La Vache Folle - Milk Stout - Microbrasserie Charlevoix

demcorhip

Ontario (Canada)

4.18/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to Goldorak, finally getting around to enjoying this CanBif treat from years back. Looks great, black body topped by tight two finger tan head with great retention. Also great lacing, thin sticky sheets battle gravity and appear to hold their own.

Lactose, chocolate and espresso, a hint of char, some raisin and a touch of leafy earthiness. So ya, smells great and im looking forward to the taste.

Tastes pretty damn good. Much like the nose. A nice little smack of roasted malts near the finish break through the rich and creamy lactose rich chocolate and espresso flavour. Some hazelnut also present.

Incredible mouth feel and presence. Full creamy body, and a great balance of rich flavours, nuts, chocolate/espresso, and charred malts. I would put this up there with Dark Lord in terms of great mouthfeel, but instead of molasses the lactose provides the substance.

As drinkable as any 9% brew. The alcohol reveals itself mostly through the warmth it imparts. A great beer to ring in the new on the first of January in Canada. A must try for fans of stouts and milk stouts. This brew is easily the equal of higher rated and more sought after brews. Could La Vache Folle come out on top of the Darklord? It does in my books... Thanks Martin for the chance to try this incredibly rich and tasty treat.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2010 23:21:33 | More by demcorhip

polloenfuego

Ontario (Canada)

4.16/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 500 ml bottle into a pint glass.

A: deep dark brown with a minimal head that disappears quickly.

S: coffee, cocoa, roasted malts and some milk

T: coffee and bitter cocoa again upfront, there is a sweet finish and the alcohol is hidden.

M: medium creamy. Perhaps the carbonation is a little aggressive, but overall it is smooth and pleasant.

O: this was my first milk stout and I was rather pleasantly surprised by the feel and flavor of this style. The beer finished nicely and i have to say I find it quite drinkable. I could easily see myself having a few on a cool evening. I have always been a fan of Charlevoix, so this beer did not disappoint me. I look forward to trying more of this type and seeing what others have to offer.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2013 00:00:59 | More by polloenfuego

Kmat10

Alberta (Canada)

4/5  rDev -2.4%

05-20-2013 04:56:48 | More by Kmat10

yancot

Ontario (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +9.8%

05-16-2013 05:41:20 | More by yancot

metalgdog

New York

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%

05-10-2013 00:17:03 | More by metalgdog

jvillefan

California

2.7/5  rDev -34.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75

I am going to take a point off of each category due to the vast inexperience that this brewery clearly has. The beer was vastly overcarbonated and nearly exploded after opening despite no reason to do so. After the fountain of beer on my ceiling and carpet there was only enough to fill 4 oz of my glass.

A: A dark brown body with a huge brown head.

S: Not great. It has a homebrew aroma when homebrewing is done with extract. There is sweet chocolate aromas present as well.

T: Light flavors. There is a chocolate flavor with some creamy flavors in the background. There are many better milk stouts out there.

M: The carbonation is way to high and this leaves the body deceptively light.

O: Could have been good if the brewery had more skill when it comes to their process. Very poor execution. This will be my last beer from Microbrasserie Charlevoix.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2013 03:46:05 | More by jvillefan

NorthernSoul

Saskatchewan (Canada)

3/5  rDev -26.8%

04-17-2013 22:42:59 | More by NorthernSoul

AlexFields

Tennessee

3.96/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dark chocolate brown, thick and murky, very large bubbly coffee colored, leaves webs of lacing.

Nose is fairly dry lactose, milk chocolate and dusty cocoa, vanilla, some light blueberry or grape. Light bitterness.

Taste opens with the same blueberry/grape fruit character, sweet milk chocolate, some lightly bitter roast, sweet lactose. Not incredibly sweet for a milk stout but very tasting. There is a slightly cardboard like thing in there too but it's not too distracting.

Mouthfeel is nice and rich, lots of carb, feels fairly thick and dry.

Very nice milk stout! I really like the dark fruit character.

