1760 was a pivotal year in Canadian history. After Montcalm’s defeat at the Plains of Abraham a year earlier, his replacement the Chevalier de Lévis attempted to retake the city in the Spring. While he won a bloody battle against the English at Sainte-Foy, he was unable to capitalise on his victory and retake the colonial capital as the French reinforcements never arrived due to the scuppering of the French navy at the Quiberon Bay. 🗡️ 📚
Returning to Montreal, Lévis was faced with three larger British forces descending on the city and ultimately surrendered, capitulating on September 8th, 1760. While it could be argued that the fate of Quebec as a French territory was not decided until 3 years later in the Treaty of Paris, this auspicious year marked the provinces transition to a British colony and ultimate part of an imperial Canada.🍁
It is for this reason that La Chope Angus have named their Dark Mild after this year. While now relatively rare, the Mild is a quintessentially British beer that has been enjoying a small resurgence in the province in the last year or so. With their aim being to bring British beers back to Quebec, it’s quite an appropriate name! 🇬🇧 🍺
1760: Beer review
As for the beer, it offers delicious aromas of hazelnut and chocolate with hints of coffee and a dash of earthy English hops in the background. It delivers lots of deep, rich roasty flavour on the sip with notes of cacao nibs, caramel and medium roast coffee. A little dark fruit also appears alongside the earthiness of the hops which combined to add a very subtle note of tobacco in the back.
According to the can, La Chope aimed for a low carbonation to emulate cask but it unfortunately still falls a little thin with the can showing it’s 3.6% more clearly than the smoothness of cask conditioning would be able to mask. Either way, it’s a light and easy drinker, finishing dry with a mildly bitter chocolate finish and some floral hedgerow hop notes. Good stuff! 🍫 ☕️ 😋
Originally from England, Mike Davis came to Quebec ten years ago to study history. During this time he fell in love with the microbreweries of Quebec, which reminded him of English pubs. Now, he holds a Ph.D in History from McGill University, but works in the beer world as the Brand Ambassador for Microbrasserie 4 Origines.
