (or flavour) but did mostly enjoy it nonetheless.  This beer pours a darker brown than the Achel, but with a whiter, if equally creamy, head that also expressed excellent lacing and retention.  Though still sweet, it is more dissimilar in flavor to the Achel than in aroma insofar as raisins, molasses and pumpernickel bread flavourings were more predominant.  Likewise, this is also medium bodied and nicely creamy with a perhaps slightly drier finish, yet I found it to taste boozier despite a lower ABV.  Overall, a very good beer (in a style I enjoy) but one that was simply bested by Achel according to my tastes.  Grade: A-


Tripels:


As someone who generally prefers dubbels and quads to tripels, I was surprised by the tripels that rocked my world at this event.  Despite tasting the famous Westmalle Tripel for the first time, and liking it, I found myself adoring two other tripels in ways I never knew I could love this style (though the recently tasted Tripel Karmeliet and Dominus Vobiscum Tripels also entice!).


Personal Best of the Fest: A two way tie between...


Trappist Achel 8 Blonde (8% ABV) smells excellent with notes of honey, pears, and rind most evident alongside sweaty yeast hints.  Quite cloudy (with only fine particulate), this fine Trappist ale pours a nice golden colour with a very nice (and nicely retained) white head of medium bubbles.  Flavourwise, it begins with sweet notes of pear, apples, and faint citrusy whisps, yet follow with a drying floral semblance of hoppiness with traces of cloves and spicy yeast.  It is quite carbonated with a medium body that well masks its high ABV.  This beer is not boozy in the least!  I am a convert to the ways of the Tripel!  Grade: A+


and it is tied with...


Allagash Curieux (11% ABV) offers a variant on this highly respected beer style insofar as it is aged in Jim Beam Bourbon barrels.  Aromas of sweet apples, bread, and rind meet the nose alongside an appearance that offers golden, lightly cloudy beer though with only a faint head (with a bit of spottyness on the surface) though the head may have been absent due to a bad pour.  Curieux is delicious: a sort of sweet and simultaneously sour apple is predominant alongside vanilla hints from the Bourbon barrels that are clearly present and enticing, yet not overwhelming.  Somehow, the two flavours balance perfectly with a sufficiently drying finish presented by a medium body with a tingly-crisp feel of fair carbonation.  Simply blissful!  Grade: A+


Yes, the legendary, original tripel, Westmalle Trappist Tripel (9.5% ABV) comes in behind these others to my tastes (on that given day, anyway!)  Aromawise, I was met with spicy notes exemplary of Belgian yeasts, alongside sweet pears and alcohol.  Also golden, but not as cloudy as the Achel, this could be due to topping the bottle, while it was poured with a good and comparably retained/impressive white head.  Though there is a complexity of spice and fruits in the flavour, I was a bit disappointed by an excessive booziness and obvious warmth alongside an equally excessive sweatiness to the yeast that - while not bad - were to me less pleasant than its peers offered.  Much drier and perhaps better balanced, though with a lighter body and carbonation than their peers that perhaps prevented the masking of the booze.  Perhaps it was overhyped for me, but though enjoyable and quite drinkable, I was more blown away by the nuance of the others and wonder if this simply commands its great respect (primarily) on legacy.  Grade: B+/A-


Quads:


Personal Best of the Fest: Microbrasserie Charlevoix Dominus Vobiscum Hibernus (10% ABV) wins out by a slight fraction over Malheur's below in my estimation.  It offers scents primarily of raisins and yeasty spices alongside faint remnants of caramel-like maltiness.  A bit lighter in colour than anticipated, it was still beautifully dark red with a near glow while the head was a perfect tan with remarkable retention, lacing, and yeasty surface-spotting. In the mouth, plum and berry notes are present, but so too are the raisins and spicyness evident on the nose.  A bit of dark bread makes its way in before the quite drying finish that comes off as very port-like.  It was a bit lighter bodied than anticipated, yet crisp in a moderate carbonation.  Very, very nice, even if a bit drier and lighter than desired.  Grade: A


