Tuesday 25 November 2008

Beer Notes from this weekend

I opened a bottle of this with the neighbours, while watching TV and talking about fishing on the Russian River. I don't know too much about fish-guiding, and it showed. Luckily, they indulged my ignorance. Anyhow, we were all very pleased with the beer. I've yet to open a bottle of theirs that I didn't like (though, that's because I've avoided some of their weaker inventory). You can pick this one up from a couple places in Fairbanks, like the Oaken Keg, Gold Hill, and even Fred's. They've got a bit of a deal going, too!
La Fin Du Monde, by Unibroue, Quebec.

A tall, corked and caged 75cl glass bottle with the Eye of Quebec figuring prominently on the label. The bottle comes with a clear `best by` date, though no indication when it was brewed. The packaging is clear and stately.

Just opening the bottle releases a host of deep, fruit scents. The beer pours as a thin, opaque liquid, about the colour of honey. There's moderate carbonation that, even in my head-friendly glass, quickly fades to a ring of white. It warms quickly, releasing a thick, spicy odour. The yeast is evident in the scent, as are mildy fruity notes, just barely rising into perception.

The beer is peppery and sweet, thin to medium bodied and not syrupy. I has a distinct carbonation when drank, something not apparent from the head, that lends it a moderate bite. The fruit notes get little play in the taste, remaining just off to the side as glance of pear, or whisper apple, it's difficult to tell which. Warmth improves the character of the beer, bringing out the sweetness to compliment the initial exclamation point of allspice.

At 9% ABV, a single person could drink all 75cl by ones self, but it's definitely best shared with a friend on a cold winter night. This is a very good tripel by the good brewers at Unibroue.

4.4/5, A.

No comments:


Click for Fairbanks, Alaska Forecast