Rousse
Les Trois Mousquetaires

 

This a great Vienna red lager. The smell is sweet with doppel Bock similarities, just very light. It's taste smooth with salty caramel flavors and a hint of hops. This is a great summer and winter beer in my perspective that had hints of several gendres of beers. One of the most complex lagers around in my perspective.

341ml bottle - this one has a decidedly old-school feel to it.

This beer pours a clear, bright medium bronzed amber colour, with one finger of puffy, loosely foamy, and bubbly tan head, which leaves a bit of low-lying coral reef lace around the glass as it quickly blows off.

It smells of grainy and biscuity caramel malt, a bit of oily nuttiness, subtle dark orchard fruity notes, and some plain earthy, musty, and floral noble hop bitters. The taste is gritty and grainy caramel malt, a touch of biscuity toffee, some apple and pear fruitiness, more generic bar-top nuts, a damp minerality, and some understated leafy, herbal, and floral hoppiness.

The carbonation is adequate in its palate-supporting frothiness, the body a so-so middleweight, and mostly smooth, with just a touch of hop acridity not minding its own manners here. It finishes off-dry, but not by much, as the biscuity character of the malt steers it in that direction.

Overall - well, what we have here is certainly a well-rendered version of the style, nothing complicated, just a nice malty and gently hopped brew. It may look like Rickards Red (including the twist-off cap, I think, looking at the neck), but after that, there's no contest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

341ml bottle poured into a pint glass

Appearance - after pouring, the beer is a red/amber colour with a large size fizzy beige head. The had dissipated very quickly. I can see an average amount of carbonation, and there doesn't seem to be any lacing at all.

Smell - Probably not a good thing, but the first thing notice is vinegar like scent. Checked the freshness date, and we're still good.. Also some toasted malts and hops.

Taste & Mouth - The beer has a lot of carbonation on tongue. Thankfully it tastes better than it smells. I can taste the toasted malts and a caramel sweetness, followed by the bitterness of the hops. Also some notes of pine and a peppery spice mix.

Drink - Once again I am disappointed in the Les Trois Mousquetaires.

Picked up a 12oz bottle in Montreal.

Wonderful copper pour with a finger of off-white head that exhibited good retention and left some streaks of lace on the glass. Malt-forward nose has bread, nut and caramel, but there's also some steely and grassy hops underneath to provide balance.

Pretty neat flavour is a touch hoppier than I expected from the nose, which is usually fine, but in this case I would have preferred it a little more subdued as the malt backing is excellent and the hops really don't deserve to have an equal billing. A burst of caramel, bread, chocolate, earth and mineral combines with a light woodiness to create an impressive flavour. The hops bring a herbal and lightly grassy character with a surprising bite. Medium mouthfeel and carbonation.

As a lager I doubt it will ever get the plaudits that an ale would, but this is nicely made, interesting and highly drinkable. Its not up to the level of their signature series, but neither is it far off. Great stuff, and well worth trying, especially if your a fan of malty lagers.

Bottle:

put a copper-red lager in the flute with a 1 finger frothy tan cap. Light carbonation. Good lacing.

Aroma subdued but you get spices, sweet bread and some herbs. Mouthfeel is slick with a medium body.

Flavor is defined by a sweet caramel toffee maltiness and some dried fruit and nut tones from yeast byproducts... then that is equally balanced off with a lush herbal-pine hop mixture. Finish gets slightly bitter with a great bready sweet aftertaste.

I think what the brewer was after here was a genuine traditional Vienna style and he got half way there with the choice of malts and yeast but the hops are too prevalent to make this a true Vienna...and that is too bad because I like this beer for its great malt profile however with the higher hop bittering it comes off more like a light Munich dark than a Vienna. A Vienna should be sweeter in the finish with the hops more attenuated...still a good drink by any standard though.

A - Pours a thin layer of bubbly head, which very quickly dissipates and leaves no lacing. Nice clear copper brown with a red hue and a little visible carbonation.

S - Rather light scent, bit of hops on the nose. Sweet chocolate malts also present.

T - Almost a smoked / woody flavour to it. Not overly strong flavour, and finishes a little on the bitter side. The chocolate malts are present and a bit of citrus hops are blended as well. Nicely balanced.

M - Very light, not overly carbonated and goes down very smooth.

D - By no means a blow-you-away red lager, but a tasty one worthy of trying. One of the better beers from their mixer pack for sure.

Poured into a lager glass.

A brilliant ruby-copper hue, about a 1/2 of head with great staying power. Lots of flecky lacing.

Nose is malty with notes of hops and caramel.

Starts off with a malty, caramel flavour and finishes earthy and slightly bitter. Very subtle notes of cherry or peach. Bitterness lingers. Took me about five sips to get into it, but now I'm digging this one.

Mouthfeel is slightly watery, with light carbonation.

An enjoyable brew, just about the right complexity. Would make for a great session brew.