Montmorillon IPA
Bieres de Montmorillon

Styled on UnTappd as an English IPA, I went with that. But my bottle's label says 8% ABV and that bends the style into the imperial range. Since the website says only 6%, that indicates they amped it up and have the skills to make a very good ale. The amping is probably achieved mostly by the Armagnac barrels used which impart huge flavors that I am unfamiliar . This is one of those finds that Americans only get by traveling. Bought interestingly enough at The Oak Barrel, which I consider to be Sydney's premier bottle shop.

Also surprising, this imperial IPA's ABV never gets in your face; well-concealed. And driven by its sophisticated yeast, it offers up a bounteous head on an amber bod... but the compromise is that it is quite murky. Smells are mostly fruits, but has hops in the back of my nose. While initially fruity, the Tastes are balanced as the hops linger longer. Medium-mouthed to full... and soft.

For my micro-review of Montmorillon, they are rural and one-third of the way from Nantes to Lyon. It is reassuring to know that brewing this good can exist in the heart of wine country. They have an impressive range of ales for only being less than ten years old (although they claim legacy rights to a mid-19th Century brewery with the same name.) Montmorillon has about 10 brews and I will not hesitate to buy another from Oak Barrel soon. Sometime after that, I hope they add an English translation button to their website.