The English answer to Quelque Chose. An excellent pale ale basis with excellent, cutting, refreshing bitterness. If a fair sweetness is initially felt, it fades out in favour of the hops and spices. Where a clash would have been very easy, the marriage between the fruit and the base beer is deft. At this gravity level, wishing to offer a refreshing ale, I can’t imagine it being done better. The cranberries are aromatic, fleshy if not juicy and full-flavoured. Strong clove background which easily dominates the finish. Lasting spicy finish. On draught at Saint Arnould. I would not part with 15$ for a bottle, but on tap at the brewery, the pint was worth its 6$. Crisp bodied, fresh hoppiness, fresh fruits. Clean all throughout. Do not age. Without freshness, this will be really dull and flattened.

<i>My Bottom Line:</i><br /> Juicy cranberries and earthy yeast swirl around nutmeg-like Christmas spices in this quenching and balanced Belgian-style Ale.<br /> <br /> <i>Further Personal Perceptions:</i><br /> -A sheet of foam protects the cloudy dark amber.<br /> -Carbonation is aptly soft and the body vigorous.<br /> -The fruitiness is nearly citrusy.<br /> -The yeasty finish benefits from a leafy hop touch as well.<br /> -The spiciness is levelled and in line with the rest of the beer.<br /> -This is perhaps not as successful as DDC’s Rosée d’Hibiscus or RJ’s Snoreau, but it’s definitely in the same family.<br /> <br /> <b>Bottle. Thx Dany!</b>

Bottle: Poured a deep amber/reddish color ale with a nice foamy head with good retention but no lacing. Aroma of dry caramel malt with light spruce notes and some even more subtle notes of cranberry. Taste is also dominated by those dry caramel notes which are more or less appreciated with some notes of spruce and cranberry but those were too subtle IMO. Medium body with good carbonation. Not bad but I am not the biggest fan of the malt bill and would have like too see more spices and cranberry in there. I don’t rate on price and that is probably a good thing considering the price tag of this.

&#40;Dégusté avec french tickler&#41; Biere brune avec un mince collet collant. Odeur de pain d’épices, sucre , alcohol, fruits. Gout de pain d’épices, alcohol, fruité.

Bouteille 750ml. De couleur orange foncée et semi-voilée. Nez de levures fruitées &#40;canneberges, moyen d’agrumes, traces de pommes&#41;, d’épices &#40;coriandre, notes de cannelle et de clou de girofle&#41;, malté de caramel, léger de houblon herbeux et avec des notes boisées rappelant les conifères. Moyen-mince en bouche avec un pétillement moyen-fort et une texture légèrement crémeuse aux notes aqueuses. Goût de levures fruitées légèrement aigre &#40;canneberges, moyen d’agrumes, traces de pommes&#41; accompagné d’un goût épicé &#40;présent en arrière-goût toute la gorgée - coriandre, moyen de cannelle, léger de pain d’épices, notes de clou de girofle, traces de gingembre&#41; lors de l’entrée en bouche auquel se rajoute un moyen goût malté de caramel aux notes terreuses avec des notes de grains de céréales puis en finale l’on retrouve une légère amertume asséchante de houblon herbeux &#40;herbes fraîches et fumides&#41; ainsi qu’un léger goût boisé &#40;conifère&#41; et un court regain de goût d’épices &#40;notes de pain d’épices&#41;. Post-goût moyen et un peu sec, légèrement amer de houblon herbeux et très légèrement aigre de levures fruitées &#40;moût de canneberges, notes de zest d’agrumes&#41;.