Brasserie Harricana: Damning Styles, Changing Trends

This past November, Alexandre (from the great beer blog Le Malte Incarne) and I had the opportunity to sample the selection at Brasserie Harricana while kicking back with and picking the brains of head brewer, Mathieu Garceau-Tremblay. Harricana made some waves upon their opening for their multi-temperature draught system (which has 4 degree, 8 degree, and 12 degree Celsius settings as the norm).  It took me nearly a year after opening to get there - being a family man and all - but the first experience ensures it won't be my last visit!

The first thing that impressed me about Mathieu, aside from his much appreciated willingness to communicate in English for my linguistically-challenged shortcomings, was his resistance to style norms. Beer styles serve their purposes and there is something to be said for building from a solid base, but being bound by them likewise curtails ingenuity. In that vein, the best beer of my nine-sample tasting was the biggest transgressor of these guidelines and was a resounding success! More on that shortly.

Perhaps unfortunately, however, one of my largest critiques would also be the divergence from expectations: I had a weisse that tasted like a Berliner weisse, a Berliner weisse that tasted like a hefeweizen, a gruit "saison," and a "Red Hop Bomb" that the brewmaster himself calls a "session barley wine." Now, that doesn't mean these were terrible - in fact some were great and all were decent - but they did stretch the bounds of expectation.

Another apparent strength - though I was dumb enough to have eaten before arrival - were the exquisite aromas wafting from the plates of other patrons. I was drooling on several occasions; whenever any dish arrived at tables even some distance from ours, the aromas were dominant and intoxicating. I WILL be back to eat... maybe until I explode. ("It's just wafer thin!")

Aside from food and beer, the menu also includes hop soda derived from freshly derived hop serum. The specific hops used changes every week or so and allows you to experience their nuances in a sweet soda delight.

For a final (pre-beer-review) accolade, I'd also like to note not only the cleanliness of the establishment, but moreso that of the brewery, cold rooms, and barrel-area. The organization was impeccable and this, coming from our pre-tasting brewery tour, gave a strong first-impression of a well-organized operation.

I find it an odd choice that their beers are only available in (reasonably priced) five ounce sample formats or eight ounce glasses mind you.  Though I often appreciate the sample format, a few glasses to equal that pint just seems odd, but hey... I know a few things about beer and nothing about being a brew-pub restauranteur, so who am I to say whether this works better or not!

Alright, without further ado, some beer thoughts below the barrel pic that follows.

Though I won't exhaust your readership by reviewing all nine beers in depth, I'll share some brief notes on a few and offer a final overall assessment afterwards.

Aprikotenweisse (3.4% ABV, served at 4 degrees Celsius) is a weisse brewed with Galaxy hops, and kettle-soured with house bacteria and lactobacillus (breaking from expectations).  It isn't at all as expected, but it works expressing a thin head atop a cloudy yellow base. The nose is a bit dusty and mildly sweaty which was not what I was anticipating, but it was inviting to one who loves the funk! A bolder dry-hop could only have added to it, mind you, but the taste was likewise delectable with moderate apricot fruitiness up front (that was absent on the nose) before mildly tart finish. The spritzy-sharp effervescence and light body made this a quenching summer day dream-like and crushable beer.

Dry Stout (4% ABV, served at 12 degrees) is normally served on nitro, but they had run out of nitro and we had to try the regular CO2 keg. This brew wafts brilliant coffee aromas, with mild biscuits and roasted qualities, while the taste was more biscuity with a touch of earthy hops and mild cacao. Though I rather enjoyed this, I did find it a bit thin and watery, but not so much as to stray from the standards.

Red Hop Bomb (7.5% ABV, served at 8 degrees) is, as aforementioned, lovingly considered to be a session barley wine (!). Well-hopped with Galaxy, Topaz, and Dr. Rudi, this beer had evolved since having been brewed seven months before my trial, and few hops remained. Yet, despite the 'lower' ABV, this beer had held up presenting a bouquet dominated by caramel complemented by raisins and plums. It smelled like a standard English barley wine. In the mouth, tea-like flavours blended with a low fruitiness and an earthy dry finish supported by a decently full body. It was a bit sticky to the lips and a touch oily, but was intriguing enough despite its age clearly demonstrating some brewing prowess.

