Beer of the Week - Brasserie Dunham: The Second Coming of Broderus Christmas Saison

In my latest Canada Craft Club delivery, I received a Christmas Saison from Brasserie Dunham. The brewery is located just outside of Montreal in the Eastern Townships of Quebec. It opened in 2011 and features a pub which serves snacks and, of course, pints of their beer. The patio looks like a great place to have a pint in the summer.

The Second Coming of Broderus is a Collaboration beer between Kissmeyer Beers and Brasserie Dunham. Anders Kissmeyer from Kissmeyer Brewing was one of the founders of Denmark's Norebro Bryghus in 2003 but was fired from the company in 2010. After his firing, he created Kissmeyer Brewing as a one man gypsy brewery that collaborates with other breweries around the world.

Why the name Broderus? This is due to the fact that when this beer was first test brewed with Kissmeyer, it was on the sixth of October back in 2011. It was brewed again this year for bottling and once again it was on October the sixth.  In Denmark, October 6 celebrates an old Viking King Broderus! That makes this the Second Coming of Broderus.

So how does it taste?

The beer pours light amber in colour with a small white head. Saison yeast has a very distinctive aroma which is present in this. I notice some spicy notes too.

On my first sip and ones after, an excellent sourness hits me right away. It seems to let off and is replaced for a moment by a spiciness. The sour returns for the long finish.

This saison is brewed using a bit of pomegranate and maple syrup which surprises me. This must have been extra sour ale before those two ingredients were added in,

The Second Coming of Broderus is a very nice saison, one that I quite enjoyed.

                                                      Beer of the Week Stats 

                                                      Beers Profiled 340
                                                      Breweries 312 
                                                      Countries 49

Beer of the Week - Schieve Tabarnak Belgium Ale

This week I am featuring a beer that came with my last Canada Craft Club delivery, Schieve Tabarnak, a collaboration beer from Trou du Diable in Quebec and Brasserie de la Senne from Brussels, Belgium.

The brew is called Schieve Tabarnak and it's made using Belgium ale with rye and Nelson Sauvin hops. The name of the beer comes from two words from different dialects. Shieve comes from Belgium and means crooked, while Tabarnak is a swearword from Quebec. I have to learn to use this at work!

So, how's this collaboration beer?

It pours a yellow straw colour with some cloudiness as it must be unfiltered. On top sits a frothy white meringue-like head. The aroma contains a little spice, likely from the Belgium yeast plus a little orange

Don't let the light colour fool you. The rye and Nelson Sauvin hops assault the mouth right away with a very nice but unusual bitterness which carries through to the finish.

While even though it is 5% apv, this is not a sessionable ale, It's a wonderfully crafted beer but one I would enjoy here and there on occasion. I would definitely would have this again and hope on my next trip to Quebec I can find it on tap somewhere.

Beer of the Week Stats 

Beers Profiled 331 
Breweries 303 
Countries 49

A Beer Delivery From Quebec

Teena was in Quebec this week and as usual brought me back some beer that I am unable to get here in Ontario. She comes home with the heaviest suitcases, and, yes, I always really appreciate it!

This time she brought me back:

• one Charles Henri Pale Ale from Brasserie Les 2 Frères
• two Haitian Prestige Lager from Brasserie Nationale d'Haïti (BRANA)
• two LA31 Pale Ales from Bayou Teche Brewing
• two Jerkface 9000 wheat beers from Parallel 49 Brewing Company in Vancouver

Looks like some fun beers to try!

Beer of the Week - John H.R. Molson and Bros. 1908 Pale Ale

I love craft beers. They are full of flavour. Once in awhile if I end up in a place that doesn't serve craft beer, (gasp!), I'll order a Molson product. Back in the winter though, Molson came out with a unique beer, John H.R. Molson 1908 Pale Ale. What makes this so unique is that this beer is a re-creation of a beer recipe a brewer found by brewer Keith Armstrong in the company archives.

