Les Trois Mousquetaires S.S.Oktoberfest

Brewed by Les Trois Mousquetaires
Style: Oktoberfest/Märzen
Brossard, Canada

Clear russet. Lasting off-white foam. As is often the case with Trois Mousquetaires, we’re dealing with a perfectly clean offering and one that is tasty also. Its maltiness immediately takes a toasty orientation, nuanced by almond, bread crust and sesame seeds nuances while soft leafy hops procure minute bitterness. Very clean and agile malt profile, but somehow not as full-flavoured as previous vintages. The carbonation is a bit less vivacious, making the ensemble a bit less lively, apparently less dry. Still, amongst Quebec lagers, this is a sure value, just not quite the paramount refreshment/taste compromise it might have been in the last 2 years.

My Bottom Line:
Minutious earthy hop waves brush a fruity toasted malt cove, as their spicy spindrift relentlessly poeticizes this distinguished unfiltered Märzen.

Further Personal Perceptions:
-A sturdy inch of foam stays atop the cloudy cherry red.
-The fruitiness is redolent of dried berries and raisins, as it delves into near-caramel sweetness.
-The malt character has a lot of personality, and as such may not emulate the usual Märzen, but who cares? This is beautifully drinkable and expertly crafted.
-The malts could be a tad crisper for my tastes.
-The peaceful big bubbles complement the comfortable body, increasing drinkability.
-A slight mineral character is perceived early on, but it is harder to perceive after a few gulps.
-That finish is really compelling!

Bottle.

Very hazy amber-red pour with a thick sticky white head. The nose is a little bit nutty with a bit of light yeastiness. Sort of an herbal hoppy aroma. Flavour is softly sweet with a kiss of herbal hoppiness. As it warms it opens up a really lovely crackery malt sweetness. Chewy and fairly sweet with more herbal hoppiness than would be considered typical. Despite these oddities, it’s a really impressive beer.

Bottle (750ml). Shared by garthicus with me, bllankboy, gregclow, jerc and mabel. Hazy coppery-amber, average creamy tan lasting head. Very pungent aroma - I can’t decide - I get beets, peat, canola, alcohol ... Taste - grainy, a little sweeter, still funky and earthy. Average body, solid carbonation, long pungent finish - odd, a little non-smooth.

2009-02-19. Hazy reddish brown body with a modest tan head. (3+) Odd aroma is herbal/vegetal and doesn’t really warrant further investigation, mild note of cigarette butt. Flavour has similar earthy herbal notes to the hops, sweet malt base is tough to pull out. Average plus palate is lightly carbonated. I’m done here. Odd. Disappointing offering from a brewery that has done much better in the past. Bottle shared by Garthc*nticus

Bottle (750ml) shared with HogTownHarry, garthicus, GregClow, jerc & mabel -- c/o garthicus. Pours a hazy orange-amber with an average size creamy off-white head. Odd aroma is vegetal, like squash or mashed green peas, along with caramel malt. Flavour of caramel malt, slightly toasty, along with some fruit and light herbal hops. Average to medium bodied. A pretty odd beer -- not bad, not great -- just odd.

Bottle. Can smell the rich malt as soon as you pour. Cloudy orange-copper. Thick malty peppery body. Tasty thick spicy flavour. Heavy malt.

The pour reveals a gorgeous cloudy amber color with a thick, frothy, beige head that lasts a long while. The aroma has a pleasant blend of earthy hops, malt, fruits and there’s also a spicy something in there. The flavor is special, I ususally find biscuity malt in Oktoberfests, but in this one there’s no biscuity flavors, it tends more to toasty, with fruits, earthy hops and again that spicy feeling, there’s also bitterness in the end. The body has a medium thickness with a creamy, slightly oily texture and moderate carbonation. This Oktoberfest is unclean and unorthodox, and I like that!