Saison des Allergies (5.4% ABV, served at 12 degrees) is an oddity indeed! Technically, I am not sure how this can be called a saison: it isn't brewed with any standard saison yeast, it is a gruit (a beer without hops), it has carrots steeped in the mash, it is brewed with golden-rod, and is barrel-aged in Chardonnay barrels. And yet... this was the treat of the night! It pours a hazy yellow with an immediately dissipating thin white head. The nose is musty in both senses of the word: both stale (in that Brett-y kind of inviting way!) and of grape must. Completing the nose are aromas of faint wood and dust. On the tongue, I note an initial fruity Brett quality, reminiscent of peaches, with a transition to a substantial tartness, with a dusty, dank, and equally dry finish. My only real criticisms here are on the feel, where it is a bit oily and under-carbed (though many BA beers are). This drinks like a fairly complex sour and is easily the best beer I have had at this rising establishment.

In conclusion, this is worth checking out! With the best beer, by far, being a BA one, and a growing barrel-program, coupled with playful experimentation and a food menu that smells like heaven (and presumably tastes just as good), I will return and I hope you do too!

Benelux Chronique de Mars: Delicious!

Benelux Brasserie Artisanale boasts two excellent brewpubs - in Verdun and downtown - alongside another brewing/kegging/rarely bottling facility called Brasserie du Canal.  They make some solid beers, but rarely release bottles for distribution.

As far as I know, they have only ever released different vintages of their Grande Armada barrel-aged imperial brown ale, but news broke this week that they'd be dropping Chronique de Mars: a barrel-aged blend of a sour saison and a pale ale with Brettanomyces, and dry-hopped with Galaxy.  Note that while the bottle advertises this, I am told by one of the brewers from Benelux that it is a blend of three saisons: a standard/classic saison, one with secondary Brettanomyces Bruxellensis, and one sour saison (that comprised only 8% of the total blend).  The Bretted version apparently spent 10 months in barrels.

If you know me, you know words like "sour saison," and "blend" peak my interest, and they flat out excite me when coupled with "Galaxy hops" and "Barrel-aged."

So, I immediately swung by Maltéhops where my dealer superhero, Patrick, informed me that it would arrive on shelves today.   Being a committed beer geek, I returned again today... twice.

The first time brought the trial, the second for the stash.  And you want a stash.  Trust me.

The cap pops loudly with bold carbonation pushing forth a quick, if not explosive, rising head necessitating a fast pour.  The glass fills with a hazy light copper capped by a thick, foamy white head of solid retention with minimal lacing.

At first, fairly cold, the funk is massive!  The nose wafts a dank dustiness that brings reminiscent thoughts of Brasserie Dunham's delightful Saison Réserve.  Though some wood notes are present, they are buried underneath the bold Brett-dominated aromatics.  As it opens up, the Galaxy qualities of pineapple and mango come through a bit more complementing the Bretty cobwebs, but this smells marvelous indeed!  It is obvious that this is massively Bretted, and that can either turn you off or on.  Me?  I've got more than a semi.

Tastewise, this is complex and highly drinkable.  It is ever so faintly sour, with just a notch below standard saison ph levels.  It begins with a bit of that tartness and some mild fruitiness, mixed with a grape must and highly funky, slightly leathery finish.  The carbonation is quite aggressive, which works well with the style in general and with the notes of this beer specifically.  The sharp and spritzy effervescence spreads the flavours, cleans them off the palate, and allows the dryness to complete each sip, thereby inviting the next.

This may be my favourite Benelux beer to date, and with Grande Armada, several solid IPAs, Black Beatty, Troy Spèciale, and other such treats, that is high praise indeed!

In fact, the blending, the Brett, the hops, and the carbonation are so well executed that it reminds me of the strengths of Crooked Stave beers (perhaps blended with the aforementioned Dunham Saison Réserve).  And, for all of this, it is well-priced at a mere $10 (plus tax and deposit) for a 650ml, barrel aged blend.  My only, and it is mild, criticism would be that the Galaxy hopping (and dry-hopping?) could be amped up a little to better complement the massive funk.

I lied.  I have two further criticisms: it won't always be available and I can't afford to buy several cases.  So get yours now, before I get a mortgage to buy the rest.

Spilling Secrets: Marché du Village and the New Série Impériale Barley Wine

No matter your hobby, you periodically discover a surprise supplier and try to keep it secret.  For beer geeks, whether that's your 'loon link or whatever, we somehow feel as if we need to keep things hushed so that more remains for us when we need it.  Sure, some know about it, but maybe not everyone...

And yet, here I am telling you all about the not-so-well-kept-secret (since it opened in 1967 and all!) that is Marché du Village in Ange-Gardien.

What's to love about this place?  Man, the list is extensive...

