Charbonniere - Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel

PicoPapa

Connecticut

4.13/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Taken from notes from a recent trip to Montreal and Vermont.

On tap at Dieu du Ciel!. Pours a dark mahogany color with an inch of frothy head. Lots of lacing. The aroma reminds me of a campfire. Smokey malts with an almost meaty smoke aroma, kind of like bacon. The taste is of the smokey malts and earth. Burnt leaves and a campfire. Dry with some charred oak. The mouthfeel is somewhat light and thin which help makes this brew more drinkable considering the amount of smoke flavor. I love this style of beer but haven't been able to find many really good ones. Overall, this is the best Rauchbier I have ever had (thus far).

Serving type: on-tap

05-06-2013 00:11:38 | More by PicoPapa

Foudebiere

Quebec (Canada)

3.45/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poor from a 341ml bottle.

A: Nice brown beer with almost not head, I didn't have time to taste it.
S: Smoke, smoke, smoke!!!
T: Of course the primary taste is smoke, but it's not overbearing like the smell could let us think. It's a little sweet at the end.
MF: It seems that I have ashes in my mouth, but surprisingly, it's good!

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2012 20:40:43 | More by Foudebiere

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

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

Bottled April 2011. Older than I expected- hope its OK!

Beer is a very dark caramel colour, brown but with orange elements. A small beige head.

Smell is quite smokey and peaty. Hard to get beneath, but there seems to be some caramel malt, a bit of a toffee scent. All of the reviews that mention smoked ham or bacon are pretty accurate.

The smokey peat is very prominent in the taste, but is more willing to share than the nose is. Accompanied by caramel, some dark fruit, a bit of a grassy flavour. Finish, like the start, is quite smokey.

Medium bodied, moderate carbonation. Quite smooth.

Overall, nice stuff. The taste is not as overwhelmingly smokey as the nose suggests. Still pretty intense, but more balanced and quite enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2012 01:59:14 | More by jrenihan

cbutova

Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Love smoked anything, had to find this in Montreal. Peluso had some bottles, yay.

A- Pours with a light brown hue into a pint glass. Light tan head forms to a nice size and has a foamy texture. Retention is OK and lace is spotty.

S- Intesne, like an Islay Scotch. Seriously strong notes of leather, campfire, burning wood, BBQ, all things smoky. Some caramel and fruit in the very background.

T- Not as intensely smoky as the nose but still very strong. Most of the flavor is smoke, burning campfires and leather. The other part is caramel malts, yeast spice and dark fruits.

MF- Foamy body with a smooth overall feel. I hate to add smoky here but it kind of has a bitter, acrid spike on the palate.

If you like smoke, you get a ton here. Kind of takes an Islay malt flavor profile on. If you don't like smoke, go elsewhere.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2012 03:27:26 | More by cbutova

jzeilinger

Pennsylvania

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

First of all, thank you to papat444 for this bottle. Cheers!

A - Pours a dark ruby chestnut color, I tried to keep the sediment in the bottle but managed to get some of the floaties in the glass which is no big deal. The head was minimal on this beer and leaves a very fine light aramel colored ring around the top of the tulip glass. Carbonation is sluggish.

S - The dominating aroma is smoked bacon/meat and a some dark roasted malts. The smokiness reminds me of a campfire setting.

T - Follows the nose with a nice smokiness from start to finish with roasted malts. I purposely sat on this bottle for many, many months and it still retains a nice smoke character. The malt has a small amount of nuttiness and there's some dark roasted caramel.

M - Light medium body with gentle carbonation on the tongue.

O - I haven't had many Rauch style beers and this was very enjoyable and refreshingly different to what I normally drink. I paired this with pepperjack cheese and it was nice combo.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2012 21:29:02 | More by jzeilinger

kjyost

Manitoba (Canada)

4.05/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Consumed Nov. 19, 2011 at Inaugural Bottle Share. From notes. Thanks Nicole!

Pours brown and clearish with a light tan ring that doesn't last. Smells of smoky meat and BBQ. The body begins with a very BBQ finish with burnt meat notes in it. Lingers with bacon. No perceptible bitterness, but the smoke lasts forever on the palate. I could imagine enjoying this beer with a good pulled pork...

