À l’Abri de la Tempête Corne de Brume

Brewed by À l’Abri de la Tempête
Style: Scotch Ale
L’Étang du Nord, Iles-de-la-Madeleine, Canada

Bottle with appreciation to boutip. Pours a dark cherry wood finish with a small tan head. Aromas are a sweet mix of brown sugar, dark fruit and a touch of peat. Flavor is very good and this is my new favorite Scotch Ale. (If only I could get it regularly and inexpensively...) Anyhow, the peat and smoke flavors come through very nicely and play off the sugar and fruit. At the same time, there is a bit of a nut flavor that helps smooth things out. I’m guessing that my attraction to this is the simple fact that the sweetness is held in check so nicely... unlike so many other scotch ales I’ve tried that end up just being a cloying mess.

341mL bottle, bottled November ’07--I still have another from the previous batch as well, which I will rerate soon. Clear copper with a 1 1/2 finger beige head, good retention. Lots of caramel with a good amount of maple. The flavor is much the same with a hint of earth toward the finish. There was also a bit of almond. Some light oxidation and alcohol is present. The finish is semi-dry with just a little bit of roasty malt bitterness. Lightly carbonated with a medium body. Pretty good--wish it had a little peat in it, though I know it isn’t required.

Murky brown with thin quickly disappearing beige head. Strong roasted oak whiskey vanilla nut aroma. Strong dry whiskey woody vanilla tobacco raisin nut malt. Too strong on the whiskey but somehow the other flavours still stand out. Nice aftertaste of woody vanilla tobacco. Never had a Scotch Ale that was dry instead of sweet, must be from woodiness.

Bottle, picked up from La Trappe à Fromage on the Hull side just a short drive out of Ottawa. Aside from my expectations of a scotch ale’s aroma, my nose detects figs and raisins. Love how this coats my mouth, no one flavour overwhelms the next, good balance. Lasting flavour varying from bittersweet chocolate, malt, honey. Finish is dry. I think I really like this one

Acheté à la trappe à fromage de g Hull et dégusté avec Glandine et Agaguk dans un verre de blonde d’achouffe. Apparence brune ambré au reflet rubis avec une fine couche de mousse. Arômes de mélasse, cerise et confiture de fraise et une touche de réglisse noir. Goût de (jack daniel’s) , alcool , caramel, date, hichory et fûmé de bois de chêne. Une bière incroyable remplis de trésor...

341ml Bottle shared with Grand Genies. Clear ruby brown appearance with minimal taned head. Aroma: soya, cherrys, molasses, strawberry jam, licorice, caramel and dryed raisins. Flavor: alcohol (Jack Daniels), caramel, dates, hicorice and smoky pine. Palate: medium body, soft carbonation, silky with alcohol finish.

341ml bottle. From notes, Aroma is dark fruits, cherries. Taste is like aroma. I did not enjoy the previous Scotch Ales i tasted but this is very much to my liking. Awesome balance, perfect until the end. Will add more details to this rating with the other bottle I have. Rating #76

Thanks so much to HogTownHarry. Appearance: Dark brown with a large tan head which is at least two fingers in size. Aroma: Caramel, mint, sugar, toffee, milk, ginger, pine finish. Flavour Malt, pine,hops, whiskey, smoke, alcohol, grass, burnt malt with a long malty finish. Lovely.