1. Being situated off-island, they often have rare bottles last longer than the requisite 9 minutes
2. They are basically halfway to my in-laws cottage and make for a crucial stop beforehand, making the visit more tolerable
3. They are located about 1/4 of the way from Montreal to Hill Farmstead - a regular stop for any dedicated Montreal beer geek (but remember to stop on your way back!)
4. Due to friendships and proximity, they get full stock of special Dunham releases... Mmmmmm, Dunham
5. They have an excellent selection of Quebec beers including the majority of breweries and special releases, and...
6. ... as a special SAQ authorized retailer, they also stock other nice brews as well.
7. They are located in a 24-hour high-end supermarket/cafe/gas station perfect for your travelling needs
8. They have two temperature, light, and humidity controlled cellars; one for long-term aging and one that brings out the latest from the former for sales at varied intervals.
9. To see the sale cellar, you must ask the incredibly friendly, helpful, knowledgeable, bilingual staff for assistance, but never has a request for assistance felt so invited
10. They periodically brew/contract brew/have brewed special release beers that are barrel-aged and intended to be suitable for long term aging!

It is the second of these beers that prompts this post.  The first in the series, Série Impériale Scotch Ale Impériale, was brewed at Brasseurs Illimités and aged in several diverse barrels.  It was a treat: not too sweet with an excellent barrel character making for a delightful winter sipper.

This winter, Marché du Village and Brasseurs Illimités have combined forces again and released the second in the series: Série Impériale Barley Wine.  This English Barley Wine is well hopped with Nugget and Fuggles, before being barrel-aged in Whiskey, Brandy, and Rum barrels. It retails for $19.99 for a 750ml bottle, and when you consider the quality, the size, the 11.9% ABV, and the aging potential, this is a fair price indeed.

It pours out a reddish copper with a thick tan head.  Large bubbles make up the cap, which has fair retention for the high ABV, and even a circle remains throughout, while lacing is fairly thick and uneven.

It is quite aromatically enticing.  The bouquet is rich with a well-blended complexity of diverse notes with none overpowering.  The most dominant notes are wet wood, mild sherry-like qualities, low ethanol, some earthy and mildly tea-like hops, moderate caramel, and a hint of baking bread.  There is a mild peaty quality with a touch of fruity plum-like esters, but no overwhelming barrel component of either whiskey, rhum, or brandy.  This isn't a limitation, rather it attests to the nuance added that blends so wonderfully.  There's a hint of what smells almost like spiced whiskey and rum very faintly.  This is a very complex and balanced nose.

The flavour begins with a bready/caramel/doughy quality that quickly transitions to tea and bits of barrel, before a quite dry and fairly hot finish with an earthy and resinous bitterness.  Though nicely bitter, there is a fair bit of residual sugar on the palate.  It has a medium length bitter linger.  There is a bit of ethanol here as well, but what do you want - it's 11.9%!  As it warms, it becomes a bit less bitter, with greater raisin notes and caramel notes in the finish.

It is fairly full-bodied with moderate carbonation.  The tongue picks up a slight oiliness, and it is a touch sharper than I'd like, but not at all sticky (and for the residual sugar and ABV that is a big plus!) There is, as expected, a moderate warming as it downs.

Overall, this is a very nice second coming, and one I will seek out another bottle of for aging.  Yes, it's a touch sweet, but also nicely bitter and dry, and it is, after all, an ENGLISH barley wine; though one well complemented by well-blended barrel-aging.

Moreover, Marché du Village has some of their own glasses and had one made for this Series.  The glass is a gold-rimmed teku, seen in the pictures.  It is a nice hefty teku, much like the Dunham/Jester King release from the Autumn, with the same height, shape, and weight with the odd extra bulbous base beyond the standard teku. It is thick but not as excessively so as the weight implies.  Overall, the printed design is nice, but not fantastic as it is a bit simplistic, but it is a fine teku for a Quebec beer scene that is overloaded with tulips but under-represented by this trendy tulip-esque alternate design.

In a nutshell, I'd stop by this place.  Get their new beer, get some aged ones, get some standards, grab a branded spiegelau IPA glass, and a teku, and move on the Eastern Townships prepared to survive the tribulations of your in-laws... or maybe that's just me.

Cheers!

Homegrown Hops: Tasting Some Beers from Une Biere Deux Coups

Keeping up on the booming craft beer scene can be tough.  Breweries seem to open constantly (with few closures). In and directly around Montreal, mind you, with new brewpub exceptions like Harricana and Isle de Garde, most breweries have been established for at least a few years, with new breweries popping up further afield (Au Val, Sutton, l'Hermite, Hopera). Homebrewers, Brasserie Une Bière Deux Coups, hope to change this and open a Montreal brewery/tasting room in the near(-ish) future. Work on funding plans, the need for permits and space, and other practical exigencies mean this isn't around the corner, but the project is moving forward and, after tasting their beers, I hope we see this come to fruition sooner rather than later!

