Death Valley
Brasseurs R.J.
Beer Geek Stats:
| Print Shelf Talker
- Style:
- Belgian IPA
Ranked #190 - ABV:
- 8%
- Score:
- 85
Ranked #26,788 - Avg:
- 3.79 | pDev: 11.87%
- Reviews:
- 20
- Ratings:
- From:
- Brasseurs R.J.
- Quebec, Canada
- Avail:
- Year-round
- Wants
- 1
- Gots
- 14
SCORE
85
Very Good
85
Very Good
Notes:
Reviews: 20
| Ratings: 74
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Reviews by jrenihan:
3.56/5 rDev -6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottle dated BB 090714
Beer is golden/amber in colour, with an enormous white head. Excellent retention- head just never goes away. Lots of lacing.
Smell is quite hoppy, with grass, light fruits and pine resin all present. Caramel malt and yeast are there as well. The scents all sort of mush up together, a bit messy.
Taste has lots of light fruits and notable hop bitterness. Pine resin and grassy flavours. Hops provide a bit of a spicy flavour. Yeast and some caramel malt. Booze is more noticeable than I would expect for an 8% brew. Not bad, but booze is too prominent and yeast flavours could be nicer.
Medium bodied, moderate carbonation. Oily. Feels a bit limp.
Overall, not bad but not a beer I would seek out again.
741 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottle dated BB 090714
Beer is golden/amber in colour, with an enormous white head. Excellent retention- head just never goes away. Lots of lacing.
Smell is quite hoppy, with grass, light fruits and pine resin all present. Caramel malt and yeast are there as well. The scents all sort of mush up together, a bit messy.
Taste has lots of light fruits and notable hop bitterness. Pine resin and grassy flavours. Hops provide a bit of a spicy flavour. Yeast and some caramel malt. Booze is more noticeable than I would expect for an 8% brew. Not bad, but booze is too prominent and yeast flavours could be nicer.
Medium bodied, moderate carbonation. Oily. Feels a bit limp.
Overall, not bad but not a beer I would seek out again.
741 characters
More User Reviews:
3.75/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Bottle: Poured a hazy bright hay color ale with a large foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma consists of floral hops with nice rustic malt profile. Taste is a great mix between some floral hops with some rustic malt notes and light lingering sweetness notes. Body is quite full with great carbonation and no apparent alcohol. Solid mix between a Belgian ale and a IIPA though a touch more of hops would have provided further enjoyment.
452 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Bottle: Poured a hazy bright hay color ale with a large foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma consists of floral hops with nice rustic malt profile. Taste is a great mix between some floral hops with some rustic malt notes and light lingering sweetness notes. Body is quite full with great carbonation and no apparent alcohol. Solid mix between a Belgian ale and a IIPA though a touch more of hops would have provided further enjoyment.
452 characters
3.75/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Death Valley is too daunting a name for such a pleasant looking ale - surely this glowing, clear-ish liquid is nothing to fear!? Appropriate for its name, however, the beer's colour is indeed reminiscent of the scorched earth and sun-baked sand of the dessert. And its head is, ahem, a "low point of elevation".
For a beer that exclaims "hop lovers rejoice!" the aroma has a lot of biscuity malt - and an underwhelming amount of hops. They call this a "triple hop" beer, presumably because it uses three varietals (Bravo, Saaz and Amarillo) and not because it has three times more hoppiness. It doesn't.
Certainly not in the bouquet; the taste delivers a little more. Orange blossoms and lemon/lime bar mix play more prominently on the palate, though we're still in the shallow end as for as depth of hop flavour. Given the varietals listed it's a surprise there's not more grassy florals or tropical fruit notes.
Or perhaps not given the presence of malt and yeast. For a Belgian style beer with an American twist this has an awful lot of British character: dough, bread, and biscuits from the grain as well as marmalade- and apricot jelly-like esters from the yeast. It's alright, but not exactly what I was expecting.
