At long last, a beer review for la P’tite Maudite! According to legend, a long time ago, several voyageurs working in the remote wilderness of Quebec made a pact with the Devil himself to go see their girlfriends in Montreal for one night. To get there, the Devil enchanted their canoe so that it could fly, but on the condition that they would not touch a Church steeple or take the Lord’s name in vain. In case they did, they would owe him their souls.
Of course, however, in Montreal, their navigator got drunk and on their return managed to crash the canoe while narrowly avoiding a steeple, cursing and swearing the whole time as they fell. Depending on the version, the voyageurs end up either cursed to fly La Chasse Galerie for all eternity or narrowly escape the Devil’s curse. 🛶👿
Whatever the end result, it seems that the crew of the Chasse Galerie might have had an easier time if they drank a little less! It’s in this spirit that Unibroue is offering us a lighter version of their classic Maudite, dubbed P’tite Maudite. At only 4%, this Singel Bruin is half the strength of its bigger brother, which is much safer! 🍺
Like its more established counterpart, P’tite Maudite boasts a very festive bouquet, with aromas of clove, nutmeg, and orange peel dominating, while some floral hop aromas, nuts, and grilled, caramelized malts sit quietly in the background. It’s light on the sip with a spicy profile nicely complemented with some solid caramel flavor despite the reduced malt bill.
A pithy orange bitterness balances things on the back end nicely and brings a certain dryness to the beer. While a little thin and not nearly as comforting as Maudite, it’s a great little sipper for these cooler days, and you won’t be selling your soul to the Devil after cracking one! 🍊🌰
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.
