Paienne - Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel

ssmack

Ontario (Canada)

4.18/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A creamy, hazy golden sunshine. A thin white head with no lacing.

Aroma of biscuit with pepper.

A complex taste that is oaky, grassy and peppery. A rich maltiness integrated with the bitterness of the hops.

A slightly chaulky and oil feel but smooth and rich.

Very flavourful for a blonde ale. Smooth and drinkable

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2013 01:17:05 | More by ssmack

SebD

Ontario (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: It has a nice cloudy golden/yellow color to it. It has a thin white head that dies down somewhat fast and leaves some lacing.

Smell: The aromas definitely give out hints of bready and buscuity malts, crackers, some citrus, grains and some honey.

Taste: Like the aromas, it has a some sweet bready malts, crackers, honey, light citrus and some graininess.

Mouthfeel: It has a medium carbonation with a nice overall balance and feel.

Drinkability: It's a very smooth drinkable beer accompanied with good flavors and aromas.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 00:07:45 | More by SebD

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

3.83/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy golden yellow with a nice looking bone white head that shows great retention and lace. The aroma off of this is kind of funky, like play doh or something like that. Sweet honey and bread mixed with a a hop cone or two. The flavor is light sweet and refreshing. Light sweet malts with a hint of honey and light sugar as well as some hops if I squint a bit. Medium to light body with a moderate level of carbonation and a sweet slick mouthfeel.
Nice approachable blond ale that's easy to drink. Luckily the offensive odor seemed to go away the longer the glass was sitting.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2012 23:45:08 | More by johnnnniee

papat444

Quebec (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 341ml. bottle, bottled 04/12.

Appearance: A hazy, dirty blonde body with a thick bumpy white head that clings all around.

Smell: Nice aroma of citrus fruit, notably papaya, lemon and mineral overtones.

Taste: Sharp spices, mineral salt and finishes with a good dose if citrus fruit. Biscuity a bit.

Mouthfeel: Creamy, low carbonation and easy to drink with a bitterness that tags along at the end. Finish not as strong as start.

Overall: Proof that DDC can brew quality beers within an average style. When fresh, very refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2012 18:07:41 | More by papat444

cbutova

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev +8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A- Hazy golden yellow ale poured into a pint glass. A small white head forms but only retains for a bit. Chunks of various sizes float around the glass and suspend there. Bubbly cloud remains keeping the beer from looking like juice. Some webs of lace but not a ton.

S- Nose consisting of yeast spices, bread, citrus hints and light cracker/biscuit malts.

T- Builds on the aroma a lot here. The yeast seems to contribute a nice spice, bread and reminds me of lighter Belgian and German styles, slight banana, raisin and clove. Standard light malt sweetness and grainy cracker feel. Hops are minimal but I get a more Euro feel, like grass, spice and earthy notes.

MF- Creamy light bodied ale. The carbonation is high but smooth at the same time. Light bitterness finishes it all off. A nice body for a Blonde Ale.

A lighter ale but a good one. It has a nice creamy body and satisfying flavors.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2012 18:03:47 | More by cbutova

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle from Sammy, thanks. 341ml into a tulip, a bit dated perhaps, notched at April 2011.

Hazy golden yellow, with a nice big white head. Good lacing and an ok amount of retention. Simple on the nose, light hops, perhaps faded providing a lightly spicy and grassy note. Bready and crackery malts, light sourdough bread. Fairly dry. Taste is about the same, light dryness and sourdough bread, touch of butter, gentle complimentary hopping and a light grassy bitterness in the finish. Fairly light body, gentle carbonation and superbly easy drinking. A fantastic blonde ale, something I could several pints of.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2012 04:44:27 | More by liamt07

Converge

Alberta (Canada)

4.43/5  rDev +21.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

341ml bottle poured into a 16oz tulip.

A - About a finger-and-a-half of frothy, snow-white head. The beer is a bright golden-straw color with a touch of haze in it.Good head retention with some fine lacing. Also, I appreciate the effort put into the label art for Dieu Du Ciel, but I just don't really care for it. I much prefer the work on Unibroue or Microbrasserie Charlevoix bottles. Of course, this is still miles ahead of the average macro-brew labels out there.

