Bièropholie Vin dOrge

Formerly brewed at Bièropholie
Style: English Strong Ale
, Canada

Bottle, 8%. Fruity, vinous aroma. Cloudy red colour. The flavour is fruity, slightly sweet. A little vinous note, hint of vanilla. Syrupy mouthfeel. OK, but I expect a lot more from this ABV.

On tap at Brasserie Rosemont. Orval-coloured beer wearing a small white head. Far from exuberant in its aromas. The hop varietal used does not procure much support to the nose. Initially shy, cerealic nose over which abund a variety of candied notions. Honey-flavoured cough drops are the main perceived nuance. Since it’s Bieropholie, one makes an effort to look for more, but that does not happen until the first sip. That one is actually not as sweet as expected. here, the hops plays a good balancing role, procuring a sandy, grassy and quite herbal, almost vegetal dryness upon the closure. In the meanwhile, the malts keep on this hesitating candy versus cereal display. Medium bodied, smooth carbonation, a bit slick/filtered texture. Fitting alcohol level. To me, one of those niche beers that I don’t care for anymore. Fun to try like most novelties, but not one to marry. I guess I became a dualist: give me refreshment (all the time: the good) or decadence (rarely: the evil).

Small yellowish 2mm; beautiful light chestnut coloured beer. Caramel & greenery, slightly oxydized malts, ovomaltine, some aroma of shellfish. Bitter overlying taste over flavours of very stale cookies (if there’s any BBd, I cannot spy it). Bitterness is crude, unrefined, like scorched chicory. Medium bodied, bit sticky, little bit of alcohol. Very crude, fighting flavours. Sorry, Monsieur Huard this one, I cannot dig.

My Bottom Line:
Golden syrup and honey-flavored candy melt into a spicy hop splash before an earthy, leafy hop bitterness claims its dominance. This is a unique strong ale to say the least, just not one which can claim to be as heavenly as other Bièropholie creations.

Further Personal Perceptions:
-A veil of foam skirts the translucent caramel-infused golden.
-Alcohol is well hidden and barely warms up the palate.
-The maltiness is silky and slick, playing within the cough drop/candy/corn syrup realm; thankfully, these flavors are ably balanced by the firm hop presence.
-The aroma is simple and tame; not my favorite feature. Some alien fruitiness leaks from that sweetness too (beerbiere’s description is quite imaginative and should give you a very good idea).
-The signature of this hop finish is definitely not commonplace. Spicy, earthy, leafy, like chewing on some exotic tree bark. I think I like it! ;)
-The tap version highlighted these candy-like residual sugars even more, building a slightly stickier body. I enjoyed this kegged sample more than the bottle.

From the bottle and from the tap.

A dark orange amber ale with a thin dark off white head. Aroma of hops and rising bread dough, lightly vinous, and fruity notes, some figs. In mouth, a rich malt with mineral notes, British hops, sustained light bitterness, and roastyness. Alcohol warmth in final. A nice barley wine. Tasted Nov. 2008

Very sweet and jammy in the nose with some floral character and underlying marzipan. Lightly hazy golden-copper coloured body is topped by a low, off white head that recedes to a partial cover with some lacing. Sweet and fruity up front with notable but not overwhelming bitterness. Floral hop flavours and chewy cereal malt linger along with the bitterness i the aftertaste. Medium full body with decent, lightly prickly carbonation. Tulip glass. Just above cellar temperature. Bottle. Rahman. Jun-08.

Bottle (341ml). Shared with blankboy and tupalev, via trade with papat444. Clear medium-deep amber, smallish frothy off-white head. Aroma of lightly burned toast, herbal bitterness, honey, butter and a hint of hardwood. Taste - sweet, citrus juice, light yet somewhat aggressive dry resin hops and grapeseed ... light and sticky mouthfeel, solid astringency, moderate alcohol and a longish bitter finish - odd, a little weak - certainly different.

2009-07-19. Dark orange amber body with a modest beige head. Aroma is alcoholic and malty. Dry with touches of sweet caramel. (6+) Flavour is malt forward, dry alcohol in the finish lingers. Average palate. Okay but a bit rough overall. Bottle, approximately 1 year old from Rahman, Monteal