Dieu du Ciel!

The tiny ‘Dieu du Ciel!’ brew-pub, just at the edge of Montrèal's city center, has developed an incredible reputation and a devoted following in only a few short years. The young brewer, Jean-François, has never had any formal training as a brewer, but he is a natural, with superb skills and flawless instincts. 

‘Dieu du Ciel!’ is a common exclamation, meaning ‘God in Heaven!’ more or less, which is undoubtedly the most polite oath you are likely to hear in Montrèal – a city with a well-known penchant for turning religious sentiments into profanity.

Dieu du Ciel! Beers

 
1. Dieu du Ciel! Aphrodite
"Black ale with aromas and flavours of vanilla, dark chocolate, bourbon and roasted malt. The vanilla and cocoa marry nicely, without out-competing each other, to produce a surprisingly well balanced beer. This beer is mildly hoppy, but the cocoa introduces a touch of bitterness. Its colour may be intimidating, but it is a very smooth beer within reach of most beer drinkers. This highly appreciated dessert beer is brewed with organic fair-trade cocoa and first rate vanilla beans."

2. Dieu du Ciel! Corne du Diable American IPA
Corne du diable (French for "Horn of the Devil") certainly lives up to its sinister name. In the style of the classic English India Pale Ale, it reassures you of its refined and refreshing character. But it draws influence from the IPAs of the west coast of North America in it's aggressively hoppy nature and seductively sweet malt character.
An evil beer in the best possible way, this sharply bitter red ale pierces the palate and packs a powerful hop aroma from dry-hopping, while simultaneously alluring drinkers with smooth, malty, caramel and toffee sweetness.

3. Dieu du Ciel! Dernière Volonté Abbey Ale
"Dernière Volonté (French for "Last Will") is a mix of Belgian and English brewing traditions. Complex flavours of hop flowers and spicy, fruity esters from our Belgian yeast are perfectly balanced with the robust flavours and aromas of malt. The finish is commandeered by an assertive aroma from dry-hopping."

4. Dieu du Ciel! Équinoxe du Printemps
Équinoxe du Printemps (French for "spring equinox") is the quintessential marriage of two great traditions: beer brewing in Scotland, and maple syrup production in Quebec. At the first draught, the mouth is overcome by woody, malty flavours, sustained by a discrete touch of sweetness. The aftertaste brings about the flavours of maple, which are sufficiently present to be appreciated, but never overwhelming the typical flavours of a Scotch Ale."

5. Dieu du Ciel! Péché Mortel Imperial Coffee Stout
If you love really good coffee and really good beer equally, you will be thrilled with Péché Mortel. If coffee isn’t your cup of tea, and caffeine makes you bounce off the ceiling, then just put the bottle down and find something else to drink. This beer is all about coffee. Indeed, you may have seen ‘coffee stouts’ before, but no brewer has ever married coffee and beer so naturally and seamlessly.

And this isn’t just any stout, but an imperial stout, which means that it is modeled on the strong, rich, and very complex stouts that were made in England in the 19th and early 20th centuries exclusively for shipment to Russia, where they were a special favorite at the court of the Czars.

A warning: Between the caffeine buzz, and the 9% alcohol by volume of this singular brew, you may find yourself a little disoriented. What is this, a morning pick-me-up and a drowsy night-cap, all in the same bottle? It’s just too much pleasure all at once, and that’s why the brewers named it Péché Mortel, which is French for 'Mortal Sin.' Unfortunately, we can’t say that it’s good for you. In fact, it’s a sure thing you’re going to Hell for this . . .

In Montréal, where this beer is made, they like a little sin now and then. A great big Mortal Sin is even better. The tiny ‘Dieu du Ciel!’ brew-pub, just at the edge of the city center, has developed an incredible reputation and a devoted following in only a few short years. The young brewer, Jean-François, has never had any formal training as a brewer, but he is a natural, with superb skills and flawless instincts. This Imperial Coffee Stout is the first beer he’s put in bottles, and the first to arrive in the U.S. It is made in ridiculously small batches – no more than 50 cases at a time, only three or four times a year. It is, of course, exceedingly rare, and rather expensive. But hey, as the Pope says, you have to pay for your sins.

6. Dieu du Ciel! Rigor Mortis Abt
"Strong brown ale inspired by the beer brewed by Belgian Trappist monks. Very little bitterness, this beer has intense malty and sweet flavours, mixed with the taste of chocolate and caramel. It presents complex red fruit and spice flavours due to the type of yeast that is used during the brewing process. This beer is at its best only after it has aged for six months. The Rigor Mortis are complex beers designed and brewed with patience and care in the tradition of the great Belgian Abbey beers.Rigor Mortis Abt is brewed only once a year, and is sold in April until stocks last."

7. Dieu du Ciel! Rosée d'Hibiscus
"The Rosée d’Hibiscus is a soft spoken wheat beer. The rose colour comes from the hibiscus flowers added during the brewing process. The aromas and flavour of this tropical flower are very prominent in the beer, giving it a slight acidity and a very agreeable fragrance. It is the perfect thirst quencher on a hot summer day.This beer won a gold medal (fifth place amongst 10 gold medal winners) at the adjudicated "MBeer" contest during the Mondial de la Bière in Montréal in 2007."

8. Dieu du Ciel! Route des Epices Rye Pepper Ale
"Route des épices (French for "Spice Route") is a rye beer brewed with both black and green peppercorns. Initially, the beer reveals flavors of fresh grain and malt, which give it notes of chocolate, caramel, and fruit. The pepper flavor and aroma is fully revealed in the finish, which leaves a pleasant, spicy, tingling sensation on the tongue."

9. Dieu du Ciel! Solstice d'Hiver
This noble winter beer is brown in color with flaming red highlights. Its taste is delicately sweet and liquor-like with a hint of burnt caramel coming from the malt and a prolonged boiling time. It is a very bitter beer with aromas of hops and alcohol, and flavors reminiscent of red fruit brought by the English-type yeast used to ferment it. The aftertaste is accentuated by the wonderful flavor of hops.
Solstice d'Hiver is brewed only once a year, and is then aged for 4 to 5 months before being sold. This aging process is necessary to achieve an ideal equilibrium between the sharp bitterness and the other flavors in the beer.