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2011 00:16:27 | More by kjyost

ADZA

Australia

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

Pours a dark ruby hue which leaves a two finger head that dissapates to leave an outer rim of lacing that also coats the sides of the glass,the smell is smoked ham,roasty malts and a touch of herbal hops,the mouthfeel is light bodied and has tastes of smoked malts,stonefruits,a touch of cherry,caramel and is finished with a spicy dryness and overall this is a nice smoked beer that lets the other flavours shine through but for me i like a little more smoke and in saying that this would be a nice crossover for the person who doesnt like a full smokey SB cheers.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2011 11:18:07 | More by ADZA

CrazyDavros

Australia

3.75/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pours brown with a large lasting head.
Immediately noticeable in the aroma is smoked ham, campfire and bacon in large quantities. Underneath is some barely noticeable caramel.
The smoky character is nor as overpowering as a flavour, allowing sweet caramel, nutty malt and a soft roasty character to come into play.
Carbonation is a little full on.
Got nothing on Aecht Schlenkerla, but nice stuff none the less.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2011 00:54:38 | More by CrazyDavros

dgilks

Australia

3.98/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Clear mahogany colour with a big, fluffy, light tan head. Good head retention.

Double smoked bacon with some burning rubber. Nice and smoking. Mild fruitiness. Good.

Smoky malt with some slightly tart fruitiness. This rates with some of the German Rauchbiers I've had. I like it.

Medium light body with moderate carbonation. The fizz just helps to make the smokiness pop.

A really nice Rauchbier. Obviously this style isn't to everyone's taste but I think it works really well and is a delicious example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2011 09:02:50 | More by dgilks

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

4.18/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle courtesy of freud, bottled March 2011. Into a tulip, thanks Fred! Love me some smoke.

Pours a deep violet/burgundy, creamy offwhite cap that laces well. Nose is a rich meaty and woody smokiness, with some faint underlying sweetness. Taste is a slight change of pace as smoke and rich caramel notes present themselves in unison, taking turns presenting themselves on the palate. Great malt flavour. Smooth mouthfeel, with moderate lingering smoke and caramel sweetness. Heavy medium in body and a lower medium carbonation. Very drinkable and solid, if on the sweeter side, smoked offering.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2011 17:33:17 | More by liamt07

dragonWhale

New York

4.2/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

From the depths of the fouled cellar..bottled 3/10. It is time to drink this!
Pours brown, dark amber highlights, a creamy head, and the bbq pit leaps out at me. Some brilliant lace trails. Smells brilliant, the smoke is big but there's some sweet malt poking out.
Excellent taste, too. Peaty, smoky, but not overpowering, not caustic in the throat. Sweet malt fades into the smoke, leaving a pleasant smoky aftertaste. This is a really nice beer. First time I've had it and with the year on it, it's really held up well. Now to seek it out fresh..the new chore upon me.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2011 18:58:04 | More by dragonWhale

Agold

Pennsylvania

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

Picked this up on a trip to montreal. Completely different beer now from the frist time I had it. The beer is almost porter-like in how dark it is. It has a nice dense white head which lingers and leaves a bit of lacing. This beer smells like eating bacon and beef jerky at a campfire. There is a little bit of grainyness and nuttiness but really it is all about the smoke here. The taste just has more and more hickory bacon smokiness with a mild nutty sweetness to lend a bit of balance. The mouthfeel is a little light and is also lacking a bit of carbonation. Would definitely benefit from a bit more. Overall, this beer is an experience more than anything else. Huge smokiness when fresh. I would love to see something like this as a bigger beer, but I would be afraid I couldn't handle any more smoke.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2011 06:45:55 | More by Agold

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

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

Pours lightly smokey yellow with lasting three-eighths of an inch lasting head. Slightly smokey aroma. very good taste, with controlled smoked malt, and a sweet spicey finish that satisfies. Average mouthfeel, smooth, Very drinkable.A lovely smoked beer, thanks Luc!

