In preparation for the upcoming Session, I grabbed a 4-pack of one of my favourite Unibroue beers a couple of weeks ago. They sat idly in my cupboard for most of that time, mocking the fact that my sad, sinus-infected suffering self could not enjoy them. Well, although still not completely recovered, my sense of taste and smell has returned to the point that I could resist no longer.
La Fin Du Monde is hands down one of the greatest foreign interpretations of the Belgian tripel style. It has rightfully laid claim to a handful of awards recognising the work that has gone into this fine ale, including multiple awards from the Beverage Tasting Institute. The brewery claims that 18 months of research went into perfecting the yeast strain they eventually utilised in this brew.
This is one effervescent beer! The secondary bottle fermentation has obviously been busy, as big bubbles rushed up the glass on the initial pour. I like to generate a nice head, so I built it up slowly, swirling the yeast in the bottle at the end and adding it to the glass.
The colour is a deep gold, leaning toward amber – one of the darker tripels I’ve seen. The head dissipated with almost as much vigour as it came, leaving some sticky lacing on the side of the glass.
Spicy would be the first word that comes to mind in describing the nose. Some coriander and white pepper, and gentle floral notes – a sweetness which reminds me of honeysuckle. Behind all this is some graininess from the malt and the smell of cut grass.
The taste is complex as the aroma suggested. Spiciness again takes pride of place, with an emphatic clove presence up front. Plenty of residual sugars relay some honey and fruity esters begin to assert themselves, particularly the flavour of overripe oranges. The 9% alcohol is present, but not overwhelming, becoming increasingly boozy as it warms.
The only real critique I have is that La Fin Du Monde seems quite sweet for the style. Both the Westmalle and the Chimay are markedly more attenuated and dry. Still, this overall is one phenomenal tripel, and one any belgian brewery would be proud of. Score: 8.5/10
An Australian drinking a Quebec beer in Texas, globalization at its finest. Great review!