Malheur 12 (12% ABV) finished just-a-shade below the Hibernus in my 50-point rating assessment (based on the BJCP).  The nose is dominated by sweet plums, caramel, and bready yeast.  It is dark brown with a fantastic creamy, tan head with superb retention and smooth lacing.  It is quite sweet in flavour as well with faint hints of chocolate alongside the ever-present dark fruits, but this sweetness is pleasant to me as it hides the ABV that could otherwise take over.  It brings a fairly full body with a medium carbonation, but perhaps not quite enough of a drying finish (if somewhat present) to balance for the sweetness, but it presents those notes so well, that this 'flaw' is, at most, negligible!  Grade: A


Ommegang Three Philosophers (9.8% ABV) is dominated on the nose by sour cherries that are quite enticing, as is brown colour and ample beige head of noteworthy retention, though with negligible lacing.  Flavourwise, I found it complex, yet overly sweaty and the cherry flavours became sweet but in an artificial sort of way.  Still nice, but not enlightening enough for me!  Though creamier and smoother than the other quads, I found it insufficiently drying and overly boozy despite a lower ABV.  Was it good?  Hell yes!  Was it worth the hype?  Not for me.  Grade: B+


Saisons:


I have sometimes loved a saison, and other times loathed them.  I do not consider myself well versed in the style though and one of these two was a taste of a peer's sample at the end of the night and I was unable to add too much nor smell too much, so I will say little, but I will note the following:


Personal Best of the Fest: Microbrasserie Charlevoix Dominus Vobiscum Saison Sainte Réserve (6% ABV) is fruity with pear and banana notes, alongside a slight spiciness and earthiness that can almost be called musty, but in a raw and appealing manner.  It is golden and slightly cloudy with slight head, yet fair spotting and retention though only slight lace.  The flavour is mild and mellow, yet faintly sweaty and earthy.  It is light-bodied and crisp on the tongue with a moderate carbonation evident.  It is nice, but a touch too dry bordering on astringency, yet I gather that this is style exemplary!  Grade: B+ (but on a scale I am just learning for this style that is yet to inspire a personal 'saison-spree')  (A shot follows with reviews continuing afterwards)

Again, I tasted a helper's beer called "Ichthus" according to the sign at the Le St. Bock booth - as it was on draft, I presume it was from Le Saint Bock.  It was called a "Saison Sushi" and was stated as 6.1% ABV, but the brewer was not listed, the beer is not in the program, and I cannot find it via internet search.  If anyone can help offer more information (or verify the brewer) or a link in the comments below it would be most appreciated.  All I can say for sure now is that it smelled and tasted a bit too murky, earthy, and/or funky for me at the end of the day and I would tentatively give it a Grade: B- 


Belgian Pale Ales:


I could call Ommegang's Rare VOS the best Belgian Pale I tasted, but I could also call it the worst as it was the only one I had at the event!  That said, it was good, if well overhyped for me personally!  It has citrusy and bready aromas, but they are dominated by the yeasty sweatiness.  It is lightly cloudy and spotty on the surface, while light amber in colour with a fine white head that boasts excellent lace and retention.  A hoppy pine quality not present on the nose comes through on the tongue, as does some yeasty spice.  It is bold and very, very dry nearly to the point of astringency, yet in an odd way: it is the combination of sweaty yeast and piney hops that dries as if merging the Belgian and American Pale Ale styles, but is closer to what could be called a Belgian/India Pale Ale possibly.  It has a medium body and a low carbonation that, if higher, could suit the dryness a bit better.  Grade: B-


That's it for now!  More to come soon as I'll continue with Stouts, Porters, Etc as soon as possible!