S - Lots of sweet peaches, golden honey, and muskmelon. Lots of light fruits float around amongst the sweet honey and malt. Light wheat-like backbone. It's got a slight funk to it as well, but it doesn't get in the way of the sweet fruitiness and honey-dipped aroma.

T - Lots of sweet fruits and honey, with some sweet pilsner malt and light floral hops lingering in the finish. A touch of barnyard funk with some hay coming through as well. The slight bitterness in the finish sort of surprised me, but it helps balance the sweeter flavors upfront. The aftertaste is just an excellent lingering honey sweetness.

M - Fairly light body, with moderate carbonation done quite well. It could use a touch more liveliness in this department to make up for the slight (and I mean slight) lack of sweetness coming to fruition. Either way, it's got a nice refreshing feel to it that adds to the drinkability.

D - This ale won't deliver mind boggling complexity or huge flavors teetering on abrasive, it's just a great blonde ale with a well rounded and delicious flavor profile. Overall this is just an exceptionally drinkable beer that really hits the spot. It might be the coldest night of the year outside right now, but inside with this beer I can already see the summertime sunshine.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2012 01:29:55 | More by Converge

nickfl

Florida

4.43/5  rDev +21.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Poured with one finger of white foam on a clear, golden body. The head settles quickly and leaves nice lace.

S - Malt, honey and light herbal hops.

T - Sweet pilsner malt up front. Some honey in the middle and herbal hops that work nicely with the malt in the finish. Light bitterness and just a hint of yeast.

M - Medium-thick body, moderate carbonation, and a somewhat sweet finish.

D - Very nicely done almost a pilsner but with just enough yeast character to distinguish it.

Serving type: on-tap

12-23-2011 22:45:28 | More by nickfl

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Draft

Appearance - The beer pours a slight hazy yellow/amber colour with a fairly large white fizzy/frothy head. There is an average amount of carbonation, and there is some decent lacing. The head lasted for about 5 minutes before it was gone.

Smell - Corn, honey, malts, light citrus

Taste & Mouth - The beer has an average amount of carbonation and I can taste corn/grains mixed with malts and light hops. There is also a but of a citrus flavour mixed with a honey sweetness. It kind of reminded me of some of the cream ales I've been drinking lately. It finishes with a slightly sweet grainy aftertaste.

Drink - I've had this from a bottle before, but it was much better fresh and on tap. It made for a great beer while sitting on DDC's patio on a warm day.

Serving type: on-tap

10-11-2011 19:34:36 | More by spinrsx

ikats

New Jersey

3.35/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bright yellow in color with white head (good retention). Fairly clear with a constant stream of tiny bubbles rising to the surface. Aroma is very pleasant. At first whiff I was reminded of pink grapefruit. My it seems that mostly it's grassy hoppy notes. At first sip this ale seemed too bitter making it a bit harsh, but as it warmed up a bit bitterness subsided bringing cereal grains forward. I still find it a bit harsh - mouthfeel and drinkability suffer. Overall this beer doesn't do it for me. I wouldn't mind trying it again outside on a hot day, but more often I would probably reach out to other Dieu Du Ciel beers.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2011 02:02:53 | More by ikats

ctgui

Quebec (Canada)

3.93/5  rDev +8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottled on 04/2011. 5.5% ABV

A- Golden straw color with a small white head.

S- A little fruity. Some wheaty grain. Quite enjoyable, even though I can’t really describe it more.

T- Wheat. Light hops and a little fruity flavour, citrus maybe. Some honey also. No flavours seem to really be in your face as you drink this one. However, it is well put together.

F- Good carbonation and nice body. Not too strong, yet nothing like the typical blond ale you find on the corner.

D- Really drinkable, picked up a pack and plan on having some more in the future. A good blond ale and I wouldn’t be surprised if this becomes more popular. Worth it.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2011 23:05:17 | More by ctgui

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.28/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The pour was sublime. Rich amber in color, light with a nice head of white on top. Lots of carbonation coming up toward the surface throughout the session, reinforcing an already strong look. Light hops get stronger as it warms up. Nice bit of grain mixing in as well now, nice depth to it I have to admit. Crisp, clean taste and feel here. Really again very well done I have to say. Light finish which was quite dry and I have to admit this was very, very session able. You never can tell what is going to happen when you try a new pale ale, but this was surprisingly very good.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2011 01:33:44 | More by mikesgroove

eat

Quebec (Canada)

3.45/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This batch was upped to 5.5%ABV. Translucent, dull-golden body with a thin cover of bright-white head. Little bits of lacing.

