L’Oeil du Mouton | Tête d’Allumette

Score: 79/100 – Good

Appearance 5/6

The beer pours a veiled amber with low, fluffy, off-white head. Decent foam retention. Good appearance.

Aroma 18/24

Medium intensity with good balance. The aroma is soft and unique with a sense of intrigue.

A blend of malt, yeast, and special ingredients dominate. No apparent hop character or alcohol. No obvious off-notes but I’m not in love with the character.

Flavour 34/40

Follows the aroma with medium intensity, good balance, and moderate perceived bitterness.

The flavour is unique and focused on malt as well as fermentation (yeast) characteristics. Noticeable minerality. No apparent hop notes or alcohol. Very good flavour.

Mouthfeel 8/10

Medium-light body with moderate carbonation. The mouthfeel is delicate and fizzy with a mouth-coating quality. The alcohol  warming is restrained while the beer finishes medium-dry. Mild astringency with no actual harshness on the palate. Very good.

Overall 14/20

L’Oeil du Mouton is a good beer.

It’s very unique with good balance and drinkability peppered with a sense of intrigue. At the same time, it’s a little bit tricky to dig into and the overall character is missing appeal.

A beer worth trying for the unique drinking experience which seems to be a pattern for me when trying the brewery’s product.

OMG, read another breview!

Herbe à Détourne | Brasserie Dieu du Ciel!

Score: 95/100 – Outstanding

Appearance 6/6

The beer pours a veiled gold with tall, dense, creamy, off-white head. Great foam retention. A beautiful looking brew.

Aroma 22/24

Strong intensity with great balance. The aroma is perfumy, characterful, and complex.

A fabulous mix of esters, phenols, alcohol, hops, and malt. Mild ethyl acetate quality but it’s not unpleasant. Punchy!

Flavour 39/40

Follows the aroma with strong intensity, good balance, and pronounced perceived bitterness.

Dominated by yeast character, the flavour comes together in a delightful package including malt, hops, and alcohol. Outstanding.

Mouthfeel 10/10

Medium-full body with moderate carbonation. The mouthfeel is slightly crisp, mouth-coating, and creamy with noticeable alcohol warming and an off-dry finish. No astringency or harshness on the palate. Excellent.

Overall 18/20

Herbe à Détourne is an outstanding beer.

It packs a wallop of flavour; there’s just so much going on and the balance is really, really worth noting. Recently, I’ve fallen in love with this brew and I’m happy it now comes in a 473ml/16oz can.

Well worth seeking out if you like beers with Belgian yeast character. It’s only missing the intangible finesse and wow-factor of a world-class beer.

OMG, read another breview!

Péché Latte | Brasserie Dieu du Ciel!

Score: 87/100 – Great

Appearance 6/6

The beer pours a clear black with tall, dense, creamy, deep tan head. Great foam retention. Gorgeous appearance.

Aroma 23/24

Strong intensity with sharp-ish balance. The aroma is dark, rich, and enticing.

Pronounced dark malts and coffee with restrained esters and alcohol. Low American hop character. Mild oxidation. Excellent nose.

Flavour 35/40

Strong intensity with decent balance and assertive perceived bitterness.

The flavour follows the aroma with big dark malt character and ample coffee notes. Significant raw sugar quality makes a dent while low esters and alcohol add layers. Barely any signs of age (oxidation). Punchy.

Mouthfeel 8/10

Medium-full body with low carbonation. The mouthfeel is kind of slick and mouth-coating with mild fizz, restrained alcohol warming, and a sweet finish. No astringency or harshness on the palate but the sugar lingers on the tongue.

Overall 15/20

Péché Latte is a great beer. Yet, it’s among my least favourite Péché editions.

The lactose claims too much space on the palate, diminishing balance, mouthfeel, and flavour perception. The beer ends up being too sweet even with the alcohol and hop bitterness rounding it out. There’s that artificial sweetener quality on the tongue after each sip.

Having said that, this is a well-executed beer which I’m sure works really well for some people. Plenty of flavour and no major issues. For the same price, I’d take the bourbon edition any day over this.

OMG, read another breview!

Alfheim | Brasserie Artisanale Albion

Score: 91/100 – Outstanding

Appearance 4/6

The beer pours a clear deep gold with very little, thin, white head. Poor foam retention. Nice colour and clarity.

Aroma 22/24

Medium-strong intensity with good balance. The aroma is perfumy, funky, and quite elegant.

Notable farmyard funk and fruity tones pair well with barrel and mild supportive malt character. It’s hard to say if there are hops in there but the earthiness is making me think of them. A tiny bit of alcohol with no apparent off-notes. Great nose!

Flavour 38/40

Strong intensity with sharp balance and moderate perceived bitterness.