A joint brewing partnership between Dan Deeds and Eric Dion masterminds the project, which is both grounded in tested, well-liked staples and also experimenting for future delights.

I met up with Dan at his (hop garden backyard) home where he graciously provided me with some review bottles, beginning with their popular Session IPA, and this should assuredly be a staple in their future production. Session IPAs are quite the rage these days, offering the nose (and sometimes the full flavour) of a bold American India Pale Ale without the excess alcohol (or calories) making them a delightful, easy drink for a hot summer afternoon. Indeed, such were the conditions for my consumption, and this fit the bill perfectly!

Since this meeting, Dan has provided me with a few more samples, and I have been building a database of reviews, but note merely a few herein.

Summer Session IPA (3.8% ABV, 45 IBU) pours a quite hazy orange-reddish tinged deep copper in colour, with a decent (1.5-finger) soft white head. The head has pretty solid retention, and small rings of lace circle the glass briefly. Though still firmly within the pale ale camp, this was much darker than anticipated, which is fine either way!

It may seem odd to use vibrant and dank in the same description, but the nose truly wafts vibrantly in expressions of dank earthiness, with a distinctive resinous pine quality, and some tropical fruits, like mango and passion fruit in the background. There is little in the way of citrus - my favourite in IPAs usually - though some traces of rind are present, as are slight floral hints, but buried deeply beyond the fresh, dank resins. A very solid nose, nonetheless!

Upon sipping, there is a touch of a cereal grain and somewhat nondescript resinous quality that kicks things off, before a solid, moderately bitter pine-dominant linger that spreads well thanks to the carbonation.

Most Session IPAs truly lack the body to support the hops present making them aroma forward, but watery otherwise. This, I am pleased to say, is one of those beers that has no business having the body it does - and yet thank science it does! It isn't super thick, but is thicker than some 6% IPAs at medium-bodied and it comes bolstered by a pretty soft feeling spritz, even with moderate carbonation. It feels a bit resinous as well, adding to the flavour and complementing it nicely.

Overall, this is a super solid beer!  I'd buy this regularly if available as such. I think it is nearly as good as Le Castor's Session Houblon. The nose is just as strong - in a style of aroma that isn't usually my preference - and it competes on the body front (at 0.5% less ABV even!) while probably paling a bit on the taste front for my personal interests. But, and this is crucial: to enter that discussion means, to me, this is better than most of the other (non-Brett) session IPAs in Quebec. Bravo!

Though I have yet to try a regular IPA from 1B2C, I also got my hands on their Tempo Double IPA (9%
ABV, 110 IBU), and though solid as well, it wasn't as big of a hit for me personally.  It is darker than anticipated, presenting a hazy brownish, with a decent white head of fair retention. The nose is fruity in the mango and pineapple forward vein more than the citrus aspect.  Some candied sugar from the malt base and a hint of pine and booze also wafts.  Taste-wise it is good through and through, but to be a bit critical it is a touch sweet in the beginning, but the middle and finish come in with an increasingly resinous bitter bite.  It offers quite the lengthy and bitter linger as well, with a fairly full body and carbonation that feels lighter than it appears, offering a bit of oiliness.  A touch more effervescence might show well with the bitter bite.  Overall, the malt base seems a touch bold, such that the bitter bite seems a way to overcompensate in the finish.  However, that is a common enough presentation in DIPAs, so this critique is more personal preference than stylistic error on their part and I note it as this may fulfill your own DIPA criteria, though for me this has a strong nose but gets a bit bland in the somewhat nondescript bitterness that lacks the fruity or floral qualities one expects in the lengthy linger.  It comes off a bit (quickly sweet, then rapidly) 'bitter-for-bitters-sake,' but this is a very traditional DIPA quality.  Those in love with Vermont DIPAs may want a touch more fruit and flowers, while those in love with more West Coast styles may appreciate this for its strengths.  Take, though, my criticism with a grain of salt, for it is still better than many commercial DIPAs in Quebec (with exceptions like Isle de Garde, DDC Immoralite, LTM DIPA, and Route 138, I presume)

Gose Buster (3.5% ABV, 18 IBU), which I somehow forgot to photograph, is another hit in my personal opinion (though the summer batch was a touch better than the recent offering, and brewer Dan agrees, as we both wonder if there was a difference in the purchased grains from the same suppliers).  It pours a hazy yellow with a thick, super creamy white head that sticks around and clings to the glass.  It's aromatically inviting with offerings of lemon, sea breeze, and a muted hint of coriander.  In the mouth, it starts with a mild doughy quality, before a lightly tart, lightly salted, sharp feeling refreshing finish as if of a delightful (mild lemon) spritzer.  The bold effervescence serves to well spread the flavours across the palate, before assisting as it dries out nicely with a mild lemon linger.  Though gose fans who want a sour blast, a wheat-bomb, ocean-level saltiness, or forward-coriander may be disappointed, I rather find that this is an example where none of these components take center stage since all are well balanced in a super-drinkable, highly refreshing treat.  This would be the best in Quebec on a shelf if dropped in stores today.

