This past Friday I was able to leave the house and attend @4originesbeer latest can release. They were launching a collaborative cacao infused porter called Cacao Cosmos” brewed in conjunction with the folks from @cacao70 . As well, they had a hop infused milk chocolate bar aptly entitled “Milkshake IPA” to go alongside - I devoured it as I sipped away. The nose bursts forth with rich cocoa layers, followed by a light smokiness and some toasted grain. Light espresso notes come next. The cocoa adds a fruitiness as well - black cherry and blackberries in particular. The mouth delivers a prompt velvety richness, while still being light and easy drinking overall. Notes of dark chocolate fill my palate, carrying layers of dark fruits and general cacao goodness. There is a great balance sugar that manages to still come off very dry, making for a chocolate-forward experience that isn’t cloying. A light smokiness comes through as well, which I think comes from the cocoa, further layering the chocolate amongst the dark roasted malts. The chocolate bar itself itself is creamy and velvety up front, holding that quintessential milk chocolate creamy subtlety. The sweetness is in check, but is further cut by a potent hop bitterness that keeps the whole thing in palatable, delivering a more dark chocolate-like finish to it. It’s buttery and rich, but when sipping the beer next to it, the effervescence cuts the fat, and the bitterness of the beer further cleans my palate, leaving echoes of this cocoa-rich beverage and silky milk chocolate creaminess. Together, they blend well and are quite harmonious, despite the different profiles. They got plenty more sitting in the fridge, I’d recommend grabbing some cans for sure. #4origines #microbrasserie4origines #cacaocosmos

“Mares in a Jam” from @smallponybarrelworks dropped a couple of months back, but I didn’t have a chance to review until now. It’s a dark sour beer aged in oak barrels with raspberries. And if this is half as jammy as Jam Hands was, Its going to be stellar. It pours out a sexy dark purple, carrying a head that dissipates pretty much immediately. The nose is all rich jammy raspberry goodness, coupled with a bright zestiness from the acidifying bacteria. Dark malts malts lend character to the aromatics, however it’s not a roasted coffee or chocolate essence, but instead more fruits, like blackberries and black cherries. Wow, now that’s jammy! Huge macerated berry flavours rush my palate, carrying a rich and somewhat sweet profile. However, at the same time it’s quite aggressively acidic, which dries out the finish well. There is an insane juiciness to this, with layer upon layer of raspberry, mixed with some sweeter fruits, like black cherry and blueberry. The tannins are aggressive, but the sweetness keeps them in check and rounds everything out. I’d love more carbonation, but regardless this is straight phenomenal, and one of my favourites from Small Pony to date. And they still have some at the brewery! Go get some!

Two beautiful boys got together to create B52, a @brasserieharricana and @memphre_fabrique collaboration, conceived by the lovely @francis.f.richer and @davidplasse . This double porter is brewed with coffee, orange, lactose, vanilla, and aged in Grand Marnier barrels! I had it a few years ago at Mondial, and I’ve been craving it ever since. The coffee aromatics blast my nose with some serious espresso roastiness. There is subtle vanilla, mixed with earthy coffee grinds, and some orange zest. The grand mariner soaked oak peaks through as well, but it’s hard to tell where the adjuncts end and the barrels begin. The nose makes me want to swim in this beer. The palate matches, but the coffee isn’t quite as pronounced, integrating well with the other flavours. Although a touch rich and sticky from lactose, the beer is balanced and on the dry side of the spectrum. All the adjuncts - although quite perceivable - are actually quite subtle, without one overpowering the other. The orange provides a hint of acidity and juiciness, while the vanilla carries just the right intensity, without diving into powdered sugar territory. Like the nose, given that the ingredients match the profile of grand mariner itself, it’s hard to tell where the beer ends and the barrels comes into play. That said, the oak is there, with some nice tannic dryness, and a rich woody complexity adds a nice depth and richness to the whole thing. One tasty experience right here. #b52 #brasserieharricana #memphremagog #memphre #doubleporter #beerism #beer #grandmarnier

@lespacepublic just dropped this hoppy little can. “Trempette Tropicale” is listed simply as an IPA, and it’s just that. I feel like it falls within the aromatic IPA spectrum, carrying fruity hops on the palate, without being a sludgy and juicy NEIPA. Somewhere in the spectrum of Focal Banger or other pre-haze Vermont offerings, but definitely not a caramel malty west coast IPA by any stretch. It’s bright, juicy, very dry, and goes down easy. I really dig this one!