Smells like beer really. Wheaty grain, light earthy/floral hops, light pale malt. Nothing special.

The flavour profile is simple but fresh and well put together. Noticeable wheat, light earthy and floral hops and slight hints at citrus and nuts. Soft, lingering hop bitterness.

The feel might be the standout feature of this beer: solid medium body and an appropriate medium carbonation. Your standard blonde ale doesn't always have such a nice feel.

I guess this is Dieu de Ciel's shot at a beer for the masses? As a middle-of-the-road blonde ale I suppose it's decent and certainly better than anything similar produced by a macro brewery. Drinkable enough, though not one I'll be picking up again.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2011 22:18:08 | More by eat

zachariaIPA

Ontario (Canada)

3.45/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The Pagan.

Pours an apple-juice yellow with an inch of pearl-white head. American-clear. Nice lacing.

Very light malt aroma and taste. Pleasant mouthfeel with just a hint of hop-bitterness. Almost deliberately devoid of flavor, juxtaposed against other DDC beers but.

It's not my favorite style of beer, but I'd take this any day over a domestic Blonde.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2011 02:56:52 | More by zachariaIPA

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

2.48/5  rDev -31.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

A - Straw golden in colour with a one finger creamy head and medium carbonation. Unfiltered.

S - Candy sweetness, sweet spice, bubblegum and bright fruits.

T - Sweet spice shows up again but most from the aroma isn't present. Sweet grainniness is there too but goes way over the top pushing any possibility of complexity or quality to the wayside to create an easy drinking blonde ale.

M - Light body. Creamy.

D - No thanks. Maybe I'm drinking this too warm but this is nothing great and I almost had to force myself to get through it.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2010 23:23:33 | More by tbeckett

scott451

Ontario (Canada)

3.63/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

If there was a rating for labels - this one would get a 5. Poured into a pint glass. Slightly hazy golden yellow with a thin bubbly head which soon diminished to a ring. Lightly carbonated. Complex malty smells with some fruity notes. Taste features a nice malt blend up front with a mild but persistent hop finish. Creamy medium body with light carbonation. Drinkability is good.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2010 18:32:41 | More by scott451

JohnnyBarman

Ontario (Canada)

3.88/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Part of a mixpack brought back from la Belle Province. Bottled in March.

A lovely golden hue, slightly opaque. Looks like mead or honey. Very little head to speak of, only the slightlest ring and a lonely island.

Nose is nice: grain, fruit, a touch of honey, light hops.

Actually one of the better blonde ales I've tasted recently. Sweet, but not overpowering. Grassy and floral, some biscuit character near the middle, finishes hoppy and slightly dry. Very refreshing.

Medium-thick body, light carbonation.

I'm usually not a fan of blonde ales, but I've been enjoying this one very much. Smooth and enjoyable, I can certainly see myself drinking several of these in a night. Good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2010 20:07:05 | More by JohnnyBarman

Shadman

Alberta (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bought the sample 12 pack in Medicine Hat of all places...our world is indeed changing...

Nice amber/straw colour, slightly hazy from the sediments. Nice bright white head, amazing lacing.

Grassy, grainy, & bready, but in a decent way...balanced I guess you could call it.

Taste matches nose again. Grainy malt followed by sweet bready malt followed by a nice noble hop finish that clears the palate off nicely...Decent balance with a dry finish.

Bit fizzy in the front end that bites a bit, but very smooth and creamy afterward.

Could do 3 pints of this on a patio in the summer easy...therefore I think it's quite good....

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2010 01:06:09 | More by Shadman

tegelaar

Massachusetts

3.35/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle dated 08/2009. Very happy for the bottling date.

