Les Trois Mousquetaires Oktoberfest 2006

Formerly brewed at Les Trois Mousquetaires
Style: Oktoberfest/Märzen
Brossard, Canada

Deep copper in colour, large off-white head, great retention, lots of lacing. The aroma is of biscuits, cookies, pale malts, light fruits, some sweetness. The flavour is very enjoyable, lots of biscuits, earthy, woody, good malt backbone, some light chocolate sweetness. Mildly bitter mouthfeel, medium body, medium carbonation. Finishes creamy, mildly bitter, long. This is a fantastic beer, this brewery is starting to get quite good.

341ml bottle from <a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Place/quebec/m target=blank>Dépanneur Rahman in Montreal, Quebec for $2.29.
Purchased on December 27, 2006 and opened on January 13, 2007
No best before date.

Bottle: Poured a beautiful dark orange-copper with a fluffy mocha colored meringue cap...wonderful lacing of the glass, moderate carbonation. Great Munich marzen aromas: sweet bready, herbal-woody...on the money here. Solid malt spine, toasty-bready character with a silky mouth feel and medium-full body. A big gob full of rich bready sweet Munich malts at the start then the herbal-medicial hops rush the palate to give total balance...herbal-bitter tones...this continues into the wet finish were the hops turn a tad more bitter than is needed in a proper Oktoberfest but it still leaves a pleasant bready-sweet after taste that is in balance with a lingering metallic taste. A great improvement from their old Fest marzen and very close to style....enjoyable, satisfying and drinkable. One more reason this is becomming my favorite Quebec Micro brewer.

Bottle (341ml). Via trade with mouton_noire. Deep clear ruby with a large lasting foamy tan head. Dry sweet malt (a bit of caramel, cocoa and nut), very yeasty, herbal hops keep it balanced - quite grainy. Taste is very nutty - like fresh hazelnuts, not sweet at all, grain and potatoe, earthy, grainy, very light alcohol - this is roasty, dry and very fresh - one of the best I’ve tasted in ages. Chewy body, light carbonation, decent astringency, a longish finish with a slight nutshell aftertaste - excellent. I’m stunned how good this is - thanks, Marie-C (and Alain for the second bottle).

Bottle courtesy of HogTownHarry. Dark mahogany with a good sized tan head. Aroma of lightly toasted malt, raisins, brown sugar and a bit of chocolate, with faint herbal notes. Medium body. Good flavour, quite complex - malt, toffee, nuts, fruit and spice. A very pleasant surprise, and honestly one of the best Oktoberfests I’ve tried.

A red copper beer with a thin lacing light moka head. Pleasant fruity aroma of apples and caramel, lightly nutty. In mouth, a rich nutty malt, with grainy rye character, with nice earthy hops, very good, but more akin to a brown ale. Rich bodied. On tap at Bieres et Découvertes, Mascouche, Sept. 9 2006.

Bouteille de 341 ml. Belle couleur ambrée assé foncée. Petit collet qui dure. Arome doux de malte avec un soupson de noisette. Un sertain goût de fruit sûrette avec un arrière goût d’houblon un peu amère.

Bottle courtesy of Viper666. Pours a lovely clear dark ruby-brown with lots of bubbles and a large fluffy off-white head. Aroma of caramel malt, some chocolate, dark fruit, herbal hops and alcohol -- quite nice! Flavour’s sweet and malty with some nuts, fruit, spices and alcohol and a roasty bitter finish. Medium bodied. I’m not a big fan of this style and I’m surprised how much I’m enjoying this beer, it’s very good! Well done Les Trois Mousquetaires!

Bouteille de 341 ml achetée chez Saveurs Unies (Terrebonne, QC). Arôme: Odeur d’alcool, de caramel et de dattes. Apparence: La couleur est ambrée foncée. Présence d’un mince col mousseux beige avec une large dentelle sur le verre. Saveur: Goût de caramel et de petits fruits confits. Durée moyenne de l’arrière goût. Palette: Le corps est moyen avec une texture légèrement crayonneuse. Moyenne effervescence en bouche. Présence de noix fumé en arrière goût. (Rating #667)