The 2-4 Beers of Christmas Day 10:

Beer # 308 Mons Abbey Witte

Brewery: Belgh Brasse

Type: Independent Microbrewery     Est.: 1999

Location: Amos, Quebec, Canada

Beer Style: Belgian Blonde

ABV: 7.0%      IBU: ?

Format: Cork Stoppered Brown Glass Bottle  Size: 750 ml

Cost: $8.00 CAD     Purchased At: The Beer Store

Twitter: @BelghBrasse


Once more with feeling, from Belgh Brasse, tonight we are doing the Blonde. Made with the sparkling clear waters from the Abitibi Esker. 

Onto our beer...

Pours a slightly hazy gold colour with a massive bright white head made up of small and medium bubbles. The aroma is fresh flour, bread, clover honey, some hay and grass. Lightly fragrant flowers and a hint of spice round out the nose. First sip is some sweet and spicy malt with hints of molasses, vanilla caramel and honey. The middle of the taste turns to barley syrup with a nice long lingering sweetness. Aeration gives us an herbal hop kick.



Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 5/6 PASS
Re-Order:  5/6  PASS
Experience: 5/6 PASS
Christmas Cheer: 5/6 PASS

Final Thoughts:

Not quite as good as its sister beer, but still a very good sipper. I found this one a touch too sweet, and syrupy. Certainly not a fault to stop you from giving this bottle a spin. Have it with some dessert, like Christmas, cake... you know you have some of that hiding somewhere.


Cheers

CJT

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The 2-4 Beers of Christmas Day 6: St. Feuillien Brune

Beer # 305 St. Feuillien Brunne

Brewery: Brasserie St. Feuillien S.A.

Type: Independent Brewery     Est.: 1873

Location: Le Roeulx, Belgium

Beer Style: Dubbel

ABV: 8.5%      IBU: ?

Format: Crown Capped Brown Glass Bottle  Size: 330 ml

Cost: $3.70 CAD     Purchased At: LCBO

Twitter: @st_feuillien (French)


Off to Belgium tonight for this high alcohol Abbey Dubbel from St. Feuillien in Roeulx. Belgiam beers seems to be synonymous with Christmas especially here in the LCBO in Ontario. It's usually then when you see all the gift packs of abbey beers, and short squat little stubby-esque bottles appear. I guess it's a combination of the dark malty flavours and the higher alcohol contents. Maybe it's the rarity/gift appeal. Not quite sure, but they are here again and worthy of being included in the # 2-4 Beers of Christmas.

St. Feuillien is a fairly modern and progressive brewery that was opened in 1873, and has remained in one family for five generations. Tonight's beer, their dubbel, was awarded a silver medal at the Brussels Beer Challenge in 2012.

Onto our beer...

Pours a cloudy dark chestnut with an off-tan head made up of small and mediums sized bubbles.Aroma is spicy and rich in malts predominately wheat. First sip is licorice, molasses , some clove, mace, and nutmeg. Some sweetness, with a turbinado sugar taste. Mouthfeel is slightly thick with a light syrup consistency. Rich malts  make this beer drink like a old world style bread, crusty and dark. The finish is spicy and earthy hops, and a gentle warmth from the 8.5 % ABV. Aeration makes the alcohol pop  with warm notes of brandy and dried fruit. Lips are left very sticky. Heavy raisin on the long lingering finish.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 5/6 PASS
Re-Order:  5/6  PASS
Experience: 5/6 PASS
Christmas Cheer: 5/6 PASS

Final Thoughts:

A nice, rich, heavy dubbel. And when I say heavy, I mean... heavy. I felt like a nap after drinking this beer. However, when one speaks of beer being liquid bread; this is probably the beer they were thinking about. I actually at one point wondered how I could slather some butter on it. It's a tasty beer, full of rich flavours and worthy of some rumination. Check one out when you can.



Cheers

CJT

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