Unibroue Blanche de Chambly

Sundays are for impromptu beer tastings!

While my friend Bonnie and I were perusing the aisles at BevMo, we stumbled upon Unibroue's Blanche de Chambly and decided that for $6, we simply had to try it. I was familiar with the Unibroue brewery because I had tried and loved their Fin Du Monde (review on that beer to follow in the near future) so I was excited to see what else they had to offer in the way of delicious brews.

Unibroue Blanche de Chambly

The Unibroue brewery is located in Canada and specializes in Belgian strong ales. The Blanche de Chambly is actually an unfiltered "white ale on lees". After the brewing process, the fresh yeast in the bottle leads to a secondary refermentation, and those deposits are referred to as "lees". (information taken from www.wikipedia.com) (And who said drinking wasn't educational?)

Appearance: pale gold in color, unfiltered and cloudy with a moderately thick white head

Aroma: very light hops, floral elements and a tiny hint of orange peel

Taste: lightly carbonated, yeasty start with a floral hop finish, hints of citrus and vanilla

Alcohol: 5.0%

This beer was a tasty Canadian interpretation of a Belgian white ale. It was very affordable at $6 for a 750 mL bottle and was a very light and refreshing brew. I would recommend this to any white ale lover or someone who enjoys Belgian ales, but does not want to be overwhelmed with flavor. I must say that while I appreciate and respect the Unibroue brewery, I definitely prefer La Fin Du Monde over the Blanche de Chambly, and still think Hoegaarden has set the standard for amazing Belgian white ales.

Ommegang Hennepin

My friend and fellow beer connoisseur Nate first introduced me to this delicious saison/farmhouse ale at Father's Office. I had never heard of the saison style but had an open mind and open palette and gave it a shot.

Saison/Farmhouse ales are named after the style in which they are brewed. Saison is the french word for "season"--alluding to the fact that the ale was traditionally brewed in farmhouses in the winter to be enjoyed by farmers during the summer harvest. (Information taken from Michael Jackson's The Beer Hunter - Beer Styles: Saison)

Ommegang Hennepin

This brewery follows the traditional Belgian style of brewing, but actually hails from Cooperstown, New York. Upon reading the bottle, I learned that Ommegang named this particular brew after Father Hennepin, a famous monk from Belgium.

Appearance: Honey colored, cloudy and unfiltered, continues to bubble after the pour creating a thick white foamy head, leaving white lace on the sides of the glass

Aroma: Yeasty and citrus notes, cloves with hints of nutmeg and straw

Taste: delicious and refreshing, malty beginning with nutmeg and coriander subtleties, with strong carbonation and a very sweet and smooth finish

Alcohol: 7.7% (although it doesn't taste as strong as it is)

I love Belgian beers so the Ommegang Hennepin, although American, was a great introduction to the farmhouse/saison style of ales. Much of the information about this beer suggests that it is a seasonal/summer beer, but I think it is delicious year round! I have seen it on draft at a few bars with a fantastic beer selection, averaging about $7 or so for a pint. It is also available in a 1 pint 9 oz bottle for $8. I would suggest this beer for people who enjoy Belgian beers or people who want to get introduced to an amazing and refreshing saison style ale.

Abita Abbey Ale

Greetings! I was at BevMo the other day and decided to try a new beer from Abita--a Louisiana brewery I knew from drinking their popular Purple Haze (review on that to follow in the near future).

I am quite fond of the abbey style beers, so I thought I would give the Abbey Ale a shot.

Abita Abbey Ale

The Abita Abbey Ale is a double ale--meaning it is fermented twice, giving it more flavor and a higher alcohol percentage.

Appearance: dark, chocolatey colored, with a caramel and moderately foamy head

Aroma: slightly hoppy, with hints of fig, clove and other spices

Taste: decent, with little carbonation, mild hop flavor and a figgy finish

Alcohol: 8.0%

Overall I would say it was a decent abbey ale and a great bargain beer--1 pint 6 oz is a mere $5, and I think it would pair nicely with a mild cheese like provolone.

Fun Fact: Abita uses spring water to brew their beers and also gives a 25 cent donation to St. Joseph's Abbey with every bottle purchase.

I would recommend this beer to anyone who enjoys abbey ales, only wants to spend a few dollars to try something different, or any fan of the Abita Brewery. Cheers!