Beer Tasting Review - Mosaic Black Bitter

Join me in the darkest of Parisian beer caves as I sip out a quick review of a popular local session ale.

Mosaic Black Bitter by Brasserie du Mont Saléve

This black bitter is based off the Strong Bitter style , often referred to Extra Special Bitter, ESB or English Pale Ale.

Balance is important and most examples range from balanced to moderately bitter. While many commercial examples can be described as "hoppy," do not confuse this style with American pale ale. Strong bitter has more fermentation and malt character than American pale ale and the hop character is nothing like the big, bold hop character you find in many American-type pale ales. Moderate is the key word here and the hop character should be somewhat restrained and balanced, never overshadowing the fermentation and malt character.

BJCP Guideline

While these styles are usually best done using English hops, like East Kent Goldings, Fuggles, Target, Northdown or Challenger, Mont Saléve pops in with what hopunion.com refers to as, "a great aroma variety," Mosaic, which adds a great pine and citrus note to the nose that keeps the fresh sessionability of this low abv beer a winner for a variety of occasions.

Unless you're like me and you just want to skip to the stouts.

XOXO

For more on ESB skim through this in depth profile from BYO.com

Also :

• If you haven't seen these beer label gifs, get with it!


• Want to know more about how to become a BJCP judge? Follow this blog


• Shoot TastingNitch texts international with the goTenna

Is this Gallia Paris?

...Yes

Oh good! I love Paris.

When drunk people meet sunlight it can be hard to determine where in the European nation one is. Better to come out of your drunk delirium at Sacre Coeur in the blazing spring sunshine with a picnic spread than to crawl from the metro into the grey of London.

The spring weather has returned to the city of romance and people are flocking to open areas in droves.

Gallia

A revived Parisian beer brand

Brewed in Paris from 1890 until 1968, Parisians lost a great brand when Gallia closed it's doors. Winning a gold medal at the Paris World Fair in 1900, Gallia Paris was fully in control of the city's beer scene with a brewery in the 14th arrondissement that was the largest in the capital.

Today, reborn by two entrepreneur enthusiasts and backed by the original brewer's family, Gallia Paris is making a move from universal basic beer to micro-brewing.

Gallia's current two beers, a primitive blond and an unsuccessful wheat (blanche/white) are slowly being moved aside to make room for new brewing equipment. With a new brewer and a drive to capture the craft beer market, Gallia promises to move the historic Parisian brand name into the artisanal market. And we are excited!

As for their main flagship beer, Gallia is lacking in crispness but not unusually off mark for a typic French blond beer. The color is more tawny than 'blond' but the light use of hops and grain texture are hallmarks of standardized mass brewing. A picnic beer that pairs great with an array of cheese, meats and fresh bread.

Gallia re-hatched a historical beer brand and has stuck with the style that was famous in 1890. Until now.

Check back for more updates on the exciting progression of Gallia Paris from macro influenced to micro romance.

XOXO

Related links:

• City in Bloom beautifully showcases Paris's spring side


• For ideas on what to do in the spring sun here are some treats
  


• Gallia Paris video on the beer and history


• More about the boys who revived the brand


• A half pint gentleman's views on the Gallia Blanche

 

Black Bear Beer

Over on Tasting Nitch BeerTube we got ourselves a new beer review

A Morning Beer Review!

Black Bear Beer

Which, as I have mentioned here, is my current favorite French craft beer for a number of reasons. Not only does the style tickle my fancy being a heavily chocolate-malted black IPA but it packs a boozy punch at 10.5% ABV. I love mingling around a bar with a glass full of deathly looking brew and Black Bear Beer delivers on more than just aesthetics. There is love in that bottle, you can tell that someone labored over that beer to get the right balance of roasted malt to hop ratio. An entirely smooth drink that goes great with hardy beef dishes, chocolate desserts and tangy bold cheeses.

Alas, much like my first Brasserie de Fleurac review, I got myself a beer that wasn't ready for the reviewing.

Good morning Nitch, go fuck yourself.

That is what I get for drinking in the morning- the universe is trying to tell me something.

'Try another beer'

I've emailed Greg at Brasserie de Fleurac but am still waiting for a response. Hopefully he hears my cries for help and sets me up with some of their beer that I will REALLY be able to show off because hey deserve some positive attention. And so does my mouth. I'm tired of drinking malted wines.

Enjoy the disaster that is

Tasting Nitch

Morning Beer Review

Black Bear Beer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iv4fTEhbUXY

And if you know of any really good Quadruple Black Ipas- do tell, because that's ma new thing and I found a website that can ship me stuff!

XOXO

Tasting- Plein Lune Aubeloun

[caption id="attachment_1446" align="aligncenter" width="696"] Brasserie Pleine Lune[/caption]

One of my haul from the Cave à bulles, Paris France location:

Plein Lune Aubeloun 7%

A: Tawny orance color with an abundance of yeast floaties. (I did not swirl or shake before pouring)

S: Citrusy hops and grapefruit with a delicate toffee smell

T: Malt pops out at the front, followed by lemon/lime hops and a tart bitter finish

M: Smooth coating of resin with a perfect amount of carbonation to but the sticky

O: Although not exactly the "Full Moon," I'm looking for in an IPA, Plein Lune Aubeloun delivers a great kick of citrus hops and throat choke bitterness reserved for the highest in drinking pleasures. Kudos to the brew team, I Brasserie Pleine Lune line.

'Our Beer Plein Lune Aubeloun is an India Pale Ale. This is an English-born beer brewed in the 18th century. The India Pale Ale was originally destined for India. To support a journey that lasted for more than 6 months time, The  IPA was overloaded with hops for better conservation during the trip.

