Saturday afternoon I had the privilege of going to the MicroBrasserie Charlevoix tasting at barVolo, put on by HMH Negotiants. Charlevoix has been a staple in Quebec for some time, though it is usually overshadowed outside of the province by brewers like Unibroue and Dieu du Ciel. Hopefully this fact will start to change with the introduction of their beers into the Ontario market, because the brewery is making a range of delicious beers in a variety of styles. Nine Charlevoix beers were available, as well as some delicious chocolate from Chocosol and four cheeses from the Charlevoix region. Claudine Bandulet and Frederick Tremblay from Charlevoix were present to talk about their beers and brewing philosophy.
My first sample was the Charlevoix Dominus Vobiscum Blanche, a Belgian wheat beer. It poured a very pale straw and a surprisingly musty aroma that was reminiscent of a farmhouse ale. Tonnes of citrus and coriander in the beer. Some characteristics from a Belgian yeast. A dry and refreshing finish. A really nice start. Tomas from HMH said that they’ve had discussions with the LCBO about bringing in the Blanche for the next summer release and I would definitely approve of that.
The Charlevoix Vache Folle ESB (pictured above) is from part of the English-style series they do, which was evident by the amount of fuggles hops in the beer. Personally, fuggles have never appealed to me (except as an occasional swear word), that is until I tried the Vache Folle ESB. With a burnt-orange colour, the beer is lighter than most ESBs. The earthy qualities stand out at first, but they are nicely matched by caramel malt flavours. A smooth bitterness in the finish, rounding out the beer quite nicely.
Up next was the first of the big guns, the Charlevoix Dominus Vobiscum Lupulus. The Lupulus is a spciy, dry and complex Belgian ale that ranks with the best beers made in Canada. Pine and grass flavours burst through the alcohol. Once again, strong characteristics of Belgian yeast come through. The 10% ABV is barely noticeable, even on a hot afternoon. My last two sips suddenly contained a vibrant taste of tropical fruit and candied sugar. Drool.
At the recommendation of Claudine I mixed the Charlevoix Vache Folle Imperial Milk Stout with the chocolate drink from Chocosol. Between the spices and dark chocolate of the drink and the lactose from the beer, it was quite the winner. It also created this congealed mass on top that looked gross but tasted delicious. Claudine also recommended mixing the Blanche with orange juice, which I will have to try sometime based on this pairing. I also love a brewer that openly tells drinkers to experiment with their beers and have some fun with them. It is not something you see too often.
My final tasting was the Charlevoix Dominus Vobiscum Hibernus, which brought things back to the Belgian side of the brewery. The aroma was a bit lost in my glass, but I enjoyed the clear ruby colour of the beer. It is another strong 10% ABV brew and obviously designed to be consumed in the winter. Strong taste of mulled fruits, cherry in particular, and spices. The finish tasted very much like gingerbread, which gives a good idea of the spices found in the Hibernus (cinnamon, nutmeg). It may be overly spiced for some palates, but I find it to be nicely balanced. This would also be really tasty if you warmed it up and made it more of a cider.
Hopefully Charlevoix will make it to the LCBO in the near future, especially in a brewery spotlight. Until then you can find their beers at the Hart House Craft Beer Festival or these bars throughout Ontario:
Chancy Smith’s
St.Veronus
The Only Café
barVolo
Rhino
C’est What?
Laughing Buddha
Chester’s
Smokeless Joe’s
Charlevoix Dominus Vobiscum Blanche on Ratebeer
Charlevoix Dominus Vobiscum Hibernus on Ratebeer
Charlevoix Dominus Vobiscum Lupulus on Ratebeer
Charlevoix Vache Folle ESB on Ratebeer
Charlevoix Vache Folle Imperial Milk Stout on Ratebeer
Today: 600mL. Year-to-date: 140.37L.
