Josh Rubin wrote a great review of Les Trois Mousquetaires Porter Baltique in the Toronto Star today. It's a beer I love, having had my first in May 2010 after a beer run to La Belle Province. But I noticed something on the bottle that accompanied Josh' article. The bottle said "Automne 2010" and the strength was 9.2%. That's up there in the middle. Digging in the stash I pulled out one that I bought in Gatineau, Quebec a couple of weeks ago and, upper left, it just said 2011 with a strength of 10%. My photo, to the right, from the first bottle I had was "Automne 2010 2009" and the strength was 10%. Then I go to the website of province's government store, the LCBO and see that it is described as a 2011 - but the strength is only 8.3%. And it costs two bucks more than the one I got in Quebec... hmm...
Don't get me wrong. Whatever it is, It's a hell of a beer and I will be buying more of the Ontario offering to join their Quebec cousins in the stash. It's a long winter in Canada. And I appreciate year to year vintage variation but there is something about this that seems a step more than that. Is there not a small chance that the LCBO lab police have intervened? They "conducted almost 368,000 tests on 15,700 different beverage alcohol samples prior to their sale in fiscal 2003-04" you know. Have the egg heads in white lab coats (sorry) determined that the beer is 20% inflated or is it a different batch?
Better go get a photo of one that's actually on the shelf. See if the label says 8.3% like the website.
Comments
John Coates - October 19, 2011 10:59 AM
Hi Alan,
I believe each batch is different as they make it a little different every year due to process and where they can source their malts/hops etc. So it varies. For example, I think the 2009 was better than 2010... now it's time to try the 2011...and put a few away for a while.
Really excited for this at the LCBO.
Alan - October 19, 2011 1:21 PM
Yes, but are there two versions for 2011? There seems to be a 10% in Quebec and an 8.3% in Ontario.
Stephen Beaumont - October 20, 2011 7:04 PM
Not saying this is the case here, but I know as fact that the LCBO regularly finds significant differences between stated and actual alcohol contents. To my experience, Belgians and Americans seem to be the worst offenders.
Niall - October 26, 2011 4:24 PM
I have bought last week a bottle of this beer at BroueHaHa in Québec, and it's the one the Star has - Automne 2010 @ 9.2%. I think your bottle on the right actually says 2009, not 2010. But as you said, it should all be fantastic (some just more fantastic than others :)) and I'm looking forward to try it this Friday (along with 6 other stouts and porters.. maybe more, the list always keeps growing when I do these).
Alan - October 26, 2011 4:49 PM
You are right. I got my left and right crossed and numbers got me all confused. My May 2010 bottle was from the fall 2009 bottling.
Niall - November 2, 2011 9:35 PM
Okay, we had the 2011 labelled 10% last Friday, and it was the runaway hit of the evening (amongst 11 others). Amazingly complex, the smell makes it known it's 10% but the taste is smooth and the finish incredibly clean. It almost makes sour an art form in the mouth, and makes it pleasant. I _need_ to get me some more of this.
Roger Beal - November 23, 2011 12:19 AM
Just curious, did you contact the brewery?
Cheers
Roger
Alan - November 24, 2012 9:21 PM
Popped a 2011 for the Fighting Irish v. the Trojans. Fabulously settled into itself. A lovely beer.