Le Cheval Blanc IPA

Brewed by Le Cheval Blanc
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Montreal, Canada

Serve in Shaker, Tulip

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UPDATED: JAN 11, 2008 In short: Intensely bitter IPA with foresty hops and light caramelized maltiness.
How: Tap at brewpub many times. This rating for the December 2007 batch.
The look: Slightly cloudy orange-copper body topped by a medium off-white head.
In long: Here’s a very hoppy beer. I’ve had it many times at the pub and lately to me it seems rather variable. With the current hops shortage I suspect the brewer is playing with the recipe depending of the hops available. This latest version is very foresty/pine-tree and lacks the resinous and fruity notes of the previous batch. The one thing that remains constant is the omnipresent yeast and low profile caramelized malts. Very bitter and tasty with balanced clearly towards the hops bitterness. The finish is rather coarse with a little sand paper touch. Cheval Blanc has been improving a lot on the intensely-hopped department. With this one, their India Rouge and Imperial India they now have a line-up that can please any USA beer-lovers visiting Montreal. Soon this pub that currently has room to fit 100 people will feel over-crowded with only 80 people, because you know, Americans…

Pours slightly hazy golden blonde with a lasting white head. Nose is dominated by earthy notes and some resinous and fruity hops, a little funkiness. Medium to full body, nice bitterness, pretty low carbonation, finishes on some citrus and a strong malty backbone. Still, finishes pretty bitter. Apart from something I found a little stange in the nose, it’s a pretty good session IPA.

On draft at the brewpub after Glouglouburps rooftop tasting. Poured a slightly hazy amber with a thin off white head. Aroma of citrusy hops, mostly grapefruit and caramel malt. Creamy mouthfeel, medium body and a bitter finish. Loads of fresh hops coming through on the flavor and a nice bit of carame to balance it out. Very nice indeed and I did enjoy a few of these of the course of a couple nights.

A very cloudy, dark amber, rather murky pour covered by a generous white head that lasts fully as a foam. They certainly did not mess around with this one. it is straightforwardly hoppy and wth american hops at that. Fully resiny, grapefruity. Straight on citrus outburst, yet supported by more supple malts than you would expect from them. Their yeast ensures a more than average attenuation for an IPA. Highly bitter and floral, mostly dry palate with a rather rough bitterness. Good stuff.

On tap at Le Cheval Blanc. Pours a hazy coppery amber with a thin long lasting off white head with nice retention and nice lace. Aroma is tons of pine needles, sap, resin and chinook hops- citrusy, orange peel and some grapefruit. Decent malt backbone- thick caramel malts, more pine resin, tacky feel with a harsh chinook bitter finish. Not over the top hoppy, but it was pretty good overall, and it was a nice change from most montreal brewpub ales which generally didnt contain much hops- esp pnw hops.

The color is dark orange with a small short lasting head. The taste and aroma is kind of light floral with also the nice smell of hops. It does have the fell of pines. IIt is a good exemple of an I.P.A..

Draught at the brewpub. Pours a cloudy dark orange-copper with a small diminishing white head. Nice floral hops aroma. Flavour of floral and piney hops with some malt to back it up, quite simple really but very pleasant and tasty. Medium bodied. Good stuff, a session IPA if there ever was one.

On tap at the brewpub. Brown, medium white head - looks good, deep and hazy. Some hops and malt in mild aroma. Medium mouthfeel. Big hop taste - very piny. Enough body to back it up. Right on style, nice and bitter. Very enjoyable a solid IPA

Troisième de quatre verres de dégustations. Petit goût d’houblon et de caramel, très amère. Passable.

Verre de 5 oz à la brasserie. Arôme: Odeur de fleurs et d’agrumes. Apparence: La couleur est cuivrée légèrement voilée. Présence d’un moyen col mousseux et d’une large dentelle sur le verre. Saveur: Goût d’houblons et de caramel. La durée de l’arrière goût est moyenne. Palette: Le corps est moyen avec une texture mince. L’effervescence en bouche est moyenne. Présence d’amertume en arrière goût. (Rating #376)