Our Beer Plein Lune Aubeloun is a traditional amber beer, very fruity and powerful in the mouth. This India Pale Ale will awaken your taste buds with a very persistent finish end of the citrus types, specifically pulling the grapefruit.

Alcohol: 7% and 59 IBU (unit used by brewers to measure the bitterness of their beers)

Tip: Served between 8 ° C and 10 ° C'

-Brasserie Pleine Lune

[caption id="attachment_1447" align="alignright" width="300"] FHL Certified[/caption]

Plein Lune Aubeloun is a great example of how French craft beer is on the rise. If you're able to find one of these 50 IBU IPA nuggets while in France or abroad, don't hesitate to enjoy it to the fullest!

S'il vous plaît, more hops!

Another French drinking evening that was packed with Belgian clove spice and little gnomes, today. We are having great weather in France, so outdoor drinking is essential and equally essential is chilled (appropiately priced) beer. The Delirium Café in Orléans, has a great outside seating that one can shuffle around to meet grouping arrangments, but beware the outdated beer bible and it's incorectly priced "craft" beers.

[caption id="attachment_1159" align="alignleft" width="240"] What an abomination.[/caption]

 

Although I've learned not to ask for American beers for fear of getting a Busweiser or Duff (a completely fictional beer from The Simpsons, which seems to be associated with America is if The Simpsons were reality), I haven't given up on my Hop Hunting in France just yet.

I asked the watier for the most hoppy (houblon) beer that they had- I'd even settle for that beastly Duvel Triple Hop. My mouth was screaming for heat beating hop bursts and I was like a pregnant woman craving pickles and ice cream!

He came back with this:

Hop Hunting Fail

At 9.3% ABV Mr.Urbock, while being a perfectly lovely beer on a regular occasion, is like malted sugar syrup in the summer weather. The head disappeared before I had finished pouring and only continued to devalue itself as time went on. The nutty, earth tones of the brew warmed into existence and I was wishing I had followed the French and ordered La Chouffe with it's thick, snowy head.

Again, like a picky five year old, I was the last person to make my second order. After sipping the hugely spiced and fruited La Chouffe, I amended my longing to be French and reverted to pouting. Once all my friends had ordered I grabbed the waiter for another try at hop achievement.

[caption id="attachment_1143" align="alignright" width="418"] La Chouffe is hopped with belgian sweat- not recommended good for hot weather.[/caption]

I explained to the waiter what an IPA and how important hops are to American well being. He said they had nothing close to that, that Urbock has a lot of hops and he suggested maybe I should try the Delirium. I'm sure Urbock does have a good handfull of hops, to counter act the mountain of crystal malt used to feed the yeast that create the high abv, but I was looking for hop presence.

Wilted like a wet flower, recently trampled by a pack of wild horses, I opted for the highest alcohol beer that was least stressing on the palate: La Corsaire.

Nitch drudges on. Having failed at hop hunting, she reverts back to pirate status. Yarg.

XOXO

 

Tasting- SAINTE CRU- Tempete du desert

Made in Alsace , Tempete du desert is a biere blonde pacifiste or a blond pacific ale that sparkles and melts in your mouth. Another of the French Brews we shook from BrewBerry on your last Paris visit.

A: Bright and lightly chill hazed, topped with a heavy whipped white foam head

S: Sweet sugar flowers and watermelon

T: Fantastic balance of malt and hop. The floral notes fill the nose while the caramelized malt warms the mouth swiftly to be cut back a bitter hop bite.

M: Low, tight bubbles and a sticky resin coating in the mouth.

O: All rounded together beautifully into a wonderful pale ale.

Tasting Location: Frog Pubs- Paris, France

[caption id="attachment_1268" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Frog Pubs Bercy Location- big, shiny and packed full of the regular type of people[/caption]

Frog Pubs, Paris have seven locations and each one is a mockery of the craft brew pub.

'FrogPubs began life as an MBA project researching the potential for an English pub & micro-brewery in central Paris. The project was a success & since 1993 FrogPubs has been brewing, serving & selling beer. We started out by creating pubs for all the British expats in Paris to meet up in. Today FrogPubs attracts a much wider variety of people and pretty much anyone who wants to have a good time will be well looked after.'

[caption id="attachment_1267" align="alignleft" width="346"] Pretty tap handles[/caption]

What we have here is a case of copy cat research gone viral.

I found that Tale of Ale had been to the Frog Pubs January 2012, giving almost exactly a year separation in opinion: Frog Pubs are all marketing and no soul. Although Tale of Ale had more time to visit more Frog locations and more guts to continue drinking, we were mostly there to feed my visiting American friend, 'chicken wings 'n things'. She was fed up with delicate french portions and I was (as always) seeking a craft beer. Internet told us that our happy ground would be the Frog Pubs.

Alas, you see tourists and locals downing massive pints of multi colored brews with little regard as to the flavor or quality. Better then nothing but with nothing you still have your imagination. The Frog Pub was cram packed busy and served us up fried dishes that my American visitor was more then happy to consume while noting the lack of ranch dressing- disappointing.

I was focused on the beer. Well, I was focused on the beer after I finished half the pint, thus way my excitement in having a beer other then macro lager. I didn't' take tasting notes- no need, beers were blah.

[caption id="attachment_1266" align="alignright" width="300"] Color coded for less confusion in ordering[/caption]

As usual I ordered the darkest thing possible:

Frog Pub Dark de Triomphe 5.0% abv

'Our very own 'pint of the black stuff'. A dry, full-bodied stout, served cold with a thick and creamy head. 'Dark' has slightly more bitterness than some other dark beers you may know, due to our roasted barley, chocolate malts, and English Challenger hops. Goes great with one of our juicy Frog Cheeseburgers!"

 

Ya know what else goes great with juicy Frog Cheeseburgers- a discount. Places like this give 'microbrewery' a bad name.