FlaSoxxJim Posted June 21, 2004 Share Posted June 21, 2004 I know it’s hard to find much to like about Quebec after the weekend series, but I’m going to give it a shot. Unibroue, of Chambly Quebec, is in my opinion a strong contender for the best craft brewery in North America. They are easily the best brewers of traditional, high-octane Belgian style ales, even surpassing the quality efforts of venerable New Belgium (Colorado), Allagash (Maine) and Omagong (New York). The Unibroue stuff is just phenomenally good. If you haven’t had it but want to get a little adventurous with your beer, go get some. The four beers I’ve enjoyed today for Jon’s near-masterpiece on the mound were Maudite, Don de Dieu, trios pistols, and Fin Du Monde. The brewery makes lots of other great stuff, but with these clocking in at 8%, 9%, 9%, and 9% abv., more than four of these and you may injure yourself. All of their beers are bottle-conditioned and “on lees,” meaning the beer was bottled with a dose of live yeast and allowed to undergo a mini-fermentation in the bottle to naturally carbonate the beer. There’s a dusting of live, dormant yeast on the bottom of each bottle that newcomers to the styles will carefully leave behind when they decant into a glass (Only savages drink beer out of bottles, by the way), but initiates will covet and/or fight over. These beers should all be enjoyed cooled, but not “American cold,” or you’re going to dull your taste buds and the complexity and depth of these beers will be lost on you. Maudite: The “baby” of the bunch, at 8% alcohol it’s merely twice as strong as most beers. It has the devil on the label and means “the Damned,” s at least there’s truth in advertising. It’s a dark red-mahogany strong ale and the first thing they started brewing when they launched in 1992. Great, great beer. The label also has a canoe full of flying Canuck fur trappers that legend says made a deal with the devil to get home for Christmas. Don de Dieu: They’ve only been doing this one for about 6 years. Named after the French explorer Champlain’s vessel, it’s a 9% “wheat tripel” – a great bastardization between a high-octane Abbey tripel and a Belgian wit (white/wheat). Lightly hopped, delicately spiced, and probably what they have on tap in Heaven. Trios pistoles: My non-French is very bad, but I think it means “three towers.” There are three towers (and a flying hell horse) on the label at any rate, so that’s my guess. 9% abv., dark strong ale. Hints of chocolate, treacle, rich fruity esters, kept in check with a bit of dark-roasted malt. All these beers lay down nicely like fine wine and change with age, but this one in particular becomes very port-like and complex after a couple of years’ cellaring. It was introduced in 1997, and I first tried it at a beer festival where Unibroue had a table. I got fairly, um, altered on it that evening which took some doing with those little 2-ounce pours they give at festivals. Fin du Monde: The name of this 9% golden ale translates as “the end of the world.” It’s a spot on interpretation of a Trappist strong golden ale or tripel ala’ the world-class Chimay White (Cinq cents). As I finish my last sip of this one I’m happy to say it compares quite favorably to Brother Theodore’s authentic monastery version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heads22 Posted June 21, 2004 Share Posted June 21, 2004 My dad had a beer that I think was called Fat Tire from a place I think was New Belgium Brewing in Colorado. Anywho, the big reason he got the beer was because the beer making process is aided by windmills and my dad's big on alternative energy. Just wondering if you knew of it. EDIT: Found it. http://www.newbelgium.com/beer_fattire.shtml He enjoyed this at a Rockies game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Honda Civic Posted June 21, 2004 Share Posted June 21, 2004 My dad had a beer that I think was called Flat Tire from a place I think was New Belgium Brewing in Colorado. Anywho, the big reason he got the beer was because the beer making process is aided by windmills and my dad's big on alternative energy. Just wondering if you knw of it. It's Fat Tire. Jim has mentioned it when we were on the west Coast swing. It's my favorite beer. Sadly I haven't had any since last July. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heads22 Posted June 21, 2004 Share Posted June 21, 2004 Heh. I'm not up on the latest beer chat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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