Beer - #498 - Unibroue - La Fin du Monde

Canadian Beer, Canadian Music, Can I count and Can I share?

"The end of the world"  - Triple fermented ale, Mildly yeasty with a complex palate of malt, fruit and spice notes followed by a smooth, dry finish"

Unibroue La Fin du Monde, a beer I've been looking forward to, Brewed by Unibroue (Sapporo) in the style that is  Abbey Tripel and they are in Chambly, Canada.

This is 9% ABV, and 19 IBU beer, it is in this bottle (12 fl oz) 355ml a 2.52 standard drink thing and there are around 270 calories.

[caption id="attachment_9911" align="alignleft" width="300"] It would make a good song title[/caption]

"The excellence of triple fermentation through a blend of special yeasts gives this malt beverage an exquisitely robust flavour of exceptional refinement"

To this date, La Fin du Monde has earned more medals and awards, including some of the world’s highest honors, than any other Canadian beer.

This is a Bottle conditioned beer, and having watched the video this is a beer that needs gentle rolling and bold pouring. Otherwise it could be the end of the world right ?

I've bee drinking other beer, in a break from buying the new and adventurous, I think I got into a bit of dilemma about getting to write about beer  #500 and therefore stopped drinking new beer, the OCD in me wants to post in numerical sequential order, and not as I drink them, because the order would then look a bit weird.  So I've made my mind up about the next two beers #499 and #500 and I've made a start on the next lot. This means that November was a beer lite month.

I digress though.

I like the presentation, the foil adds a certain lift, Aroma is that slightly sour sweet that you'd expect.

Lovely golden orange pour with a deep and rewarding looking head of foam.

Deep mouthfeel too, lots of sugars and sweetness in this, nice bold bitterness, this is smooth drinking  thing. Pretty much as you'd expect and this is delivered pretty well, nothing to harsh at the edges, the astringent alcohol note not present, the soft full mouthfeel counterbalances the bitterness, the sweetness a soft pillow in the mouth. Complaints? I have not many.

If anything this isn't bold enough with the flavours that you might think you like, banana, bubblegum,  or the citrus tangs. But it is a beer that is worth drinking and worth the contemplation, and has been worth the wait.

This has been an easy drinking full flavour profile sweet and sour beer of some merit. Despite the way it settles in the glass to look a bit average it manages to keep it all together. It looks a picture of colour, the head of great joy disappeared early which was disappointing, the nice carbonation at the first settles, and you get left with a still looking cloudy headless beer.

A beer that I enjoyed as a good beer, and they are precious.

Didn't need a foods to go with this, it was just a bit awesome all on it's own, and as usual when this happens I sit and pout not having had the foresight to buy two. Then again two would stop me having the next one, #499.....

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 9.25 a of its things from the thing.  Looks are deceiving as this packs some decent flavours and reminds me how much I like the Belgium beer profiles (and of a beer in the fridge - Mikkeller – Mielcke & Hurtigkarl, which I have found to be most enjoyable (I even found a place that despite my protestations has it priced incorrectly by 50%, mad if I don't have one))

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? Yes


2. Would I have another? Yes, this is a cracker of a beer.


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? Yes I would, this is delightful and isn't the thing you'd talk about, it's a really good beer, enjoyable for what it is, conversational but not demanding a conversation. Brilliant.

Musically is count have been Avril or Alanis, but I settled on "Cowboy Junkies" this is their standout track amongst many - Sweet Jane

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHRFZFmEq9o

Cowboy Junkies are a Canadian alternative country/blues/folk rock band. The group was formed in Toronto in 1985.

ABBEY TRIPEL

Like other abbey ales, Tripels are strong, yeasty-malty beers. But they are also pale, and have a notable hop profile. Hop bitterness may be higher than a typical abbey ale, up to 35IBUs. But the finish is where the hops really shine, as tripels should finish fairly dry. Otherwise, maltiness is still essential to the style, and the assertive yeast note typical of all abbey ales will be more apparent in tripels, since they do not have the rich dark malts to distract the palate. Alcohol flavours feature more prominently in Tripels that in just about any other style.

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Beer - #384 - Unibroue - Maudite

Canada! Unibroue Maudite - it's all on. 

Brewed by Unibroue (Sapporo)  in the style of the  Belgian Strong Ale and they are in Chambly, Canada

355 ml bottle (12 fl oz) of a beer of 8%ABV, so not a session beer, 2.24 standard drinks in this, and 240 calories. IBU is 22 which is the low end for the style. (I added a handy page guide).

Maudite has a deep amber-red color with a rocky foam head and an appealing aroma of wild spices and floral hop notes. It is spicy, vinous, and deliciously complex with a crisp hop finish.

 The robust maltiness and spiciness of our amber-red ale is counterbalanced by an assertive hop finish, offering a distinctive flavor that is cognac-like in complexity.

[caption id="attachment_8347" align="alignleft" width="300"] Selfie by any other name[/caption]

In November 1992 Maudite (the damned one), was the first strong beer to be distributed in Quebecgrocery stores. Maudite is a mahogany-colored, rich-tasting premium beer that has a distinctive, complex taste. Because of the warmth it releases, this strong character beer must be served cool but not cold. Perfect with pasta, red meats, stews and spicy dishes, it also makes a good aperitif and after-dinner drink.

