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, $7.99 Canadian Dollars; had been sitting in my fridge for three months! Pours dark brown with a beautiful tan head. Aroma has wood, bourbon, figs, esters and some dark chocolate; very complex and attractive. Flavor is rich and malty, with a smooth palate that perfectly displays the rich flavor of this brew. Nutty initial palate, complemented by dark fruit, oak, and earthiness. Finish shows nuts, brown sugar, and light floral hopping. Flavors are extremely well-balanced, and quite luxurious. This is definitely the best-tasting scotch ale I’ve ever had.

Bouteille brune, 341ml, embouteillée 15 mois auparavant. Arômes complexes, mais très équilibrés de caramel, sucre d’orge, mélasse et fruits (fraises cuites). Liquide bourgogne présentant un moyen col de mousse crémeuse qui disparaît lentement. En bouche, je remarque rapidement des petites notes de tabac. C’est principalement sucré , mais pas trop pour le style. Je remarque des saveurs de mélasse/chocolat et du fruité (fraises cuites comme dans tarte aux fraises). On goûte peu l’alcool (9%), mais celui-ci est quand même réconfortant. Il y a également une légère amertume de levure en arrière-goût. Le corps est moyen et il y a peu d’effervescence. Bière idéale lors d’une soirée froide d’hiver. Se boit très facilement ! Très bien fait, mais très dispendieuse (8$ la bouteille !)

Bottle at Madsberg tasting 2008. Pours red-brown with a nice, staying, creamy, beige film head. Aroma is malty, rye bread, lightly vinious. Fine mouthfeel. Flavour is very malty, rye, doughy, light chocolate and a great, dry finish. Very pleasant.

Hazy mahogany with a medium beige head. .got rosasted malt in the nose along with chocolate and caramel. Flavour was sweet with plenty of port and toasted malt. Finished sweet.

Bottle. Cloudy red brown coloured with a medium sized beige head. Sweet aroma of caramel and dried fruits with notes of whisky. Sweet flavour of caramel, fruits and dried fruits with notes of whisky. Sweet and warming alcoholic finish.

50 cL bottle. Pours hazy dark brown with a creamy, tan and dense head. Dry and mild spiced to vague butterscotch aroma. Sweet malty, light roasted and subdued oxidised and mild fruity flavoured. Light breadish and sweet caramel malty. Lasting sweet and caramel malty finish. Nice one.

Bonne scotch ale, brune avec reflets rougeatres, notes de caramel et de sel. Bonne mais pas exceptionnelle, over-rater et ben trop chere. Good scotch ale, brown color with reddish-like highlights, taste of caramel and salt. Good but definetely not exceptionnal, totally over-rated and way to priced.

Rerate: 3-18-09.
Pours reddish brown, medium khaki head. Aroma - peanut butter, malt, rubber, perhaps caramel, and the most curious whiff of strawberry jam finds its way in as well. Well carbonated, full body. Wow, this unexpected strawberry jam impression comes through very strong in the flavor amid the more traditional caramelly malt flavors. I didn’t pick this out the first time trying this beer, but this is incredibly unique, and quite a delight. Builds on a base of earthy underbrushy bitterness, almost hoppy. Aftertaste of pumpernickel or rye or some such. This bottle is performing significantly better than the previous one. Overall, well made, enjoyable, gives me a new look on the style. I personally enjoy Founders Backwoods Bastard more, though that’s quite a different take.
8 4 8 4 16, 4.0

Orig. rating: 12-11-08.
Pours clear nut brown, light head. Bottled Nov 2007. Nutty aroma. Flavor - peanut butter?? warming, bitter. slightly oily. Good.
7 3 7 3 15, 3.5