La Buteuse Brassin Spécial (Barrel Aged) - Le Trou Du Diable

uno99

Ontario (Canada)

4.3/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Brother and I Trudged all the way to Volo from BeerBistro in a head wind snowstorm, wearing slippery leather soled shoes to try this one.

A: It's pretty dark in Volo, but the head seemed nice and lacing was quite pretty.

S: The kind of beer that makes your face go :O and a really gay sound comes out of it when you take a whiff. This is incredibly unique and well crafted. There definitely needs to be more Brett infected triples out there.

T: This was everything the nose was and more. Buttery (in a good way) Oak, toasty malt, perfect balance with the brett character.

M: A real winner here as well. Medium bodied, not sticky

D: Well I sure could drink a lot of this if I were a wealthy man. I understand this is probably a labour intensive beer, and the laws of supply and demand come into play as well, but should I really have to pay $55 with tax and tip for a single bottle of beer?

Anyhow - this is great - try it if you can find it.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2011 04:20:00 | More by uno99

flipper2gv

Quebec (Canada)

4.4/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Unfiltered light honey color with a creme white head. Good retention and correct lacing.

S: What a great nose! Of course this is very fruity. There are lemons, green apples, strawberries, orange. Eventually, the apple brandy (aka calvados) is very present. Strong scents of vanilla, light honey and white sugar. Some oak in there too. Light scent of spices: cinnamon and cloves. Some floral elements in the smell. Very complex, inviting and pleasant smell.

T: Wow, never thought the barrel aging would come off THAT strong in the taste. Very strong taste of calvados, vanilla, oak, pepper and leather. Good malty sweetnesses of light honey. Spices are stronger here: pepper (like mentioned before), cloves, coriander and cinnamon. Also, very fruity: lemons, green apples, strawberries and oranges.

M: Medium to light body with medium carbonation. As expected with strong belgian pale.

D: Dangerously drinkable at 10 ABV. Very complex, yet not intimidating, sweet, yet not cloying, dry, yet not too much. No alcohol in sight. If you don't watch yourself, you'll get drunk pretty fast.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2011 23:07:25 | More by flipper2gv

markaberrant

Saskatchewan (Canada)

4.47/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - slightly hazy, light orange, whispy white head persists, effervescent,

S - funky, soft fruitiness, doughy, peaches, pears, light spice, smells pretty interesting

T - dry, light wood, but very fruity, tons of ripe peach/pear/apple throughout, funky barnyard, earthy, spicy, not sour or tart, but has some acidity to it, aftertaste is funky, dry earth

M - well carbonated, the beer is dry and easy to drink, but there is a sensation of full body in the mouth, carries the flavours very nicely, very smooth, alcohol is amazingly well hidden

D - just about perfect execution on a very complex beer, most impressive

There is a lot going on here. Many times, I find "complicated" beers don't always have a high success rate, but this one pulls it off. You get a little bit of everything, but not all at once, it is not muddled, you can enjoy different nuances with each sip. It is dry, but not bone dry like some beers (RR Damnation, Duvel), which brings out the fruitiness that much more. The apple brandy barrel aging adds complexity to the fruitiness and the wood adds to the dry finish.

Definitely one of the most interesting and complex beers I have ever sampled.

Thanks to Hoser for the recommendation and making this beer available, glad I picked up a case!

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2010 00:50:32 | More by markaberrant

QuestionableScum

Alberta (Canada)

4.28/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into tulip glass. Pours a deep dark hazy yellowy orange with some red and brown notes, and a thick creamy head. The colour is very distinctive but this looks great.

In terms of smell I get alot of bready yeasty notes, as well as alot of fruitness. The fruits range from tart apple and peach, through to pear and apricot. Also, I get some distinctive champagne/chardonnay notes in the nose. It also smells like the love child of a belgian beer, a champagne and a cider.

In terms of taste I initially get alot of bready sweet malts followed by an excellent earthy peppery spiciness. The brett and the general belgian funky notes in this beer are among the best I have tasted. The bready sweet malty flavour has some excellent fruity overtones that both include dark fruits like raisin, as well lighter fruits like tart apple, peach and apricot. There is a nice tartness that counters the bready sweetness of this beer, without constituting an entirely separate flavour. Also, there are some nice woody oaky notes that blend in with the earthy spiciness, that is part of the finish of this beer.

Mouthfeel is quite good as well. Fairly dry, and medium bodied with a nice coating feel without being overly sticky.

Drinkability is good all things considered, although this beer is definitely boozy. The alcohol is hidden fairly well, but this beer has a fairly significant warming effect.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2010 02:49:38 | More by QuestionableScum

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

4/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Presented in a 750ml Burgandy-style bottle, with one hell of a flavour description, en francais, on the label. And it's always nice to see, that despite its seemingly dear price here in Alberta, that it's still half the price of the same in Quebec-adjacent Ontari-ari-o...