That pretty much sums it up: Death Valley has a pleasing profile - one with both candied citrus rinds as well as sweetish, doughy malt - but it's not necessarily what I'd reach for when hankering for a Belgian IPA (or any kind of IPA for that matter). As is typical for an R.J. offering, this is pretty mediocre beer.
1,547 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Death Valley is too daunting a name for such a pleasant looking ale - surely this glowing, clear-ish liquid is nothing to fear!? Appropriate for its name, however, the beer's colour is indeed reminiscent of the scorched earth and sun-baked sand of the dessert. And its head is, ahem, a "low point of elevation".
For a beer that exclaims "hop lovers rejoice!" the aroma has a lot of biscuity malt - and an underwhelming amount of hops. They call this a "triple hop" beer, presumably because it uses three varietals (Bravo, Saaz and Amarillo) and not because it has three times more hoppiness. It doesn't.
Certainly not in the bouquet; the taste delivers a little more. Orange blossoms and lemon/lime bar mix play more prominently on the palate, though we're still in the shallow end as for as depth of hop flavour. Given the varietals listed it's a surprise there's not more grassy florals or tropical fruit notes.
Or perhaps not given the presence of malt and yeast. For a Belgian style beer with an American twist this has an awful lot of British character: dough, bread, and biscuits from the grain as well as marmalade- and apricot jelly-like esters from the yeast. It's alright, but not exactly what I was expecting.
That pretty much sums it up: Death Valley has a pleasing profile - one with both candied citrus rinds as well as sweetish, doughy malt - but it's not necessarily what I'd reach for when hankering for a Belgian IPA (or any kind of IPA for that matter). As is typical for an R.J. offering, this is pretty mediocre beer.
1,547 characters
3.78/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
750 mL corked and caged bottle from the LCBO; best before Mar 30 2017 and served slightly chilled (as suggested). Great price point on this one - it's rare to find a bomber for less than six dollars these days, let alone a full-sized 750 mL bottle.
Pours a hazy golden-amber colour, generating nearly a full inch of creamy, white froth at the surface. This one's head lacks the retention that the style is legendary for - it thins out over the next handful of minutes until only a wide, creamy collar is left, seguing seamlessly into the uninterrupted curtain of delicate lace that has been left pasted to the glass above it. Yeast is the most abundant force in the aroma, which includes notes of bubblegum, doughy malt, sugary sweetness, and some floral, spicy hops. It does smell vaguely funky, in a stinky-feet sort of way, and that is in no way a compliment. I did serve this a bit cold, but the nose does not open up significantly as the glass warms.
This tastes like a reasonably well-made example of the style, but there are a few facets to the flavour profile that bug me. Firstly, it is quite sweet - caramelized sugar and some grainy, doughy malt flavours come through initially, with the former providing a persistent, saccharine background throughout the profile. Notes of apricot, red apple, candied citrus and banana also show up, but things take a decidedly bitter turn toward the finish. Its exact nature is hard to pin down - a bit pithy, rather spicy, and somewhat floral - continuing on briefly into the aftertaste, where it is soon displaced by a noticeable (for 8%) boozy warmth. Medium in body, perhaps approaching the fuller side of that category, with zippy carbonation levels that provide a crisp bite and a frothy, smooth mouthfeel. A pretty good summer sipper.
Final Grade: 3.78, a worthy B+. Death Valley makes for quite the enjoyable quaff - though not one nearly as impressive or memorable as you'll get from the kingpins of this style. I do like this beer, but relatively speaking, there's nothing especially remarkable about it - that is, other than the price point, which is low enough to allow this bottle to remain very good value, whether you think it's a 'world-class Belgian IPA' or not. There's no reason whatsoever not to give this one a shot - and as for myself, I'll probably be buying at least one more bottle for short-term cellaring.