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2011 01:51:48 | More by northyorksammy

ludachris

Ontario (Canada)

3.68/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

The body is sludge brown with murky orange highlights peaking through. Quite hazy with miniscule bits of suspended sediment revealing themselves around the edges of the beer, where the light shines through. A good finger's worth of cream coloured head retains nicely and leaves brush strokes of patchy lace behind.

For a 5.4% beer, this one really packs a punch. Strong notes of pork, hickory, charred wood, sublte toasted malts and light caramel pour out of the glass. The meaty character is quite pronounced and borders being sweet. The caramel notes, subtle as they may be, play very well with the rest of the beer.

The sweetness from the caramel and toasted malts come in more forcefully, nearly eqaulling the beer's meaty base. Pork and hickory make their presence known towards the end with a welcomed smokey edge that asserts its presence for some time after the finish.

The mouthfeel seemed to be lacking most, taking away from what could have been a hefty and satisfying smoked beer by being both thin and watery with an underwhelming amount of carbonation. Easy to drink? Sure, but a fuller body would have made it a real pleasure to do so.

DDC would sit comfortably in my top 8 Canadian breweries but this beer doesn't do much for its position there. It seems to be one of those cases where a great beer was turned into a good beer by lacking in just one aspect; the mouthfeel. If making a fuller body entails increasing the alcohol content, I'd say it's more than worth it. This one's worth a try but can't contend with many other DDC offerings.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2011 00:47:45 | More by ludachris

kwjd

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a light brown colour with a finger of tan head. Some mild lacing around the glass. Nice head retention until the end. Smells of campfire/chimney smoke with some roasted malt and chocolate. This seems to be a smoked porter, or at least similar enough to that. Very smooth carbonation level. A nice beer and anyone that likes smokey beers should try this.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2010 16:53:09 | More by kwjd

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.2/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Decided that I was going to go on a fridge cleaning for the next week before I need to take a break for a while. Went with this mixed sixer last night in an attempt to clean out some lighter fare. Served cold and poured into a pint glass, this was consumed on 11/03/2010.

A new one from a brewery I have always had great luck with, I jumped at the chance to try this one. Pours out a nice dark brown with a head of tan that reaches a height of around an inch or so before settling back down and leaving some nice lacing along the sides.

Aroma is full of campfire smoke right off the bat. I had been expecting it but it really came off quite strong and full. Really nicely done here I have to admit. Nice notes of light chocolate and big roasted malts are always a welcome treat. Flavor carries this over quite well as the chocolate and earthy notes lay underneath that wonderful smoky campfire like flavor that leaves a long finish with rich development across the tongue.

Overall a very fine example of the style and one that is extremely drinkable. I had no issues with putting this one down quickly and easily.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2010 23:41:30 | More by mikesgroove

StephenRich

Ontario (Canada)

3.3/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Charbonniere is French for "Coal Woman", and while this beer tastes very little like a woman, it is reminiscent of coal. Really what it is, is a smoke beer. Before kilning and indirect heating was used to dry and malt barley grains, they were smoked over direct fires creating a very distinct and smoky beer. Eventually when maltsters mastered indirect heating, brewers were able to use unsmoked malted barley creating a cleaner, more elegant beer capable of taking on a new variety of flavors.

The old smoked ales though do still exist. They are most famous in Bamberg, the venerable smoke beer capital of the world. Dieu Du Ciel's Charbonniere uses smoked malts hailing from Bamberg to recreate a soft smoky flavor in the beer with a rich malt backbone. It has been brewed since 1999 at Dieu Du Ciel's brewpub and fits perfectly with the astonish lineup of beer's they offer.

The Charbonniere comes in 355ml bottles at 5% abv, and as far as I have seen, they are only available in Quebec. I opened it up cool around 8C (45F) and poured it into a tall tulip glass. The pour was big and frothy forming a lush 2 inch tan brown head with streak of bobbles and a pillowy, creamy cap. The beer stood and amber maroon with glimmers of deep red garnet, purple and hints of gold. It was slightly opaque, and very close to black, showing great dark brick browns. Great depth of color and intensity drew me into this beer.

