Blanche Neige - Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel

dgilks

Australia

3.55/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Cloudy golden colour with a very small, off-white head. Poor head retention.

Sweet malty aroma. Some wheat. Some herbal notes. Light cinnamon. Okay.

Sweet yet lightly bitter. Earthy and spicy. A little all over the place but it also works.

Medium body with moderate carbonation. Fine.

A solid witbier. Very flavoursome and a unique take on the style.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2012 11:02:05 | More by dgilks

Whatup14

Quebec (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

04-17-2013 14:10:13 | More by Whatup14

ShawneeIrish

Indiana

4/5  rDev +4.7%

03-23-2013 23:46:05 | More by ShawneeIrish

NightINgale

Quebec (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev +11.3%

03-22-2013 22:30:01 | More by NightINgale

jrempel

Quebec (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +17.8%

03-14-2013 03:02:24 | More by jrempel

lgmol

Nova Scotia (Canada)

4/5  rDev +4.7%

03-13-2013 17:22:15 | More by lgmol

ThickNStout

Georgia

3.38/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

341mL (11.5oz) bottle from La Duchesse D'Aiguillon (Quebec City). 2.39. The double 10 digit notching makes it impossible to decipher bottling date unless you know who to ask but this is marked 0&3. Served in a Terrapin snifter.

Pours hazy pale yellow with less than an eighth finger of pale head that quickly fades and doesn't leave any lace behind.

Smells of cloves, yeast and mild cinnamon.

Big clove flavor with the cinnamon much further in the background. The mildly tart yeast is up front with the cloves. Other tastes drift in and out including orange peel, bananna, sweet wheat, honey/sugar, earthy and floral notes. A little bit of alcohol presence but it's kept well in check by the crazy array of flavors.

Medium sticky body with a good bit of sharp carbonation. Dry finish with lingering cloves, yeast and citrus peel.

A very different wit than the few I've tried before. Much more intense and interesting. Perhaps a little too much clove, seeing as it dominated from start to finish. Still worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 06:54:18 | More by ThickNStout

4ster

Quebec (Canada)

4/5  rDev +4.7%

02-17-2013 22:12:35 | More by 4ster

Odri

Quebec (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%

02-03-2013 21:16:29 | More by Odri

ChrisCage

Alberta (Canada)

4.4/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Pours a yeasty hazed golden color with orange hues throughout. The head is nice and white but doesn't have much retention, swiftly becoming nothing much more than a thin layer. The lacing is quite impressive however, with thick luxurious foam sticking to my tulip glass. It looks like a decent wit beer!

S- This is full of spices...cloves, cinnamon, citrus rind....orange in particular, and nutmeg all blended into a wonderful array of scents! There is some sweetness from the barley malt and some cleanliness from the wheat malt as well. It is also somewhat creamy smelling from the yeast I'm guessing. The finish has a spicy hop bitterness....it's a soft spice but it is there.

T- Wow, this is a really well balanced brew! The beginning contains creamy yeast, slightly spicy flavors of cinnamon and cloves, which gives way to sweet wheat and barley malt, which lingers on the palate after the swallow. The finish is mildly bitter, but nothing mouth puckering. I have to say the booziness of this beer is well hidden as well....everything is blended so well!

M- This is fuller than I expected....definitely a solid medium body. Carbonation is fine yet plentiful....gives the palate a consistent burst of flavor. The spices are really noted in this one yet are not overpowering.

O- I would say this is a highly drinkable beer....perhaps better suited as a winter ale, or an after dinner beer....it is most definitely a sipper. I really enjoyed all aspects of this one, save for the appearance, which is a little underwhelming for the quality I'm used to from Dieu du Ciel. Other than that, this beer has a good value for the money and is a very good representation of a Wit!

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 00:14:02 | More by ChrisCage

andrenaline

Ontario (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Props to joemcgrath27 for including this on our most recent trade.

A - Pours a hazy, murky copper colour, finger of head with little retention and some sporadic lacing.

S - Scent is amazing, loads of spicy cinnamon, nice sweet cloves, hints of pepper and a sweet citrus hop profile with a caramel malt finish.

T - A nice sweet citrus hop note hits you off the top and it's quickly replaced with the sugary cloves and peppery cinnamon. An earthy hop profile lingers alongside some bready wheat and a hint of toffee.

M - Medium bodied, smooth and wet.