Double hazel is one of the latest @microbrasserievoxpopuli creations to hit shelves. This is an imperial version of their brown ale “hazel”, which I’m in love with. Hoping this one impresses me as well. The nose matches the OG perfectly. It begins with rich mocha aromatics, alongside loads of nuttiness. Pumpernickel bread, and some light spiciness come through in the finish. It smells amazing. The palate is quite different, but still carries the same vibe as the original. Rich darks malt deliver toasted grain notes, and lots of bready flavours. The body is luscious and creamy, but not overly viscous - and the bitter finish cuts through everything. The booze is perfectly hidden though all the layers of richness, but it’s still surprisingly dry throughout. And at 10%, that’s impressive. I loved this one and wish I had another for the cellar. There better be a barrel-aged version next year! ;) #beerism #voxpopuli #microbrasserievoxpopuli #doublehazel #hazel #brownale

This week a special can dropped. Alex from @brasseriechamplibre teamed up with Gabriel from @biereboreale to create Nordicité, a kveik fermented IPA. The nose throws out lots of yeasty phenols, mixed with some serious juicy hops. A slight herbal tang comes through on the aromas, delivers a potent clove-like spiciness, mixed with orange and grapefruit juices. The flavour profile matches. Again, There is a phenolic thing happening from the kveik strain, but it’s quite juicy, with citrus and some tropical notes coming on strong. The carbonation is creamy and soft, complimenting the luscious body nicely. Overall this is a solid beer, but I’m not in love with the yeast profile. I find it a touch aggressive. That said, the juicy hop notes really come through and help balance the whole thing, creating a “Belgian IPA” type experience, but more on the New England spectrum.

@brasseriedieuduciel is celebrating their 11th anniversary today out in Saint-Jérôme! For those going, stay warm@if you can! Facteur Cosmique is a brand new bottle this year. At it’s base it’s a quad, but blended with grapes from Frontenac du Vignoble Rivière, spontaneously fermented, and the aged in barrels. It pour out a gorgeous dark purple, with lots of brown highlights. The nose is vinous, alongside some spicy phenols. Chocolate, dates and a lot of what smells like coffee beans come next, finishing with light Bretty aromatics. The palate is crazy complex. It’s tart, vinous, and carries a subtle sweetness. The Brett however does dry things out and there has to be coffee in this, or it was in a Péché barrel. The quad qualities carry rich dates and figs, with general dried fruits. The wild yeasts clearly ate away all the traditional clove-forward phenols, and instead have more of a berry presence. There is a sweet tang to this, with lots of cherry and red wine complexities. Overall this beer is pretty amazing. The layers in here are endless and brilliant. (I checked in with Leïla at DDC to asked about the coffee notes. The barrels were indeed 2nd fill Péché Bourbon barrels, but washed prior to use). #facteurcosmique #quadrupel #barrelaged #beerism

Isseki Nicho from @brasseriedieuduciel is a imperial dark saison that has been coming out every year since 2011 – it has always been one of my favourites. Back in 2013, we were all treated to the first edition of a Pinot Noir barrel-aged version, which simply blew my mind. It returned once again in 2016, and this is now the third time we have been treated to this exquisite variant. Isseki Nicho Pinot 2019! The nose is on fire as usual. Intense Pinot vinous notes marry with the saison phenols beautifully, creating bright and spicy aromatics that really don’t compare to anything else out there. Dark chocolate meets berry notes and lots of oak. This is truly one of the most amazing beers to inhale. The palate is the usual Isseki Pinot delight, with some seemingly subtle differences. Fruity dark chocolate and light coffee notes meet some bold Pinot grapes alongside a light, almost blackberry tartness. Big espresso and a luscious body add a richness that resembles the original batch a touch more than recent years. The barrel is also very pronounced, with huge vinous layers and some cutting tannins that dry everything perfectly. Always amazing. #issekinicho #issekinichopinot #ddc #dieduciel #barrelaged #pinotnoir #beerism

This coming Saturday is @brasseriedieuduciel 2019 Bottle release and 11th anniversary party! As usual there is an amazing list of barrel-aged bottles to take home and a slew of deliciousness on tap. I was fortunate enough to get some bottles ahead of time so I could tell you all about them! Check out the post at www.beerism.ca (link in bio) #dieuduciel #beerism #exomures #barrelaged