Équinoxe Du Printemps
Brasserie Dieu du Ciel!

Équinoxe Du PrintempsÉquinoxe Du Printemps
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From:
Brasserie Dieu du Ciel!
 
Quebec, Canada
Style:
Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy
Ranked #82
ABV:
9.5%
Score:
88
Ranked #15,039
Avg:
3.91 | pDev: 9.97%
Reviews:
278
Ratings:
614
Status:
Active
Rated:
Nov 10, 2022
Added:
May 02, 2003
Wants:
  39
Gots:
  70
Équinoxe du Printemps (French for "spring equinox") is the quintessential marriage of two great traditions: beer brewing in Scotland, and maple syrup production in Quebec. At the first draught, the mouth is overcome by woody, malty flavours, sustained by a discrete touch of sweetness. The aftertaste brings about the flavours of maple, which are sufficiently present to be appreciated, but never overwhelming the typical flavours of a Scotch Ale.

Equinoxe du printemps is brewed only once a year in January. It is aged for two months in order to attain a perfect balance in taste. Then, it is sold starting March 21st, until stocks last.

The Equinoxe du printemps was born in our Montreal brewpub in February 1999.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of MAB
Reviewed by MAB from Canada (AB)

4.19/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Custom Advent Calendar- Day 6

A winner, all around. Nice colour-- a bit darker than I expected. The label mentions maple; I didn't detect any but it sure didn't hurt if it is in there. Lots of malt and caramel notes. The higher alcohol enhances and beckons. Full body, and just about a perfect beer for any cool night.
Nov 10, 2022
 
Rated: 3.75 by TMoney2591 from Illinois

Feb 25, 2022
Photo of Hat_Fulla_Beer
Reviewed by Hat_Fulla_Beer from Canada (AB)

4.09/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Watching Dr. Zhivago again and this seems to be the beer for the job. 341ml bottle poured into tulip.

Pours a murky brick brown with half a finger of khaki head that leaves some splotches of lace as it recedes.

Smells of sugared raisins, pancakes with maple syrup, stewed dark fruit, caramel squares and some spicy oak.

Tastes of more raisin pancakes with maple syrup, stewed figs and plums, caramel squares and oatmeal cookies, black licorice and more oaky vanilla.

Feels big and boisterous. Full bodied with frothy carbonation. Finishes sweet and sticky with lingering licorice.

Verdict: Highly recommended. A serious beer with a lot of pleasant complexity.
Jul 17, 2021
Photo of ZenAgnostic
Reviewed by ZenAgnostic from Texas

4.53/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
11.5oz bottle poured into Duvel tulip. Picked it up from the liquor store for around $5-6 bucks I think. Bottled on: 2016-01-08 printed in white box on bottom left of back label. So it's been aged 4 years 9.5 months. The bottle does say it has aging potential.

Appearance - Pours small light brown head with irregular consistency ranging from a tight thing and velvety to clusters of large bubbles. Half a pour gave a hazy mahogany body but putting in another quarter of the bottle made it nearly opaque, even with a backlight only faint light mahogany shining around the edges of the tulip, in addition to some large and small chunks of yeast sediment floating immobile in suspension. The head is fairly disappointing for the style. But perhaps that's due to the aging? I suppose it's fine or an aged beer. 4

Smell - Dark fruit. Tobacco. Somewhat vinegar and soysauce.

Taste - Powerful. Tobacco. Chocolate. Some faint vinegar in the aftertaste. But actually pretty. After a few sips there is a bit of a bitterness that builds up in the aftertaste. Smoother and less harsh than other scotches I've had. 4.75

Mouthfeel - A little bold up front but is actually pretty smooth on the whole with more balance that I was expecting from that first hit up front. Actually probably a little smoother and less astringent than other examples of the style I've had. The aging may have increased drinkability? 4.75

Overall - Smoother and more drinkable than other Scotch Ales. And actually priced fairly comparably too given that it's an aged beer. 4.75
Oct 27, 2020
 
