Castelain St. Amand French Country Ale

Draft at Radio Maria in Champaign, IL Pours copper amber with a white head. Caramelly and estery nose. Lighter side of medium bodied with a fine spritzy carbonation. Flavor of toffee, apple, spice, and even some butterscotch. Nothing exciting, but very drinkable.

Sampled at BlackLick Wine and Spirits.Poured coppery with a white head.The nose was sweet, citrus like.Mouthfeel was light with apple tartness.Finished off slightly sweet.

Sampled at the imports tasting at Blacklick Wine & Spirits on 8/13/09. Clear copper pour with a medium tan head. Light hop aroma with some creamy malt. Creamy flavor with some vanilla, apple and a crisp hop finish. Not bad and better than expected.

Tasting at Blacklick Wine and Spirits. Pour was copper. Clear. Sweet aroma of orange and apple. Flavor was sweet apples, citrus and brown sugar. Nice and sweet. Very unexpectedly nice.

(bottle - corked & caged 750 ml) Amber pour with a fizzy white head. Aroma is sweet with lots of apple notes mixing with sweet malts, caramel, and flowers. Flavor is sweet and lightly tart at the beginning with lots of earthy and dry malt flavors. Some fruitiness comes through at the end with a mild spice note.

(tasting at Solano Cellars 07/25/09) Good head. Sweet aroma, almost cherry-like. Orange body. Malty flavor. One of my favorites from the tasting we did.

Aroma of fresh apples with a somewhat floral presence. Appearance was golden red with a big frothy head. Flavor reminded me much of champagne with apples and white grape. Palate was fizzy and bubbly. A nice refreshing beer that is under-appreciated for it’s pastoral charm.

750ml bottle from bevmo. Pours a medium copper color with a 1 finger thick beige head, light lacing. Nose of candoed dark fruits and toasted malts. Flavor was very similar to the nose, decent brew.