O - I really enjoyed this one. Not a typical wit, by any means, but the cloves and cinnamon complement one another nicely. A unique hop bitterness was present on this bottle that I really enjoyed, and the ABV was incredibly well hidden. I wish I had a whole sixer of this, because it really appealed to my palette.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2012 23:43:16 | More by andrenaline

schnarr84

Alberta (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

10-13-2012 08:45:49 | More by schnarr84

DannyBaldoni

Quebec (Canada)

2.5/5  rDev -34.6%

09-27-2012 19:58:21 | More by DannyBaldoni

MasterSki

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to papat444 for this oddity. A double wit with cloves and cinnamon. Served in a tulip at Tom's place.

A - Adequate white foam settles to a partial cap, thin collar, and a few specks of lace. Murky orange-yellow body that is typical of witbiers.

S - Better than I anticipated, with the clove and cinnamon being tastefully integrated. Notes of wheat, vanilla, banana and stone fruits round things out, and while the yeast is clearly Belgian it's not overly phenolic. No alcohol either, which is a plus.

T - Taste is fairly similar, with sugary malts, banana, and other fruits dominating the palate, and cinnamon and clove kicking in a bit of offsetting spice to keep things from getting cloying. Again, not overly yeast or boozy.

M - Grainy texture that is mildly gritty at times - lots of chaff in here? Lower carbonation, medium body, and a bit juicy in the finish. Not much alcohol warmth.

D - I was expecting to hate this based on the description, but it was actually pretty good. Tom and I finished the 355ml bottle easily and I'd actually consider ordering this again if I saw it on-tap somewhere.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2012 14:26:56 | More by MasterSki

chickenm

British Columbia (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%

08-11-2012 05:06:44 | More by chickenm

flipper2gv

Quebec (Canada)

3.08/5  rDev -19.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

A: Dark yellow color, opaque. Pure white head with not a lot of volume, low retention except for a small ring that stays there. Decent lacing.

S: Cloves and cinnamon are obviously very strong but there is also a good amount of candied orange peel in this. Light honey and pepper are the other dominant notes. Candi sugar and like some other reviewers said bubble gum. Interesting.

T: First off, a little bit too sweet to my taste, definitely a winter brew. Strong honey and candi sugar notes are the first things noticed. Cinnamon, cloves and orange peel are the next tastes that come to the palate. Light pepper, herbal and floral hops are there to make a weird mix of flavors, much stronger than anticipated.

M: Stingy carbonation with thick, sticky mouthfeel, much heavier than what would be best for a beer of this style. A light fluffy feel would have been better.

O: This is a decent beer, but no favorite of mine for sure.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2012 23:20:08 | More by flipper2gv

joemcgrath27

Alberta (Canada)

3.7/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - fully hazy golden, one finger of white head quickly dissipated to a thin ring
S - yeasty esters, floral and herbal, toasted grain
T - big blast of citrus and all spice, perfume and herbal hops, toasty pale malt, perfume hops linger longest
M - medium body with a big carbonation kick, spicy tingle with a somewhat dry finish
O - it is bold in its spice and hoppiness, might be viewed as a little abrasive, an acquired taste for sure but I do enjoy it, not my favorite example of the style but well worth a try as usual with DDC

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2012 02:26:10 | More by joemcgrath27

gford217

Georgia

3.98/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Big thanks to a helpful Quebec BA for this bottle.

Pours a murky golden yellow with a very small beige head that recedes to a thin collar quickly.

Aroma definitely starts out with spices, lots of cloves and cinnamon. Hints of orange peel as well. Light candi sugar, yeast and some typical wheat characteristics such as bubble gum.

Taste also has an initial spicy kick with the cloves dominating with coriander and cinnamon. The backbone is decidedly amped up wheat with Belgian yeast and sweet wheat notes. The finish is sugary sweet mixed with coriander and cloves tingling on the tongue.

Mouthfeel is moderately carbonated and fuller than I was expecting, certainly on the fuller side as wheat beers go.

I really enjoyed this beer which is essentially a Belgian wit on steroids with Christmas spices. Really good.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2012 02:07:20 | More by gford217

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

3.93/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottled Feb 2012.

Beer is cloudy golden in colour, somewhat orange like. Very little white head results from a vigorous pour, and begins to dissipate quickly.

Smell is spice dominated. Cinnamon and cloves are very strong. Wheat is there but hard to get through the spices.

Like the nose, spices are the most obvious flavour. Cinnamon and clove are obvious. Wheat backs it up, with a bit of an orange flavour. Hard to get much past the spices, although I like the flavour.

Medium to full bodied, moderate carbonation. Swear you can almost feel the spices.

Overall, pretty enjoyable. I would not call this a BSPA. It has the strength to be there, but the flavour profile is entirely different. A spiced-up, strong witbier.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 20:26:38 | More by jrenihan

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle from ZorPrime, thanks Eric! 341ml into a tulip, dated February 2012. This is listed at 8.3% ABV.