An article in the March 4, 2016, Toronto Star describes some of the difficulties in making this recipe as authentic as possible and how they over came them. The recipe was very clear about what quantities and which exact ingredients should be used, but things like barley has changed over the years making it difficult to create the exact malt that needed to be used.

To quote from the article, “Just to stop and say ‘what was going on in 1908?’ I mean, the boundaries between Quebec, Ontario and Manitoba weren’t set until 1912. Alberta didn’t join Confederation until 1905. It’s pretty amazing to think that we’re doing something that would have been done the same way back then,” said Armstrong.

So, how is the 1908?

It pours a cloudy amber colour with a slightly off white, meringue like head. Lot's of malts and a little caramel come through in the aroma. Nice lacings are left along the inside of the glass, showing it is made with pure malt with no adjuncts like rice added.

The aroma didn't tell of any hops in this pale ale, but they are there in the taste. On my first sip, the malt comes through but then the hops start making their presence known quite quickly. I taste the malt sweetness, then I sense a bit of bitterness coming, which grows continually right through the finish.

Molson Coors says the 1908 is being offered as a limited release. Why? It's far better than anything else they brew. They had to buy Creemore, to have a decent tasting lager in their portfolio and then they had to buy Granville Island Brewery to have a decant tasting ale to offer customers. Now they create or recreate a very nice pale ale made with their own in house brewers, and only offer it for awhile. If this was an everyday offering, I would be buying it along with the craft beers that I really enjoy.

Mind you, the limited release was started in February of this year and is still available at The Beer Store, so maybe the limited release is just a marketing gimmick.

Molsons Lakeshore Blvd Brewery, 1966. Photographer Unknown

Beer of the Week Stats

Beers Profiled 325
Breweries 296
Countries 48

Fun Mail - My November Beer of the Month Delivery

 It has been a busy week.

How busy?

My November Beer of the Month Club box was delivered on Tuesday but we weren't home to sign for it. It wasn't until today that we (meaning Teena on her way home from work) were able to pick it up.

This month I received three each of four different beers from two different Quebec breweries. From Microbrasserie Alchimiste I received three India Pale Ales and three Bock de Joliette. Also in the box were three Boreale Doree and three Boreale Rouse from Les Brasseurs du Nord.

Looks like I have some tasty fun ahead of me. 

Beer of the Week - La Chouape IPA

This week's Beer of the Week was another beer that I picked up from Depanneur AS when Teena and I were in Montreal a few weeks ago. I love IPAs so when I saw a La Chouape IPA, I knew it was leaving with me.

Microbrasserie La Chouape, located in Saint-Félicien, Quebec, a town on the Ashuapmushuan River about three and a half hours north of Quebec City, opened in 2007. The owners, Louis Hébert and his wife Marie-Eve Seguin, spent three years before that in Europe learning the beer making and planning their operation.

I love it when small towns have their own brewpub. That this place has been open for eight years shows that not only that they make good beer but are well supported by the local population.

And the beer?

The moment I opened and poured this IPA, the citrusy aroma of the hops came bursting out and I had yet to even have put my nose to it. All the beer that la Choupe brews has a secondary fermentation in the bottle (a little yeast is added to the bottle so the beer keeps fermenting while it ages) so the beer was a little cloudy.

Although the bottle says the beer is 90 IBUs (International Bittering Units), it is not over powering in bitterness. Instead this is a very well balanced beer with a n excellent west coast citrus bitterness at the end. 

This is a nice beer, very nice. I wish I had brought home more.

Beer of the Week Stats

Beers Profiled 274
Breweries 244
Countries 44

Beer of the Week - Brasseurs du Monde La Saison Tradition

Saisons are one of my favorite styles of beer. They can be hoppy, fruity, sour and always have a bit of spice to them.  I find them delicious and refreshing.

