For those that don’t know me, I like beer. I mean, I genuinely like beer. I am not one of those people who tries to see how many Crud Lites they can down at once. I like what I drink, and I like to know what I’m drinking. Today’s post also show my eclectic tastes and how wandering and meandering this journal will be.
Beer: Maudite
Brewer: Unibroue, Chambly, Québec, Canada
Type: Belgian style Strong Dark Ale
Alcohol Content: 8% min.
Cost: $7/Bottle
Bottle size: 750ml (~25.4 fl. oz.)
Rating: Favourites
La Maudite (The Damned) is a moderately strong Belgian style ale that, like most Belgians, is finished méthode champenoise. Finishing a beer this way, by putting a little yeast in the bottom of the bottle, allows the beer to continue fermentation after bottling. Just like any sparking wine finished the same way, a beer finished this way may be racked back for years to allow for slightly different characteristics, like more alcohol. La Maudite is very smooth and malty. If there are hopps in it, it is just enough to enhance the beer, and not enough to make it bitter. The aroma is pleasant and reminiscent of slightly sweet whole grain bread with a bit of yeastiness. When poured, it has a slightly cloudy brown appearance that almost matches an American beer bottle, but a little lighter. The head is small and quick to dissolve, but tighter than, say, Budweiser’s. Despite the speed of the head’s dissolution, the beer continues to effervesce. It tastes of malt and a slightly nutty sweetness. While this beer is no Chimay Blue Label, it is definitely worth keeping an eye out for. LaBodegaWine has some good information and suggestions here: http://www.labodegawine.com/r/products/unibroue-maudite?id=nsession.
A couple of important rules for buying Belgian or German beers that are finished with yeast in the bottom:
- Open them like you would a champagne/sparkling wine bottle:twist the cork slowly so you don’t spray brew.
- Don’t be afraid to drink the dregs.The dregs are nutrient rich and may be drunk on occasion.They’re not the best tasting part, but you may not care by the time you get to the bottom of the bottle.
- Grolsh-style bottles (the ones with the flip cap) may be re-used if sterilized.Note that beer will NOT keep indefinitely once opened.Just like a bottle of soda, it will go flat even with an air-tight seal.
Now, back to calculus.
Cheers,
Red Wolf
P.S. I found this graphic on Wikipedia’s page on the Torus. Enjoy. 
