Charlevoix Dominus Vobiscum Hibernus

Brewed by Microbrasserie Charlevoix / Le Saint Pub
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Baie-St-Paul, Canada

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

750mL 2009 ed thanks to a generous trader on BA. Pours a clear doppelbock amber. Very malty auburn color, good clarity. Carbonation is huge generating a massive, yellowish, almost orangish head. Excellent retention and big soapy swathes of lace. Nose is pina colada, some fresh pineapple, big esters, flowers, mild metallic character, some licorice, fruit cake. Taste is similar to Gouden Carolus: mild chocolate, licorice, dark fruits, but not nearly as sweet or alcoholic feeling. Not too minerally. Decently heavy mouthfeel but not overwhelming. Palate is effervescent, clovey, sugary. Plays a difficult roll in being sweet and dark fruit heavy without being cloying or syrupy. Believe it or not, but this is a little bit reminiscent of Westvleteren 8.

Bottle pours a reddish brown color with a 3 finger beige head that leaves some really nice lacing on the glass. Aroma is dark fruits and hints of yeast and spices. Taste is mild dark fruits with some yeast and spices with a malty sweetness and a mild hoppy bitter finish. This is a pretty fine ale for the style and was greatly appreciated.

750 mL bottle. (2009 - bb dec 31, 2012). Pours like a true Belgian: Dark brown with ruby highlights and a big, fluffy, beige head. The aroma is big and fruity, with dried fruit as well as ripe berries. The flavour is sweet and surprisingly spicy. Not that it’s really spicy; I just didn’t get that hint from the aroma. There is a little dried fruit here as well, but the berries are gone. Nice finish. Solid body.

2009 version. Pours a very dark, viscous brown with a big frothy off white head with small retention. Aroma is a buffet. Caramel, soft spice, candy, malt and a little bread. Taste is again party time for your mouth. Sickly sweet, caramel and candied. Big mouthfeel with soft spices that warm the mouth. Great beer.

Bottle. Pours a deep amber hue with a lively golden head that leaves thick lace. Aroma of sweet toasty caramel and spices. Flavour is toasty caramel, honey, soft spices, light burnt sugar, subtle floral fruit. Incredibly tasty stuff! ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

750ml bottle from 2010 - found at Kensington in Calgary - totally random find but excited to try it again. Dark brown with a nice tan/brown head. Sweet malt, bread and yeast tang with a bit of lactose and tartness, plums, spices, alcohol but without a bite (at least on the nose). Sweet with a hint of prickly alcoholness, full bodied and surprisingly carbonated, lots of spice and quite dry on the finish along with a nice malt backbone. Very interesting beer - would have liked to be able to compare this fresh to this bottle but either way a tasty beer that I was glad to try.

Pour very dark brown with purplish edges beige head. Aroma sweet, candy sugar, spices, plums, dark fruit, chocolate. Taste honey, dark fruit, malt, caramel, candy sugar, spices, fig, yeasty esthers, floral hops. MF medium body with fizzy carb. Good stuff well balanced and unique flavors, not overly sweet well balanced and relatively easy drinking.

Appearance: black with a huge brown head. Aroma: raisin, chocolate, malt & grass. Flavour: raisin, chocolate,malt, Vanilla, with a long dry finish. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone