La Vache Folle - ESB
Microbrasserie Charlevoix

La Vache Folle - ESBLa Vache Folle - ESB
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From:
Microbrasserie Charlevoix
 
Quebec, Canada
Style:
Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)
Ranked #25
ABV:
6%
Score:
87
Ranked #17,266
Avg:
3.86 | pDev: 9.84%
Reviews:
67
Ratings:
116
Status:
Active
Rated:
Mar 11, 2023
Added:
Apr 27, 2004
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  16
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by hoser:
Photo of hoser
Reviewed by hoser from Canada (AB)

4.03/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A full bodied extra special bitter that makes Fuller's ESB weak at the knees and that is saying something. To steal a line from Todd and Jason Alstrom's Imperial Milk Stout review the beer is nothing to get mad about. It actuality the name translates to Crazy Cow and is a tongue in cheek poke at something else. All in all love this nutty version of an ESB.
Feb 17, 2012
More User Ratings:
Photo of LanceBiggums
Reviewed by LanceBiggums from Canada (AB)

3.42/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Strange beer from a French Quebecois microbrewery making an English style ESB? I went in skeptical. This entry says 6% but my can says 5.5%. Pours an interesting bright orange amber, quite hazy, with a two finger off-white head that lingers. Can't get very much at all on the nose. Very muted generic malt and hops, too faint to characterise. On the palate, toasty biscuit malt, none of that cheap cereal grain malt that you often get with New World beers, so they nailed that English aspect. The hops bitterness is appropriate, not overbearing, just right in fact, but the flavour profile is maybe a couple degrees off. Can't find any info on whether these are New World hops, but I do suspect it. Either way, the taste is pretty good, not bang on for the style, but not egregiously far off. When it comes to these traditional styles I do think the traditional ingredients and methods are what makes the style, but this particular beer is not an insult to ESBs. The carbonation is also a bit pricklier than good English ales tend to be. Overall it's a half decent attempt at the ESB style, and a drinkable beer in its own right.
Mar 11, 2023
 
Rated: 3.35 by Maxpower086 from Canada (QC)

Oct 30, 2019
 
Rated: 3.75 by Jotora from Canada (ON)

Oct 17, 2019
 
Rated: 4.1 by BKotch from Texas

Aug 17, 2019
Photo of Storm_Rryder
Rated by Storm_Rryder from Iowa

3.75/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Good, not very Amber, refreshing.
Aug 14, 2019
 
Rated: 3.43 by Samact from Vermont

Nov 19, 2018
 
Rated: 4.03 by Curt3 from Ohio

Oct 13, 2018
 
Rated: 3.82 by ShoeIn-BrewWin from England

Jan 26, 2018
Photo of eberesford
Reviewed by eberesford from Canada (ON)

3.94/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours crystaline bright orange amber with a rhinnish but persistant head and minimal lacing. Light aromas of bread and dried fruit. Flavour bready, caramel dried fruit. Lovely defined but not overpowering bitterness in the body.
Sep 14, 2017
 
Rated: 3.5 by rugene from Canada (QC)

Sep 08, 2017
 
Rated: 3.79 by yancot from Canada (ON)

Jul 28, 2017
 
Rated: 4.25 by twillingthenoz from New York

Jul 20, 2017
Photo of Eamonn-Cummings3
Reviewed by Eamonn-Cummings3 from New York

4.1/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from a 500ml bottle into a high sided snifter glass.

Look is a lovely dark slightly hazy amber with a thin but full white head.

Aroma is of dry biscuit malt maybe a little molasses in there too.

Taste is rich and malty. I haven't had a true to style ESB in awhile but this certainly nails the British pub nostalgia of drinking.
Jul 10, 2017
Photo of Max8787
Rated by Max8787 from Canada (QC)

4.57/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Haven't found a better ESB yet. This beer is a must.
Mar 05, 2017
Photo of josanguapo
Reviewed by josanguapo from Spain

4.73/5  rDev +22.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
From lacasadelacerveza. In Ikea's pint glass. After dinner. More refreshing than usual in the style, maybe thanks to a slight and pleasant sourness. Left me wanting more.
Jul 18, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by GoHabsGo from Canada (ON)

May 23, 2016
 
Rated: 4.21 by mademers from Canada (QC)

Mar 03, 2016
 
Rated: 3.56 by Mlkluther from Canada (AB)

Jan 21, 2016
Photo of CanadianBacon
Reviewed by CanadianBacon from Canada (QC)

3.79/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
This is my first time trying the style so my rating is not in comparison to other esb's Its just what I think about this beer.

Appearance - this beer pours a deep gold with brown hues, 3 fingers off white head that last awhile and lacing remains for even longer.

Aroma - Floral hops, buscuity malts, slight citrus and caramel.

Taste - totally follows the smell from hops to malts to citrus and caramel.

Mouth feel - Light-medium body etremely balanced slightly more bitter throughout, prickly carbonation sweet finish.

Overall - I very much enjoyed this beer, I hope to try more ESB's down the road.
Oct 19, 2015
La Vache Folle - ESB from Microbrasserie Charlevoix
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 116 ratings