Le Cheval Blanc Barley Wine

Brewed by Le Cheval Blanc
Style: Barley Wine
Montreal, Canada

A nice copper ale with a thin white head. Aroma is slightly vinous, caramelly and alcohol. In mouth, a sweetish malty barley wine with light herbal British hops, but very short in mouth, with lightly oily mouthfeel. More like an IPA. Overall, not bad but not very assertive. On tap at BP, Dec. 8 2007, with probstk.

Several bottles at Le Cheval Blanc. Thanks to Goldorak and Glouglouburp for their generosity! As GregClow mentions, this is towards the end of a night of Montreal bar-hopping so my notes aren’t awesome. Here goes: Pours a clear amber with an average size diminishing white head. Big berry aroma, almost Cream Soda-ish, sweet, slightly alcoholic and lightly bitter. Flavour’s bitter, boozy, sweet and fruity with some candy-like notes. Long bitter finish. Medium bodied. Pretty good, I remember (vaguely) enjoying it.

Bottles (341ml). At Le Cheval Blanc, massive round of bottles and pints provided by the most generous Goldorak. Okay, my notes are minimal from this (and the next) rating, it was very dark in there and we were getting tired - but I remember this beer. A fairly cloudy pour, amber or something, small head. The aroma was like a fruit schnapps, incredibly sweet, boozy, some light floral bitterness. The taste was syrupy, alcoholic, more bitterness than I expected (like marigolds) - this was boozy, but still enough bitterness from the hops that I could taste them even sitting next to the Ladies restroom (no, I don’t know what that means either). Thin, sugary mouthfeel, the primary characteristic I was left with was candied fruit, alcohol, and sharp acidic bitterness. I think the bottle was upwards of 1 year old at time of tasting - interesting!

Several bottles shared with several good friends at the brewpub. What Greg said - several beers into the night, way too much to drink - here goes: Body on the medium to thin side, lots of alcohol in taste and aroma. Sweet and fruity, stronger taste than aroma. Probably a combo of the fruitiness I associate with British style Barley’s with a good amount of hops that I would call American. And a ton of alcohol, I was scared of the rest of the beer in my glass by the end...thanks Goldorak and Dany for the treat.

Several bottles shared with several good friends at the brewpub. We were a few hours and more than a few beers into the evening by the time we got to Le Cheval Blanc, so my notes are a bit sparse, but here’s what I managed to notice: Orange-amber colour; big aroma of peaches, caramel and citric hops; flavours of caramel malt, bubblegum(?!) and a long, warm, hoppy finish.

The pour reveals a hazy brownish amber color with a thin white head. Good aroma of strawberries, caramel and mild hops. Pleasant flavor of strawberries, caramel, there’s a strong hops presence with a bitter and astringent finish. The body is light to medium with a liquorous texture and gentle carbonation.

5 oz. glass from the brewpub. DE08/07.

App.: Hazy amber, remnants of an off-white head. Aroma: Lots of tree fruits and caramel, woody, resinous hops. Palate: Medium-light body, sparse but sharp effervescence. Flav.: Lots of grapefruit and citrus, blood oranges, some caramel/toffee, a bit of burnt sugat; somewhat sweet, quite bitter with some dark bread crust and slightly resinous hops to finish; alcohol fairly well concealed.

En fût. Verre de 12 oz à la brasserie lors de la soirée 20e anniversaire. Arôme: Odeur d’alcool et de caramel fruité. Apparence: La couleur est ambrée très foncé. Présence d’un moyen col beige mousseux et d’une large dentelle sur le verre. Saveur: Goût de malt caramelisé et d’houblons avec une pointe d’alcool. Longue durée de l’arrière goût. Palette: Le corps est moyen avec une texture légèrement vineuse. Moyenne effervescence en bouche. Présence de caramel et de figues en arrière goût. (Rating #1299)