L’Étoile Du Brasseur Vin D’orge
Microbrasserie Pit Caribou

 

Bottle: Poured a clear light brown color ale with a medium size foamy head with OK retention and some light lacing notes. Aroma of light smoky notes with some toffee and residual sugar is nice but not as powerful as I would have expected. Taste is a good balance mix between some lightly smoked malt with light toffee and caramelized malt notes with average residual sugar level. Body is maybe a little bit too thin for the style with good carbonation and no real apparent alcohol. I was expecting a bigger beer but this is still a very enjoyable and well balance barleywine.

Appearance: The color is a nice golden orange with head that dissipates fairly quickly and leaves substantial lacing.

Smell: At first, hoppy bitterness followed by melon-y funk and spices (cloves? nutmeg?) and something reminiscent of smoky hickory wood.

Taste: The hop character is much mellower then anticipated by the smell, but sticks to your palate for a long duration. Malty sweetness comes to balance the hops and round out the flavor with hints of fruitiness, dark berries and banana.

Mouthfeel: it has a low carbonation and leaves a film-like texture in your mouth.

Drinkability: Perfect for the cold of winter, siting by a warm fireplace. Drinkable indeed!