Charlevoix Vache Folle ESB

Brewed by Microbrasserie Charlevoix / Le Saint Pub
Style: Premium Bitter/ESB
Baie-St-Paul, Canada

Serve in English pint

send corrections   |   shelftag   |   edit barcodes   |   add pic

Thanks to Lubiere...Orange, tan head, floaties. fruity aroma with hints of cascades. Flavor is a nice balance of crystal malts, cascade flavor hops, and gentle bitterness. This is an ok US ESB.

Hoppy aroma with some bitter orange. Large pillowy white head on on copper coloured body with a slight haze. Fruity esters initially (pear, orange, grape) with lots of hop flavour and a lasting sweetness in the finish with a good bitterness. Decent carbonation with medium body and a pleasant creamy mouthfeel. It's definitely not a traditional ESB - more of a belgian bitter perhaps, but definitely very enjoyable. Bottle.

Hazy amber beer with huge floaties. Once you get past the floaties, a wonderful aroma comes out, with a fruit salad containing kiwi, green grapes and citrus, with very floral hops. Wonderful hops dance in your mouth with that fruity feeling. Rather complex considering the stimuli I experienced. The citrus caracter become more and more present as the beer wamed up.

UPDATED: MAR 14, 2011 Murky amber appearance with quite a few sediments, but not nearly as many as others it seems. Smallish light honey head. It displays a rather original nose for a bitter, almost belgian yeasty flavors (oranges, pears) accompanying the butterscotch malt profile and the subdued hops (citrus, lemon). Palate is fruity, lightly tart and proposing a dry and bitter finish. Not a traditional bitter that’s for sure and possibly my favorite of the very few I’ve had, but this still doesn’t come close to rocking my boat, for the same refreshing and quaffable qualities, I’d much rather have victory’s prima pils from a few hours ago. I loved the coating round mouthfeel though. Nevertheless, this beer has given me the feeling that Charlevoix’s domain remains belgian styles (although I’m longing for their doppelbock) and that’s for the best from my egoistical point of view!
Second batch which was delivered in Montreal’s neighborhood around late september 2004 impressed me more. Very quaffable with less expressive yeast character. Less citric and just more defined malt profile. I really dug this one. 7/4/8/4/15 = 3.8 ////

I had not had this beer in a couple of years. Now in 2004, I’m still comfortable with my previous score, finding the pie crust maltiness fun, the appearance flawless and the citrusy hops lending a bit too far on the soapy side of things to be captivating. It remains a pleasurable drink with a fun yeast character, but perhaps a bit agressive with its tight small bubbles.

Very cloudy caramel body with plenty of yeast. Thin but quite dense head. Its spicy (ginger) and fruity (citrus) aroma could have more punch, but the taste (same thing as the aroma) is wonderful and strong. The alcohol is well hidden and the final is balanced. Interesting...

UPDATED: JUN 7, 2009 Nearly endless head over light chocolate amidst an opulent body of subdued caramel malt...Sweet orange pulp coulis over distinct earthy hop bitterness...From the eye, as if Fantôme brewed a bitter, from the tongue, a highly competent, raw, unfiltered go-getter...

UPDATED: APR 11, 2004 Dense body due to bottled-conditionned process??? Nice orange-amber color. Very citrus like flavor (grapefruit actually). Low carbonation and good bitterness. Small presence of malt. Alcohol makes a warm feeling but does not cut the bitterness. A good example of ESB.