I like tastings at the end of the evening (almost at night…), when everyone is asleep and I try not to make any noise. I feel like I’m concentrating more on what I’m doing.
With the quality of the last two beers I’ve had from Cheval Blanc, I have to tell you that I’m a little excited to open this bottle. It feels like the good old days, when I brought back my stack of CDs bought during the evening and listened to the album I wanted so much.
I have known Cheval Blanc for a long time, since my early twenties when we visited used record stores on St-Denis and Mont-Royal. We would end up at either L’Amère or Le Cheval. It was so small back in the day *(need reference)… at least, as I remember it… 😊
Without really knowing why, I somewhat neglected this microbrewery, until very recently… When the Cheval de Luxe completely blew me away. I hesitated to give it the highest rating since the beginning of my blog, but I don’t like to paint myself into corners… 😉
Let’s return to the purpose of this article, the Brut IPA tasting. 😊
Without a doubt, the beer is very dry. The citrus fruits are clearly there (especially clementine, along with lemon) and accompanied by semi-tart fruity flavors such as passion fruit, mango, pitaya, lychee and grape. There is very little bitterness but it is as aromatic as possible. The texture is sparkling and slightly watery (very light body). Subtle woody notes blend delicately into the overall profile and give a nice level of complexity.
To this day, it is THE best Brut IPA I have tasted. To me, it’s the perfect interpretation of the style. I’m really not convinced this style will survive the test of time but if you only want to drink one, drink this one.
P.S. I can’t believe there is 8.5% alcohol in this beer.
P.P.S. It’s better cold.