I first encountered La Maudite by Chambly’s favourite brewery, Unibroue, in 2004 around the time they were purchased by Sleeman. I don’t know if that first six-pack dated back to before the acquisition, but it was too refined for my 21-year old palate at the time. Someone left most of a six-pack in my fridge, and I didn’t quite know what to make of the rich flavours at the time. It is a fine example of a Belgian-style Dubbel, a bottle refermented bad boy. This one part of the Unibroue Sommelier Gift Pack, available for $13.95 at the LCBO. La Maudite is a heavy hitter, at 8% ABV in a 341 ml bottle. Unibroue helped me refine my palate during my time in Montreal, and the first beer festival Kole and I went to together years ago was in Chambly. I have a weakness for them.

Maudite is Quebecois slang for damn, as in “Damn, that is one fine beer.” I think it works well for getting through the family Chanukah party, when the parental units hone in on asking for grandchildren.

Appearance: Brown colour with a lingering cream coloured head. Unibroue describes this beer as amber red.

Aroma: Ripe banana, cinnamon, salt-water toffee.

Taste: Thick banana taste, thick feeling on the palate, definite cinnamon notes. Warming alcohol burn from the strong 8% ABV. Decadent.

Aftertaste: Dry and fairly short finish.

Overall: I got over the fear I had of this beer a long time ago. It’s now a staple order for me at Beer Bistro. Definitely a good option if you’ve been suckered into another Chanukah party with your cousin Mortimer.

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Shawna O'Flaherty

Shawna is a 30-something Montreal native transplanted to Toronto in 2010. Wine loving, beer sniffing and rum swilling come naturally to her, and she is also a certified Irish whiskey taster. She has hosted beer and cheese pairing events in the past.

Shawna has visited vineyards in 8 countries on 3 continents, and has a knack for finding the hoppiest beers around. A dedicated Booze Hound, Shawna completed the Wine Specialist Certificate at George Brown College in 2018.

She can be found drinking alka-seltzer and coconut water in the morning.

Email: [email protected]

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