This beer pours a hazy, sediment-strewn, dark orange amber hue, with two fingers of thin creamy white head, which leaves a random, but solid plastering of lace around the glass as it settles to a puffy cap. It smells of acidic apple juice, pithy white orchard fruit, a bit of mild graininess, and tart, funky yeast. The taste is funky white grain, wood, tart apple pie, earthy, floral hops, and a soft warming booziness. The carbonation remains fairly strong, the body medium weight, fairly fruity, and approaching smooth. It finishes surprisingly sweet, some apple and pear sweetness rearing up against the inherent fruit tartness and restrained alcohol edge.

I definitely got a Cantillon-esqe sour essence at first glimpse of this Quebecois offering, but that soon proved to be but one of the many components to this flavour cornucopia. While definitely strong with the tart fruitiness, it is well balanced by the understated malt sweetness. In the end, the sour funk is just but a side player in a much more complex concoction.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2010 06:47:26 | More by biboergosum

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

$46 bottle plus t&t at Bar Volo, shared with Jason. Funky aroma, cuvee aromas. Hazy golden with a generus soapy head. Very lacey. Above average mouthfeel. A little seetness from the brett, otherwise various fruits from rich apple through apricot.You can almost taste some fruit skin. The alcohol is well hidden. Better as it warms, and starts to grow on you. Very unusual barreling, glad I had the Captain lawrence apple brandy barreling as well which helped develop the palate.
Had it again at Barhop 1.5 years later. Very good with apple right there, not as rich and perhaps not as aged, still great drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2010 19:37:14 | More by northyorksammy

IronDjinn

Alberta (Canada)

4.33/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From a 750 ml brown bottle. Pours out an appealing opaquely hazed amber hue, spongy white head that quickly settles to a creamy cap.

Sharp tart acicic aroma of Bretts reigns supreme, with notes of wood and cidery apple in the background.

However the flavour holds far more balance than was anticipated from the aroma. Mild caramel malt with hints of toast up front, bittersweet spicy acidity from the yeast and Bretts reveals itself in a refined way throughout the middle, while finishing with wood and a slight hint of apple. The aftertaste is amazingly clean for the style. Low alcohol warmth throughout. It's like the funk and flavour of a classic Belgian Pale but dressed up in a double-breasted suit with shiny spats and a fresh haircut--refined!

Medium-full mouthfeel, smooth yet well-carbonated, especially on the finish.

A solid ale on its own, yet one of those rare instances where the sum is still greater than it's already fine parts. The barrel-aging, and the choice of an apple brandy lacing helps to not only add to the flavour profile, but also helps tone down the acidity of the yeast. Even now with the still somewhat clean aftertaste I have a beautiful non-invasive ghost of apple barrel to enjoy on my palate.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2010 04:01:05 | More by IronDjinn

andrenaline

Ontario (Canada)

4.33/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Although I'm inclined to think that this will age nicely, I've never had much patience and I'm more of a immediate gratification type person.

A - Pours a murky copper colour, two thumbs of big bubbled head with solid retention (5ish minutes), sporadic big bubbled sticky lacing and solid body carbonation.

S - Intense scent would be an understatement as this is quite complex. Scent is fruity with pineapple, pear, apple cider and brandy on the finish.

T - Much like the scent, the flavour is quite intense as well, again dominated by fruity with the apple, pineapple, and grapes coming through. Some caramel and toffee notes are also present with some maple syrop on the finish. The heat from the ABV is noticeable, but not overpowering. Bready malts linger on the tongue.

M - Full bodied ale, lots of carbonation and a bit of a dry finish. The heat from the ABV doesn't come through in the mouthfeel, which is nice.

D - A very tasty offering indeed, and I'm very glad I picked it up. A bit on the pricey side, but well worth it. A great beer to enjoy for any celebration, and a well produced example of a Belgian Strong Ale. Complex flavours are memorable making this a very enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2010 00:45:21 | More by andrenaline

elricorico

Alberta (Canada)

4.28/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

From notes I forgot to put in a while ago. Thanks to orrshow for sharing this bottle.

Dark orange-brown in colour with a big rocky beige head. Body is hazy enough to be basically opaque.

Aromas of toffee, funk, fruit salad. Brett acidic sourness.

Very fruity flavoured, peach and melon sweetness. Brett tartness. Not strongly sour, but enough to be the most distinctly notable feature of the taste. Altogether smooth and subtley flavourful.

Medium to full body with almost no carbonation - not bad in the mouthfeel.

