Charlevoix Dominus Vobiscum Hibernus

Formerly brewed at Microbrasserie Charlevoix / Le Saint Pub
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Baie-St-Paul, Canada

Bottle from 2007 - Beautiful deep chestnut body, creamy light brown head, some sparkle; Very fruity almost vinous sharp nose, very special with way to much cinnamon when it warms; Huge soft carbonation on huge powerful body, deep with a warm sweetness and a very balanced vinous part; Long warm finish, some cinnamon notes, lots of malt warmth again slightly vinous. Very special beer with lots of personality.

Bottle shared by emacgee. Thanks Ethan. Nose is very spicy and herb--basil, oregano, yeast, sweet malt. Flavor is a little less complex than expected, a big brew but not too much going on other than the spices. Good and weird at the same time.

Magnifique bouteille de 750 ml achetée chez Épicerie Lauzière (Drummondville, QC). Arôme: Odeur d’épices avec une pointe d’origan et de caramel. Apparence: La couleur est brune très foncé. Présence d’un énorme col beige mousseux et d’une large dentelle sur le verre. Saveur: Léger goût de chocolat, de caramel fruité et d’épices. Durée moyenne de l’arrière goût. Palette: Le corps est moyen avec une texture légèrement onctueuse. Moyenne effervescence en bouche. Légère présence de caramel fruité en arrière goût. (Rating #2125)

Bottle shared by Ethan. One of the last of a long night, and it didn’t do much to distinguish itself, unfortunately. Dark hazy brown pour with big off-white head. Spice and herbs, though nothing very distinct. We suspected oregano, which was surprising. Mild fruits and candied sugar. A bit peppery.

Big thanks to Cletus. Pours a deep murky brown with a creamy two finger head. The nsoe is very spicy and herbal, sweet and spicy, oregano, fruity esters, yeasty. Very spicy and herbal on the flavor, sweet spices, candy, nice hop feel, nutmeg and allspice, fruity. Palate is spicy and fruity with a soft carbonation. Very tasty Belgian.

Appearance: Pours a near opaque, dark brown, near black body with a thin, fizzy, off-white head. Smell: Spicy, sweetish scent of caramel-coated bread crumbs and nuts with background notes of dried herbs and fruit. Taste: Toasted caramel maltiness with a mild sweetness. Heavy-handed dose of fresh spices, including cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Slight herbal character. A bit of plum and golden raisin fruitiness. Slight nuttiness. Not too terribly much in the way of either hop flavor or bitterness. Small dollop of milk chocolate. Malty, though drying finish. Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Rather well carbonated, I must say. Drinkability: This is the most enjoyable French Canadian brew I’ve had in quite some time. Displays a nice level of complexity while keeping that ABV% safety at bay.

750 ml bottle, 2007. Gushed a bit of foam but settled quickly in the glass to a thin tan. Dark brown with clear topaz edges. Nose is musty caramel, fig and nectarine. Soft and muted; sticky and kind of flat. Taste is toffee and raisin with an earthy bitterness. Some spice with clove and cinnamon.

Bottle acquired from Phyl21ca many moons ago poured into a snifter. Pours a dark mahogany that shows through as a clear deep copper when held up to light. The head was a massive off-white crown that lingered as a one0inch cap for the duration leaving tons of lacing. The aroma was very surprising and dominated by spices and a yeasty sweetness - definitely some coriander, ginger and a candi apple sweetness. There is bits of dark fruit with figs and some caramel, but the spiciness was the most striking feature. The taste follows the aroma and has the interesting spicy yeast flavor that dominates with figs and red apples playing a part as well. There was lots of caramel malts underpinning everything else but the melding of the spices with the Belgian yeast and fruit sweetness was very good. The mouthfeel is unbelievably creamy with lots of carbonation and completely coats the palate. This is one of the more interesting Belgian strong ales I’ve ever tasted and the spiciness made it very complex and very original. The alcohol was nearly non-existent so drinkability is pretty high given the size of the beer. Worth a try if you can find it.