Zeddemore Schwarzgose (4% ABV, 20 IBU) blends a dark malt backbone with salty sourness. However, while I could provide more elaborate notes for any interested, I will keep this brief, since this beer seems to fall short for two reasons.  First, the roast and lemon qualities just don't blend seamlessly.  Second, despite Dan's assertion that it contains the same amount of salt as the Gose Buster, it tastes saltier throwing the balance out of whack.  It seems odd that this somehow brings the salt more forward as it must compete with roastier malts and a slightly higher IBU.  Regardless, I mention this beer despite its misses because it portends a forward-thinking attempt to bridge styles in unique ways.  And I always appreciate the experiments that facilitate innovation.

Pony Boy Bitter (4% ABV, 40 IBU) comes from a tradition I have moved beyond.  That is, while English styles brought me to beer initially, I now find myself rather sensitive to their frequent (and frequently acceptable) diacetyl notes of buttered popcorn and bored by their traditional hops.  And yet, I can appreciate a well done example of the styles, and this is well done!

It pours a hazy, reddish-dark amber capped by a moderate white head of some retention.  That head wafts an inviting bouquet that fits the style norms but brings complexity of notes rather than unidimensional qualities.  In combination with the fresh-baked bread-like malt and yeast character, there are complementary notes of tea-like hops and some lemon balm.  It smells a bit like an Earl Grey/lemon tea hybrid, while someone bakes a whole wheat loaf in the oven behind.

The flavour begins with that similar yeasty bakery quality, before transitioning to a dry, lightly earthy, and black-tea dominant finish.  There is, also, a lowly discernible diacetyl quality, but that is both acceptable in the style and muted enough by other notes so as to not offend my diacetyl-sensitive palate.  The linger is fairly slight, while the notes are complemented by a fairly light body and just shy of moderate carbonation.  Together, these make for an easy drinking, stylistically sound brew.  A solid hit, even in a style I'd rarely procure!

To get your hands on some of these evolving products, to get a leg up on the evolving Montreal beer scene, and to support what may be our next local brewery, check them out on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/LaPico1B2C?fref=ts  Also, they are doing a survey as part of their business plan.  Please help them out by doing both parts: Part One AND Part Two.  Thanks!

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!

Not Your Father's Root Beer: Not His Son's Beer Either

You can't currently peruse American beer forums without seeing talk of Illinois-based Small Town Brewery's Not Your Father's Root Beer.  This seems to be about the weirdest and most divisive 'beer' in the community, with most loving it and some hating it, with little in between, though overall it rates phenomenally and apparently flies off of shelves.  Thus, I had to chime in since a bottle found its way to me in trade.

Though there are also 10% and 19.5% (!) ABV versions, this is your standard 5.9% root 'beer.'

Without wasting time, I am going to get right down to it, with all ratings out of 5.

Appearance: It pours a rather dark brown with an audible, just off-white head that dissipates almost instantly.  Looks like root beer!  I guess it deserves a 5 for that, but the beer geek in me wants it to be a beer with some retention and lace... but I guess that isn't to style.  Yet, much high quality draught root beer brings a head that never dissipates.  I'll settle at 4.

Aroma: It smells just like root beer!  Well, at first it does.  Initially one is blown away by the sassafras (or sarsaparilla) root but as it both warms and as one sniffs a little deeper, hints of molasses come through, followed by a faint hint of ethanol.  There is also something in the background that resembles that of a stale bottle of macro adjunct lager that has been sitting for a whole day after a party.  Part of me wants to give this a 5/5 for withstanding simple scrutiny and smelling like a root beer, because - let's be honest - who sniffs their root beer like they do their beer?  But, this rates well, and thus deserves to be rated, and in digging deeper its flaws become apparent.  Maybe these smells are also in other root beers and my consumption of them lacked this level of engagement, but I doubt it.  I am shocked, and amazed that a beer can present this... and bravo for that... but I am not shocked enough to overlook that which I find to detract.  3.5