The style originated in the Wallonia, in the mostly French speaking southern area of Belgium. It is called a farmhouse ale as farm owners would make this style of beer for their workers to have during harvest using whatever grains they had left nearing the end of winter. It's the saison yeast that gives the ale a spicy kick, although some brewers will add spice to their brew.

Quebec breweries seem to embrace this style of beer and I came home from Montreal with a few in my bag, including La Saison Tradition from Basseurs du Monde. Located about 55km southwest of Montreal in the town of Saint-Hyacinthe, the brewery has been in operation since 2011. During the short period of time it been opened, the brewery has won 15 awards for its beer, including a gold medal for its La Saison Tradition in the MBeer category at Montreal's Mondail Beer Festival.

So, how does it taste?

La Saison Tradition pours a golden colour, with a bit of an orange tinge to it. It has a foamy meringue-like head, which reduces to half its size in a minute, but then remains, protecting the ale beneath. Lots of lacings are left behind as I sip. Saisons have a distinctive aroma, one that is present here. It's a little fruity, a little spicy and something else, which I can't describe.

The ale starts off with a wonderful sourness that falls off halfway through with a little spice, maybe pepper, in the finish. This is a beer that I would buy again and although would be great to have anytime during the year, it would be especially appreciated on a hot, sunny summer afternoon.

Beer of the Week Stats 

Beers Profiled 272 
Breweries 242 
Countries 47

Beer of the Week - La Barberie Microbrasserie India Pale Ale

When Teena and I were at the Depanneur AS in Montreal this week shopping for beer, one of the beers I picked up was an India Pale Ale (IPA) from La Barberie Microbrasserie.

La Barberie has been opened in Quebec City since 1997 and from the looks of the pictures I have seen has an amazing looking patio to enjoy beers on. Their entire website is in French, so I  really could not find out much more. Here is a picture that I copied from their site showing the inside and outside of the brewpub.

So, how does it taste?

The beer pours amber in colour with a very lively, off white head. In fact, the head kind of overtook the pour. I can sense English style hops in the aroma.

This IPA starts off just a little watery in mouth feel and light in taste when I first sipped but then the hops start to come through. I'm surprised at the citrus taste the hops give to this as I was sure I smelled English style hops in the aroma. Perhaps my nose is off as this has the citrus bite of an West Coast hop.

I would call this more of a Pale Ale instead of an Indian Pale Ale and that is not an insult. The hops aren't as pronounced as in an IPA and it weighs in at 5% APV, less than an IPA. Nothing wrong with that as this is a nice tasty session beer, one that I would have again and would love to try on tap one day at the brewery.

Beer of the Week Stats 

Beers Profiled 270 
Breweries 240 
Countries 47

Beer of the Week - Brasserie Dunham Leo's Early Breakfast IPA

It's the morning of March 31, which means ... IT'S MY BIRTHDAY! Always a great day!

On Monday, Teena and I were at a small convenience store which had a great selection of beer. When I saw Leo's Early Breakfast IPA by Brasserie Dunham on the shelf, I knew exactly how I would be starting off my birthday.

Brasserie Dunbar opened on March 7, 2010, in Dunham, Quebec, which is in the southern end of the province by the Vermont border. Their website is in French only so I really couldn't find out any other details about them.

Leo's weighs in at 6.2% ABV and comes in a regular 341 ml (11.5 oz) bottle. The bottle says it is 54 IBU's (International Bittering Units) Note: Beers with IBUs greater than 45 are heavily hopped and can be quite bitter.

So how does it taste?

Teena and I are staying in a hotel so the only glass I had to pour the beer into was a plastic drink glass. It poured amber in colour with a slight orange tinge to it. Lots of fruity hops jumped out from the aroma.

Breakfast beers usually contain a fair bit of malt to make the beer more of a liquid bread. Not here. Instead there are a couple of ingredients added that I have not found in a beer before, Earl Grey Tea, my favorite kind of tea, and Guava Puree.

Hmmm.

