March 2005, I tapped my first keg of Avec les Bons Voeux de la Brasserie Dupont, a beer I'd never had before, and at the time the most expensive keg I'd ever ordered. Had great faith in it's excellence, of course. And after locking the doors at night on the day the keg came in, I poured myself a glass and wrote the following:"I just tapped a keg of this rarity about two hours ago, and something struck me right off, a thing happened that is most uncommon: a beer took my breath away.
Looks majestic poured into a St. Bernardus goblet, lush creamy head, hazy pale orange appearance, ...angelic. Aroma, captivating, airy, light citrus, minor sour tones, vibrant fruit, apricot, peach, lemon, gets bolder by the minute, unfolds tangy-er fruit notes, ...uplifting.
But it's in the taste where I was taken back, and I still don't know if I have language for it, but let us make a valiant effort, anyway.
Fruit floods the mouth, but the body is exceptionally light, almost ethereal...it paints a coating of delicious around the mouth that pulls away like a phantom, the echo of this gorgeous fruit flavor, plump with yeast, lingers, resonates, titillates, entices...another sip is in the offing, but it becomes a gulp, and the swallow is urgent, but the effect is the opposite, a magnificent restfulness overcomes me, a mellow rapture,... it stirs the mind and soul, and quenches thirst along the way.
Each new sip delivers a similar shock, a brand new spank to the senses, a reacquaintance with this magical feeling.
Body is light, but the flavor is powerful and pure, and the finish is long, fruity, perfectly smooth. I laugh at the 9.5% but feel it creeping in as I drain the glass.
Hey, maybe it's just the mood I'm in, but this glass of beer has an absolutely elevating effect. The strength eventually enters into the flavor like a wily snake through a grassy field....lightly spicy, too, to match the fruit...call me a sucker if you must, but I feel my soul has been cracked open, freed and sent aloft, metamorphosized, like hearing new beautiful music for the first time, have a soft spot touched and felt that shiver...
Amazing beer. Not good, not great, amazing! Utterly lovely.
A great gift from Dupont. Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
It's the fifth in this round of Belg-a-Rama, here in January, 2011, and I'm still crazy about it. Sublime.
2 comments:
I'm not personally a fan of this beer, mostly because I'm not a fan of the style, but I had it Sunday paired with eggs benedict. If you're a food and beer pairing person and have the opportunity you might want to give the combo a try.
I would, but I generally have that dish with breakfast, which is not when I drink 10% abv beers.
Oh, I'll drink them at 4 am, but not at noon. My schedule is all mixed up, you know.
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