The nose is classic rauchbier with smooth smoky notes of BBQ, smoked sausage, char and firewood. The smoke is not overpowering and lends into some warm malt sweetness getting close to toffee, but more like slightly burnt brown sugar. No hops are noticeable here, but it does smell fresh and quenching. You should never dismiss a rauchbier from being supremely quenching, they can refresh your palate with the best of pale ales!

A nice big gulp of the Charbonniere reveals smooth and silky smoke flavors guided along by light caramel malts, hints of spice and pepper, and a clean very dry hop finish. The beer is elegant and delicate, and not all showy and blunt. The smoke is soft and smooth gliding over your tongue just glancing at wood fires, and then moves into your cheeks showing off smooth and softly rich flavors of BBQ, char and smoked meat. Hints of pepper and spice make their way along the sides of your tongue and tickle the back of your throat.

Malt does play the primary role here and is the spine and nervous system of this beer. It is smooth and lightly sweet with soft biscuit and caramel on the palate, but an overall dry, slightly sweet feeling. Hops show soft herbal bitterness that touches in at the back of the beer and rounds it out nicely. It is not nearly as potent as the majority of rauchbiers that I have had, but does exemplify great flavors in a delicate and quenching soft smoke beer.

A clean and crisp finish makes the Charbonniere a very easy drinking beer and would pair perfectly with anything off the grill, or even a smooth cigar.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2010 15:24:28 | More by StephenRich

laituegonflable

Australia

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

Pours a burnished brown colour with lacklustre beige head. Lace is something else - spectacular, letting me know this coal lady has a great body (what coal lady doesn't?), but head could stick around a bit more. I prefer my coal ladies to have heads. Body is clear with no real bead. Overall decent.

Smell is smoke-tastic. A lot of charred meat, bacon and just good old wood smoke on there. Slight cheesiness to it. Not a lot else, maybe a slight fruity tang, but yeah lots of meaty smoke. Simple but good.

Taste is quite charry. Has a slight spice at the front with mild caramel malt character. Smoke doesn't hit you until the mid-palate but then it's there, woody and meaty, with lots of that charcoaly, ashy, peaty flavour coming through on the back. Really cuts through that glazed meat character to leave a smokey bitterness that is surprisingly refreshing. I think I'm getting to the stage where I've tried enough smoked beers to "get it" and they need to offer me something special. This is a very decent example, well constructed palate.

Mouthfeel is a bit harsh around the edges but nice amount of body. Goes down roughly, but overall makes me feel alright.

Definitely couldn't slam a smoked beer at the best of times. This is okay, but drinkable is not the word that springs to mind.

Serving type: on-tap

08-20-2010 03:39:22 | More by laituegonflable

lacqueredmouse

Australia

4.25/5  rDev +13%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Sydney's Local Taphouse for the Canadian SpecTapular.

Lightish red-amber hue, with a fine but slightly filmy head of white bubbling. Some fine carbonation, but not a lot. Looks decent without being exceptional.

Definitely lots of smoke on the nose, but it's a big peaty and earthy kind of smoke aroma. Even a little roasted grain coming through. All of this succeeds in balancing the nose quite well. Very nice.

Taste is superb. A really big and robust smoke presence throughout, matched with some fresh, green, slightly herbaceous characters, and a light drying of the palate to create some crispness on the back. Smoke continues to the end though, leaving a lingering whisper of wood-fire and turned earth. All too often the smoke in a beer appears on the nose, but gets lost on the palate. This one is a winner.

A really wonderful smoked beer, full of flavour and very classic.

Serving type: on-tap

08-17-2010 01:42:27 | More by lacqueredmouse

BearsOnAcid

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Man, this beer was delicious!

Pour out a clear brown with an off white head. Smelled like smoked bacon, salami, and caramel malts. The taste as packed with a huge smoked meat taste. Very smooth and not overpowering though. The flavor lasted a while after you swallowed and you get a nice integration of a campfire flavor and brown malts. I wish this beer wasn't so thin. I would've liked it to have some more body. This was definitely one of the best smoked beers I've had and I'm not a very big fan of the style.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2010 14:37:34 | More by BearsOnAcid

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.03/5  rDev -19.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

341ml bottle poured into a pint glass

Appearance - medium brown, decent size foamy off white head, can't see much carbonation. A fair amount of lacing.

