La Vache Folle Double IPA - Simcoe
Microbrasserie Charlevoix

 

A - Copperish colour with a cloudy body. Two fingers of white head that left no lace and one finger of retention.

S - Boozy pineapple and honey.

T - Grapefruit, more boozy pineapple.

M - Full body, minimal carbonation. Decent bite of bitterness with some booze.

O/D - Not all that impressive. Boozy and lacks a smack of hop flavour. Decent, but definitely not the best.

 

 

 

 

Might I just say before reviewing this that the bottle is epic...

Appearance - Pours a cloudy amber with 2 fingers off white head. aside from the head not much carbonation visible.

Smell - pine, wood, grainy malts, caramel.

Taste - The taste starts earthy and pine resin flavored followd by some grainy malts and some caramel finish is long and bitter.

Mouth feel -Medium body, Creamy with prickly Carbonation.

Overall - This is a really good ipa, If you can get your hand son it you should definitely try it out :)

La Vache Folle looks as heavy as a cow - its amber colour, despite the cheerful glow, being of a fairly deep tone and the natural haziness lending even more apparent weightiness. That bulky head must tack on a few ounces, at least before it's thinned out from being spread all across the pint glass.

Simcoe hops possess all my favourite qualities: pine, citrus, perfume. It's a classic American varietal and is found in many of my highest-rated IPAs. And yet it also seems to be the most variable; if you ask me it's capable of being undesirably pungent. I'm certainly not a fan of what it's done with this aroma...

Cooked greens, wood bark, passionfruit and cat pee. I care for 1 of those 4. Sure, there's some citrus rind and tree resins in there but it's almost nauseating looking for them; alcohol hovers on the surface. The underlying malt bill is also sweeter than I care for it to be, lending dried apricot and cherry notes.

As the beer warms I warm up to it - beers better at room rather than fridge temp are better beers in general. The very barleywine-esque, borderline under-attenuated malt bill grows on me, especially as hops continue to keep things in-check; the tropical fruits of one contrast the dried fruits of the other.

Just as I've never been disappointed by Charlevoix's abbaye-style offerings, I've never been impressed with their hoppy beers. If you ask me this brewer is better suited to life in a monastery than he is life on a golden state beach. In fairness, Quebec isn't that tropical of a place, so what do you expect?!

The Simcoe comes through strongly in this beer, unsurprisingly. Lots of pine, with some citrus underneath. The malt is also strong, lots of caramel providing a robust body for the hops to interact with. Moderately bitter. Mouthfeel is rather sticky and quite full. Pretty good DIPA, better than most in Quebec for sure.

 

Bottled Aug. 6, 2015.

Dark, rust colored body, average retention. Flavor is very resiny and strong on grapefruit. Has a creamy feel to it yet doesn't lack robustness.

Service: Bottle
Bottled on: Aug-6-2015


A:
Pours a caramel color with a little haze and a thick two fingers of off-white head that settles to a solid film. Pretty good retention; some swoops of lacing. (4)

S:
Sweet, herbal, piney. Citrus rind, woody, sap, potpourri, dirty diapers. (4)

T:
Rich, layered, resinous bitterness. Herbs, pine, bitter orange, dusty and dry, caramel. (4)

M:
Medium-plus body with medium carbonation and a lingering bitterness in the back of your mouth very drinkable, well-hidden booze. (4)

O:
This is a good single hop IIPA.
I am not necessarily the biggest Simcoe fan, but they are well-displayed here being both pine-like and slightly fruity with some woody alcohol in the finish. The beer itself has some good support in the form of a thick caramel malt backbone. Pretty drinkable, fetching in the glass, nice velvety feel.
Would have it again; worth a shot if you see it fresh—same goes for all of Charlevoix's other single hop IIPAs. (4)

Pale-amber in color with lots of carbonation and a 1-inche bubbly head. Smell of lemon-orange-banana, not bad. Also fruity in the mouth. You couldn't tell it's 9%, it's so easy to drink! It's not too bitter also, really well-rounded, an excellent beer!

 

 

Bottled 05/07/2013. Poured into a large wine glass.

Fairly clear with a bit of haze, dark rich amber, nice bubbles and really impressive, bright white head with decent lacing. Not a really strong aroma, but what does come through is some sweet malts, earthy with some piney/grassy bitterness. Taste wise you get a lot of the same, really heavy upfront sweetness, caramel malts, followed by a really earthy, pine resin woodsy bitterness.... also a bit of light citrus.... medium body, light-med. carbonation, and not a whole lot of stickiness.

Overall another good beer by Charlevoix... I'm not always crazy about the single hop varieties as they of course aren't as complex, but when done right it is refreshing to really pinpoint what a certain hop variety tastes/smells like.... and I would say this is one of those beers done right.... the hop profile really comes through but is also supported by a really heavy, sweet backbone that makes this an enjoyable beer to drink and as far as Quebec IPA's go, one to try if you get the chance.

A-slightly hazy amber color with a nice large white head and good lacing

S-citrus, orange, light malt, pine

T-bready malt, pine, grapefruit, orange, hint of floral, moderately bitter finish

F-medium body with moderate carbonation, crisp and relatively smooth

O-a solid IPA, not my favorite hop varietal, but overall nice flavor and balance

 

An excellent DIPA, although the 9%ABV is scarily well hidden. Brewed in May 2013 and picked up the bottle in Montreal last week-end, so still fresh.

Pours a beautifully clear light amber colour, with an impressive white head that lingers before lacing. Surprisingly little oiliness, with a crisp and clean mouthfeel. The aroma is somewhat muted, but has a nice variety of caramelized malts and a real tropical fruit hoppiness. The Simcoe is more prevalent in the taste, which has a real sweetness before the bitter finish takes hold. Pineapple and mango plus some pink grapefruit etc. etc.; much fruitier than I expected - and right up my alley.

Would highly recommend!

A big thanks to papat444 for providing us with this.

A: Pours a beautiful clear gold with about 3 fingers of big pillow white head. The foamy head slowly settles leaving an amazing amount of lacing along the sides of the glass. Sheets of active carbonation can be seen racing up from the bottom of the glass.

S: Subtle scents of fresh cut pine together with pineapple and green apples. Finish is smooth and creamy.

T: Hops are present from start to finish along with candied orange peel, caramel and bread/biscuit in the finish. Notable floral flavour of orange flower water which wasn't picked up in the scent. Bitter notes linger on the tongue.

M: Medium bodied with active level of carbonation which leaves a creamy yet clean finish.

O: This is a very attractive beer in the glass with wicked amounts of lacing and retention. The floralness of the orange flower water and the carmel malts balance very well. Alcohol is more noticeable then in other DIPAs but isn't distracting or overpowering.