Rated: 3.9 by Ssitron from Michigan

Jun 01, 2020
 
Rated: 4.49 by Abstractspirit from Rhode Island

May 07, 2020
Photo of jkblr
Reviewed by jkblr from Indiana

4.09/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
11.5oz twist off bottle labeled 2016-01-08 (4 years old) poured into a Duvel glass at just above fridge temp 9.1% ABV. The beer pours mostly bright light browb with some yeast sediment on a vigorous pour. The head is light khaki in color and recedes to fat ring leaving a few spots of lacing. The aroma is sweet malt, brown sugar, dark dried fruits and slight maple. The taste is rich burnt sugar caramel, raisin, plum, cherry and earthy maple. Slight bitterness. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with just less than medium carbonation and a mostly dry finish. Overall, excellent. This is very, very tasty and was just purchased at room temperature a month ago. Bottle conditioning must have kept the oxidation at bay.
Feb 21, 2020
 
Rated: 4.48 by TeachChefs from Pennsylvania

Jan 21, 2020
Photo of philbe311
Reviewed by philbe311 from Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
I've wanted to try this one for a while... A lopsided head and collar of a light khaki color... Color is a muddy brown... Significant floaties within... An unusually appealing mix of cherries and muskiness... Peat... Maple syrup... Very light chocolate notes... A touch of bitterness.. On the fuller side of medium bodied... Limited carbonation... A touch of chalkiness on the finish... A very easy drinking 9.1% ABV... Overall, a bit more than the sum of its parts...
Oct 26, 2019
Photo of Beersnake
Reviewed by Beersnake from California

4.24/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured from just under fridge temp. Pours very dark brown with little head. Nose is maple, toffee, licorice, tobacco, coffee grinds, charred malts, and earth. Taste nicely follows the nose. Toffee and licorice blend together, and the maple adds such a nice element. This is really good stuff. Roasted malts, grass, leather, and wood. Mouthfeel is robust and somewhat creamy. Overall, another winner!
Oct 05, 2019
 
Rated: 3.93 by BeerForMuscle from New Jersey

Aug 04, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by Griffith from Connecticut

Jul 12, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by Phoodcritic from Michigan

May 15, 2019
 
Rated: 3.75 by Hayley_86 from Netherlands

Apr 04, 2019
Photo of 57md
Reviewed by 57md from Pennsylvania

3.82/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Pours a brown color with copper and honey edges and a thin layer of head. The nose has faint bready notes. This offering has a solid malt backbone with touches of sweetness that likely come from the maple syrup. The finish is a touch dry with a trace of smoke.
Mar 11, 2019
 
Rated: 3.93 by Poljazz22 from Canada (QC)

Mar 10, 2019
Photo of DrDemento456
Reviewed by DrDemento456 from Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Compared to Péché Mortel this beer is quite lackluster. Sweetness is rather absent and has mostly peat and wart flavors with mild smoke. Maple process a rather dry experience. Would not get again. Bottle a touch old has some floaties.
Feb 12, 2019
Photo of TooManyGlasses
Reviewed by TooManyGlasses from Canada (AB)

4.07/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
2 year old bottle - pours a murky reddish brown with 1 finger tawny head. Aroma sweet caramel malt, maple, vanilla, dark fruits, molasses.
Taste starts strongly sweet bready malt, maple, a bit of date, raisin, toffee but with the initial sweetness there is a surprisingly bitter oaky finish.
Carbonation is muted but appropriate with a moderately thick full mouthfeel. Bittersweet oaky maple sensation lingers.

Sept 11/2020 A bit more age - tastes have smoothed out with less bitterness which does well for it! Very good.
Jan 31, 2019
 
Rated: 3.27 by Userme59 from Massachusetts

Jan 19, 2019
 
Rated: 4.1 by Thorfinn960 from Ohio

Dec 06, 2018
Équinoxe Du Printemps from Brasserie Dieu du Ciel!
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 614 ratings