Quite pleasant overall. Plenty of flavour but nothing overbearing. A treat.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2010 02:57:26 | More by elricorico

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

4.43/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle poured into abbey glass july20 2010

A clear copper with plenty of carbonation feeding a thin film that leaves a few patches of lace

S quite fruity with some apple, pear, pineapple some earth and that barnyard funk that's a treat for the nose

T thankfully it tastes like it smells but with a fair amount of hops, I do pick up a little booze but it's pretty well concealed for 10%

M mild bite to it just a slight booze burn and plenty of carbonation

D may not be a bad thing this bottle's being poured into a few different glasses, don't get me wrong I could drink this all to myself but it could be dangerous

yet another thanks to hoser for a chance to try this brew it's pretty tasty. anyone who can should try this beer

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2010 22:00:36 | More by wordemupg

SFLpunk

Vermont

4.68/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Much love to Freud for bringing this down for me. He said he bought it 01/2010. Stickered at $18.49.

750mL brown glass pry-top champagne bottle. No date marked.

Appearance: Pours a murky amber with some bone white tight head.

Nose: I could smells Brett the second I poured it and it's all over the nose somethin fierce. Green apple and toffee, egg-washed bread rolls, Grand Marnier (props to sleepnbballrlife for that note), herbal digestif. Complexity level is off the charts. Started out as dominated by Brett and now it's all about fruits and herbs.

Palate: Crisp and lively carbonation. The green apple thing is dominant, followed by charred wood, braised herbs, plum (props), a little prickle of alcohol. The finish is all about lifted notes: high notes of apples, some piney saaz-like hops and that alcohol just lift everything up to an ethereal high point of awesomeness.

Notes: THE most complex beer I've had from Canada, bar none! This is an absolute delight to drink. The barrel aging has added complexity, not white-washed it. All too often barrels just tromp the nature of a beer, but this seems to be a case where it's much better for it (although, to be fair, I haven't had the regular release).

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2010 04:25:37 | More by SFLpunk

ritzkiss

Ontario (Canada)

4.33/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Recently found my notes on this beer, written before the night slipped away from us.... big thanks to eat for providing this sought after bottle!

750 ml, pours a slightly cloudy golden, a hefty bone white head builds on the pour and slowly recedes to a thin layer, leaving spots of lacing.

Smell is delightful, fruity (apple, pear, oranges, apricots) mix with a light funky Brett, hint of wood and spicing.

Full flavored, a touch of the brandy comes out in the flavor that wasn't there in the nose. Light barnyard funk, slightly musty, apples and pears, a hint of citrus, oak, juicy yet a little tart, perhaps a touch more alcohol coming through than I would like but not distracting. Sparkly but not prickly carb, medium body, pretty drinkable except for the ABV heft. Reminds me a bit of Allagash's brews....

Top marks for this coming from a Canadian brewer. Perhaps a touch rougher than some of the more refined examples coming out of Belgium and the US but for a 1st go around this is a huge winner. Would love to get the chance at this one again, if I were to see it I would certainly grab a few. Highly recommended. Thanks Colin!

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2010 03:07:03 | More by ritzkiss

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

4/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle: Poured a clear amber color ale with a large foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of Brett is dominant with some balanced sweet malt also noticeable with light fruity ester. Taste is also a quite complex mix between some funky ester with dominant barnyard notes and a typical Belgium tripel malt base with balanced sweetness. Body is above average with good carbonation and no apparent alcohol. Very well done though I was expecting a more pronounced taste from the cider barrel aging process.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2010 02:34:44 | More by Phyl21ca

ZorPrime

Quebec (Canada)

4.88/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

This beer is amber color with some red notes in it. A very nice color for a beer. I think the color suggest that it will be spicy. The head beautiful. Huge, thicky but disappear quickly. It is almost a perfect color beer. The aroma is complex. It is fruity and I get some sugar notes with the presence of apple brandy. The smell is so good, I have to give it a 5.

In the mouth, the beer is warm, fruity and I get the sugar too. I get also some floral notes. On the bottle it says there is some tobacco notes, I would guess it is the floral I get on the taste side.

The beer is full body and feels mellow in the mouth. This is an excellent beer for special occasion. The drinkability is excellent for a 10%ABV beer.

This brewery knows what it is doing. One of the best brew I had so far since I'm drinking craft beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2010 22:21:47 | More by ZorPrime

mdfb79

New York

4.33/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From 3/6/10 notes. Had at a local DC tasting.

a - Pours an orange, amber color.

s - Smells of apples and brandy. Hints of oak and maybe some other fruits, little bit of funk.

t - Follows the nose, apples and brandy mostly. Hints of pears and oak.

m - Medium body and moderate carbonation. Pretty smooth.

d - I really enjoyed this beer. I thought it had a great apple and brandy mix that was quite enjoyable. Would love to have this again; the only thing that hurts it is the price ($30 for a 750 ML).

