Classe Typhoon | Nano Cinco

Score: 75/100 – Average

Appearance 5/6

The beer pours a clear, very dark brown with a moderately tall, puffy, tan head. Decent foam retention. A good looking brew.

Aroma 16/24

Medium-strong intensity with good balance. The aroma is layered, robust, and pungent.

The combination of moderate dark malts, low earthy hops, and a splash of alcohol is nice. Fruity esters add another pleasant layer. There’s a moderate vegetal tone that gets in the way of enjoyment – kind of an oxidized stout vibe.

Flavour 32/40

Strong intensity with good balance and pronounced perceived bitterness. The flavour is driven by a mix of dark malts, esters, mild alcohol, and low hop character with the malt claiming the most amount of space. Mild oxidation with no major off-flavours.

Mouthfeel 9/10

Medium body with moderate carbonation. The mouthfeel is quite smooth with some slickness, restrained alcohol warming, and a medium-sweet finish. No major astringency or any harshness on the palate. Excellent.

Overall 13/20

Nano Cinco’s Classe Typhoon is an average beer.

Nice appearance with somewhat lacking on the bubble tightness and foam retention – but those are small things. The aroma is the right intensity and it has many layers – most of them pleasant, but it also has unpleasant notes and doesn’t quite entice me to take a sip. On the palate, the flavour is pretty good with nice layers but it doesn’t come together as a unit. I don’t love the flavour combination. The malt doesn’t harmonize with the rest of the profile, including hops, esters, and alcohol. The mouthfeel is great, well suited for the weight of the beer.

Overall, this is still a beer that might be worth trying if you like stronger dark beers with a bit of oxidation and fruity tones. LTM’s baltic porter is definitely more fine-tuned and worth the search, one that I’m happy to drink over and over again. I can’t say the same for this. With some tweaks to the flavour profile/balance and potentially improving execution, this could be well on its way to be a very good brew.

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Arctic Ale 2025 | Brasserie Artisanale Albion

Score: 80/100 – Good

Appearance 5/6

The beer pours a clear dark brown with a low, thin, tan head. Poor foam retention. A good looking brew.

Aroma 19/24

Strong aroma with good balance. The aroma is musty, deep, and unique. There’s a distinct wild yeast character which is deeply earthy. Fruity esters and alcohol notes blend smoothly, complementing the yeast-driven profile. A moderate presence of dark and specialty malts adds depth without overwhelming. Noticeable oxidation contributes positively to the complexity. No apparent hop character.

Flavour 34/40

Follows the aroma with strong intensity, good balance, and assertive perceived bitterness. The musty flavour is driven by a blend of fruity esters, wild yeast, and alcohol. Dark and specialty malts follow, supported by pleasant oxidation which adds depth and complexity. No apparent hop character. The flavour is very good and notably unique, with a vinous quality that stands out. As with the aroma, the elements occasionally feel a bit disjointed.

Mouthfeel 8/10

Medium body with lively carbonation. The mouthfeel is prickly and slightly chewy with noticeable alcohol warming and a sweet finish. No astringency or harshness of any kind. Quite pleasant considering the strength.

Overall 14/20

Albion’s Arctic Ale is a good beer. The appearance is enticing, though slightly better head formation and retention would elevate it further. The aroma is complex and intriguing, but the components struggle to harmonize, creating a tension that detracts from the experience. The flavour follows suit – distinct and characterful, yet lacking cohesion. There is much to appreciate, but it falls short in finesse. The mouthfeel is pleasant and unobtrusive, though it lacks the weight expected at this strength. The alcohol is well hidden, but this is clearly a sipper.

Overall, the sipping experience is enjoyable and Albion’s Arctic Ale is certainly worth trying, though it leaves a sense of something unresolved. The profile is layered and engaging, but the elements do not always align seamlessly.

