Beer Review: Biere Du Boucanier
Tweet January 14, 2010
photo courtesy beeradvocate.com
Good evening, and welcome to tonight’s episode of “Pirate Beers and the men who love them”! This beer came in a mixed variety pack of beers I bid on and won at a silent auction late last summer/early fall. They’ve been hanging out (aging? 
) in my closet for some time and I was finally able to try some of them recently.
This one was Biere Du Boucanier, a Belgian Strong Dark Ale. I wasn’t sure what to expect, really, especially from looking at the bottle. I didn’t expect much, really. The bottle made me feel like I was about to enjoy a bottle of whole milk, not beer.
But then I tried it…
The Pour
This pours to a nice deep, dark ruby brown color. It has a nice thick, pillowy beige head. Looks promising…
The Nose
This smells of chocolate and roasted malt with hints of caramel. It smells very sweet but it also has a dryness on the edge of the nose. There are also hints of oak and dark, tart fruit.
The Taste
The malty sweetness of this brew is offset by a subtle sourness that really grows on you the more you experience it. Tastes a little like good tart cherries barely coated in chocolate. This is a very smooth, medium bodied brew. The mouthfeel is slightly oily but with a crispness on the edge of the tongue. There are slight hints of the higher alcohol content on the finish, which almost gives it a whiskey hint. This warms the palate nicely.
Overall
This seems far more complex than I was expecting, with a lot to enjoy and experience with each swallow. The sourness of tart cherries keep it from being overly sweet. After drinking this beer, I found myself craving more beers that show this sourness to their character. I enjoyed it a great deal.
Recommended: Absolutely! I can still, days later, taste the sourness of this beer, and I want more!
Price: Unknown (part of an auction package)
ABV: 9%
[...] The sourness is the most noticeable aspect, which was a good thing, because I had just tried Biere du Boucanier and was surprised at how much I enjoyed its sour character. This was a slightly different [...]
[...] be honest with you, I don’t have much experience with Belgian ales. Before I tried Biere du Boucanier, I hadn’t really had a beer with a sourness like that, but once I did, I wanted more. I [...]