Piste Noire
Brasserie Des Cimes

 

 

 

 

Piste Noire, Bière ambrée ABV 5.9% from Aix-Les-Bains in the French region of Savoie. Poured a 33cl bottle into a Smithwick's pint glass in low altitude, Galway Ireland.

Appearance: Two and a half fingers head. Very foamy with a bit of cream, retention is unimpressive without being bad. Traces of yeast floating around which blur the appearance. Colour is a nice rich copper, very pleasant for the eyes.

Sm: Fruity notes or maybe flowers, definitely refreshing and more than pleasant for the nose. I believe that I detect malt, but again my sense of smell being terrible I cannot swear it.

T: Very smooth taste, maybe a little too light. The alcohol doesn't come through at all. Malt comes through very nicely, and I even detect some very light notes of caramel. The whole body is very well-balanced. I even wonder if I'm not a bit biased because it comes from France. However I really have to admit apart from its a bit too light of a taste for me I don't see anything esle to put on the cons list. Finish is very good smooth and it fits perfectly for this wintery season.

Mf: Smooth, balanced, very pleasant.

O: I didn't have high expectations. I actually picked the bottle mainly because of the label and my craving for une bière ambrée (amber beer by the way, not Belgian Pale Ale, just sayin'...) Anyway. Far from being disappointed I'm going so far as to recommend that beer as we say in French « elle gagne à être connue », in other words it deserve to get some good publicity.

A dark copper beer with a small head.

Smell is sweet and malty with a fruity yeast profile.

Taste is sweet and malty with bready and light caramel notes. The yeast adds fruity taste, that tastes a little like bubblegum. mouthfeel is sweet and a little sticky. Drinkability is good.

Beer bottle (33cl.), tasted in 2003.

Appearance : amber color, with tan foam head (not persistent).
Smell : caramel and hops aromas.
Taste and mouthfeel : flat consistancy, little bodied despite a pleasant malty notes.
Drinkability : an average beer in the style Belgian pale ale.

On tap in Valloire. Deep amber with a tan ,foamy head that drops quickly to a film.
Smells very malty and fruity...apples, pears.
Tastes similiar to smell....slightly sweet and bitter...citrusy malt...sour apple and caramel.
Carbonation medium ,as was the body.
A decent ale , but drinking alongside their Baton de Feu...no contest....the Baton was much better.

Had this one at Pub l'escale in Reims, never heard of it or the brewery before.

Appearance: Golden honey amber, with a ring of froth on top and a few flakes on the bottom.

Smell: Spent grain, caramel malt and blackstrap molasses, with a subdued herbal hop finish.

Taste: Medium carbonation, the caramel malt comes through at first, then a noticeable alcohol spike and finishes out with that medicinal hop finale. Not awe-inspiring, but a decent brew.

Fine dense velvety head, lasting on an orange amber color body. The smell is yeasty, fruity notes of strawberries and peaches (maybe) and aromas of a freshly baked cake. The taste is swet and syrupy; notes of almost burnt caramel and liquorice. Grapes, grape juice. Some not that pleasing green beans flavors too. Mouthfeel is thick, almost gluey, maybe a bit too harsh with the burnt character. Maybe interesting to pair with some type of meat.

Looked identical to the Yeti (same colour, same head retention), also a the same yeast character as the Yeti, and a similiar, if weaker flavour and texture. Yeasty nose and flavour. With slightly spicy malts, dry finish, light texture, reminded me of De Koninck,but perhaps a bit more yeasty and with a touch less body.