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Blackburne Bourbon Barrel-Aged 2024 | Left Field Brewery

Score: 87/100 – Great

Appearance 6/6

The beer pours a clear black with a moderately tall, frothy, creamy, brown head. Great foam retention considering the very high ABV. A great looking brew!

Aroma 22/24

Strong intensity with good balance. The aroma is rich, deep, and inviting.

A strong barrel character leads the way, complemented by prominent dark and specialty malt notes. The alcohol is noticeable, but in a positive way, and the oxidation adds a pleasant complexity. Mild esters are present with no discernible hop character. Outstanding!

Flavour 37/40

Strong intensity with good balance and aggressive perceived bitterness.

The flavor mirrors the richness and depth of the aroma, with significant barrel character and dark/specialty malt notes. The alcohol is noticeable but doesn’t have a fusel-like quality. Pleasant oxidation adds an umami component. There are no prominent hop notes or esters, and no apparent off-flavors for the style.

Mouthfeel 5/10

Full body with low carbonation. The mouthfeel is viscous, heavy, and sharp with harsh alcohol warming and a luscious finish. No noticeable astringency but the beer is somewhat harsh on the palate due to the intensity of the warming sensation.

Overall 17/20

Left Field Brewery’s Bourbon Barrel-Aged Blackburne is an excellent beer.

Fantastic appearance for the style – the foam attributes are impressive, which can be a challenge for beers of this strength. The aroma is intense, immediately grabbing your attention. The same can be said for the flavor as it delivers a bold punch in your mouth. The mouthfeel is rich and complements the rest of the beer nicely. However, the alcohol heat is a bit overpowering, diminishing the overall drinking experience.

Overall, this is a beer worth trying, and I would happily drink it again. While it doesn’t quite stand out due to its sweetness and the strong alcohol warmth, they work together as the heat cuts through the sugar. Great flavour, this is a delicious beer.

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Presqu’ile | Tête d’Allumette

Score: 81/100 – Very Good

Appearance 6/6

The beer pours a clear deep gold with a moderately tall, frothy, creamy, off-white head. Good foam retention – great considering the very high ABV.

Aroma 20/24

Strong intensity with balance towards smoked malt. The aroma is rustic and reminiscent of a campfire. Massive smoke upfront with mild apple-like esters, low grainy malt, and a splash of alcohol. No apparent hop character or any significant off-notes.

Flavour 32/40

Follows the aroma with strong intensity and balance towards smoked malt with pronounced perceived bitterness. The smoked character dominates the flavour. A hint of apple-like esters and noticeable alcohol note work well with the smoked character. The flavour lacks complexity and I’m getting a butyric acid-like note at the front. Still, the flavour is good.

Mouthfeel 8/10

Medium body with moderate carbonation. The mouthfeel is rather crisp yet mouth-coating with noticeable alcohol warming and a medium-dry finish. No apparent astringency and no actual harshness on the palate. Very good.

Overall 15/20

Tête d’Allumette’s Presqu’ile is a very good beer. It’s one of the most unique barleywines I’ve had. Blindfolded, it’s hard to peg this as a barleywine – a reflection of the brewery’s approach to bending classic styles. While the smoke doesn’t clash with the other ingredients, it leaves little room for a complex interplay between different ingredients. At such a high ABV, this is a beer to savour, however, I’d rather opt in for a few pints of Grodziskie which would deliver better drinkability while maintaining a rustic flavour experience. Still, this is an interesting brew and definitely worth trying.

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L’Impériale Gasket de Tête | Tête d’Allumette

Score: 90/100 – Excellent

Appearance 6/6

The beer pours a clear black (opaque in glass) with a moderately tall, dense, creamy, deep tan head. Great foam retention for the high ABV. A good-looking brew!

Aroma 20/24

Strong intensity with balance towards dark malts. The aroma is robust, edgy, and quite complex. Significant dark malts take the lead and are followed by dark fruit esters, alcohol, and moderate woody-herbaceous hops. Mild oxidation and no apparent off-notes.