On the Belgian Quad Front: St. Bernardus Abt 12 and Rochefort 10

For those who are unaware, Westvleteren 12 as brewed by the Trappist Monks at the Abbay of St. Sixtus, is often considered/ranked as the 'best beer in the world.'  Yet, this quadrupel (like the dubbel, Westvleteren 8, and their Blonde) are extremely rare and typically only sold either at the Abbay itself, or on the grey market.

However, after World War II, St. Sixtus contracted the commercial brewing of 'Westy 12' (and the 8 and blonde) to St. Bernardus in nearby Watou.  Though the official commercial brewing agreement has ended, St. Bernardus has continued brewing beer with what is presumed to be the identical recipe of Westvleteren 12 and which uses the original Westvleteren yeast (though Westvleteren has allegedly now moved to Westmalle's yeast) under the name St. Bernardus Abt 12.  Apparently, these beers are remarkably similar and, though I have yet to get my hands on a Westy, the SAQ has provided me with the opportunity to taste both the St. Bernardus Abt 12 and, another highly praised Trappist Quadrupel, Rochefort 10.

The St Bernardus Abt 12 (10.5% ABV) pours a thick white frothy head, but one that recedes fairly quickly.  However, a slight semblance of head remains atop throughout the beer's consumption and a quickly-receding but smooth-looking lace trails the glass edges.  The beer itself is cloudy brown, perhaps appearing darker than it is due to the free-floating yeasts inside the bottle and glass.

The aroma is dominated by malt (alongside the yeast) and resulting scents of fig and fruit, especially raisins and grapes.  Slight brown-sugar and caramel traces follow, though these are much less predominant than the fruitiness that stands out.  Yet, the aroma is complex and, especially with the aging capacities of such a beer, I presume different with each tasting (sniffing?).

Dark fruitiness and yeasty spiciness dominate the fore-flavours, though it closes with a faint semblance of bitter dark chocolate that isn't excessively drying due to the remaining thick malty fruitiness.  Much like the aromas, the complexity of the flavour and its 'age-ability' indicate the opportunity for different realizations with every sip and serving.

On the tongue, it is medium-bodied with only slight carbonation.  It is slightly creamy and warming.  Though the alcohol can be felt and tasted perhaps more than in a Rochefort 10 or La Trappe Quadrupel, it is still very drinkable and certainly doesn't overwhelm you with its alcohol the way a lesser strong beer might.

A very, very good and complex beer.  Grade: A


Why not an A+?  Because the Trappistes Rochefort 10 gets that!  On different days, at different times, I found the Rochefort 10 to be the better beer, though I intend to both age some (of each) and try a blind tasting at some point to confirm my initial suspicion.

The Rochefort 10 (11.3% ABV) pours a darker head than the Bernardus which displays a beige colour alongside better retention (though with negligible lacing).  Colour-wise, this beer is remarkable: a gorgeous deep red that seems partially browned by the floating yeasts, but the two colours seem to both remain present and complement each other rather than blending in a way I have never before seen.

The yeasty and malty aromas of quadrupels generally are present, with fruits, figs, and plums being primary, though the secondary notes of chocolate and coffee are more discernible than in the Bernardus and this is one slightly more desirable quality for me (in differentiating two fantastic beers!)

The taste again benefits from the secondary strengths, in my opinion.  While still fruity, this is accompanied by bready malt and a sweet chocolate finish alongside a sufficiently drying hoppy floral flavour.  The sweetness is probably greater, but so too is the balance.  The complexity here again means that I might reevaluate this ranking given a different day.

This beer is thicker, creamier, chewier, and more full-bodied than the Bernardus, yet even though it is stronger, it better disguises its warmth and alcohol (again, not that the Bernardus is bad at this, just less great!).  Grade: A+  That said, this grade is for the style.  A fantastic beer, but I slightly prefer the Rochefort 8 since, as said before, there is something about the dubbel style that I generally, slightly, prefer to the quad.

I promise to give another assessment of these complex, living beers as they age.  I will probably try them again both blind and over the next year or two and will link back here to further the discussion.

Which quads have you had?  Which do you prefer and why?  Let me know!