Solstice d'Hiver
(has 9 batches)

Bottle from a trade with sneakychi, many thanks! Dark reddish-brown color with eggshell head. Aroma is raisins, sirupy-boozy, nectar. Taste is orange nectar, raisins, boozy, a bit phenolic, with quite the warming medicinal booze burn in the finish. Surprisingly light mouthfeel, oily, with quite low carbonation. Good one, but a bit too medicinal.

Bottle. A- Subtle cherry, oak, booze, brown sugars. A- Dark mahogany color, clear liquid, light brown head. T- Oak, cherry, medium bitterness, maple, brown sugars. P- Full body, average texture, average carbonation, complex finish. O- Not as bitter as I expected and only 6 months of age. Overall a nice not overly aggressive representation of the style.

Imported from my RateBeer account as Dieu du Ciel! Solstice d'Hiver (by Brasserie Dieu du Ciel!):
Aroma: 8/10, Appearance: 4/5, Taste: 7/10, Palate: 4/5, Overall: 14/20, MyTotalScore: 3.7/5

15/VIII/16 - 341ml bottle from Geers (Oostakker) @ home - BB: 30/IX/15 (2016-855)

Clear purple brown beer, creamy irregular beige head, pretty stable, bit adhesive. Aroma: malty, caramel, dried fruits, bit metallic. MF: ok carbon, medium to full body. Taste: sweet start, some ripe banana, bitter hops, chocolate, alcohol, malty, banana peel. Aftertaste: dried fruits, bit oxidized, metallic touch, very bitter and unpleasant finish.

Bottle drunk at home a present from MartinT, thanks a lot. Very dark brown black beer with lasting tan head. Sweetish aroma, malty. Sweetish malt in mouth, some spice. some dryness on the finish. I rather like it. Good condition, in fact I really do quite like it. A bit spicy but apart from that it really is very drinkable. Hides ABV well.

Might be a little aged, but this was poured into a mini-snifter, here are my thoughts:
The appearance had a light brown color with a decent transparency about it. Carbonation could be seen rising at a moderate pace. A filmy white head started and dissipated at a nice pace. Filmy lacing winds around the glass nicely.
The smell starts off with sweet toffee, light breadiness, subtle toast, caramel malts.
The flavor takes previously mentioned aromas and adds a subtle \"dry\" tobacco edge trying to slide into the aftertaste. Quick semi-sweet/dry finish.
On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body, yeah, just a tad lighter on the body than what I expected for a barleywine (could be a bit \"aged\" that could be doing it).
Overall, for a barleywine, I’d say it works for the most part, yes, I did have this a little bit later than I probably should have, but in my opinion, I believe I did it’s due respect. I’d have again.

Bottle at THT May. Near clear amber. White head. Sweet caramel malts, boozy. Over medium sweet, medium bitter. Medium body. Low carb.

Bottle at THT. Hazy reddish brown with beige head. Raisins, figs, lots of alcohol, sweet grains and soft chocolate. Medium sweet with strong alcoholic bitter finish. Over medium bodied. Bit too alcoholic.

Sampled from bottle at THT May. Near clear amber. White head. Sweet caramel malts, boozy. Over medium sweet, medium bitter. Medium body. Low carbonation.

Barley wine from this renowned Canadian brewery, shared by Jan. Thin, egg-white, lightly lacing head over a deep warm amberish copper coloured beer, lightly hazy. Aroma of caramel, honey, cognac, cream, tulips, toffee, marmelade, gingerbread, dried flowers, pear, toasted bread. Candied orange sweetness in the mouth but not cloying, some residual white candi sugar balanced by a soft, basic sourishness, soft carbo, vinous and smooth, thick mouthfeel as befits a barley wine, thick caramelly malt sweetness with a softly bittering toasted edge, bit resinous, spicy hop accent in the finish with warming, brandy-like and slightly wry alcohol. Not the most complex or refined barley wine, but certainly a decent and flawless example of the style; yet, seen other experiences with Dieu du Ciel, I cannot help having expected a bit more from this.