Flavour 38/40

Strong intensity, balance towards dark malts, and aggressive perceived bitterness. The flavour is intense with a complex mix of dark malts, dark fruit esters, woody-herbaceous hops, and alcohol. No off-flavours. Delicious and pleasantly muscular flavour.

Mouthfeel 8/10

Medium body with moderate carbonation. The mouthfeel is slightly thin and mildly fizzy with noticeable alcohol warming and a medium-dry finish. No significant astringency and no actual harshness on the palate. Very good.

Overall 18/20

Tête d’Allumette’s L’Imperiale Gasket de Tete is an excellent russian imperial stout. Beautiful appearance and a bold, complex flavour with no apparent off-notes. This delivers exactly what’s expected and then some. At the same time the beer is a little bit thin – it’s missing that wonderful weight a 10% stout can have on the palate. I think this would stand out if the mouthfeel fully matched the flavour intensity in texture. It’s also not a cheap thrill but I think it’s absolutely worth a try if you can find a bottle.

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Dragon Sap | Labrosse Brewery

Score: 67/100 – Not Recommended

Appearance 3/6

The beer pours an opaque pale gold with a moderately tall, thin-ish, off-white head. Decent foam retention. A decent looking brew.

Aroma 19/24

Strong intensity with balance towards hops. The aroma is fragrant, sharp, and pungent.

An American hop character dominates the aroma. Moderate fruity esters, low pale malt, and a mild alcohol note. No significant off-notes. Good aroma.

Flavour 28/40

Strong intensity, balance towards hops, and pronounced perceived bitterness.

The flavour is edgy with significant American hop character and hefty minerality. I taste salt and crushed aspirin. Low pale malt and no mentionable esters. Mild alcohol note. The flavour is lacking.

Mouthfeel 6/10

Medium body with high carbonation. The mouthfeel is crisp, sharp, and somewhat thin with restrained alcohol warming and a dry finish. Moderate hop-derived astringency with some harshness on the palate.

Overall 11/20

Microbrasserie Labrosse’s Dragon Sap is an average hazy IPA.

The aroma is punchy but the beer doesn’t deliver on the palate. It’s quite sharp both in flavour and mouthfeel, leading to mediocre drinkability. Perceived bitterness is rather high for a hazy IPA and the minerals take away from the overall flavour. Lots of hop-forward character but the beer is simply middle-of-the-road.

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Blanche de Chambly Pomme | Unibroue

Score: 94/100 – Outstanding

Appearance 6/6

The beer pours a slightly hazy pale gold with a moderately tall, frothy, off-white head. Good foam retention. A good looking brew

Aroma 23/24

Medium intensity with great balance. The aroma is layered and elegant with a well-integrated special ingredient(s).

Moderate esters with low phenolic spice along with low earthy hops and gentle grainy malt. The apple character seamlessly integrates with the rest of the beer. No alcohol or off-notes. Exceptional aroma.

Flavour 38/40

Medium intensity with good balance and low perceived bitterness. The flavour is balanced and layered, just like the aroma.

Again, yeast, hops, malt, and the extra ingredient(s) come together in a flavourful and harmonious combination. Slightly less balance than the aroma with the apple claiming more space…

Mouthfeel 10/10

Medium body with high carbonation. The mouthfeel is crisp with low creaminess and a mouth-coating quality with no apparent alcohol warming and a medium-dry finish. No astringency or harshness on the palate.

Overall 18/20

Unibroue’s Blanche de Chambly Pomme is an outstanding beer.

The special ingredient(s) is/are well-integrated into an already great base recipe. High drinkability and zero off-flavours contribute to a highly enjoyable drinking experience.

This is a balanced and layered beer with a sense of intrigue. If the apple flavour was toned down just a touch, I’d consider this a world-class brew.

