Beerfection

Tag: Beer Review

  • L’Oeil du Mouton | Tête d’Allumette

    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.

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  • Herbe à Détourne | Brasserie Dieu du Ciel!

    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.

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  • Alfheim | Brasserie Artisanale Albion

    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.

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  • My Lord | Brasserie Artisanale Albion

    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!

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  • Chevalier Vert | Brasserie Artisanale Albion

    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?

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  • Sanctuaire | Microbrasserie Le Castor

    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.

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  • Vin D’orge Américain | Microbrasserie Le Castor

    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.

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  • Imperial Stout | Wills

    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.

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  • Porter Baltique 3 Fèves | Archibald Microbrasserie

    Porter Baltique 3 Fèves | Archibald Microbrasserie

    Score: 87/100 – Great

    Appearance 4/6

    The beer pours a slightly hazy dark brown with low, creamy, tan head. Poor foam retention.

    Aroma 23/24

    Strong intensity with sweet balance. The aroma is rich, round, and dessert-like.

    Adjuncts dominate. Prominent milk chocolate and vanilla with caramel and molasses. Nice barrel character and mild oxidation at the back. Quite complex.

    Flavour 36/40

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

    Great flavour. The beer’s sweet but there’s a saltiness and enough alcohol to cut through it. Specialty malt, adjuncts, and barrel take center stage.

    Mouthfeel 9/10

    Medium-full body with moderate carbonation. The mouthfeel is mildly chewy with a bit of fizz and an overall smooth quality. Noticeable alcohol warming and a sweet finish. A bit of a bite on the tongue but no harshness.

    Overall 15/20

    For the most part, this is a great beer.

    The appearance is ok – missing foam and clarity, offering nothing special. I love the luxurious aroma which is dominated by special ingredients. The palate follows with better balance and very enjoyable character. I think the barrel doesn’t come through as much as I’d like and the adjuncts overshadow the base recipe. The beer ends up feeling a little heavy-handed and missing finesse.

    Having said that, Archibald delivers beyond my expectations by delivering a pleasant sipping experience.

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  • Old Fashioned de Glace | Beauregard Brasserie

    Old Fashioned de Glace | Beauregard Brasserie

    Score: 84/100 – Very Good

    From a 500ml bottle served warm at 14 degrees Celsius into a TeKu glass. No date information on the packaging but this is a fresh, 5-year anniversary release by the brewery.

    I picked up the beer straight from the source earlier today. I had a chance to try some of their beers while visiting the brewery – and oh boy, do some of these anniversary releases pack a punch! Hefty alcohol and some interesting special ingredients. The base recipe for this beer is one of my Beauregard favourites so I’m very curious how this beer has panned out.

    Appearance 6/6

    The beer pours a clear black with 3cm of frothy, moderately dense, beige head which dissipates into a partial film within 2+ minutes. No lacing with decent head retention. With such incredibly high ABV the foam quality is very respectable. A good looking beer.

    Aroma 19/24

    Medium-strong intensity with good balance. The aroma is rustic, quite perfumy, and liquor-like.

    Significant alcohol character which works really well with a fragrant orange rind quality and some dark chocolate notes. Mild dark fruit (raisins) at the back along with some star anise. A tiny bit of toffee and a suggestion of soy sauce. No apparent off-notes and no apparent hop character.

    The dry nose is rich and malt-forward with notes of toffee, toast, soy sauce, and mild perfumy alcohol.

    Flavour 34/40

    Strong intensity with sharp balance and aggressive perceived bitterness.

    The extreme palate opens up quite sweet with notes of raw sugar, sweet orange, dried fruit (prunes), and booze – making way for an intense center with notes of prominent alcohol, sweet orange, star anise, and dark chocolate. No apparent hop character and no off-flavours.

    The long finish is strong and sharp with notes of roasted barley, dark chocolate, mild star anise, generous alcohol, a touch of barrel (woody oak + mustiness), and low sweet orange. A true sledgehammer.

    Mouthfeel 8/10

    Medium-full body with low carbonation. The mouthfeel is heavy, sharp, and slick with hot alcohol warming and a sweet finish. No apparent astringency on the palate but the alcohol takes its toll with noticeable burning sensation on the tongue.

    Overall 17/20

    Beauregard Brasserie’s Old Fashioned de Glace is an above average beer – especially considering the weight of it.

    Impressive appearance for such a hefty brew – the foam attributes are better than many less alcoholic beers. The aroma reveals the strength of the beer with significant alcohol character. However, there are no offensive fusel oil notes and the special ingredient links up really well with the booze. The palate steps up in intensity with massive strength. There’s a lack of complexity in the flavour but what makes it through is uniform and concentrated. The mouthfeel is fierce – yet it suits the strength really well.

    There’s no doubt about it – Old Fashioned de Glace is a sledgehammer of sledgehammers. The strength is beyond what most people have experienced drinking beer. In many ways, this is an impressive brew and I think it’s totally worth trying if you can get your hands on a bottle. At the same time, this is very expensive (among the most expensive beers I’ve ever bought) and the value is simply not there for me.

    I feel like the sheer amount of alcohol ends up shaving away some of the nuances in the character. In addition, the beer is not very practical to enjoy on your own. I recommend this if you’re looking to try something extreme and you’re sharing it with your friends.

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  • Grande Noirceur Rye | Brasserie Dieu du Ciel!

    Grande Noirceur Rye | Brasserie Dieu du Ciel!

    Score: 88/100 – Great

    From a 341ml bottle served warm at 14 degrees Celsius into a TeKu glass. Bottled on 2022-06-17 – making this around eight months old.