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2010 03:54:26 | More by mdfb79

eat

Quebec (Canada)

4.45/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle, part of Trou Du Diable's first bottling run. Seems to have been a success, I hope to see many more bottles from this brewery.

Cloudy and a dull hay colour. A huge, thick off-white head recedes to a solid covering over the surface, sticking around until the end. Awesome lacing.

Nice, big funky smell with apples, candy and light floral hops. Really unique, there's a lot of stuff in there I can't describe.

Spicy, hard liquor of some kind (brandy I suppose), apple juice (the fresh-pressed kind), musty, sweet, bitter, lemony, astringent, a touch funky. So smooth at 10%; feels like it could be 6-7%. The alcohol is well incorporated. Very complex and yet well-balanced. Really interesting.

Sparkling carbonation with a medium body; seems to suit the beer well.

Easily one of my favorite Canadian brews and definitely one of the most unique. For the 10% ABV, this is crazily drinkable. Hope I get the chance to pick some more of this up sometime.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2010 07:29:51 | More by eat

Viggo

Ontario (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle, big thanks to eat for sharing this one.

Pours a lightly hazed amber, some golden highlights, thick white head forms, settles down to a medium ring around the glass, some lace spots stick.

Smell is neat, apples and caramel, very fruity, apricots, alcohol, pears, tobacco and vanilla, lightly spicy and funky, some wood, sugars, honey, touch of brett, real neat.

Taste is similar, pretty intense flavour, hay, apples, alcohol, pears, spice, some oak and vanilla, brandy, lots of fruity character, apricots, light funkiness, very nice.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with low to medium carbonation. This was pretty great stuff, lots of layers. Thanks Colin!

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2010 21:37:20 | More by Viggo

bobsy

Ontario (Canada)

4.33/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

One of the beers I enjoyed before the evening descended into debauchery and my memory became increasingly hazy. This one came from eat - thanks for sharing, Colin, been looking forward to this one.

Copper pour with a creamy white head, which shows the barrel aging obviously hasn't done a number on lacing and retention. Everything a beer aged in apple brandy barrels and pitched with brett should smell like, mainly apple brandy, brett, wood and vanilla. Nicely balanced, and I like the mild funk coming through the apple brandy flavours. No one element comes through too strong, though the apple is probably the most prominent. The brett is nice and adds a drying nature to the finish. Medium carb and body.

Cheers Colin!

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2010 20:05:56 | More by bobsy

Luk13

Quebec (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750 ml bottle, batch #1. Amber color with white head. Fruity nose, something punchy; a bit woody; a little citrus like grapefruit; a bit of spice, cinnamon mostly and a bit of alcohol. Fizzy carbonation but it fades quickly and provides full mouth feel. Taste is spice, sour oakbarrel but with a nice bitter finish that provides excellent balance. The alcohol is quite present, warming but not unpleasant. Pricey but definetely worth at least a try.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2010 23:55:28 | More by Luk13

deereless

Colorado

3.7/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: A serious head on a hard pour, sea foam froth with patches that cling to the sides of the glass, large champagne-like bubbles, light copper color - 4.50, S: Tartness on the nose that reminds me of an cider, some powdery yeast and a touch on the side of funky, slightly floral, hint of alcohol on the nose - 4.25, T: Wild yeast almost certainly has played a large role in the flavor profile, brandy flavors and oak are also apparent, crisp and refreshing, grapefruit flavors - 3.50, M: Clean finish - 3.75, D: In the interest of full disclosure - I'm not a huge fan of Brett beers and Brett seems to rule this beer but it is certainly refreshing and one of the better wild ales I've tasted - 3.50

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2009 21:39:48 | More by deereless

rfgetz

New Jersey

4.08/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Eulogy

A: Cloudy, Light caraml. Puff of white, frothy head. (looks like a belgian!)

S: Light apple, brandy, wood, vanilla and sweet fruit. Defnite Brett yeasts add a little "funk".

T: The Spécial is aged in oak barrels that previously contained apple brandy, giving it a faint apple cider taste, but not too sweet. Not a lot of wood or brandy charachteristics, but they are there. Brett yeasts add some "funk" which is the backbone.

M: Smooth, light, crisp, refreshing.

D: Excellent... the apple brandy barrel complexity with the smooth, light, crisp. refreshing finnish and the wonderful "funky" Brett yeasts make this excellent.

Serving type: on-tap

07-27-2009 14:00:01 | More by rfgetz