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Brew Juice 100% Framboise | BreWskey

Score: 90/100 – Great

Appearance 2/6

The beer pours a murky red with a low, thin, pink head. Poor foam retention. The beer looks like thick juice.

Aroma 23/24

Strong intensity with sweet-ish balance.

The aroma is packed with an intense raspberry character. There’s not much else to it… just a low pale malt at the back. No hops, alcohol, or any off-notes. Very enticing aroma with great clarity of character.

Flavour 38/40

Strong intensity with sweet balance and low perceived bitterness.

The flavour is dominated by raspberries and sugar with low grainy-crackery malt playing a supportive role. No hops, no alcohol, and no apparent off-flavours. Rustic and delicious.

Mouthfeel 10/10

Full body with moderate carbonation. The mouthfeel is thick yet fizzy with no apparent alcohol warming and a luscious finish. No astringency with no harshness on the palate. Superb.

Overall 17/20

BreWskey’s Brew Juice 100% Framboise is a great beer.

Thick and juice-like, the brew is packed with intense raspberry flavour. There’s not much complexity but the clarity of flavour is fantastic. This is one of the better versions of Brew Juice and it lives up to expectations. If you happen to see it, give it a try!

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Boombox | 5e Baron

Score: 77/100 – Good

Appearance 4/6

The beer pours a hazy gold with a moderately tall, frothy, off-white head. Good foam retention. A good looking hazyboi even if the end of the pour introduces visible particles in the glass.

Aroma 17/24

Medium-strong intensity with balance towards hops. The aroma is fragrant, fruity, and somewhat sharp.

American hop character dominates with some fresh yeast (almost cheesy but not quite) popping up here and there. Some signs of yeast stress. Low pale malt at the back and a splash of alcohol. Overall good aroma.

Flavour 33/40

Strong intensity with good balance and assertive perceived bitterness.

The flavour highlights American hop notes with a splash of alcohol, supportive pale malt, and mild esters. Some saltiness comes through as well.

Mouthfeel 9/10

Medium body with moderate carbonation. The mouthfeel is crisp yet mouth-coating with restrained alcohol warming and an off-dry finish. No astringency or harshness on the palate even if the impact is heavy. Excellent.

Overall 14/20

Overall, 5e Baron’s Boombox is a good DIPA with plenty of flavour and decent drinkability.

There are issues across the board with visible particles making it into the glass, the aroma having a fresh yeast character, and the flavour featuring too much salt. With so much competition in the category, I’d likely pick another DIPA to quench my thirst for hops.

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Péché Mortel Bourbon 2021 | Brasserie Dieu du Ciel!

Score: 97/100 – World-Class

Appearance 5/6

The beer pours a clear black with low, dense, brown head. Poor foam retention. A good looking stout.

Aroma 23/24

Strong intensity with good balance. The aroma is intense, complex, and seductive.

Big barrel notes pair extremely well with the coffee and dark malts. A healthy dose of esters, alcohol, and oxidation marry the rest of the character while adding layers. Enticing aroma.

Flavour 40/40

Strong intensity with great balance and very assertive perceived bitterness.

Fantastic depth of flavour featuring a marriage of barrel, dark malts, esters, hops, and special ingredients. Masterfully executed. Top-notch.

Mouthfeel 10/10

Medium-full body with low carbonation. The mouthfeel is slick and smooth with restrained alcohol warming and a sweet finish. A hint of astringency but no actual harshness on the palate. Heavy impact.

Overall 19/20

Péché Mortel Bourbon 2021 is a world-class barrel-aged imperial stout.

It’s astonishing how well this beer has held over the last few years. I’ve had very few stouts developing so beautifully over time. Most of the time 24 months leave a dent in the beer that makes me crave it fresh. That’s not the case here.

Glorious flavour and overall character with fabulous mouthfeel make this a wonderful treat. Sure, I ended up preferring the 2022 and most recent 2023 editions but 2021 is absolutely worth your time, even in 2024.

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