Taste: It is super sweet and nearly identical to an A&W root beer with a few variations.  The taste is clearly of the syrupy-artificial root beer variety, not fresh draught, and is perhaps even sweeter than most root beers.  Loads of artificial vanilla is also present, yet the artificial taste is excessive and the slight hint of ethanol couples in being equally off-putting as it detracts from the root beer elements.  It is very 'root-beer-forward,' don't get me wrong, but perhaps not enough so to keep me from beer (see comments in overall below).  3.5

Mouthfeel: It is super syrupy, sticky, and carbonated, with a touch of warmth in the finish.  Yes, pretty much like root beer... but even more syrupy and even more sticky, if you can imagine that!  3

Overall: Before truly assessing, I'd like to note that during and afterwards I burped uncomfortably and with its lesser aromatics returning each time in a way that doesn't happen to me with other beers or with (non-alcoholic) root beer.  Like the flavour, it returned an artificial quality and was rather off-putting.  I can't help but feel like I want a real beer after, and yet I LOVE root beer.  To me, this isn't even a top ten root beer.  It is remarkably akin to the soda, and praise for that is deserved, but it may be one of my least favourite root beers.  So why would I drink it?  Booze?  If I want the booze, I may as well grab a beer... if I want a root beer, I may as well avoid it and be the DD!  I guess my point here is basically, wtf?  I mean, are we going to have others doing this now?  Then cola beers?  Then other sweet messes that no longer present hops and malted barley in balance, characterized by water and yeast specifics?  At what point will the gimmick run thin?  3

I enjoyed this, and I was truly happy to have some, but I didn't enjoy it so much that I finished the bottle.  I passed it to my wife and moved on.  It is noteworthy and impressive, but it isn't something I'll be seeking out again.

It is fine for what it is, but fuck I hope this doesn't start a trend of trying to closely mimic the tastes of other drinks.  Let's keep mimicking the taste of beer, in all of its diverse and ingenuitive complexity.  It can taste like other styles, hybrid styles, new styles, but I hope we don't seek to make too many more that taste like soda.

Epic Battle of the Adjunct Chili Stouts: Slaying Some Personal White Whales

Beer geeks not only seek the new, whether to tick or to chase the next big thing, but they further hold out dreams of slaying a 'white whale.'  Invoking Moby Dick, a white whale is that elusive, limited, hyped rarity that for some reason (amongst all other whales) elicits the deepest desires of the geek in question.  What constitutes a whale is subjective and depends on many factors, and I have had some rarer beers before, but this tasting epitomized the slaying (read: drinking) of multiple personal white whales, in styles that drive me nuts.

Several of these were brewery only and/or had bottle counts in the low hundreds.  They also trade at quite a high value, are highly rated, come from afar (to Quebec anyway) and aren't easily procured.  Moreover, faithful readers know I love me an imperial stout.  I also love chilis and chili beers, though there aren't too many chili imperial stouts on my regular radar.

Thus, the barrel-aged (and regular) variants of Hunahpu's Imperial Stout, Mexican Cake, and Abraxas all fall into that dreamy category for me... or they did.  It doesn't hurt either that, despite rarity, these beers are all immensely praised and (at the time of writing) not a one rated less than 97 on Beeradvocate. (Don't ask, however, how many 'loons flew the coup - and went South over the Farmstead Hill -  in quest of these bottles!* I can't count that many 'loons in flight.)

The lineup consisted of (in consumed order): Prairie Artisan Ales (from Oklahoma) Bomb!, Perennial Artisan Ales (from Missouri) Abraxas and Barrel-Aged Abraxas, Cigar City's (Florida) Hunahpu's Imperial Stout and Double-Barrel (Rum and Apple-Brandy) Hunahpu's, and Westbrook's (South Carolina) Mexican Cake, as well as two variants, Tequila Barrel-Aged Mexican Cake and Double Barrel (Bourbon and Rye) Mexican Cake, and a fine blend I like to call 'Quadruple Barrel Mexican Pu' made from a blend of both double barrel aged beers.  Yep, that's a lot of adjunct stout to review, so on to the goodness...

Bomb! (13% ABV) (2014) combines coffee, cacao nibs, vanilla beans, and ancho chili peppers in a solid imperial stout base.  It pours a deep dark brown to black, with a slight deep tan to light mocha head of minimal retention.  From the bouquet, I get dark chocolate in predominance, with some espresso and faint chili notes.  Tastewise, the chocolate is once again dominant, though traces of coffee are present and some chili spreads on the tongue via the carbonation.  That carbonation, however, is minimal with a medium-full body, yet despite a decent smoothness, this one is a touch sticky.  The alcohol is well hidden on both tongue and chest in a remarkable fashion; or, perhaps, with so many adjuncts, it isn't actually all that remarkable.  Overall, this is a great beer (and my second time with it), but it seems to not quite know what it is... coffee stout, chili stout, chocolate stout, who knows?  But it is super drinkable, and blends the adjuncts pretty well.  Grade: A-

