Tasting

Popped over to L'Absinthe for some outter city limits beer tasting. Although American beer is still rudely represented by a depressing duo of  "Busweiser" or "Duff", I can't complain as they have over three pages of Belgian beers with lovely little nips of character. Better then Guinness and Leffe at the local pubs!

Of course, Nitch's palate is still screaming for something mind blowingly hoppy, simply because it is impossible. "Being difficult takes practice," as my grandmother always says, so I badgered the waiter for any information on IPAs available. I was clued in to a beer I might be able to find at the bottle shop in town that is a Duval  steeped with hops. He says that it packs a punch. More on that when I find it!

The menu had two IPAs, both from Brew Dog, one I hadn't tried so the mission began there:

Brew Dog MY NAME IS BEASTIE 8.2% abv

Just the biggest, most lovely hop nose imaginable. Sweet and floral with great grapefruit and citrus smells just leaping up your nose. Alas, the hop invasion ends there, as the beer itself is mild and clean. Great beer none the less!

The waiter then talked up this interesting beer that he said was very "acid" which in french means sour or tart, so I thought there might a sour beer on the way. Wrong as usual, I am.

Lefebvre MOEDER TRIPLE 33cl 8% abv

[caption id="attachment_495" align="alignleft" width="418"] What a rabid, animal of a head you have there Mrs.Moeder! Nitch loves her some beer froth on the tongue.[/caption]

The smell of all yeast and fermentation waft up from this triple as follow as a trend through the entire beer, start to finish. Malty sweet at first then a grassy hop tang moving quickly to a strange fermenting barn yard floor taste. A heavy beer on the palate and oddly unappealing. The sweet little nun on the logo makes me feel like there is a divine hand in this odd ball beer. I kept drinking the damn thing just so I could stick that strange dislikable aspect happening. "Why do I hate this?" I kept saying after each consecutive sip. Every element of the brew came out individually which, in hinde sight, might have been the reason why I had so much trouble placing the taste as a whole. She's balanced, but not straight-forward. I can't say I'd recommend her and my partner was aghast with hate, but it's complexity was intriguing and stuck in my mind. I'd do it again.

Tasting Location

Knowing the giddy rush that Nitch gets when a new beer tasting location is introduced The French man and his friends decided to not disclose the highlight of our evening until we were at the front door step- and what a front it is! 




L'Absinthe is tucked away in a quiet, rustic village called Olivet just outside of Orleans. Inside is covered in dusty beer memorabilia  shelved to the rafters, the small area can hold about 30 people who are close friends while the outside boasts more elbow room. The menus were fun and bright, full of classic beer icons and cram packed with an extensive beer selection including: beers from around the world (bières du monde), draft beers (bières à la pression), a large French section, a larger Belgian section and a list exclusively for our friends the sour beers! Complimenting the grand collection of brews is a crepe menu and share plates. Finishing the appetizing and thirst provoking menu is:

 Lord's Beer Prayer 

Buzzing around with intention, attractive young gentleman with welcoming smiles and fast feet make up the staff of L'Absinthe. Our waiter was busy but accommodating, attending to each of us as we asked him questions pertaining to our individual brew interests, even taking the kindness to speak in English with me about the acidity of the sour selection. Our orders were delivered promptly, accurately and it seemed that not only us, but everyone one around us was being well looked after. There needs to be a moment taken here to truly appreciate how hard it is to find service like that in France, these polished servers deserve a round of applause for changing this American's view on how French people run restaurants.

The hussle of the kitchen can be viewed from an open window, AC/DC in the air motivating the two man team who were clad in an assortment of fashionable beer t-shirts as they crepe'd some funky cheese smelling, appetite wetting dishes.

On to the beers!

Mr. Le Benoit went with a tasty honey infused draft number called Barbãr but the Nitch only reviewed three beers as per the standard:

Bon Secours Myrtille 7% 33cl 7€80 Nitch rated 3.23/5

A: Pours a hazy purple with crimson highlights, a weak but pink tinted head that leaves no lacing 3.0

S: Blueberries and alcohol 3.0

T: The hops/yeast present an extremely delicate sour that peeks through the maze of the blueberry sweetness. A tang of malt settles on the tongue after a few sips but all around the juicy berry taste is present. 3.5

M: Dry and alcohol lingering with a slight hop holding onto the end 3.0

O: Being a 7% alcohol instead of the usual 4 or 5 of a fruit beer makes this  a better choice then the usual female geared tonic, but is lacking in body. The malt is hidden and the hops are shy, but overall a nicely balanced, all be it, in the wrong direction, berry beer. 3.0

Oud Beersel Gueze 6% 37.5cl 9€20 Nitch rated 3.85/5

A: Thin, fast bubbles sparkel in this hazy golden brew with a fast falling light little head. A lovely dollop of yeast splashed out of the bottle at the end- YUM! 3.0

S: Assaults the nose with cider ripe tartness/fermented cheese 3.0

T: The smell is more astringent then the taste, as it's sour fruit masks the sweaty feet funk that makes the gueuze a yeast beast. Beautifully delicate on the tongue with apple and pear fruits, a touch of acid like lemon and a well rounded burst of vingar. 4.0

M: Dry to the bone but dancing bubbles tickle the palate along 4.0

O: Just what the doctor ordered! Although the look and smell aren't a show stopper the tart and funky but superior balancing act between smells and tastes that would otherwise be off putting, clean the palate and warms the belly. 4.5

Triple Cauwe 8% 33cl Nitch rated 4.7/5

[caption id="attachment_506" align="alignright" width="300"] if the beer isn't on the menu, that means the owners are hoarding it. I'll take two please![/caption]

O: Remarkably well balanced with a lean on the sweet side, this beer is singular in its melding of crisp hop drinkability and belgian elegance with spice, sweet, tart and grain all exceptionally attended to. Unique and perfectly executed. 5.0

A: light bronzy orange with mid clarity, full one finger head that floats to a half finger with delicate lacing 4.5

S: Bursting with sweet floral notes that are distinctly rose and tender ripe pear, belgian yeast and coriander spice sneak in as well. 5.0

T: Deliciously roasted malt rolled in a sweet ripe fruit and wild flower bouquet. The spice of the coriander whizzes through as touches of hops and warming aspects of alcohol touch all the perfect bases. 4.5

M: With a medium body and smooth texture, the high alcohol level is masked efficiently. 4.5

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="696"] Although a chilly night, the surprisingly large back side, open air seating was a delight![/caption]

L'Absinthe

Crêperie et spécialité de bières

Crepe Shop and specialist of beers

133 rue Marcel Belot 45160 Olivet

Tél: 02 38 63 76 36

250 bières au choix

250 beers to choose from

Ouvert le midi du mardi au vendredi jusqu'à 14h

Open daily noon Tuesday to friday until 2pm

Ouvert le soir: du mardi au jeudi de 19h à 1h et du vendredi au samedi de 19h à 3h

Open nightly: Tuesday to Thursday 7pm to 1am and Friday to Saturday 7pm to 3am