On a technical view, La Fin du Monde (literally translated into “The End of the World”) was created using an intrepid European strain of yeast and styled after the Belgian triple, with its complexities in aroma and flavor. However, the more interesting and awe-inspiring view is that of the history the style and that yeast represent; travelers of old, battling the sea, seeking riches and new worlds to explore. The adventurers who would endure great hardships, always following the hope that something out there is worthwhile, what they came to know as the end of the world, before naming it Canada.
Unibroue captures this spirit wonderfully in a short video they have prepared on their site. Extoling the early explorer’s fierce determination of spirit and domination of limitations through the harshest winters with unimaginable cold and unforgiving summers that paralyzes all but the strongest contained within the great Canadian landscape.
We’ve embedded the video below, but their site (http://www.unibroue.com/) contains many more interesting videos, stories, facts, and, believe it or not, recipes. Well worth a look!
La Fin du Monde Reviewed
Depending on which bottle is available to you, you have to appreciate the fact that this beer is corked! That is, unless you have the capped bottle; then forget I even mentioned the cork as your life may feel a little less full now. Back to the point! It’s so rare that you see a brewery cork its beer. Personally, it adds a bit of cache to the beer and makes you feel as if you are about to open something special, like how champagne is viewed by most as a wine. Now that we’ve covered some aesthetics that have no bearing on the actual beer, let’s get on with it!
Pouring the end of the world into a cup leaves you with an ominous overtone in the concept, but on I went tipping the bottle and watching as a pale, hazy gold stream fell, producing creamy foam that spewed up immediately, in great quantities to the top of the glass, like a volcano starting to overflow onto the hillside. Once the foam began to settle, holding it up to the light revealed a haze typical of a bottle conditioned beer.
The aromas began to creep outward from the glass towards my nose, as if to draw me in for a sinister purpose. Boasting a sweet and almost smoked meat body, the fruity and spicy notes rounded out the smell nicely and is reminiscent of a pork & pear platter when you locate the coriander set beneath the surface aromas.
On the sip a smooth, creamy texture washes over the tongue. The carbonation seen from the glass looked to be harsher, but was surprisingly light. The coating is quite thick at first, but washes away quickly. Flavour seems to be held back, nothing came through at first, but a split second later, the sides of my tongue were engulfed by a fruity sweetness and tang. Just after, the spices came through clearly and had a slight numbing effect like clove, which indicated the high alcohol content and a peppery note that came to finish off the swallow. The aftertaste is full of hops, not the typical grapefruit bitterness, but a more tangy and smooth character.
Overall, the fruit and spice follow through to the swallow and let it pair well with a wide range of dishes from roasted meats and grilled vegetables to fish with fresh citrus. Smooth, but potent in its characteristics as triples tend to be.
Pros
Well balanced, quite complex, and pairs well with most typical dinner dishes.
Cons
The high alcohol content catches you off guard with it smooth drinkability.
Food Match
Bold flavored dishes, roasted and/or spicy, and citrus.
Time of Year
Fall or winter.
TA Brews rating: 4.5/5