La Choulette Blonde

Brewed by Brasserie La Choulette
Style: Bière de Garde
Hordain, France

This is light in flavor, aroma, palate, and appearance. The aroma does have hints of fruit and the lightest trace of barnyard weirdness but there is not enough of either even though what is there isn’t bad. Light fruit and malt in the flavor. Light on the palate as well. Fairly well carbonated, with a corked that shot off the bottle and lots of bubbles and help in forming the thick white head.

Ordinary golden color with a beauty full white head; Ordinary malty nose a little metallic, later a wet dog and a cardboard box steps out of my glass; Medium full and medium sweet body with a little acidity; Malty medium sweet flowery finish with some alcohol. (I had this beer at another occasion 3 years back where it was a lot better).

Bottle. Creamy white good mostly lasting head. Dark yellow colour. Week but nice aroma. A little burned note. Very bitter falvor, average finish.

LCBO Spring release. BB May 2006. Hazy golden ale with no head. Rather chalky cardboard box aroma of oxidation, butfreshly sliced pears also noted. In mouth, a sweet honey malt, with light coriander, clovers herbal qualities, and warming alcohol. Medium bodied. The aroma took a beating but in mouth, still enjoyable.

Strong, mildly acidic but sweet tropical fruit aroma. Not bad but lacked any substance beyond the fruit. Flavor was mostly the same fruit, with no spicing, malt, or hops to be found. Not bad but fairly bland. Palate was perfect for the style, having decent carbonation but not too much attack and medium-full bodied.

Bottle from Beers of Europe. Gold with white head. This had an aroma similar to some of the better Saisons - a fruity (gooseberry and peach?) sweet pastry thing that I’ve also noted in some Unibroue beers. Little bit of alcohol in there too (I don’t get whisky, maybe brandy?). Slight industrial note to the taste which doesn’t live up to the aroma. Dryish finish. Not bad.

Pour is a cloudy yellow with a small white head. Aroma is malty and musty. Flavor is malty, yeasty and very musty. Taste like the moss covered barn it was made in. Very earthy and floral. A very pleasing brew that will open your eyes to farmhouse ales. Well recommended.

Bottle. Pours a bubbly clear golden-orange with an average size diminishing white head and a surprising amount of sediment. Perfumy aroma of malt, yeast and citrus. Flavour is malty with light hops and is a bit sour. Body’s a bit thin. The sediment and sourness lead me to wonder if it’s past it’s prime but the bottle is only a few months old so it’s not likely. Mediocre at best.