United Nations of Beer

Don de Dieu

by Ashley Cotter-Cairns
(UNOB HQ)

Don de Dieu beer
Visit the UNOB's Quebec beer guide

I'm always slightly pensive about reviewing a new Unibroue beer. On the plus side, they are usually strong, flavourful and have cool names and interesting labels. On the minus side, the dreaded 'Chambly effect' of their extreme yeastiness makes them a challenge to drink and to review.

What we have here in Don de Dieu (gift of God) may just be the perfect marriage of all the above attributes. It's certainly strong, at 9% ABV and very flavourful. It has both an extremely cool name and a very interesting label (looks like ol? Chrissy Columbus sailing to the new world).

The Chambly effect is in full force, the aftertaste of yeast almost overpowering the rest of the flavours. continues below

If you avoid adding the sediment, then you?ll have a very clear, golden orange beer in front of you; add the sediment and it will turn a cloudy amber.

The smell from the top will remind you of citrus fruit and cider apples, dried spices and perhaps apricots. Autumn smells, hunkering down for a long winter smells.

Then the true 'Don de Dieu' will be appreciated when you take a swig. This has to be one of my favourite Unibroue beers.

It's fruity, almost bursting with flavour, very intense and deep and complex.

Trying to pin down the exact flavours would be very difficult. It's extremely bittersweet, the sweetness removed instantly by the dry aftertaste, which then matures into a fruity (and of course yeasty) long finish.

Don de Dieu is a monster at 9%, so don?t overdo it. A six pack would knock most average beer drinkers out for the count. You can also buy it in 750ml wine bottle-sized beasts that would render most of us speechless before an hour had passed.

Ultimately the jury will be out on Unibroue's speciality beers such as La Fin du Monde, Maudite and this holy blessing/curse brew until you've tried them, or, as in my case, got used to them and acquired a taste. You're either a fan or you're not and it will be obvious after half a dozen varieties.

Don't sit on the fence, as you'll fall off after a couple of bottles.

Whether it's a gift of God is a matter for your faith, but Don de Dieu is holy water in a bottle, as far as I'm concerned.