Every week we post tasting notes from our Friday Staff Tasting, providing you with our take on all the latest craft beer arrivals. We received some pretty interesting beers this week. A big shipment of Cantillon came and went in the blink of an eye, two new brews dropped from the always-interesting Le Trou du Diable and Rogue unleashed its latest—and our entire staff thinks best—collab with Portland’s Voodoo Doughnuts: Lemon Chiffon Crueller. It’s so hauntingly delicious it’ll keep you coming back for sip after sip. Even if you haven’t liked any in this series, this is a must-try beer.
Le Trou du Diable La Pitoune 5% 600ml (Quebec) $8.90
Pours a very pale lemon yellow colour. Very funky and fruity on the nose with some biscuity malt, almost saison-like. Notes of spice and grapefruit on the palate with some biscuity malt. Like no lager you’ve ever had. Two Rufus paws up from: Leanna & Brent
Le Trou du Diable Shawi Beach IPA 6.5% 600ml (Quebec) $8.90
Pours a rich yellow colour. Round citrus fruit and sweet caramel malt notes on the nose. There’s a floral fruitiness on the palate with a hint of hop spice and a majorly bitter finish finish. Two Rufus paws up from: Brent
Coronado Señor Saison 6.5% 650ml (San Diego) $11.90
Pours a deep yellow colour. Bright notes of fresh-cut peppers on the nose mingled with hints of Belgian yeast spice. Pleasant pepper flavor on the palate backed by spicy, fruity saison notes. Finishes dry, with a little jalapeño burn.
Wolf Cerberus 8.8% 650ml (Nanaimo)
Pours an orangey-amber colour. Sweet malt on the nose backed with some candied citrus notes. Very malt-forward and sweet with notes of caramel, hop spice and candied citrus. Huge bitter finish.
Rogue Voodoo Doughnut Lemon Chiffon Crueller 6.8% 650ml (Oregon) $15.90
Pours a light orange-yellow colour. Enticing notes of lemon frosting, vanilla and pastry dough on the nose. Beautiful balance between vanilla and lemon frosting notes on the palate, with a dry finish. Incredible. Two Rufus paws up from: Megan, Glenn, David & Adem