2,382 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
750 mL corked and caged bottle from the LCBO; best before Mar 30 2017 and served slightly chilled (as suggested). Great price point on this one - it's rare to find a bomber for less than six dollars these days, let alone a full-sized 750 mL bottle.
Pours a hazy golden-amber colour, generating nearly a full inch of creamy, white froth at the surface. This one's head lacks the retention that the style is legendary for - it thins out over the next handful of minutes until only a wide, creamy collar is left, seguing seamlessly into the uninterrupted curtain of delicate lace that has been left pasted to the glass above it. Yeast is the most abundant force in the aroma, which includes notes of bubblegum, doughy malt, sugary sweetness, and some floral, spicy hops. It does smell vaguely funky, in a stinky-feet sort of way, and that is in no way a compliment. I did serve this a bit cold, but the nose does not open up significantly as the glass warms.
This tastes like a reasonably well-made example of the style, but there are a few facets to the flavour profile that bug me. Firstly, it is quite sweet - caramelized sugar and some grainy, doughy malt flavours come through initially, with the former providing a persistent, saccharine background throughout the profile. Notes of apricot, red apple, candied citrus and banana also show up, but things take a decidedly bitter turn toward the finish. Its exact nature is hard to pin down - a bit pithy, rather spicy, and somewhat floral - continuing on briefly into the aftertaste, where it is soon displaced by a noticeable (for 8%) boozy warmth. Medium in body, perhaps approaching the fuller side of that category, with zippy carbonation levels that provide a crisp bite and a frothy, smooth mouthfeel. A pretty good summer sipper.
Final Grade: 3.78, a worthy B+. Death Valley makes for quite the enjoyable quaff - though not one nearly as impressive or memorable as you'll get from the kingpins of this style. I do like this beer, but relatively speaking, there's nothing especially remarkable about it - that is, other than the price point, which is low enough to allow this bottle to remain very good value, whether you think it's a 'world-class Belgian IPA' or not. There's no reason whatsoever not to give this one a shot - and as for myself, I'll probably be buying at least one more bottle for short-term cellaring.
2,382 characters
3.89/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
The color is dark yellow, some orange color in there. The head is nice looking. Cloudy looking head, white. Very sticky. I would say that there is some copper color in there too.
The smell is belgian yeast with fruity hops. The yeast smells like their Hefeweizen. On the taste, its very fruity with a very dry finish. Bitter with some spiciness too. Very tasty for RJ. I love it. It drink quite easily. I dig this one. Its not the perfect beer, but its well done at a very affordable price. The distribution is heavy too... so its easy to find it.
If you want to try a belgian IPA, go for it. Its one of the good ones.
Cheers!
629 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
The color is dark yellow, some orange color in there. The head is nice looking. Cloudy looking head, white. Very sticky. I would say that there is some copper color in there too.
The smell is belgian yeast with fruity hops. The yeast smells like their Hefeweizen. On the taste, its very fruity with a very dry finish. Bitter with some spiciness too. Very tasty for RJ. I love it. It drink quite easily. I dig this one. Its not the perfect beer, but its well done at a very affordable price. The distribution is heavy too... so its easy to find it.
If you want to try a belgian IPA, go for it. Its one of the good ones.
Cheers!
629 characters
3.76/5 rDev -0.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
750ml bottle poured into a goblet. ABV 8%.
A - Poured a hazy gold with a 1cm white bubbly head. Head reduces to an everlasting thin cap. Not much lacing.
S - Bread, candy, spices, citrus, grass.
T - Sweet, some citrus, hint of banana, spices, bitter finish, hint of booze.
M - Medium-heavy carbonation, medium-heavy body, some stickiness, some heat, crisp finish.
O - Pretty good beer. Basically a Belgian Pale Ale with a good dose of hops. Reminded me somewhat of Christoffel Bier too.
492 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
750ml bottle poured into a goblet. ABV 8%.
A - Poured a hazy gold with a 1cm white bubbly head. Head reduces to an everlasting thin cap. Not much lacing.