Smell - well, smoked malts.. caramel, hops. Saw someone else compare this to a camp fire smell - I couldn't agree more.

Taste & Mouth - really smoked tasting.. for some reason its comes through as meaty to me. Almost like a piece of smoked brisket. Also fruitiness, coffee beans, and a slightly bitter hop finish. Also something musty, call me crazy but do I taste blue cheese?

Drink - This is definitely an interesting beer, but not my sort of thing. Points for originality, but lacks drinkability. 1 is more than enough.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2010 23:06:59 | More by spinrsx

SilentBob2u2

California

3.28/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

7/17/10

My buddy brought this back from Montreal for me and buddies to try. We had never heard of the beer nor the brewery before, it was all in french except "smoked malt beverage", which I think is why he picked it up...

C - deep brown amber, not cloudy at all and crisp for the color.

S - Smoke from a campfire and coffee.

M - should be heavier that it is. It's got a light feel to it, almost crisp. The viscosity of a pale ale with the backside of a heavier cream ale.

T - it taste's of smoke and coffee. My taste buds fight over which flavor they will hang onto in the after-taste. the coffee and smoke don't exactly go well together for the after taste, that's why I say they are fighting over which flavor will linger. However, for a craft brewer to do this is very much a skill, which is commendable.

D - my buddy says he could drink 3, however, I I know I can only handle one. It's not heavy but I think the smoke coffee flavor just isn't my cup of tea so to speak.

I have to give it credit by saying that they tackled this beer really well for what it is. It's damn close to being really good, but falls just a tad short.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2010 17:28:32 | More by SilentBob2u2

plaid75

New York

3.83/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On draft at The Blind Tiger, NYC.

Poured a deep amber hue with a half finger foamy white head. There was good retention and lacing.

The smell featured a meaty smoke.

The taste was upfront salty smoke with a lingering spiciness. A touch of thin grain detected toward the finish.

The mouthfeel was a touch thin.

Overall a nice smoke beer. God spice as well.

Serving type: on-tap

06-07-2010 21:36:58 | More by plaid75

zhooker

New York

4.1/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

From tap to a 12oz white wine glass. Dark amber and opaque, with a clean filtered look. Healthy head that dissipated quickly, but left some pretty lacing.

The smell is, well, unmistakeably a rauchbier aroma. The following comment may seem sacrilegious, and it definitely reveals my former teenage snack food preferences -- but the first thing that always comes to mind when I whiff a rauchbier is the classic Slim Jim. Fortunately this is not accompanied by a screaming Macho Man Randy Savage. Back to the aroma -- smoky, meaty, a little sour.

The smoke owns the flavors here. Not nearly as strong or forward as the great Bamberg Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier, but definitely thick and meaty.

Smooth mouthfeel, surprisingly crisp on the tongue.

This was my first from Dieu du Ciel, and I was overall impressed. I would much prefer this to the Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier, which is a little too overwhelming to enjoy an entire bottle of. However, the smokiness is still very much more pronounced than something like Stone's Smoked Porter, or other beers where the smoke flavor is just an addition (opposed to the centerpiece). Would only recommend to those familiar with rauchbiers, but because of its mildness, serves as an excellent introduction to the style.

Serving type: on-tap

05-24-2010 11:50:03 | More by zhooker

Long813

Nova Scotia (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Dated: 02/11
From: Premier Wine & Spirits, 341ml

A: Opaque dark brown body with one finger of slightly off-white head. Head dissipates quickly into a thin ring and leaves blotchy lacing

S: Burnt wood, smoked meat and hints a caramel. This is weaker on the smoked meats than any other smoked beer I've tried. All the aromas in general don't come off that strong.

T: Caramel and burnt wood and some smoked meat follows. Flavours are also quite weak, but pleasant. Some nice bitterness at that end.

M: Medium-light bodied and lots of carbonation. Water like texture and leaves a distinct wood-like dry finish.

D: This definitely takes a different approach on the style. It's much easier to drink than the other because it's not as strong, but I feel like it's a little to weak. Good beer to try, but nothing else.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2010 21:00:53 | More by Long813