Dominus Vobiscum Hibernus
Microbrasserie Charlevoix

Dominus Vobiscum HibernusDominus Vobiscum Hibernus
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From:
Microbrasserie Charlevoix
 
Quebec, Canada
Style:
Belgian Dark Strong Ale
ABV:
10%
Score:
91
Avg:
4.09 | pDev: 8.56%
Reviews:
64
Ratings:
125
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jan 08, 2018
Added:
Dec 30, 2007
Wants:
  15
Gots:
  22
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Whatup14:
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Rated by Whatup14 from Canada (QC)

4/5  rDev -2.2%

Apr 17, 2013
More User Ratings:
Photo of thehyperduck
Reviewed by thehyperduck from Canada (ON)

4.24/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
750 mL bottle purchased at the LCBO some time in 2015; dated July 10 2013, so this is about six months shy of being a five year-old beer. I don't usually review aged beers, but the label says it should be fine within 5 years of bottling (and who am I to argue?). The LCBO sticker lists it at 9.5%. Served slightly chilled.

Pours a dark, somewhat murky brownish-maroon colour with garnet red highlights; seated atop is a creamy, frothy crown of pale beige-coloured head roughly one finger thick. Excellent retention; even after ten minutes have passed, this thick layer of foam has barely given up any ground at all. A gorgeous pour, with a fine coat of webbed lace deposited as I sip my way into the glass. Quite sweet and fruity on the nose; I'm getting cherry, red grape, candi syrup and red licorice candy, as well as overripe banana, dates, prunes and caramelized malts. The spices seem to have largely faded out of the aroma; all I'm getting are faint hints of clove and nutmeg. The ethanol, on the other hand, is quite noticeable, giving the nose a sort of rum-soaked vibe.

A delicious brew; rich and complex, with the alcohol integrating flawlessly with flavours of dark fruit and malts. Molasses, caramelized malt and candi syrup sweetness are near-constant presences from start to finish, with fruity hints of banana, prune, cherry, fig, red grape and raisin interspersed therein. There are still hints of clove and earthy nutmeg, but the spices are more of an afterthought at this point - likely a shadow of their former selves, though that's obviously not the beer's fault. It culminates in a boozy-sweet aftertaste with hints of anise, spiced rum and prune. Full-bodied, with delicately mild carbonation that gently agitates that palate; feels silky-smooth, soft and creamy - a satisfying pleasure to sip. I do feel like this beer has mellowed out admirably, though there's still that nagging feeling that it's a year or two past its peak.

Final Grade: 4.24, an A-. Dominus Vobiscum Hibernus is a beautiful beast of a beer that will bring warmth to your chest during the most bitter of Canadian cold snaps. The five year stretch that I went with is probably overdoing it, but it's still largely free from the harms of oxidation - this one is safe to keep in the cellar for the mid-to-long term. That being said, if I have the chance to try this one again, I'll do so when it's younger, just to see the difference.

On the back of the bottle, this beer is described as "an elixir that will comfort you from the wintry season's frigid grasp". I had been looking for an excuse to get this bottle out of my cellar for a while now, and I'd have to argue that two weeks of -20°C weather is the best opportunity I'll ever get at this latitude. It did the job.
Jan 08, 2018
 
Rated: 3.75 by SmithyAlan from Canada (QC)

Sep 26, 2016
 
Rated: 4.5 by DannyBaldoni from Canada (QC)

May 26, 2016
 
Rated: 3.93 by bylerteck from Canada (ON)

May 13, 2016
 
Rated: 4.9 by Marc_Andre from Canada (QC)

Apr 01, 2016
 
Rated: 4.37 by mademers from Canada (QC)

Mar 03, 2016
 
Rated: 4.13 by 4ster from Canada (ON)

Jan 14, 2016
 
Rated: 3.98 by DanGeo from Michigan

Jan 07, 2016
 
Rated: 3.77 by BakaGaijin from Canada (ON)

