Score: 87/100 – Very Good
From a 473ml can served cool at 9 degrees Celsius into a TeKu glass. Canned on 19/07/2023 – making this about two months old.
I picked up the can from a local specialty store just over a week ago. I wasn’t excited about the canning date but given the type of beer this is, I thought I’d take my chances and add a lager to the list of Messorem breviews.
Appearance 6/6
The beer pours a clear pale gold with 4.5cm of frothy, moderately dense, white head which dissipates into a craggy cap within 3+ minutes. Decent lacing with good head retention.
Aroma 21/24
Strong intensity with good balance. The aroma is surprisingly fragrant with European hop character and firm pale malt supporting it.
Low (yet pungent) sulphur note kicks off the aroma right after the pour. As it fades, an earthy-spicy hop character leaps out of the glass with pleasant floral tones rounding it out. The malt comes through with white bread and water cracker notes. Mild herbal tones and a light touch of grass. No alcohol or noticeable esters.
The dry nose is light and pleasant with notes of grainy-bready malt and low earthy tones.
Flavour 36/40
Medium intensity with good balance and pronounced perceived bitterness.
The rustic palate opens up with floral-herbal hop notes and a suggestion of honey, amplifying through the center where bready-crackery malt and light grassy quality chime in. The perceived sweetness wanes as an herbaceous hop character begins to dominate the flavour. No apparent alcohol or off-notes.
The medium length finish is bitter-ish and of moderate strength with notes of herbal-earthy hops and mild white bread. I like this.
Mouthfeel 8/10
Medium-full body with moderate carbonation. The mouthfeel is creamy yet crisp with a slight carbonic bite. No apparent alcohol warming and a dry finish. Medium-low astringency with very little harshness on the palate.
Overall 16/20
Messorem Bracitorium’s Il Était Une Fois: La Mort is a great beer.
A nice brew to look at with good clarity, colour, and foam attributes. The aroma gives you much more than expected; it has a lot of character despite the fact it’s not complex. The nose is almost elegant but the sulphur spoils that notion by crashing the party. On the palate, the intensity of flavour is slightly less than the aroma. It’s rustic and enjoyable with a charming clarity of character. The mouthfeel is creamy and rather plush with some crispness but the astringency is distracting, ultimately diminishing the drinking experience.
Overall, this is a beer worth trying. What it lacks in the mouthfeel is a small part that is easily made up in the flavour. With a few tweaks, this could stand out from the rest. Recommended.
Beerfection | Craft Beer Reviews | Montreal, Canada 