Pours a cloudy pale yellow with big creamy white head. Smell is of belgian yeast and a hint of tropical fruit. Smelling some pineapple in this. Taste is a little bland and bready. Not too much going on here. The yeast dominates the beer. The mouthfeel is under-carbed. Mouthfeel is light and refreshing and very easy to drink.

Enjoyable but nothing special compared to the rest of their stellar lineup.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2010 03:50:00 | More by tegelaar

prosper

Alberta (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev +3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a very average coloured yellow. Hazy. I don't think this is bottle conditioned, but it's certainly non-filtered, there is a thin layer of yeast at teh bottom.

Smell is grainy malts and slight citrussy hops. Plain.

Taste is very interesting. Surprisingly complex. Starts off fruity - hops and some yeast character I think. Definitely orange and lemon, and something else I can't quite identify, sort of a toasty spice of some sort. Has a nice sweet maltiness that takes over. Finishes with sweet malts. I like.

Mouthfeel is medium.

Drinkability - sure it's interesting, but not overwhelming.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2010 01:32:38 | More by prosper

jbonapar

Ontario (Canada)

3.68/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

pours a pale staw color, minimal head and lacing.

Smell - Pears. Big Pears. a hint of Green Apple.

Taste - Light Pear flavor with a sharp bitterness. Sweet malt that balances the bitterness. A very very different Beer. Not like anything I've tasted before.

I like it, easy and drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2009 23:57:50 | More by jbonapar

MAB

Alberta (Canada)

2.78/5  rDev -23.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

A disappointment to me, since I had so many positives to say about the rest of their brews (that I've tried).
This one was pale yellow; straw colored.
The problem is, for me, it was also straw flavored. Not that I eat straw, but I imagine this is what straw might taste like. Grassy, not sweet, musty.
I thought maybe it was a bad bottle but my other one (in a combo pack) was the same way. Bad batch, then, or maybe just not my cup of straw...er, tea.
I did finish it, and the carbonation/ mouthfeel was spot-on, but I couldn't get over the odd flavor.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2009 21:51:49 | More by MAB

TonyReaves

Maine

2.7/5  rDev -25.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

This came in a 12-pack I picked up on my honeymoon in Montreal. It's a pretty beer- I'm partial to cloudiness. A great straw/grass smell with a little green veggie in there.

Unfortunately, the veggie comes out quite a bit in the taste, though. It's a bit too much. I really love this brewery and their pub in Montreal, but what's going on here?

If not for the veggie taste, this would be a pretty good beer. It goes down smoothly with a little hop bite in the finish. Can't say much for drinkability though- I taste peas a little more with each sip.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2009 20:49:15 | More by TonyReaves

Long813

Nova Scotia (Canada)

4.58/5  rDev +25.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

G: Pint

A: Pale yellowy-green, murky/cloudy body. Half inch head which dissipates quickly and leaves a tiny trace of lacing.

S: Fine wheat, lime, malts

T: Wheat with lime and a hint of green apple

M: Medium-light body, medium carbonation with little alcoholic after taste

D: Interesting beer, I have not tasted a blonde ale like this before. I don't know if that is due to this being a prime example of a blonde or maybe mislabeled. Either way it is a exceptional beer with a complexity of fruity flavours.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2009 02:29:19 | More by Long813

Seanstoppable

Nova Scotia (Canada)

2.03/5  rDev -44.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

Saw a lonely bottle of this at Premier Wine and Spirits. Given that I haven't tried it before, I of course picked it up. Bottle on date is August 16th, 2009

Pours a cloudy pale color, somewhere in between a pink grapefruit and gold straw. 2 fingers of thick white head that was fairly long lasting.

Scent is of damp, yet freshly mown, grass. Some other scents, such as carrot and wheat are also present.

Taste pretty much follows suit with the grassy/veggy/wheat flavor. Veggie flavors are a bit overwhelming, and I can't make out any other flavors

I found it somewhat harsh and not at all smooth. Wheat/grass flavor kinda lingers in the mouth for quite a while, and any burps make me feel like I had been chewing grass or wheat earlier.

I found one glass barely drinkable the first time around. Wouldn't consider trying a second glass. I am a fan of a lot of Brasserie Dieu du Ciel's stuff, but this certainly isn't one of them.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2009 23:41:45 | More by Seanstoppable