Hunahpu's Imperial Stout (11% ABV) (2014 despite the 2015 in the pic above, brewed with cacao nibs, Madagascar vanilla beans, Ancho chilis, Pasilla chilis, and cinnamon) clomps into the glass exposing its mass alongside its deep darkness.  There is a moderately sized mocha head, though with negligible retention and no lace to speak of.  The aroma is inviting with loads of chili-chocolate (reminiscent in, literally, of a dark chocolate truffle with chilis) and a fair amount of what smells like super-fresh, wonderfully high quality vanilla beans.  There is a fresh vegetal quality, faintly reminiscent of olives as well.  It isn't ideal, but isn't entirely off-putting either as I suspect it is, rather than an off-flavour, connected with the vanilla beans of (once) fresh, gourmet quality.  The notes connect in my mind, at least, whether they do so in reality.  It tastes first of deep, rich chocolate, followed by those delightful vanilla beans, before concluding with a strong cinnamon presence and just a hint of chili warmth.  There is a mild dual-warmth after the swallow as both a trace of heat and a low-moderate chili burn return up the esophagus.  This beer has the creamiest, silkiest, thickest-bodied mouthfeel ever, even compared to nitro-tapped heavies!  (Perhaps not the thickest beer, though very thick, but the silkiest for sure!)  What a treasure on the tongue!  Overall, this does a lot of things right, but it feels a bit more muddled (than Bomb!) by the over-presence of too many conflicting adjuncts.  The chocolate, the vanilla, the chilis all just seem in so much competition (and too little chili for me, though it is over a year old) that the stout is long gone.  It is great, don't get me wrong, but I feel like I drank a thick, chocolate-vanilla, lightly hot, slightly boozy, creamy milkshake, not an imperial stout.  The beer was lost a bit in the adjunct process - or perhaps in the age. Grade: A-




Double-Barrel Hunahpu's Imperial Stout (11% ABV), aged in both Rum and Apple Brandy barrels, was brewed once in 2014 and released at the brewery only amidst a near beer riot.  It is visually undifferentiated from the non-BA Hunahpu, except for a smaller head.  The nose wafts an increased vanilla component alongside the presence of some wood, but is otherwise similar though that faint olive note is a bit more muted here, as are the other adjunct notes, though the chocolate remains fairly present.  The taste is a bit sweeter up front with vanilla and cinnamon taking more of a centre stage than the chocolate.  The middle brings some rum spice and woody characteristics, before a more heated, chili finish.  The carbonation seems a touch more pronounced than in the regular version, while the feel remains almost identically silky if a tad less thick. The alcoholic heat is well-hidden on the palate.  Overall, by muting the olive notes, as well as better blending the adjuncts with some wood presence, while effectively holding the body, this is the better beer, though I have heard that it has faded greatly since it is now 15-months past launch.  Grade: high A-







Abraxas (10% ABV), crafted with ancho chilis, vanilla beans, cacao nibs, and cinnamon sticks, was the biggest disappointment of the night for me.  And yet, it is still a fine beer, so I wasn't too disappointed to ingest it!  It is visibly a shade lighter, presenting a dark brown in contrast, while topped with a scant head that almost resembles red wine bubbling lightly from an aggressive pour.  The noise has more roast qualities than Huna, showing its stout origins more than simply the adjuncts.  As far as the adjuncts go, the cinnamon is paramount, before some of the chocolate and just traces of vanilla.  There is also a slight ashy quality to it, alongside a faint hint of ethanol that is more discernible than in either of the (slightly stronger) Hunahpus.  As it opens up, the chilis come forward a bit more, making the nose fairly dynamic.  The taste is fairly sweet and cinnamon-dominated, while there is an almost milk-chocolate quality to the middle.  It has a very, very faint return of mild chili spice and a touch of alcohol heat in the finish.  The body is a touch lighter, and it is even less carbonated than Huna, while there is also a more present alcohol burn (and detectable flavour) as well.  Grade: B+






Barrel-Aged Abraxas (11% ABV), aged in Rye Whiskey barrels, poured the same dark brown of the base beer, with a comparably negligible head.  The nose has transformed completely however, starting out with more cacao that is complemented by traces of oak and a hint of spicy rye.  There are also some slight chili pepper notes, and faint whisps of ethanol.  The taste likewise begins with a chocolate assault, before transitioning first to ethanol, then to a mix of rye spice and a smooth, if not over-bearing chili tingle.  It is slightly warm in the linger, but more of alcohol than chili, though both are present.  Overall, it presents just enough chili, and just enough barrel, with muted adjuncts overall to have all components enhance rather than detract from each other.  It offers slightly more barrel notes than DBH; just enough for that blended complexity of components aforementioned.  Grade: A









