On my knees...

Ok, enough of the negativity. I started this thing as a celebration of good beer, not a suggestion box.

I'm not a religious man, but last night, a new arrival at the lcbo had me on my knees: Charlevoix's Dominus Vobiscum Lupulus. It's from Quebec. It's more than 10$ for 750ml (the size of a wine bottle), and it is absolutely fantastic. I'm particularly happy about this beer because it rivals anything I've had from the great beer countries, even Belgium. In fact (and I realize I've said this before), I proclaim it the best beer I've had in my life. Or, should I say, my favourite beer-I'm no judge of "best," but I am a pretty good judge of "favourite."

The style is a Belgian IPA. SO, if you like the bright spiciness of Belgian-style Tripels, like Delerium Tremens or Fin du Monde, and the mouth puckering hop-blasts of IPAs, then this is your style. It sure is mine. This feels like the kind of style designed for me, and my taste buds. My first exerience with the style was a Belgian beer called Houblon Chouffe. It was good. Lupulus is fantastic.

A note: supply may be limited at the lcbo, and the bottle is a non-descript green, so it may be hard to find (both in the sense that it's not there, and that it's there but you can't see it.)

The Lupulus is part of the lcbo's spring beer releases. Other standouts from the release for me: Schloss Eggenberg Dunkel Doppelbock (a dark, boozy, spicy german style lager) and Panil (an Italian flanders red ale, which almost tastes more like a sour red wine than a beer. worth a taste for sure, though it's expensive. They don't call the style "The Burgundy of Belgium for nothing.")

But the Lupulus is the real star here for me. Here were my tasting notes from yesterday, after I was able to put my glass down and had said a little prayer:

Lupulus:
10%, Charlevoix, Quebec

Beer (poured into a tulip glass) nearly jumped out of the bottle AND the glass. HUGE soapy head. Cloudy pale, like a tripel. beautiful beer. Aroma: JAm, hops, nuts? perfume, flowers. but not in a cloying way.
taste: flowers, bitterness, sweetness, perfume-all in a smooth, tight package. heavenly. peach. nectarine. pepper. a slight bite, but VERY well put together. 10% ABV not noticeable. head lasts forever. This is one of the best beers I've ever tasted. I could drink this forever. Best. beer. ever. Some french canadian in Charlevoix has seamlessly stitched together the tripel and the IPA, and I love him (or her).