My first sip tells me that this is a very hop forward beer. It starts off with a pleasant citrusy bite, that increases in intensity under falling away with a long nice citrusy tartness. This is a beer that screams WAKE UP AND GET YOUR DAY STARTED!.

Going to do that as soon as I finish.

No, having a beer for breakfast won't become a habit but it's a fun way to start a birthday!

Beer of the Week Stats 

Beers Profiled 269
Breweries 239
Countries 47

 

Shopping for Beer at Depanneur AS Variety Store

After Teena and I left Dieu Du Ciel, we went around the corner to a variety store that our server had recommended, Depanneur AS. I had hoped to pick two or three decent brews but this is what we ended up toting home

What greeted us when we entered this small store was not a store packed with the usual items that variety stores carry. There is a small section for that. Instead are shelves and shelves and coolers full of craft beer. All kinds of craft beer, most of which I wanted to take home.

I started by saying that I would just choose six. Then oh, another two, oh another two. We walked out with a box of beer and more in my bag. Next time I hit this store, I'll be more prepared.

Beer of the Week - The Beers of Dieu du Ciel, Montreal

One of the items on my "to do" list when we arrived in Montreal was to hit Brasserie Dieu du Ciel. I have tried one of their beers before, back in 2010, a Rosée d'hibiscus which used Hibiscus flowers and was quite good. The pub and beers are regularly mentioned on the Bar Towel and in 2010, it was named the Best Brewpub in the World by RateBeer.

After our climb up and down Mont Royal, Teena and I went into Dieu du Ciel with a big thirst. It is a nice, familiar and friendly pub. We had a chance to talk with a few of the patrons here. Interesting that for late on a Sunday afternoon, the place was always full. I saw quite a few woman having the Hibiscus beer.

 

 

I started with a familiar 5% ESB called Voyageur Des Brumes. It was brownish with a nice off white head and was very true to the English Bitter style ale. It not only quenched my powerful thirst but was tasty in doing so. It was a little malty to start but the hops came through nicely in the finish. This is a very good session ale, one I would order again.

I wandered over to the glassed in brew house

Next up was the Blanche Sterling, an excellent wheat beer (this beer is the top picture in this post). It was a cloudy golden colour and with the bubbles continually rising. It almost looked like a cloudy champagne. Most wheat beers come through with a strong banana taste which is a result of the yeast, but the banana was toned down in this, as the beer had a hint of spice and citrus. I really enjoyed this,

Teena and I were joking around that "Peche" meant "fish" and how the pub had so many fish beers. Actually it means the more obvious "peach" and next up for me was a 6.1% Peche Veniel (Veniel means Venial in English, which is a forgivable sin), a peach coffee stout.

This too was very nice and I found that although I could not sense the peach, it obviously took the edge off the coffee and dark chocolate, that can occur in a stout. I quite enjoyed it.

Finally, I could not leave without having an IPA. There were two 6.5% American style IPAs on the board but Nadège, our server recommended the Corne du Diable. Great recommendation! All kinds of citrusy American hops invade my flavour buds from this brew. I wanted some to take home but they don't sell bottles out of the store.

Having this IPA was an excellent way to finish our stay. If I'm ever back in Montreal, I will definitely be stopping back in here. I can't picture coming to this city and not dropping in. The beer and the pub are that good!

Beer of the Week Stats 

Beers Profiled 268 
Breweries 238 
Countries 47

Beer of the Week - The Beers of Microbrasserie Saint-Arnould

For the past couple of years Teena and I have been going to Mont-Tremblant for New Years. After checking in to our rooms we head over to the SAQ to buy some wine and check for any local beers but can never find any. Except for the Microbrasserie La Diable in the ski village, I can never find anything local.

That's why I was so surprised when I opened up the box from this month's Beer of the Month Club. Inside were beers from two Quebec Micobrasseries (microbreweries) ... one of them was Microbrasserie Saint-Arnoud from Mount-Tremblant! I was further surprised to see that it has been around almost fifteen years and in three trips to the area had never seen it. When I looked at the map, it was south of the airport and the ski village is north of it, so we would not have driven past it when being shuttled from the airport or when we had driven there.

