Solstice D'hiver - Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel

sweemzander

Illinois

4.65/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

11.5oz. bottle poured into a tulip. No bottled date. . . Months & years are available to be notched but are not :/

(A)- Pours thick & a fairly dark amber color that has some ruby red & caramel colored highlights. A good cream colored head formed that looks very thick & foamy. Great retention. Some bits of webbing were left behind that are rather clumpy; some of the thickest lacing I may have ever seen.

(S)- A nice roasted caramel & toffee smell. Bits of vanilla & oak. Just a tiny bit of boozy warmth.

(T)- Very similar to the smell. The caramel is actually more of a burnt character rather than a roasted one. A big bitterness but is balanced very well by the caramel & toffee. Pretty massive stuff. Finishes dry with a fantastic nutty creaminess.

(M)- A good carbonation level. Has a huge body to it not to mention a big bitterness too, but is overall balanced very well by its sweet & creamy finish. One of the thickest feeling barleywines I have had in memory. Great alcohol integration.

(D)- A very good barleywine with a very big/full body to it, particularly in its thick mouthfeel. Bitter, sweet, & creamy all at the same time. I dont know how fresh or aged this is, but based on how this tastes right now, this could continue to age for a very long time. I definitely enjoyed this one very much; a great beer that warmed my bones on a cold weekend night. This will age fantastically!

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2010 20:42:19 | More by sweemzander

HamGlade10

Oklahoma

4/5  rDev +1.8%

06-18-2013 01:25:32 | More by HamGlade10

TheBeeraholic

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +1.8%

06-16-2013 15:07:51 | More by TheBeeraholic

warnerry

Michigan

4/5  rDev +1.8%

06-13-2013 02:42:36 | More by warnerry

outoffocus

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +1.8%

06-12-2013 01:32:37 | More by outoffocus

hickmancase

California

5/5  rDev +27.2%

06-11-2013 05:49:39 | More by hickmancase

megamass

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +1.8%

06-07-2013 04:59:22 | More by megamass

Odri

Quebec (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%

06-07-2013 02:15:07 | More by Odri

babaracas

Florida

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%

06-06-2013 03:43:23 | More by babaracas

Hopswagger

Oklahoma

3.49/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

P: Murky nut brown ale with a rippled wake and minimal lacing.

S: Fruity syrup laced barley, molasses, fruit cake, natural fruit roll ups, cinnamon, brown sugar, earthy hops and booze. Moldy dank esters once warmed.

T/M: Cherry NyQuil upfront with smoldered barley, caramel and orange oil. Spicy booze, wood and herbs cut through the sugary malts. Syrupy feel in a fully carbonated body and finishes with a juice dose of hops that aren't overly bitter.

O: Super sweet and easy drink barley wine. It's decent but really comes off as lack luster. No real problems but its just not great.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2013 00:00:55 | More by Hopswagger

marct

Nevada

4/5  rDev +1.8%

06-05-2013 04:46:21 | More by marct

brez8791

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -23.7%

06-01-2013 11:25:54 | More by brez8791

thebouch01

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +1.8%

05-27-2013 15:41:28 | More by thebouch01

Lucho

Florida

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%

05-25-2013 07:09:28 | More by Lucho

Kmat10

Alberta (Canada)

4/5  rDev +1.8%

05-20-2013 05:06:32 | More by Kmat10

tfsimpkins

Florida

4.75/5  rDev +20.9%

05-20-2013 02:31:22 | More by tfsimpkins

aztraz

Sweden

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%

05-19-2013 23:19:07 | More by aztraz

PicoPapa

Connecticut

4.01/5  rDev +2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

11.5oz bottle. Note-bottle says this is 9.8% not 10.2%. Pours a dark, dark brown color with ruby hues and no head. Almost no lacing. The aroma is boozey and sweet with some brown sugar, earth, bread, dark fruits and some spicy hop presence. Hints of orange. The taste is boozey caramel upfront with some spicy hops and dark fruits. Earthy and maybe a bit nutty. Burnt caramel and brown sugar towards the end. Slick mouthfeel. I wish I had a chance to try this on tap at the Brewpub when I was there. Overall, solid barleywine I hope I get to have again.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 23:27:44 | More by PicoPapa

IMSPEAKNOENGLISH

Illinois

4/5  rDev +1.8%

05-14-2013 03:18:49 | More by IMSPEAKNOENGLISH

bump8628

Oklahoma

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%

05-13-2013 22:41:21 | More by bump8628

shehateme

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%

05-11-2013 01:18:00 | More by shehateme

twenty5

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -10.9%

05-10-2013 15:27:29 | More by twenty5

bigbluebeerguy

Kentucky

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%

05-10-2013 03:27:44 | More by bigbluebeerguy

largadeer

Kentucky

4/5  rDev +1.8%

05-09-2013 19:10:24 | More by largadeer

WVbeergeek

Ohio

4.13/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Deep ruby chestnut body light caramel tan head, nose is filled with equally impressive big fruit and caramel malts...it's a Canadian hop bomb of a barleywine. Sharp acidic notes with leafy herbal hops playing a big role in it, roasted nuts and caramelized sugars collide to equate to the aromatics of the beer. Flavor is harsh bitterness all day, bitingly bitter big and bad with warming alcohol...it's a rough sultry barleywine meant for the cooler months, don't ask me why I chose to crack the bottle in the warm rainy spring weather that we are having today. Big fruit ride the wave of harsh bitterness, yeast nuttiness, plum soaked in brandy, this is a big beer all day with lingering waves of earthy bitterness. Mouthfeel is full bodied with a warming alcohol effect taking over in the first few sips, if this is their winter beer it's meant to be this way for a reason to keep you warm when you are walking from pub to pub in the dead of winter up in the Quebec province of Canada. Overall very pleased it's like an exotic version of Bigfoot and I'm sure it's appreciated and held on to every year during it's release to experience something like this so big yet so quaffable.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 17:44:54 | More by WVbeergeek