S - Bread, candy, spices, citrus, grass.
T - Sweet, some citrus, hint of banana, spices, bitter finish, hint of booze.
M - Medium-heavy carbonation, medium-heavy body, some stickiness, some heat, crisp finish.
O - Pretty good beer. Basically a Belgian Pale Ale with a good dose of hops. Reminded me somewhat of Christoffel Bier too.
492 characters
3.77/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
750mL bottle picked up at Broue Ha Ha in Gatineau. Definitely picked this one up because of the artwork here.
Poured into a goblet. Nice pale amber - golden colour, bit of haze, some noticeable chunks of sediment that suspend throughout the glass. Something I've noticed in a few other RJ brews. Nice billowing head of foam, great retention.
Nose is quite hoppy with strong notes of resin and citrus, a bit of something noble. Checked the bottle and it lists Saaz, Bravo and Amarillo, so pretty close! A bit of spice, bubblegum and Belgian yeast. Classic Belgian IPA.
Similar tasting notes as in the nose. Nice hop character throughout, to counter the somewhat potent sweetness and yeast. Good citrus and resin. Only drawback is saw was a strong alcohol taste - quite noticeable.
Thicker bodied, mild carbonation, slight creaminess.
Not a bad Belgian IPA, maybe some aging might help the booziness. Good pick up.
922 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
750mL bottle picked up at Broue Ha Ha in Gatineau. Definitely picked this one up because of the artwork here.
Poured into a goblet. Nice pale amber - golden colour, bit of haze, some noticeable chunks of sediment that suspend throughout the glass. Something I've noticed in a few other RJ brews. Nice billowing head of foam, great retention.
Nose is quite hoppy with strong notes of resin and citrus, a bit of something noble. Checked the bottle and it lists Saaz, Bravo and Amarillo, so pretty close! A bit of spice, bubblegum and Belgian yeast. Classic Belgian IPA.
Similar tasting notes as in the nose. Nice hop character throughout, to counter the somewhat potent sweetness and yeast. Good citrus and resin. Only drawback is saw was a strong alcohol taste - quite noticeable.
Thicker bodied, mild carbonation, slight creaminess.
Not a bad Belgian IPA, maybe some aging might help the booziness. Good pick up.
922 characters
3.83/5 rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.66/5 rDev -3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.58/5 rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
750ml Bottle from Marche Omni QC for 5.39$+tax
Appearance - Hazy dark gold colour with a large size fizzy white head. There is an average amount of carbonation showing and there is some decent lacing. The head lasted for 3-4 minutes before it was gone.
Smell - Malts, yeast, apples, clove
Taste & Mouth - There is a high amount of carbonation and I can taste malts, apples, and yeast. There is also some dry hoppy notes and a touch of bubblegum/banana. It ends with a fairly dry bitter aftertaste.
Overall - Pretty good.. essentially what I expected from this brewer. An above average beer, but not something I'd rush out and stock up on. There is a little bit of a aspirin/astringent flavour that kind of ruins it. Worth a shot if you see it on the shelves.
762 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
750ml Bottle from Marche Omni QC for 5.39$+tax
Appearance - Hazy dark gold colour with a large size fizzy white head. There is an average amount of carbonation showing and there is some decent lacing. The head lasted for 3-4 minutes before it was gone.
Smell - Malts, yeast, apples, clove
Taste & Mouth - There is a high amount of carbonation and I can taste malts, apples, and yeast. There is also some dry hoppy notes and a touch of bubblegum/banana. It ends with a fairly dry bitter aftertaste.
Overall - Pretty good.. essentially what I expected from this brewer. An above average beer, but not something I'd rush out and stock up on. There is a little bit of a aspirin/astringent flavour that kind of ruins it. Worth a shot if you see it on the shelves.
762 characters
3.46/5 rDev -8.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Death Valley from Brasseurs R.J.
Beer rating:
85 out of
100 with
74 ratings
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