beer_name: Route Des Épices (Ale Rousse Au Poivre)
text: The beer honestly looks like it might have a little spice to it; a fiery amber lining kindles under and runs up the sides of the glass while an uncanny Tabasco looking liquid sits between them. It's not exactly pretty and I can't think of anybody who'd be too enticed by the sight of it (the fact that it's nearly completely flat doesn't exactly help either). Despite hearing heedful warnings from fellow beer drinkers that this is aggressively spicy, the aroma doesn't seem to throw up any flags. I was expecting five alarm but this is two, two and a half at best. While a faint must of cracked peppercorns is noted, its bouquet is comprised more so of the generic and familiar toasty grainy scent of rye malt. That being said, if you so desire, swirling acts like a dial that can be used to turn the heat up (and once you let a little air through it the temperature is quickly cranked). Similarly, the peppercorns don't play out much in the flavour - at least not initially. Toasty, caramelly rye malts start things off but the pepper is definitely what's remembered... What the brewery calls "a pleasant, spicy, tingling sensation on the tongue" I find an irritating itch in the back of the throat. My tongue feels fine, if anything pleased by the rye flavour, but the back of my throat feels as though someone put cigarette through it. I wouldn't consider it "spicy" - seasoned, pungent yes. Peppery, obviously. From what little I've watched of those food network chef competitions, one of the judges' main complaints always seems to be under/over seasoning - I'd be curious to know what they think of this. I think the seasoning is fine but it's definitely under malted. Pepper aside this is fairly tasteless and too light-bodied, both for the seasoning and in general. I'll give Dieu Du Ciel! credit for making something far more agreeable with peppercorns than I thought possible. I don't care for it enough, however, to understand the motivation for year-round production and distribution, especially when the brewpub has better offerings. Whether I liked it enough to buy again we'll have to see, but I'm good for now.