Quite a bit of mixed acidity – between lactic and acetic (that I can tell), but without going overboard. Vivid barrel character and farmyard funk along with fruity esters and mild pale malt. A splash of alcohol and no off-flavours. Excellent.

Mouthfeel 9/10

Medium-light body with moderate carbonation. The mouthfeel is slightly puckering and fizzy with restrained alcohol warming and an off-dry finish. A trace of astringency with no actual harshness on the palate.

Overall 18/20

Another fantastic beer from Albion. In less than two years, they’ve become one of my favourite Canadian breweries.

Alfheim is an outstanding sour beer with a beautiful sense of restraint. I could finish a whole bottle on my own and not feel overwhelmed. Superb balance, good drinkability, and a touch of intrigue make this a beer worth seeking out. Highly recommended.

OMG, read another breview!

Péché Mortel – Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta | Brasserie Dieu du Ciel!

Score: 98/100 – World-Class

Appearance 6/6

The beer pours a clear black with moderately tall, dense, creamy, deep tan head. Good foam retention. A great looking stout.

Aroma 23/24

Strong intensity with good balance. The aroma is deep and enticing with great complexity and a well-integrated special ingredient.

Big dark malts and coffee take the lead while being supported by mild esters, a splash of alcohol, and ample hop character. No apparent off-notes.

Flavour 40/40

Strong intensity with bitter balance and assertive perceived bitterness.

The flavour is dark malt-focused with well-integrated coffee character. Mild fruity esters and a touch of alcohol. Healthy dose of hops in there too. Quite a bit of complexity and a smashing flavour intensity.

Mouthfeel 10/10

Medium-full body with moderate carbonation. The mouthfeel is somewhat creamy yet prickly with a mouth-coating quality and mild slickness. Restrained alcohol warming and a medium-sweet finish. No astringency or harshness on the palate. Great stuff.

Overall 19/20

This variation of Péché Mortel is no doubt a world-class stout. Without a direct comparison, it’s hard to say how much it varies from the regular Péché as the only changed variable seems to be the coffee type.

In any case, this edition delivers a stellar drinking experience and it’s well worth seeking out. I’d find it interesting to sit down with one of these and the regular Péché to see what the differences are…

OMG, read another breview!

My Lord | Brasserie Artisanale Albion

Score: 86/100 – Great

Appearance 3/6

The beer pours a slightly hazy amber with barely any head. Poor foam formation and retention. Ok appearance.

Aroma 21/24

Medium-strong intensity with good balance. The aroma is interesting, perfumy, and straight up offbeat.

Significant brett character pairs well with notable alcohol and fruity esters. Gentle malt character rounds out edges while low hops add layers.

Flavour 38/40

Strong intensity with bitter balance and assertive perceived bitterness.

The flavour is distinctive to say the least. Prominent earthy-fruity brett character is complimented by citrusy-herbal hops and a firm mix of pale and specialty malts. Mild floral tones and a splash of alcohol. Complex and intriguing.

Mouthfeel 7/10

Medium body with very low carbonation. The mouthfeel is a bit slick with mild fizziness and restrained alcohol warming. Medium-dry finish. No astringency or harshness on the palate but it’s a little lifeless.

Overall 17/20

My Lord is something I tried for the first time a few months ago. I wasn’t sure how I felt about it as it’s an eccentric beer. I decided to pick up another bottle before they were gone in order to write about it.

Overall this is a great beer. There’s a lot of flavour presented in a balanced and complex whole which on its own is enough reason to try this. The appearance is lacking just like the mouthfeel. If those were improved, this brew would stand out. If you manage to find a bottle somewhere, grab it. One thing is for sure: drink this warm!

OMG, read another breview!

Sanctuaire | Microbrasserie Le Castor

Score: 71/100 – Average

Appearance 6/6

The beer pours a veiled gold with moderately tall, frothy, off-white head. Decent foam retention. Highly effervescent. A good-looking beer.

Aroma 19/24

Medium-strong intensity with good balance. The aroma is fruity and somewhat vinous with a delicate quality.

Esters, barrel character, and alcohol dominate. Low pale malt and a suggestion of tartness from a trace of vinegar. No apparent hops. Very good aroma.

Flavour 29/40

Strong intensity with sharp balance and moderate perceived bitterness.

Mixed lactic and acetic acidity dominate the flavour. Fruity esters and alcohol along with some barrel character follow. Low pale malt at the back. THP shows up in the finish. Good flavour.

Mouthfeel 6/10

Medium-light body with high carbonation. The mouthfeel is prickly and sharp with restrained alcohol warming and dry finish. Moderate astringency and some harshness on the palate. Slightly lacking…

Overall 11/20

Overall, Sanctuaire lands at the upper end of average beer. It’s drinkable and has some pleasant layers to it. I imagine some people might even like this a lot.

