Back in Black
Written: Mar 19 '09 (Updated Mar 19 '09)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Deep, dark, and delicious
Cons: None come to mind.
The Bottom Line: I love it, and I think you will, too.
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| Bruguru's Full Review: Unibroue Chambly Noire |
I just love a beer with history. And undoubtedly, Unibroue Chambly Noire is a beer with history. Witness Unibroue's preface to the beer below, taken from the bottle:
This premium dark beer honours the brave soldiers of the Carignan-Sallieres Regiment and their traditional black hats. In 1665, the regiment is dispatched to New France by King Louis XIV to settle hostilities with the Iriquois.
Now, in case you're a bit rusty with your high school French, you should know that "noire" is French for black-hence the reference to the black hatted soldiers who combated the Iroquois in New France (now Quebec) almost 350 years ago. And of course, Quebec is the home of the Unibroue brewery.
I happen to love Unibroue beers. They're a bargain at the price (around seven bucks for this one, and that for a full 750ml corked bottle of brew). Curiously, my bottle has a "best by" date of March 22, 2008 on it-almost a year from the date I'm drinking. That said, it's delicious-and my bottle was remarkably dust-free, considering Unibroue says the beer has a two-year shelf life. So, I'm not sure what's up with that.
Unibroue has been offering this treat since 2005, but it only started arriving here in the Atlanta area recently. They call it a "black ale", and recommend it with grilled salmon or steak. For my part, I think it's a better before dinner drink, though I think the spiciness could lend it to pairing with fish dishes.
Unibroue Chambly Noire pours to a less than fully opaque brownish black color with a very light tan head formation and a licorice-laden, slightly rummy nose. The palate is a bit thinner than I expected, but then this is one of Unibroue's "lighter" beers (in alcohol anyway, at 6.2% by volume). In a way, though, that makes this beer all the more drinkable.
Then too, the slightly roasty espresso, chocolate and licorice notes interact delightfully with the spicy coriander and funky Belgian-inspired yeastiness. Rum-soaked raisins come most immediately to mind the more I sip. A tart, slightly acidic character underlines everything here, intensifying in the finish and making this a very satisfying, quenching brew.
Chambly Noire is available in 12-ounce bottles, too, but I prefer the corked bottled myself. Why not share a bottle with someone special? You may just be making history when you do.
This review is posted in honor of Barbara Fields, a true Francophile, who appreciates all things French (and French Canadian).
Chere Barbara, j'espere que tu peux lire les mots que j'ai y ecrit, et ils te donnent un sourire. Nous pensons a toi dans ce moment et esperons de lire bientot tes bonnes nouvelles de ton sante.
Pardonnes le Francais "rusty". :-)
More from Unibroue:
Unibroue 15
La Maudite
Unibroue Edition 2004
Unibroue Edition 2005
Ephemere
Recommended:
Yes
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