Review: Jean dit Laforge (Microbrasserie de l'île d'Orléans)

This has been in my beer hoard for well over a year now, and my hoard is at the point that I must start drinking some of the hoard! One thing I've said many times about what makes Québec an amazing province is that the population truly supports their own breweries, so much to the point that you see microbreweries in villages smaller than 300 people.. which is something I would love to see here in an agriculture rich region of North America, but when the top beer is Bud Light by a wide margin, that will never happen.

In 2006, I visited Île d'Orléans, which is right outside of Quebec City and I immediately fell in love with the island.. imagine an entire community being based on agriculture, but with a large tourism aspect added to it as well. I drank Île d'Orléans fresh wine, fruits and baked goods.. damn.. we need more of that sort of industry on the prairies. Microbrasserie de l'île d'Orléans is one such microbrewery on the beautiful island, out of Sainte-Famille was brought to the island in '06 as a rural microbrewery that makes beer as natural as beer should be (what Molbatts doesn't do). Jean dit Laforge is their winter seasonal stout brewed with vanilla and chocolate, yum yum dans mon bédon!

Appearance: Like any true stout or porter, is a rich dark brown like a fresh brewed cup of coffee. A light amount of cookie dough-light brown foam lingering around the side of the glass.

Aroma: Not as much of a roasty coffee stout as I would have expected. It's a nice sweet combo of dark chocolate and vanilla.. not as much vanilla as the great Aphrodisiaque but still great! Scents of cream, light coffee notes, a bit boozey, cocoa, a very solid stout!

Taste: A strong boozey taste up front, not surprising as it is 10% ABV.. quite a booze filled beer! Tastes of roasted coffee bean, chocolate and a nice hint of vanilla. A bit of a bitter yet creamy mouthfeel. A solid easy-drinking stout considering the higher than average ABV.

I like to think that the beer was made in tribute to this random guy
who wanted his photo taken on a ferry outside Lévis

Overall Thoughts: The chocolate is more present than the vanilla in this beer, not much of a coffee bitterness to it, yet a very solid stout. It may be past its prime as I received this back in March '12, but hey.. it's a delight to drink.. and oh hell.. I'm buzzed. comes in a 500mL bottle, which I love (great for a "single" serving) and 10% ABV. Santé!

www.microorleans.com/bieres/jean-dit-laforge