Les Frères Houblon Fontaine du Diable

Brewed by Les Frères Houblon Microbrasserie
Style: Old Ale
Trois-Rivieres, Canada

Bottled, thanks Timo A and hanniku! Hazy dark brown color, foams over. The aromas of coffee, charcoal, licorice, wood, yeast, hint of sulfur and hint of smoke. Sweetish and roasty flavor with coffee, charcoal, wood and smoke. Too carbonated. Has some yeasty and sulfury off aromas and flavor and high carbonation makes this hard to drink.

Smoky charcoal aroma, dark brown, little viscosity in the glass. Mild yet thorough smoke in the sip, very consistent and pleasant.

500 ml bottle from Marche Jovi, served at cellar temperature in a tulip glass. JA13/09.

App.: Brown-black with a nice light mocha head. Aroma: Strong molasses and brown sugar, lots of raisin, figs and dark dried fruits, slightly woody, tangy fruits too, very slightly smoky, vanilla, chocolate, some light rootbeer minty herbals, black coffee, rich and inviting. Palate: Medium+ body, fairly lively effervescence, a bit powdery. Flav.: Strong malts – molasses, brown sugar, lots of dark dried fruits, some lighter tang fruits, berries, cherries, coffee, vanilla, milk and dark chocolates, slightly woody, a bit of hop presence; sweet with enough bitterness to balance, and some dark rum to finish.

Beautiful stuff – on par with some of the finer Old Ales, Traditional Ales, Scotch Ales (less smoky) and Abbey Dubbels/Quads (minus the citrus and yeast). Apparently very inconsistent and I’m so very glad to have a good example!

Bottle: Poured a deep brown color ale with a large light brown foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of deep caramel and toffee malt with hints of candi sugar and dry fruits. Taste is more complex than I had anticipated with some dry plums and raisins notes with a nice malt backbone which comprises notes of caramel nad toffee. Body is quite full with good carbonation and no apparent alcohol. A lot more complex then anticipated with no brewing flaws which is somewhat surprising considering the brewery reputation.

Bouteille de 500 ml. Dégusté avec french tickler. Une biere de couleur brune foncé avec un tres bon collet non collant. Arome d’épices, fleural intense et malt. Gout de chocolat, café bruler et noix.

500ml bottle. Pours out very dark, not black, but about as brown can get without being black. A nice full beige head. Aroma is loaded with roasted malt, smoke, and some nice chocolate notes. Flavour is sweet, and smokey. Some nice sweet roasted malt, and an interesting wine like sweetness comes through in the finish. Quite a complex beer, but very very enjoyable!

Bouteille de 500 ml. La bière se présente avec une robe noire et des reflets acajoux. Une mousse beige, crémeuse, intense et qui diminue que très lentement couvre le liquide. Au nez on découvre des arômes de chocolat noir, de poivre, de grain fumé, d’alcool, et de caramel. En bouche le corps est moyen et la bière nous révèles des flaveurs de chocolat poivré, de caramel, de grain torréfié, d’alcool et de fruits noirs (baies, groseilles) et de cerises confites. Un dessert.

bouteille brune de 500ml. au prix de 3,59$ bière brune très foncée, presque opaque, mousse brunâtre, onctueuse, nez frais mais sans odeur, bouche liquide, un peu de torréfaction, sans intérêt, on parle de porto sur la bouteille (sic), je n’aime pas ce genre de produit ambivalent.