Unibroue Inc- Maudite: When In Canada…Do As The Belgians Do!

Well if you haven’t noticed, I’ve been M.I.A for the last week or so.  I took a week to participate is some summer theater with my lovely daughters.  This was a first for me.  Who would have thought that I’d try my hand at theater at the rip ol’ age of 36.  I’m one of those people who love to try just about anything.  I was offered a small role this past winter and as it turned out it was more than a small role but hell, I was up for the challenge.  I was able to get past my initial fears and not only perform but most of all had an absolute blast.  It was an amazing experience and I got to share the stage with my three daughters.  Why do I mention this?  Well, it’s because I’m going to try and venture out and get out of my comfort zone and focus on trying a wider variety of styles of Craft Beer.  As most of you know, I’m partial to pale ales, IPAs and IIPAs but hopefully I can make a successful attempt to broaden my horizons.  This evening takes me back to Canada to try Unibroue’s Maudite, a Belgian Strong Dark Ale.  Will I regret this decision to take a dive head first or will I be pleasantly surprised?

Unibroue classifies this brew as stated on their website as an, “Abby beer flirting with double” and goes on to describe the legend as, "Maudite (damned) was the first strong beer to be retailed in Quebec. The word “Maudite” refers here to the Legend of “Chasse-Galerie” a tribute to the early lumberjacks of Nouvelle-France. The legend tells of eight daring woodsmen who, during winter, yearned to be home for the Holidays. They conjured up the Devil and all of them pledged their soul in return for flying them in their canoe to their village. As they sailed across the moonlit sky, one of them managed to free himself from the pledge by invoking the name of God, which caused the flying canoe to come crashing down to earth.”  There are two cool videos on the Unibroue website that tells the tale that I think is worth watching.

Maudite pours a sediment filled dark copper color with a fat 1 ¼” off colored soapy head that smells of a strong Belgian yeasty aroma mixed with caramel, fruit and spice and is 8.0% ABV.

I had to really dig deep into Maudite to fully experience this brew.  I am not a big fan of Belgian style beers but Maudite presents me with a bit of an awakening.  The flavor has a fruity almost apple cider sweetness mixed with a slight orange zest and caramel undertones.  What’s really different for me is that Maudite is super carbonated and when you drink it, it is almost like drinking a light, liquid foam which I have to attribute to the bottle refermentation.  I think I like it in a weird sadistic kinda way.  Overall, I’d have to say that this is a really good offering from this Canadian Brewery and if you are a big fan of Belgians you will enjoy a Unibroue Maudite.

ABV: 8.0%

Consumed: New Belgium Globe Glass

Verdict: Buy A Twelve Pack