Maudite has a typically Quebecois name that is reminiscent of the legend of the Chasse-Galerie (the legend of the Flying Canoe). Legend has it that a group of lumberjacks struck a deal with the devil to fly home in their canoes, guided by Satan himself, to make it home in time for Christmas.

Looking forward to this a bit 

Beer - #239 - Unibroue - La Terrible

So, again, a strange name for a beer. Hope it isn't. Unibroue La Terrible - Brewed by Unibroue (Sapporo) in the style of a Belgian Strong Ale and a first time visit to Chambly, Canada

La Terrible is a dark brown beer on lees and is part of a collection of exotic and refined Unibroue beers brewed using 100% natural raw materials. It may be drunk as an aperitif or as an after dinner digestive. It is equally a perfect accompaniment to the above-mentioned dishes or a pleasant alternative to coffee

750ml bottle of a 10.5% ABV beer, with an IBU of 15 - which is really low, sort of American Pale or Standard Lager low.  In NZ this would be 6.21 standard drinks, the US 4.4. Canada 4.6. I know it's all over the place.

Great cork and cage presentation too. Drama though to get it out, hurt my soft office hands it did. But the aroma was something special, cherries and sweet liqueur like you get in those chocolate things at christmas in the shape of bottles that are all sugar and a bit of something inside. Yes you do.  Dark Chestnut dark oak pour, very effervescent pour, but that leads to a very thin transient head, the concentrated cherry aroma fades to the more familiar Belgium yeast.

Spec-tac-u-lar!!! Fruity, soft, the slightest hint of bitter, lots of bubbles, full mouthfeel, bit flavours, long carry.  I've swallowed a fair bit already in enthusiasm and love! Opps I did it again.

This is a beer that I would both love to share with a friend, and at the same time begrudge them a glass of it. I'd go so far as to say that I'd buy another bottle right now if I could.

Repeating myself then It's sweet, but not cloying, bitter but mildly so, fruits are to the fore but softly and let you play guessing, is it cherry, raisin, something else. Sits nicely in the mouth, doesn't hang around but you know you've just had a drink of something a bit good.

The worst thing is that this is so drinkable that I've had a half of it already. It's NZ$30 a bottle, I'd hate to think I'd have had a half bottle of wine in so few attempts at the glass. For some this might not be bitter enough, might not have the astringent alcohol burn that you should or might get with Belgium ales, and be too soft or sweet. But for me there are plenty of high notes, and a lot of all-round carry.

The pdubyah-o-meter easily easily says 10. If it could say more it would. This is so one of the best beers I have ever had since I've been keeping a list.  It really for me is that good. Hits my taste profile, nice and easy on the bitter, tangs of taste, lots of things going on, all in harmony.

I'm eating this with a tail end of a rib eye steak fresh from the bbq, just salt and pepper and a coleslaw with a light honey vinaigrette. I think I've achieved a new level in the game of life.

Sigh #Happyface.

Happy Families - the one with the recap

I mentioned yesterday how strangely a family that doesn't really communicate that well suddenly gets a burst of enthusiasm for each other. Today I have the recollections of  the #2 Child, my older brother (there are 3 sisters in between us though). Let us begin....

Lots of photo are missing the oldest ones were taken when dad was a misplaced person after the war.

The reason, for his being a misplaced person, is, I believe, dad,  along with many others were rounded up after the Warsaw uprising.

He probably knew Pope John Paul  - who evaded capture.  That could explain why we got Christmas cards and holy bread, and that we also a photo of the pope on the wall. (signed by the pope himself I remember)

This is important  - dad was a slave worker for the nazis , I think he must have been liberated by the Canadian forces so ending up in Canada, where his listed occupation was a barber.

After release dad joined the Royal Engineers.

Mum saw him visiting a friend in London (near her home address in Beacon Road and said "I will marry him" -  and she did  - at Lockerbie in Scotland.

Dad like many other war veterans did not talk about the past.

Dad first went back to Poland in 1964 in an Austin A40 car a red one.  He took to Poland things that were rare like coffee, plasters , chocolate, warm clothes  - including socks and underwear. When he came back home all he was wearing was a top and trousers and a pair of sandals he had given everything away.

The photo you are referring to is at a place called krakow  (possibly Zakopane),  you have been there along with Lesley ,Andy, Stewart also Shirley.  You all went in a Austin 1100.

That was 1966.

I remember going to Poland, indeed in a red Morris 1100 there were 4 asleep on the back seat, top to tail, and mum and dad in the front. It would have been an overnight drive. I don't recall Stewart being there, since he was born in 1967 it would be unlikely :-)  OS just myself, my older sisters Shirley and Lesley and my younger brother Andrew.  There are a few vivid memories - I was after all only 5) Sitting on mum's lap as we drove through the night - having a night watchman looking after the car - a bit of a rarity in Poland at the time - a private car - the Trams and the Ice Creams.