Quintessence is a beer between the scotch ale and barley wine styles. It is aged 8 months in oak barrels having previously been used to age a Québécois maple liqueur called Charles-Aimé Robert. Finally, while being transferred to the conditioning tun, hop leaves were added in order to obtain a powerful aroma of fresh hops (a technique which is called “dry hopping”). Subtle flavors of caramel and maple mix with the alcohol (10.5%) which is present but never overwhelming. The final result is a very complex beer, well-balanced, with ample body, but which still bestows an impression of lightness due to the power of the alcohol which seems to carry all the other flavors. Enjoy in moderation!