Dieu du Ciel Cuvée de lAlchimiste 19

Aroma is malty, with some hops present, deep copper, small head. Taste begins with a mild candy malt, hops give a nice beat, well balanced, bitter. Good.

On tap at D.D.C. The color is dark amber with a thick beige head. The taste is of grains and malt, also the bitter taste of hops The aroma has a caramel feeling to it. For D.D.C. this is an O.K. beer but that is all.

Clear sandy garnet bodied ale covered by a mostly lasting off-white head. I’ve become a bit of a purist and am a bit put off by bitters with heavy carbonation and this is one. Besides that, it has the rather authentic fruity, berry-like, slightly toasty, bordering earthy malt profile that one expects with soft woodsy and leafy hops that provide a diplomatic bitterness. Firm mineral profile procures a salty kick in the finish which lifts up the bitterness from those not too aromatic hops.

A nice red copper ale with a thick creamy off white head. In aroma, musty butterscotch with light black olives. In mouth, a crisp caramel malt with rather metallic hops nutty notes. Overall, not bad, but uninspired, veering on Irish ale. On tap at DDC, Sept. 8th, 2007.

On tap at DDC. Poured a deep drk brownish/red with an average size dense white head. Aroma is nothing special with some fruity bitter notes and a slight breadiness about it. Medium body with some lively carbonation. Balanced flavor with initial fruitness and a bitter finish. This one won’t blow you away but you can knock em back all night long.

Clear redish-copper body with a small off-white ring of foam. Rather basic british inspired beer. Aroma is light and a bit stinky, I’d describe it as light cranberries with a little mushrooms. Taste is your standard fare of fruity notes and caramel. Red apples and berries wrapped in caramel. The dry woody hops are rather expressionless but do their job. Session ale without any default. Highly drinkable but somewhat forgettable. I don’t know what the rational is behind creating a new beer with a name or one of those Cuvée de l’Alchimiste and why they skip some numbers. But there are more important questions to ponder than that, like how does Freddy Kruger wipe his butt?

Draught. Bright copper-brown body with a white creamy head. Grainy aroma along with some caramel and herbal hops. Fairly light and not overly bitter. There’s some fruitiness peaking through but it’s generally bready and as such, reasonably balanced.

My Bottom Line:
This malty ESB exposes its grainy caramel to a quiet dosage of wooden, leafy hoppiness. A finishing herbal hop bitterness lingers, and balance is nonetheless reached.

Further Personal Perceptions:
-A ring of foam circles the clear dark copper.
-Aroma hops are lacking, although a secretive leafy note can be perceived.
-Drinking a bitter with forced carbonation is always a puzzling experience once you’ve grown to love the cask versions.
-This take on Voyageur des Brumes is not as convincing to me, but it is nonetheless a valiant session ale.

On tap at the brewpub.