The aroma stands out as my favourite attribute of the beer. Yet, there are issues. The mouthfeel is rather sharp with qualities flirting with diminishing drinking experience. The overall flavour lacks refinement and the THP in the finish – even if I don’t mind it too much – is considered a fault.

I like this more than yesterday’s barleywine, but it also confirms that I’ll be focusing on other breweries in the next bit as I find the value with Le Castor is just not there for me.

OMG, read another breview!

Chevalier Vert | Brasserie Artisanale Albion

Score: 95/100 – Outstanding

Appearance 6/6

The beer pours a brilliant, medium amber with massive, dense, creamy, tan head. Persistent foam. Glorious appearance. Top notch.

Aroma 22/24

Medium intensity with good balance. The aroma is delicate yet complex and it has an enticing quality to it.

Wonderful balance between the yeast, hops, and malt. A healthy dose of brett but it doesn’t dominate the nose. No off-notes or alcohol. Lovely.

Flavour 38/40

Medium-strong intensity with great balance and pronounced perceived bitterness.

The yeast and hops take the lead while being supported by the malt. Pleasant minerality ties it all together. The flavour is fruity-earthy-flinty and it’s fabulous.

Mouthfeel 7/10

Medium body with moderate carbonation. The mouthfeel is crisp yet creamy with restrained alcohol warming and an off-dry finish. No astringency or harshness of any kind on the palate. Excellent!

Overall 19/20

Albion does it again. This beautiful brett pale ale really stands out.

It’s missing the intangibles of a world-class brew, but it’s well worth seeking out. The beer is delicate yet characterful and it boasts fantastic drinkability with superb balance. There are no flaws.

What can I say? Please, sir, I want some more?

OMG, read another breview!

Vin D’orge Américain | Microbrasserie Le Castor

Score: 65/100 – Not Recommended

Appearance 5/6

The beer pours a clear deep amber with low, somewhat thin, tan head. Fair foam retention. Nice colour and clarity.

Aroma 14/24

Medium intensity with decent balance. The aroma has signs of fermentation issues while leaning towards hops.

There’s a staleness in the aroma that seems to be a mix of oxidation and old hops. Some fresh yeast, a tiny bit of sulphur, and a tea-like quality. Mild alcohol and low malt. Underwhelming.

Flavour 28/40

Medium-strong intensity with bitter balance and assertive perceived bitterness.

Quite a bit of American hop character comes through and is supported by a mix of pale and specialty malts. Mild staleness (oxidation) and very little alcohol character. No specific ester notes come to mind. Good flavour but there’s little to get excited about.

Mouthfeel 9/10

Medium-full body with low carbonation. The mouthfeel has a bit of slickness and some fizz along with a mouth-coating quality. The alcohol warming is restrained and the beer finishes medium-sweet. No astringency or harshness on the palate.

Overall 9/20

This Vin d’Orge is below average. It tastes a lot like an oxidized DIPA and the can is not even two months old. Le Castor has really dropped off from where they were a few years ago.

Turning back time, I’ve enjoyed some outstanding beers from the brewery. Currently, I’m mostly disappointed with their product. Whether something happened with quality or that my opinion merely changed is unknown. In any case, I can’t recommend this brew.

OMG, read another breview!

Imperial Stout | Wills

Score: 66/100 – Average

Appearance 6/6

The beer pours a clear black with moderately tall, dense, mocha head. Great foam retention – especially for the high alcohol content.

Aroma 19/24

Strong intensity with good balance. The aroma is rich, dark, and edgy.

Pronounced dark malts with mild oxidation. A dash of hops and mild perfumy alcohol. Low esters. No apparent off-notes but lacking some excitement.

Flavour 23/40

Strong intensity with sweet balance and pronounced perceived bitterness.

Syrupy sweet with the sugar dominating the palate. Mild alcohol note at the back along with dark malts and some esters. Very little hop character and no apparent oxidation. Wowza, that’s sweet.

Mouthfeel 8/10

Full body with low carbonation. The mouthfeel is somewhat slick and mouth-coating with restrained alcohol warming and a very sweet finish. No astringency or harshness on the palate.

Overall 10/20

Well, I find this an average beer and it really comes down to the amount of residual sugar in it. The sweetness is cloying and totally dominates the character. It’s hard to drink a short can of this on your own.

One of the sweetest imperial stouts in my memory and it’s adjunct-free… now that’s quite something. I’d reckon it’s oversweet for all; even for the drinkers with a sweet tooth. Not recommended.

OMG, read another breview!