Ale Amérindienne Double Blanche
Microbrasserie Le Naufrageur

The colour is a deep sunkiss orange with decent head foam and heavy deposits. the smell is a floral bouquet of herbs and spicy lemon with a subtle breeze of wheat fields and piney forests. the first taste has notes of spicy citrus with a touch of acidity followed by floral lilacs and herby pine and grass. the finish is quick and dry with underlying notes of malt and small lingering taste of spice.

Microbrasserie Le Naufrageur "Le Naufrageur Ale Amérindienne"
on tap @ Bateau de Nuit on 2 Octobre 2014
$8 / pint

Notes: Listed as 7.0% ABV. This is apparently a double witbier that utilizes local grown ingredients grown around the brewery, which is in New Brunswick, or the Gaspésie region of Quebec. It's named "Amérindienne" in tribute of the native Americans who were so knowledgable regarding botanicals. It's a clear golden-amber/copper color beneath a creamy off-white head. Good head retention and lacing. It's citrusy, resinous, piney and grassy in the nose, with a light woody spiciness. The flavor follows with citrus (orange), wood/coriander seed, earth, grass, and mint intertwined in a just slightly caramelish malt base. Medium in body. Crisp. Moderately bitter. Finishes dry and lingering with spicy, piney, tea-like, and licorice notes with a subtle tartness. Definitely interesting.

 

Ale Amérindienne Double Blanche looks to have double everything: twice the golden resplendence, a big, creamy head that's amplified twofold, and an endless supply of bubbles. Not to mention there's copious amounts of sediment, though this is a recurring theme with Le Naufrageur.

There's nothing shy about this aroma; even a deaf nose could note the zestful, peppery coriander spice and tropical, citrusy orange peel added late in the boil. Less obvious at this point are the local maple syrup and wild flowers, not surprising given the amount of fragrance they're up against.

The palate, however, is another story. That exotic spice and tropical fruitiness hasn't gone anywhere but the herbaceous notes are definitely perceivable. An unknown blend of perennial Quebecois species, I can best describe the flower flavour as having tastes of chamomile, daisies and a touch of lilac.

Sweetness is not lost either but don't expect any flavour from the maple syrup; almost all certainly would have fermented out (hence how we arrived at 7.2% alcohol). But that little bit of sugar is enough to balance the surprisingly formidable 70 IBU of the hops and tangy bitterness of the orange peel.

'Terroir' is major proponent in wine making but it's a concept not often enough explored in the beer world; this "biere Gaspésien" makes great use of local varietals of wild flower. What I appreciate most about the recipe is that, while local ingredients are the focal point, it doesn't limit itself to them...

I'm all for supporting local producers, but it shouldn't be at the expense of denying oneself what else the world has to offer. Ale Amérindienne Double Blanche is a brilliant example of using what's impossible to grow locally to highlight what does. It is a model of the 'think global, drink local' mantra.