MacKroken Flower Grande Réserve (Vieillie 4 Mois - Fût De Chêne) - Le Bilboquet, Brasseur Artisan

glid02

Georgia

4.1/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle shared by Grant – much obliged!

Pours a hazy amber-brown color with a cream-colored head that leaves decent lacing.

Smells of heavy caramel and toasted malts with good amounts of oak and tannins. Also present are mild amounts of spicy honey.

Tastes similar to how it smells, though not as crisp. Moderately sweet dark caramel malts and hints of toastiness are joined quickly by smooth toffee flavors. Midway through the flavor profile dries out with the addition of smooth oak and medium fruits. Faint hints of honey come into play near the end, fading out into a mildly bitter ending. Mouthfeel is good, with solid carbonation.

Overall this was a solid and interesting beer that has a lot going on. Worth a shot.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2011 02:03:49 | More by glid02

Whatup14

Quebec (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -8.5%

04-17-2013 14:27:48 | More by Whatup14

tom10101

Quebec (Canada)

4/5  rDev -2.4%

11-05-2012 02:27:54 | More by tom10101

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml (2010) bottle poured into tulip 5/10/12 thanks unibroue4ever for the bottle

A light brown with some dark amber, thin tan head foam that leaves just a few spots of lace

S honey, oak, faint smoke, vanilla with big caramel notes and dried fruit, the booze could be better concealed but not overpowering, a little leather, nutty notes and tobacco

T earthy vinous notes I can't quite place, woody for sure and caramel is strong, not quite as nice as the nose but that still makes it quite good

M smooth and still well carbonated, not overly thick but the booze is mellow on the finish, somehow this one works, earthy woody finish lingers for a while

O pretty solid brew with a great smell, somewhat mellow I want to say the booze needs time to mellow but it works with everything else going on

if you like a fruity, woody, caramel monster you might like this, stoked to I got try this one thanks again Yannick

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2012 04:39:19 | More by wordemupg

Molson2000

Ontario (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%

09-18-2012 22:10:03 | More by Molson2000

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

4.43/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thank you to Hoppypocket for getting this bad boy to me.

Appearance. Pours a deep and hazy caramel-red with a finger of thick, creamy tan head.

Smell. Wow! Big caramel, woody bourbon, vanilla and maybe a little cherry.

Taste. Big barrel tastes right up front, oaky vanilla, caramel and roasted grains, some fruity yeast. Very nice.

Mouthfeel. On the lower side of full bodied with low+ carbonation.

Overall. This is a barrel aged beer gone right. Big and bold, but smooth and drinkable. Dangerous stuff here.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2012 01:39:05 | More by Rutager

Mattgruv

Quebec (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +9.8%

04-13-2012 23:04:55 | More by Mattgruv

uno99

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Got this 750ml bottle from Broue haha in Gatinau. Never heard of this brewer before but I decided to roll the dice on this expensive oak aged beer.

A: pours a dark brown; much darker than expected. I almost expected this be straw colored until I actually looked this up and saw it was of the scotch ale style. No head or lacing. no messin' about there.

S: Not super delicious or particularly inviting, but this scores big for being so complex and balanced. Honey is driving force here but the oak, smoke, fruit, coffee and fig suggestions complete the lap around the track.

T: Quite an interesting "little" scotch ale we have here. Takes the flavours and inspiration from somthing like Traquair House Jaqobite and turns it up to 11. The oak does well imparting a slight peaty scotch note. I'd like to know (en englais) what type of barrels were used.

M: Its rather thick and coating. Carbonation is a little on the low side, especially if you're a slow sipper like me and have the whole bottle to yourself. I'd probably recommend sharing this 2-3 ways at least.

Overall: This tiny brewer with a french language only website has produced a little gem here. I'd appreciate a smaller bottle option though.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2012 00:45:33 | More by uno99

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

3.8/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottle to Duvel tulip.

A - Very dark brown with a very slight ruby glow around the edges. One finger of cream coloured head with huge bubbles quickly receded to a thin layer.

S - Huge sweet toffee and caramel aromas up front. Brown sugar and a touch of oak in the background.

T - Big oak, whisky and vanilla flavours up front give way to sweet caramel and toffee. The finish was sweetness with brown sugar coming through followed by the oak. The whiskey flavour becomes more prominent as the beer warms up.

M - Light body, somewhat watery. Light to moderate carbonation.

O - A solid beer but the mouthfeel detracted from the overall experience a little bit.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2012 02:04:14 | More by TheSevenDuffs

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle shared by Jason, 750ml into a tulip. Gushed upon opening, ended up losing the entire neck of this bottle.

Poured a dark red/burgunday, with a cream coloured head. Good retention and light lacin. Nose is really malty, rich dark fruits, oak and light vanilla. Not alot of the wee-heavy to be found, but I have yet to try the base beer so maybe I wasn't looking in the right places. Taste is really oaky, again with more vanilla and what comes across as diacetyl, but perhaps its just a very strong barrel influence. Rich caramels and malts, with a hint of peat? Light alcohol which is nice given the ABV, sweet all around. medium full body, low carbonation and again, solid drinkability considering the ABV. Quite tasty, but probably a bit past it's peak looking at some of the other reviews here.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2012 02:10:05 | More by liamt07

oldp0rt

Quebec (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +9.8%

12-31-2011 04:47:47 | More by oldp0rt

unibroue4ever

Quebec (Canada)

4/5  rDev -2.4%

12-09-2011 15:19:17 | More by unibroue4ever

Foddz

Ontario (Canada)

4.38/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a rich, deep golden-brown. 1.5 fingers of off-white foam that dissipates reasonably quickly. Leaves subtle lacing on the glass.

