Dieu du Ciel! Elexir Céleste

Like most beer freaks who live in Montréal, the name Dieu du Ciel makes tears of joy come to my eyes and conjures hazy memories of late nights after sampling a variety of fine beer. Dieu du Ciel is originally a brewpub on the Plateau Mont Royal and a must visit for any self-respecting beer drinker on a trip to Montréal. The pub is located a little out of the way, but well worth the visit, and if you want to go there on a weekend, come early as space is scarce. A couple of years ago, they also acquired the license to sell bottled beer made at a separate location, and a selection of their products is now available in retail stores. Needing a separate license and brewing facility to sell in bottles is another Canadian legal antiquity (or oddity, idiocy, skullduggery). I was surprised that this exists in Quebec, which otherwise is very liberal and progressive on matters related to beer and alcohol. Naturally, bottled beer never tastes as good as beer fresh from the tap, so don't think buying a few bottles will exempt you from having to visit the pub. In addition, the selection on site is always quite varied - you can check before you go on their website for what they currently have on tap http://www.dieuduciel.com/en/home.php. Anyway, Dieu du Ciel's bottled beer is an obvious candidate for coverage on my page if I am to maintain my own self-respect as a beer snob and beer blogger wannabe. I am quite fond of the labels they have designed for their bottles, and five members of the Dieu du Ciel family can be seen below in front of the original brew pub.

The first specific beer I cover in detail is the Bohemian Lager - called Elixir Céleste (even if you don't understand French, the name should not require a translation). I have enjoyed this beer on a number of occasions in the pub, and the bottle delivers most of what I had expected. Dieu du Ciel's brewers are as competent brewing lagers as they are brewing ale, and the the mouthfeel of this beer is heavenly indeed. Like Bohemian lagers, the Elixir has some floral hops notes and a lingering bitterness, although I find it a little bit too dry overall. The bottled version is missing some characteristic malt sweetness on my palate that I would expect from this style. The colour, on the other hand, is spot-on - a nice golden hue  - and the rich foamy head attests to the quality.

I also like the Dieu du Ciel bottle caps. The taste in my mouth is like angel's music.