Jan 01, 2016
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Reviewed by Bunman3 from Canada (AB)

4.21/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Oh me, oh my. This is a special beer - complex, rich, and difficult for me to describe. Like a good wine, it has a variety of characteristics that appear, depending on the termperature and time out of the bottle. Do yourself a favour and try this for a special occasion. If you like this style of beer, you won't be disappointed.
Dec 18, 2015
 
Rated: 4.16 by Tmappin from Canada (NS)

Oct 13, 2015
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Reviewed by DaveBar from Canada (ON)

3.93/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Purchased at the LCBO for around the $10.00 mark for a 750ml bottle. Served at 4deg C in a tulip

A- Opens well and pours a 2" high light brown head that lasts forever. Very dark almost brown color.

S- Fig and molasses

T- Sweet. Very sweet. Fig and molasses abound!

M- Lots of sugar

O- Good but sweet. Too sweet for my liking. Almost a quad style brew. Nice but not great

Food Pairing

This pretty good brew went well with..... Liver, bacon and onions

Enjoy
May 20, 2015
 
Rated: 3.77 by CurtisD from Canada (NB)

Apr 29, 2015
 
Rated: 4.21 by Ivanhoes_Backpack from Canada (NB)

Feb 22, 2015
Photo of 86sportster883
Reviewed by 86sportster883 from Maryland

4.5/5  rDev +10%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
I received a bottle of Hibernus from a colleague, and friend, that traveled to Quebec often. I laid it down for over a year waiting for a chance to share it with him. After he got hooked on a low carb diet I decided to pop this open on a cold February night in MD. I knew nothing about the beer prior to opening, but found it to be the perfect beer to, "comfort me from the wintery season."

Smell: When at the lower end of the recommended temp this beer has distinctively flowery, belgian yeast notes (but subtle) with a rich malt base that brings to mind a bowl of ripened mixed fruits (some dried appricot). As it warms, the richness become more and more pronounced, but not overdone.

Glass: I used a big ole brandy snifter and was glad I did. This beer deserved to be served in one of the better glasses I own.

Look: After a rigorous pour my glass wore a moderate-sized tan head and an enticing caramel brown bottom with red highlights. The head faded relatively quickly, leaving just thin cover resembling a pock-marked lunar landscape.

Mouthfeel: Evervescence adds a silky lightness to slickness underneath.

Taste: The big ripened fruit boldness that your other senses derive from this beer is somehow delicately balanced in the taste by carbonation and abv - but you'll have to use your sixth sense to peg this as a 10 percenter. I can't quite place the source of the beer's bittering counter balance prior to a quick drying out, leaving a hint of caramel that is eventually overcome by a lingering memory, of a granny smith apple.

Overall Impression: Outstanding. I have to deliberately pace myself as I find that I'm continuously drawn back to another sip. I lift the snifter, admire its seasonably fashionable contents, then give the glass a brief swearl to reset the landscape and release a fresh blast of an ever-growing likeness to fresh fruitcake. A moderate swig dispells any fear of cloying sweetness, and gets me thinking of traveling back to Canada. I've got to at least make it to Toronto for a festival this summer. Hmmm.

Food: I paired this with my some homemade chicken soup with a moderate dash of Cayene pepper to heat it up a little. The soup provided the additional liquid I needed to consume while I slowly sipped this beauty down. The added pepper seemed to stand up well, but not overpower, the beer. Also thought this might pair well with some venison jerky.
Feb 08, 2015
 
Rated: 4.17 by lgmol from Canada (NS)

Feb 01, 2015
 
Rated: 3.92 by BrunoPettipas from Canada (QC)

Jan 31, 2015
 
Rated: 3.98 by Beervana from Canada (BC)

Dec 27, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by groleau from Canada (QC)

Nov 30, 2014
Dominus Vobiscum Hibernus from Microbrasserie Charlevoix
Beer rating: 91 out of 100 with 125 ratings