Pour with yeast yields a bright orange body. Mild head even with an aggressive pour, and only a bit of retention. Nose has citrus, spice (nutmeg, cinnamon) and perhaps a bit of white pepper and clove. A touch of wheat. Flavour has more of the same, wheat, and quite a bit of the same spicing, almost a cross between what you'd see in a spiced winter ale and a pumpkin ale. More citrus, and a flash of alcohol. Medium full body, and gentle prickly carb with a yeasty finish. Drinkable and quite tasty. Definitely not a BSPA, just an imperial spiced wit.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2012 03:51:42 | More by liamt07

IronDjinn

Alberta (Canada)

3.08/5  rDev -19.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

From a 341 ml brown bottle, abv. listed as 8.3% on the label. Pours out a slightly cloudy deep golden hue, suspended particles present, tall frothy white head with lasting retention.

Tart wheat and yeast on the nose, cinnamon and cloves rest in the background while coriander sits more prominent.

Sharp, tart character from the yeast and spices in the flavour, even the wheat is rough around the edges. Cinnamon appears first most clearly in the mix near the end, while cloves dominate the finish and aftertaste. Not much cohesion otherwise when it comes to this flavour profile.

Medium-bodied mouthfeel, creamy and smooth texture, moderate carbonation. All that tart bite from the flavour also adds a dry, grainy, astringent character to the texture and mouthfeel.

Lack of cohesion in the flavour sets this beer back for me, and had lost my interest within the first few sips. Rough around the edges, and not up to the usual calibre of of DDC. I'll pass on this one next time.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2012 01:54:31 | More by IronDjinn

batmanbach

Ontario (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +17.8%

05-08-2012 17:16:10 | More by batmanbach

ZorPrime

Quebec (Canada)

4.7/5  rDev +23%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

The beer color is orange, its almost like orange juice! Hazy. Nice white head thrones on it. Very fine bubbles.

The aroma is dominated by cloves and coriander. Pretty intense. I get also the alcohol in the nose. Some cinnamon notes in the aroma too when the beer warms up a little bit. In the mouth, this beer explodes with flavors and it is very joyous! Taste presents cloves with cinnamon and at the end it is slightly spicy. Love that spiciness... it is well balanced. Warmth. Complex. Very good beer.

This is a superb beer. A wit beer for winter!

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2012 15:45:23 | More by ZorPrime

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

4.05/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

341ml bottle, 8.3% ABV this go around.

This beer pours a slightly hazy medium golden colour, with one fat finger of dense foamy ecru head, which leaves a few instances of peninsular lace around the glass as it duly subsides.

It smells quite strongly of cloves, cinnamon, field honey, white pepper, wheaty malt, and soft, simmering booze - very salve-like, as it's even evoking memories of holiday-necessitated Noxzema in me, and not in a bad way, I swear! The taste is a revelatory mind-shift, a sidestep in holiday experiences - now it's all Christmas pie and summer Saison, with cloves, brown sugar, cinnamon, yeast, pepper and subtle banana esters, over a soft bready caramel malt. Little to no booze warming adds to the overall winter-esque charm.

The bubbles are rather sedate, the body a solid medium weight, and agreeably smooth, the burgeoning alcohol edge nipping at it a bit. It finishes with a nice swelling surge of spice, yeast, and even-handed grainy malt.

A well gussied-up Saison, so much so that it gets pushed into BSPA territory - so be it. Wonderfully spicy, cagily warm, and very drinkable, even as these last few weeks of, erm, 'winter' are not nearly as true to form as DDC continues to be.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2012 04:38:04 | More by biboergosum

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

3.83/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

341ml bottle poured into tulip 29/3/12

A hazy golden liquid with slow moving bubbles popping up from everywhere, the liquid looks thick, cream colored thumbs width quickly falls to a thin film leaving a few partial rings of lace

S clove, cinnamon, ginger, honey, cereal, with a little bubblegum, booze and honey, smells like a Wit on steroids, smells great

T more booze then I could smell with a bit of a spicy mess, a little harder to distinguish the spices then the nose, there's something there I can't quite place but it's not something I need, like thistle perhaps

M almost syrupy, a little heat, strange that this one seams to numb my mouth just a tad, quite unusual if you ask me, flavors linger of clove and spices faintly

O good beer but I think a few tweaks would make it great, smells wonderful but didn't quite stay at that level throughout

Decent stuff from DDC but I can't think of the right time of year to drink it, It would slay you under the Summer sun and not heavy enough for Winter, I suppose Spring is when this one would be best, chilly Spring evening if you want too get picky

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2012 04:57:02 | More by wordemupg