Mexican Cake (10.5% ABV, 2013 bottling date, brewed with cocoa nibs, vanilla beans, cinnamon sticks, and habanero peppers) pours thickly dark with but a slight tan head, and no real retention to speak of.  The nose wafts a nice blend of roasted malts coupled with the chocolate to present this bittersweet cacao up front, complemented by vanilla and coffee-esque notes, with muted cinnamon, and mere traces of chili.  The taste is a bit milder up front than in the finish, but starting with a fine blend of roasty stout qualities, alongside adjunct chocolate and vanilla, before a chili finish that begins before the swallow and a lengthy linger lasting through the next sip.  The body is a bit thinner than Abraxas, and certainly thinner than Huna, but the feel remains fairly creamy despite a bolder carbonation (that works well with the spice). With just a touch more body, this would be perfect to me as the best obvious 'stout' tasted (on its own terms) and with muted adjuncts except for the one I like the most!  (BTW: though my notes remain coherent, I am terribly sorry that my pictures started to get drunk from here on in... damn Android, no app to increase either tolerance or to correct for the user!)  Grade: A/A+









Tequila Barrel-Aged Mexican Cake (10.5% ABV) almost identically resembles the base beer, and the nose is again similar but with a few key differences.  First, the aroma starts with a greater depth of chocolate, before more spicy notes of both tequila and chili which masks the chili a bit in the balance between the two.  The taste, again, begins a bit more chocolate forward than the base brew, while the finish is entirely spicy, yet only vaguely of chilis with an equal blend of tequila and woody characteristics as well.  It has a touch less carbonation than the regular version, but a similar body and remains quite solid indeed.  Grade: A/A+

Double-Barrel Mexican Cake (10.5% ABV) pours a similar colour, though the head seems a bit more mocha coloured and a bit less substantial.  The aroma presents a perfect blend of chocolate, whiskey, wood, moderate vanilla, and very faint chili.  The taste is similar, if a bit boozier than the base beer, while very woody with vanilla and chocolate preceding a spicy chili finish and linger.  This is a bit spicier than not just the other Cakes, but all of the other beers in the tasting.  It has a bit less carbonation than the other Cakes, but also seems to have thickened up a bit and leaves no residual stickyness on the palate.  This is clearly the best beer of the night, according to all four tasters involved, as it exemplifies balance in the adjuncts (except for the chili which the other non-Cakes leave as too weak), presents the strongest imperial stout base, and offers a solid if not dominating aspect of the barrels!  Grade: A+

Then, of course, there was the blend I like to call 'Quadruple Barrel Mexican Pu,' which offers a chocolate-dominant nose, supported by some cinnamon and vanilla (in a barrel-way), while the flavour is pretty chocolatey and vanilla forward, with a solid chili burn in the finish.  It works well by bringing much of Cake's strengths forward while adding aspects of Huna's remarkable body.  A fine blend, indeed!  Grade: A+

Though the Huna we tasted may have been showing its age at 15 months old, our Cake (non-BA) was even older and it stood up in a much stronger way, despite the bodily might of the Huna.  Huna just felt like a mess of adjuncts (if one can call a still great beer a 'mess') while Cake minimized the supporting adjuncts to the stout at hand - except for the personally desired chili.  Thus, I'd say: (Quad Barrel Mex Pu>) DB Cake>Cake tied with Tequila Cake>BA Abraxas>DB Huna>Huna tied with Bomb!>Abraxas.

Yet for me, a lesson here if this: it usually isn't worth it to trade and ship for high end prizes.  Yes, I loved Cake and DB Cake, but trading for Cake is about 10 times easier and cheaper than for DB Cake, and DB Cake is NOT 10 times better than its base.  In my opinion, flip for the regs and let the variants be... unless you have so many big trade guns that you don't know what to do with, or unless these top your whale search list!  That said, as these were basically all on my beer bucket list, it had to be done and I didn't regret drinking a single thing on this list, and nor would I ever.

'Til next time... cheers!

(By the way, if you wonder how I can safely drink this many strong beers in one epic tasting: it was four of us throughout, with, at times, a 5th and 6th person nabbing tastes, and we spaced it out over 5 hours with large glasses of water between each sip.  #drinkresponsibly-ish!)

*Beer geek jargon clarification/translation: "Don't ask how many [relatively rare and highly valued Belgian] Cantillon lambics and gueuzes - as well as Hill Farmstead beers - were traded to find these and compile them over the last year for this great night."