Saint-Arnould was born in Flanders and is know as the brewers’ patron. He became an abbot in 1087. It is said that his most famous miracle occured during a plague in Flanders. As the water was contaminated, he blessed a keg of beer. The ones who drank that beer were saved. He was canonized in 1120. 

And the beer?

La Blanche des Anges

The beer pours a cloudy golden-yellow colour with a white head. It has the typical wheat beer aroma which is a little banana, although this also has a hint of orange in it. I found it a little watery in mouthfeel, perhaps as it is only 4% APV but was surprised at how there was a sourness to this. It starts slightly sour, with a hint of orange and a hint of spice, and then the sourness overtakes the other flavours in the end. It is not an overly sour beer, I was just surprised it was sour at all.

It's a nicely flavoured beer, one which would be best appreciated when paired with a hot summer afternoon.

P'tit Train Du Nord

P'tit Train du Nord is named after the old rail line that used to run from Montreal to Mont-Tremblant. The line was turned into a 232km walking, cycling and snowmobile trail in the 1990s.

This pale ale pours coppery in colour with an slightly off white head. The head disappeared almost as fast as I poured, which might be the glass. There is a little aroma to this, a slight sense of hops. Very weak, though. The beer starts just a little sweet, slightly malty, but a bitterness does come through in the end. It's a very nice pale ale but not a great one. People who want a flavourful ale but without a lot of bitterness to this would enjoy it.

Note: I recleaned the glass and did another pour. Then I changed to another clean glass, all with the same result. Almost no head and the head disappeared quickly.

I'm glad I had a chance to try theses beers from Microbrasserie Saint-Arnould. The brewpub is just too far from the ski area to venture to when we are there but if I were in the area, I would definitely make a stop here.


Beer of the Week Stats 

Beers Profiled 247 
Breweries 221 
Countries 46

My July Beer of the Month Club Delivery

It's always exciting to get the email from the Beer of the Month Club saying that my monthly beer delivery is on its way. It's even more exciting to know I'm going to be home when it arrives and I don't have to wait the extra day to go pick it up from the post office!

Mine came this afternoon! I opened the box, lifted off the Frosted Mug newsletter and protective covering to reveal the contents inside.

Again there were beers from two different brewers inside, this time both were breweries from Quebec ... Microbrasserie Saint-Arnould and Microbrasserie L'Alchimiste. Each brewery were represented by two beers, Microbrasserie Saint-Arnould had golden blonde ale, P't Train Du Nord, and a wheat beer, la Blanche des Anges, while  Microbrasserie L'Alchimiste offered a Legitime, which is a pilsner and Claire, which is a lager.

All are in my fridge getting the right chill on them. This week I'm on vacation too. Lots of time to sample!

New Years Eve Dinner at Microbrasserie La Diable

Tonight Teena and I had supper at Microbrasserie La Diable in the Mont-Tremblant ski resort. We have been there before, actually a few times, and have always enjoyed it. Tonight was no exception. When we arrived earlier, there was a long line but when we returned a few hours later we had no problem in getting a seat.

This is one of those places where I am there as much for the beer as the food. There were a couple of Belgium style ales which were their beer of the month but I wanted hops so when I asked our server, he recommended the Golden Pale Ale, a British bitter style ale. The lighting wasn't good so I could not get a decent picture of it, but it was good enough that I had two more.

Teena and I both ordered the fish and chips, which claimed to be a half pound (.225 KG) of haddock. They weren't lying and it was delicious!

 

There is a cool drawing showing how the brewing set-up is done for the pub.

 

Afterwards we hit an outdoor New Years celebration with a DJ and dancers.

 

Afterwards it was back to the room for a couple of drinks while relaxing and waiting for the midnight fireworks show.

La Diable will always be a stop for us whenever we are here.