Old Speckled Hen, Trois Pistoles, Weekly Specials

Hi Buglar fans!

Beer news coming next week.

From Greene King Brewery in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England comes Old Speckled Hen, a lovely pale ale (which has been on an extended hiatus from the SAQ shelves). The recipe dating back to 1711, was created by Morlande Brewery located at Abingdon Oxfordshire, We first observe an aroma of plums, a bright amber colour, and rich texture in the foam and the liquor itself. We taste the distinctive characteristics (due to a unique strain of yeast first used in 1896) sweet caramel with a prolonged after-taste of dry hops. The curiously named beer actually refers to an antique car (MG) which had spots on its paint from weather wear. It has 5.2 alcohol and retails at $4.55 per 500ml bottle, combing well with ham and veal.

Now we return to Quebec and a beer created by Unibroue (now owned by Sapporo) : Trois Pistols . The legend is that the devil, transforming into a giant black stallion, created a three steepled church as a guide for sailors and lost souls of the sea, and saved the troubled village. The beer is dark brown to black, with flavours of coffee, chocolate, and red fruit, mellowing into a pleasant after-taste reminiscent of old port wine. At 9% alcohol /vol., a 750-ml bottle should always be available, somewhere, at $4.50. Tasty with steaks, chops, and roasts, but you could save some to have with dark chocolate.

This weeks specials:

IGA -Tastes of Belgium, Tastes of the World, mixed packs $14.95 for 12 bottles.

MAXI – Alexander Keith’s, Beck’s and Rickard’s at $24.99 for24 bottles.

Savour slowly, The Bugler.