Beer # 360: Mellifera
Trou du Diable
Shawinigan, Quebec Canada
Independent Microbrewery
Blonde Saison with Honey
ABV 5.0 %
Brown Glass Bottle 600 ml.
$5.80 (Canadian) At the LCBO
Twitter @TrouduDiable
Down to Trou du Diable again, I was good to see them at FUNKFEST This year, I hope they can make that a regular occurrence. In that vein, we have another Sour Saison from them. This time fermented with honey added into the wort. I have to say, I was really drawn in by the label. The artwork is a scream. I love the play on the traditional "Our Lady of X" with the Sugar skull masks. She is correctly called: Notre Dame Des Luchadores,' (Our Lady of Crazy Mexican Wrestlers). And it does belie the beer you find in the bottle... irreverent and heavenly.
Onto our Tasting...
Pours a slightly cloudy, dark honey-gold, with a massive light-tan honey coloured head made up small to large bubbles. Bubbles grow rapidly in size and then dissipate. Nose is decidedly spicy, with biscuity wheat notes, good hints of yeast and fruity, floral honey. The first sip gives us some cheek pricking Brettanomyces.The attack starts us off with very refreshing acidic tones that slowly morph through the wheat notes and balances the subtle sweetness of the honey. Fruity hints of Honeycrisp apple, orange, and lemon. Aeration gives us sour lemon zest, tongue biting prickles of acid, hints of clove and tasty bread.
Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional
Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Re-Order: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Experience: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Final Thoughts:
This is a fantastic sour. Easy drinking and refreshing. Great for the patio when it's sunny or inside when it's raining (more likely this year). Pick up one of Our Lady's if you can you will love it.
Cheers
CJT
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La Morsure
Micro-Brasserie Le Trou Du Diable
Shawinigan, Quebec, Canada
Independent
Unfiltered APA 6.5% ABV Brown Glass Bottle 600 ml
$6.35 (Canadian) At LCBO
Twitter: @troududiable
Named after a reputedly bottomless whirlpool on the Saint-Maurice River, Le Trou du Diable (the Devil's Hole) is small brewery in the city of Shawinigan in the Province of Quebec. They first gained fame outside of their home province for naming one of their beers "The Shawinigan Handshake." Which, if you are not familiar with Canadian history, refers to an incident where former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien was being obstructed by a protester in Hull Quebec, he grabbed the man in a choke hold and threw him to the ground. Jean Chrétien was of course born and raised in Shawinigan. I am very happy to say I met the Prime Minister and shook the very big hand in question. ( and am very very glad it was never wrapped around my neck I can tell you!) Tonight's beer is, maybe not as steeped in history as that but it does have another unusual name. La Morsure, for those who don't speak French, translates as "The Bite."
Onto the tasting... allons-y!
Pale cloudy gold in colour with a large fluffy white head made up of small to medium sized bubbles. Cloudy with a touch of yeast sediment. Aroma is very green, lots of vegetation, herbs and light fruit essences, grape and apple. First sip is very light and smooth almost creamy. There is some sugar and a slight hint of caramel, but the malt is not the major player here. The yeast is the key in this beer. Just like a wine that has been left on the "lees" the leftover yeast in the bottle has softened the beer, making it smooth and creamy with a mouthfeel similar to a chardonnay that has undergone Malo-Lactic Fermentation. There is a light pine scent and mild herbaceous taste from the hops which balances out the creaminess of the yeast. Aeration tweaks the senses with grapefruit, a touch of pine, and a tingle of the high alcohol on the tongue.
Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional
Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 5/6 PASS
Re-Order: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Experience: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Final Thoughts:
This is an excellent beer. Very unusual in that one does not often see an APA treated... with such reserve. Usually brewers try to cram so many different hops in and play with the steeping and boiling times to maximise intense hoppiness. Bold fruits and searing pine seem to be the way to go with the APA. However, here the the brewer has brought out the softer side of the APA. It is almost the demur feminine side of the beer.
Cheers
CJT
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