7.9/10

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2013 01:56:20 | More by AlexFields

IanSpindler

Alberta (Canada)

4/5  rDev -2.4%

04-14-2013 14:18:47 | More by IanSpindler

sdm9465

Nova Scotia (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +9.8%

04-08-2013 16:26:02 | More by sdm9465

Ivanhoes_Backpack

New Brunswick (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -14.6%

03-19-2013 00:52:27 | More by Ivanhoes_Backpack

BlackAura

Alberta (Canada)

3/5  rDev -26.8%

03-17-2013 02:44:15 | More by BlackAura

Vandelayindustri

Alberta (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%

03-12-2013 22:17:35 | More by Vandelayindustri

Haydn-Juby

Quebec (Canada)

4.33/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served from a bottle to an English tulip glass.

A: Dark but not pitch black. Some ruby red highlights are visible on light contact. Minimal head about a little less then a finger with some lacing.

S: Coffee and espresso on the nose.

T: Deep rich roasted malts. Dark chocolate like flavor as well. Very nicely balanced but slightly sweet with the aid of the lactose sugars in the beer. The alchohol is very well masked and I probably would have no idea this was 9% if the bottle didn't say so.

M: Maybe slightly thinner then I would like but I tend to lean towards oatmeal stouts. Good creamy mouth feel and smooth going down.

O: This was a pretty good buy. One of my friends suggested it. Its pretty pricey but it would make a nice treat every once in a while. Good beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 21:15:02 | More by Haydn-Juby

ThickNStout

Georgia

3.84/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

500mL bottle from La Duchesse D'Aiguillon (Quebec City). 4.99. Bottled 11/1/12. Served in a Microbrasserie Charlevoix goblet.

Pours dark cola brown with one and a half fingers fluffy sand head. Nice sheets of lacing on the way down.

Smells of dark cocoa, sweet cream and roasty malts. Simple but nice.

Taste is bittersweet cocoa, lightly creamed coffee, burnt caramel, chocolate milk, roast malts, lactose sweetness and slightly nutty. Very little alcohol bite.

Medium full, creamy feel with initially too-sharp carbonation that calms down a bit as it warms. Mildly bitter creamy cocoa aftertaste.

A nice find on my recent trip to Quebec City (thanks for the reccomendation ricochet173!). One of the better strait up milk stouts I've had with plenty of robust notes that make it significantly more interesting than typical brews in the style. Definately worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2013 05:51:12 | More by ThickNStout

lgmol

Nova Scotia (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +9.8%

02-27-2013 23:24:39 | More by lgmol

SEG1975

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev -2.4%

02-24-2013 12:16:30 | More by SEG1975

LarryAppleton

Quebec (Canada)

4/5  rDev -2.4%

02-15-2013 03:16:17 | More by LarryAppleton

Muhly

Alberta (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle into a mug.

A-opaque black colour. Couple of fingers of creamy tan/brown head.

S-coffee and sweet, slightly sour chocolate milk.

T-a hint of sweet dark malts with a powerful hit of bitter coffee and dark chocolate.

M-initially thinner and more carbonated than I anticipated, but as the carbonation dissipates, it seems to become creamier and fuller. The creamy mouthfeel adds to the enjoyment. No astringency detected and finishes with a bit of sweetness.

O-I think this is a pretty bang on sweet stout with the exception of the initial mouthfeel which I wish was creamier and a bit more full. Oh well. After sitting for a couple of beats, the mouthfeel comes into focus and everything is beautiful. I'm grabbing one the next time I feel like a sweet stout!

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 03:58:55 | More by Muhly

Luk13

Quebec (Canada)

3.25/5  rDev -20.7%

01-23-2013 00:49:20 | More by Luk13

JonnyBeers

British Columbia (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +9.8%

01-11-2013 18:05:03 | More by JonnyBeers

Colvil

Quebec (Canada)

5/5  rDev +22%

01-09-2013 19:15:16 | More by Colvil

philmen

Ontario (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%

12-22-2012 00:31:23 | More by philmen

MTLChris

4/5  rDev -2.4%

11-29-2012 04:43:16 | More by MTLChris

KalanM

British Columbia (Canada)

4/5  rDev -2.4%

11-29-2012 01:32:06 | More by KalanM