    I picked up this beer more than a month ago from a local specialty shop. Grande Noirceur Rye is part of the Dieu du Ciel! Collection Hiver 2022 which had a spectacular lineup of beers.

    In all honesty I already had a few of these and decided I need to pick up one more for a proper breview. Let’s get to it.

    Appearance 6/6

    The beer pours a clear black with 1.5cm of dense, creamy, dark brown head which dissipates into a partial film within 2+ minutes. Great lacing with decent head retention. A great looking stout.

    Aroma 20/24

    Strong intensity with sharp-ish balance. The aroma is almost pungent with massive barrel-character and dark malts.

    Deep and musty oak links with spicy layers of vanilla, anise, and black pepper. Dark chocolate and burnt sugar add a perception of sweetness while coffee, earth, and tobacco contribute to more complexity. Mild pine along with herbaceous menthol cut through sweetness and contribute to a perfumy quality. A wisp of alcohol here and there.

    The dry nose is rich and layered with notes of molasses, butterscotch, oak, anise, and chocolate.

    Flavour 36/40

    Strong intensity with bitter balance and aggressive perceived bitterness.

    The intense palate opens up with alcohol-soaked dark fruit (prunes + dates), burnt sugar, damp/musty wood, anise, and vanilla – making way for a potent center where the barrel character and malts really drive the profile. Notes of musty oak, anise, alcohol, vanilla, pine, burnt dark fruit, coffee, chocolate, earth, menthol, and ash.

    The long finish is strong and bitter with notes of burnt sugar, bourbon (oak + vanilla + alcohol), anise, moderate herbal-woody hops, low dark chocolate, and mild molasses. Staggering complexity.

    Mouthfeel 10/10

    Full body with moderate carbonation. The mouthfeel is heavy with oily slickness, plenty of creaminess, significant alcohol warming and a sweet finish. Mild astringency with no actual harshness on the palate.

    Overall 16/20

    Dieu du Ciel’s Grande Noirceur Rye is a great beer.

    A good-looking stout with solid visual appeal. The head formation feels a little stifled and falling on the short side while collapsing relatively quickly. It does deserve full marks however. The nose is incredibly complex but I’m not loving all of it. I feel like this will not develop well over time as it will take on some type of rotten characteristics. The words enteric and fecal come to mind. The flavour follows with remarkable depth and richness of character, but I’m left with the feeling like something’s off. The mouthfeel delivers heavy impact on the palate without crossing over to harsh.

    Overall, Dieu du Ciel’s Grande Noirceur Rye is a beer worth trying. The sheer amount of flavour for a 9% stout is astounding. There’s just something about it that I don’t love. Next up? The Péché Day 2023 pack!

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  • #Gatineu Is Trending | Brasserie Bas-Canada

    #Gatineu Is Trending | Brasserie Bas-Canada

    Score: 83/100 – Very Good

    From a 473ml can served cool at 9 degrees Celsius into a TeKu glass. Canned on 20.12.2022 – making this over six weeks old. I picked up the can two days ago from a local specialty shop.

    This was a new shipment so I’m surprised to find out about the canning date. I suppose a triple IPA should hold up for up to two months considering the strength, but I’m a bit concerned how time has impacted this beer. I also discovered this beer was on my wishlist which is always exciting to narrow down.

    My expectations for #Gatineau is Trending are very high.

    Appearance 6/6

    The beer pours an opaque gold with 4.5cm of moderately dense, somewhat creamy, off-white head which dissipates into a craggy cap within 3+ minutes. Great lacing with good head retention.

    Aroma 21/24

    Medium-strong intensity with good balance. The aroma is fragrant and fruity with a mild edginess.

    Pronounced tropical fruit (mango) and citrus (grapefruit) take the lead. Milder stone fruit (peaches) and a trace of melon add layers while low crackery malt plays a supportive role. Mild perfumy alcohol and very little woody-herbaceous tones. Tiny bit of anise at the back.

    The dry nose is strong and perfumy with notes of citrus, grass, floral, sweat, and mild crackery malt.

    Flavour 35/40

    Strong intensity with good balance and assertive perceived bitterness.

    The intense palate opens up juicy with notes of citrus (grapefruit), tropical fruit (mango), stone fruit (peach), alcohol (floral), and salt. The center gets edgy with prominent citrus/stone/tropical fruit notes and noticeable alcohol. Mild grassiness kicks in while an anise spice intensifies and some aspirin character manages to come through.

    The long finish is strong and bitter-ish with significant grapefruit oil vibe, resinous pine, alcohol, aspirin, and low crackery malt.

    Mouthfeel 6/10

    Full body with moderate carbonation. The mouthfeel is creamy, mouth-coating, and prickly with restrained alcohol warming and a medium-dry finish. Moderate hop-derived astringency with some harshness on the palate.

    Overall 15/20

    Bas-Canada’s #Gatineau is Trending is an above average beer.

    The looks are good for an opaque beer. Considering the high alcohol level, the foam attributes are really, really good. The aroma is inviting and layered but it lacks the punch I expect from a triple IPA. The flavour does kick up the depth by a notch, but it has some harsh qualities to it. The mouthfeel unfortunately ends up diminishing drinkability with a combination of hop-derived astringency, alcohol, and bitterness.

    Overall, #Gatineau Is Trending might be a beer worth trying. It doesn’t really offer anything outside of the usual hazy IPAs, but as far as TIPAs go, it does a good job delivering a hefty, juicy, hop-focused beer while keeping the alcohol and sweetness in check.

    I personally don’t find enough value in it to make it part of my regular rotation. Your mileage may differ ;) Next up? A maltiboi from Boréale.

    OMG, read another breview!