S: Honey is present - even potent. A little stronger than I'd like. There's floral undertones and perhaps a hint of caramel.

T: Honey overtones give way to a complex palate of floral notes, oak, and toffee. A touch of alcohol offsets the mellower tastes, but not so much as you might expect from an 11% abv. Bitterness mingles nicely with the sweeter flavours. Very well balanced.

M: Smooth, with a pleasant tingle of alcohol and effervescence that gives way to a nice lingering dryness.

D: I find this beer best served in smaller portions to best appreciate the complexities of its taste without overtaxing one's palate. That said, were someone else pouring I would be hard pressed to say 'no' to a refill.

O: Fantastic, complex, and very enjoyable brew. Only real negative for me is the potent, bordering on cloying nose. Satisfying to drink and well worth the premium price tag.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2011 01:46:36 | More by Foddz

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

4.3/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle from Broue HAHA. From notes.

A - Poured a very dark brown with a one finger tan head. Some lace and a film of retention was left. Carbonation visible. Bright.

S - Floral with dark fruit and honey. Very nice blend.

T - Very tasty. Same as the aroma with floral notes blending with honey, caramel, and dark fruits. Raisins. Very rich. Sweet but not cloying.

M - Mild carbonation with a full body and a sweet floral/fruity finish.

O/D - Delicious. I haven't had the original but the barrel aging probably added a new element. All the flavours blend really nicely with the floral elements mixing with fruit and honey to make something pretty special. No real flaws and a delicious beer. Worth seeking out and forking out the cash for. The bottle was a bit big but shared with a few friends. I was suprised when this rang up at $16.99 but it was worth a try and very drinkable. Good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2011 17:51:41 | More by tbeckett

SFLpunk

Vermont

4.22/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Dany for this one! $18 CAN price tag on the cap. No date. Sampled last evening with the Farmhouse crew.

Pours a deep mahogany, brown with red hues, and a slice of tan head that recedes quickly. Nose is packed with vanilla and whiskey notes. There's some noticeable lacto on the nose too. As if warmed up over a half hour or so, the herbal qualities started to be more apparent.

The palate is slick and a little booze-laden when it was cold, but as it warmed up the body smoothed out and it became like silk. The dominant flavor is bourbon, with vanilla extract and that bit of lacto riding shotgun. After warming the "scotch ale" side came out more with rich caramel and dark malts and a floral character (but I wouldn't say I ever really tasted the honey or thistle specifically).

At first, I was not impressed, but we left the bottle open in the refrigerator (re-capped) for a few hours and then let it warm in the glass for half an hour and it was just beautiful. Sometimes, like a fine wine, beers just need some time to breathe.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2011 15:36:01 | More by SFLpunk

rtepiak

Poland

4.05/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

really appreicate this one flipper2gv.

a suprisingly good carbonation for about 11abv. Creamy but not syrupy. Look is as expected. Cloudy mahogany. Off white tan head. Nose of mead and whiskey malt hints and apple pie. Palate is dry royal jelly sweetness, plum tannins, and floral hints of dryness. Hint of mild fruit sourness like that of braggot. Honey hints that broaden to a spectrum of floral. Bourbon vanilla undertones... Great for triple lovers... And whiskey sips.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2011 20:03:08 | More by rtepiak

kjyost

Manitoba (Canada)

3.85/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle received through trade via papat444. Thanks!

Pours a beautiful crystal clear ruby red body with a ~1cm pale head that laces a touch too lightly. The beer hits you with a stunning amount of pure unadulterated oak. BOOM! When given a chance you get aromas of caramel and toffee.

The body is once again an oak bomb. Too much. Over time it is nice, giving forth flavours of caramel, sweet malt, and a bit of dirty earth. But wow... This beer has clearly been aged in oak! A bit too much I dare say. Great mouthfeel, finishing dry with low alcohol notes but the beer is hampered by the oak.. Too much.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2011 05:53:07 | More by kjyost

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.45/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottle: Poured a hazy dark burgundy color ale with an average size foamy head with good retention and limited lacing. Aroma of sweet malt with dry oak notes. Taste is more dominated by oak and light vinous notes then I was expecting. The sweet malty notes from the based beer are still perceptible. Body is surprisingly more thin then the based beer with good carbonation and no apparent alcohol. Interesting but I won't seek again considering the price tag and the fact that the original beer is much better.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2010 03:41:39 | More by Phyl21ca

papat444

Quebec (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer was aged 4 months in honey wine barrels.

Poured from a 750ml. bottle and shared with my wife.

Appearance: Not much head, maybe 2 fingers, ecru in color. Body is a leather brown with reddish tendencies, looks kind of like cherry coke.

Smell: Porto, figs, brown sugar, dark fruit and caramel.

Taste: Starts strong with lots of dried fruit and caramel and segues into a more gentle porto-like flavor with lots of sweet fruit. There's a candied aspect also in there. The barrel aging really brings out a nice sweetness without being cloying. Intense and flavorful as there's a lot going on. My only complaint is that it doesn't last long enough.

Mouthfeel: Very smooth body with permeates the palate and carbonation that is average to low. I will say the body could be fuller but it is still very comfortable in the mouth.

Drinkability: Not much alcohol heat in the flavor which makes it dangerously drinkable. The format is a bit large and at 20.00$, it is a bit expensive but i would still get it from time to time.

Overall: Much better than the original. Barrel aging this beer gives it more depth and a much better flavor. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2010 21:43:53 | More by papat444