The other day I was cozied up to the bar at a French bistrot by Columbia University. It was a cold New York February afternoon and if you used a little imagination, you might have believed you were in Montreal. I ordered the Moules Frites and instead of checking out their wines by the glass I looked at their beer menu. Given my Canadian faux realite it seemed like the right thing to do! They had a lot of cool Belgian beers and craft beers. I couldn’t resist – I was overwhelmed by the list – but they had good descriptions (I imagine) of each the beers – so I ordered the Fin du Monde because it promised to be floral and aromatic.
Appropriately, it was poured in its designated glass and that description was no lie – it was floral without being perfumy and it was quite aromatic. It was citrusy, spicy, caramelly and fragrant. With the salty fries and the shallot /garlic butter-broth goodness; it was a perfect pairing! The Fin du Monde (a trappist style Golden Ale) was refreshing and yet substantial. I totally left with a buzz – it made it that much easier to brave the subway!
This is a Canadian beer from a microbrewery called Unibroue. They are pretty serious about their craft beers and they triple ferment this beer in the bottle according to ye olde tradition. They don't completely filter everything out of the beer. That's why savvy servers take their time in gingerly pouring these trappist style ales. The lees (dead yeast cells) are at the bottom of the bottle. However, this adds to the flavor profile, you get your vitamin B, and it adds to the logevity of the beer. The company states that the beers can last up to 9 years. Whoah! Oh and it's 9% alcohol (similar to a sweet German Riesling or a Vinho Verde) that's more boozy than the average beer bear!
If you see these in the craft beer section of your store - give it a shot. Craft beers are gaining more and more shelf space in the liquor stores and supermarkets. It's easy to see why.
Color Blond like me
Palate Smooth, slightly tart with the balanced flavors of wild spices, malt and hops
Aroma: Caramelized orange, cardamom, brioche
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