Corne Du Diable
Review from BeerAdvocate magazine Vol. II Issue X: "Horn of the devil" is touted as a contemporary interpretation of an English India Pale Ale and Dieu du Ciel's nod to West Coast IPAs. Dark, murky brown, with amber edges; crowned with a creamy beige head with nice lacing and stick. Deep fruity esters of overripe stone fruit, some toffee, dark breads, hint of soap, and alcohol in the nose. Wet paper too. Gritty on the palate. Fine and prickly carbonation. Somewhat creamy, but rough around the edges overall. Hop character is quite abrasive, coarse, leafy and resiny, with oils sticking to the palate and drawing the flavors out. Grassy bitterness. Malts seem out of place and one-dimensional. Mostly toasty with some buttery toffee. Notes of oxidation bring with it some cardboard and sherry. Finishes dry with an earthy, papery finish. This IPA could definitely use some cleaning up, balance, focus and filtering in order to stand up to any other IPA from the West Coast--or from England.