The Bar Towel

Is it just me or does this remind anyone else of the early Sgt. Major? As I wrote in my review on BA, the nose is certainly AIPA, but I get a real English character from the flavour and a sort of corseness that I fell in love with the first time I tried the SI version.

Overall, a new favourite. Definately prefer it to the recently arrived ST.

I made it out to Quebec for the first time today. Tried the Bieropholie Scotch Ale this afternoon (weird) and am looking forward to the Peche Mortal tomorrow. Then I'll have a Unibroue 400th Quebec anniversary brew and two Unibroue 17s. Someone's going to have to blow up the MacDonald Cartier bridge or I'm going to need another job.

Bytowner wrote:Is it just me or does this remind anyone else of the early Sgt. Major?

Similarities for sure, but I got grapefruit from Sgt Major's hops and lime from the Corne du Diable. Definitely a solid beer.

i think i prefer st, but it is solid. enjoy the peche, one of my favourites

Bytowner wrote:Tried the Bieropholie Scotch Ale this afternoon (weird)

The Scotch Ale is weird...reminded me of mushrooms.

Four buddies and I recently did a double-blind IPA tasting with Corne du Diable, Sgt. Major, Southern Tier, True North, and Garrison. Not a sophisticated test, I know, but the Dieu du Ciel was the overwhelming favourite. This surprised me, in that two of the guys were big Southern Tier fans. (Southern Tier got 4 second-place votes).

(Since doing this, I've had a couple of Stone IPAs, and I have to say I prefer it to the Corne du Diable.)

Well, I had the Peche... can't say I'm in love. Not that there's anything wrong with it, the style just isn't for me. I have yet to be impressed by anything 'Imperial'. It was pretty tasty, I think I enjoyed the mouthfeel more than anything, but the french roast character isn't something for someone who isn't much of a coffee drinker. I'd love to try it on tap though. It actually reminded me of the Bran Blasta from the Porter House in Dublin.

I'd pick a sixer of the Corne over it.

Picked up a sixer of this yesterday at the York & Ridout LCBO in London. The status of this beer seems to be in limbo right now. It hasn't been discontinued, and full cases keep popping up at random stores (there were 24 at my location). Anyhow, it's still drinking lovely despite the July 2009 production date. VERY nutty for an IPA, with plenty of citrus, pine, and aromatic hops. Low bitterness for the style. A nice twist on an English IPA.

It's a bottle-conditioned IPA, unlike say the recent Dogfish Head 60 minute. I really like Corne. I would have bought more except I make it a rule to drink up IPA style beers while they are fresh. The bottle conditioning is good for longevity as you can attest.

The Dernier Volonte is at least equally impressive as a beautifully hopped and Belgian-inspired creation. Grab a bottle or six if you see it!

If corne is bottle conditioned now, DdC has changed procedure.

Dernier Volonte and Peche are bottle conditioned.

Belgian, I second the Dernier Volonte vote.
Before being introduced to DdC beers, I wasn't a fan of belgian style beers.
Now my fave.
One reason that I like Dernier Volonte is I find it equally tasty in any season, with food or not.

Larry Kress

LarryKress wrote:If corne is bottle conditioned now, DdC has changed procedure.

Dernier Volonte and Peche are bottle conditioned.

Belgian, I second the Dernier Volonte vote.
Before being introduced to DdC beers, I wasn't a fan of belgian style beers.
Now my fave.
One reason that I like Dernier Volonte is I find it equally tasty in any season, with food or not.

Larry Kress

Thanks Larry. Considering you used to brew for DDC, I'd say you'd know what they were doing with their beers.

Agree about the Dernier. Fantastic little beer, and one of my faves from DDC. I just don't know what to think of the Corne Du Diable. I never really enjoy it, and have bypassed it on LCBO shelves many, many times.

Len, I was one of the brewers at the Montreal brewpub, not the micro.
But I did the "Laverne & Shirley" thing on the St. Jerome bottling line occassionly when they were short some crew.

Larry Kress

LarryKress wrote:If corne is bottle conditioned now, DdC has changed procedure.

One reason that I like Dernier Volonte is I find it equally tasty in any season, with food or not.

Larry Kress

Thank you Larry I stand corrected. What a pleasure to talk with one of the former DDC brewing professionals!

I guess my impression of DDC is that like many French Canadian breweries there seems to be a real affinity for Belgian brewing and this influence pervades many of their beers, 'belgian' or not.. If I had side-by-side a Peche Mprtel, Struisse Black Albert and McAuslan Imperiale Rousse Bourbon, they would ALL seem like brethren and a little 'belgian' to me even though the RIS is an 'English' style (or shall we say an American-English style since the USA makes most of the heavy hitters in 2010.)

I find the DdC Corne to be very much in the English style of IPA but a tad more intense. I buy it when I see it, it's a great little sessioner with good hop bite.... as for comparing it to the current Sgt. Majors, I don't.

One thing I noticed with this beer is that the foam head is really off-putting for me. I can't seem to pour this beer without it creating a monstorous head, which in and of itself is fine. However I find that the head has a super hoppy bitterness to the point of being un-enjoyable. However once the head settles and the beer has a few minutes to settle down it tastes amazing and balanced.

For me I have to pour this beer and let it sit for a few minutes before drinking it, other wise I don't enjoy the first 1/3 of this beer. Perhaps I'm weird, ok wierd in a new way as I'm weird in other ways already.

Matty D wrote:I can't seem to pour this beer without it creating a monstorous head...

The first thing you can try (not to presume otherwise Matty D) is start with a virgin glass that has never touched any form of grease or soap. Beers can reactt with any kind of 'film' such as the residue left by hand-washing detergent.

Maybe getting the foaming under control will improve the aromas for you a well! I've never noted any problem with Corné. Always use 'beer-only' glasses that are never cleaned with anything except hot clean water, by hand, particularly the glass interior which contacts the beer.

If the aroma still puts you off, allow the beer to rest a minute or two after pouring to "blow away" some of the strong (naturally-occuring) volatile compounds.