Poor little Rousse. Bastard love child of sweet Amber the bar maid and that ne’er do well Irish drifter Red. She was left to her own devices to grow up in the harsh wilderness of the great white North, to suffer the long cold winters of the Boréale.** But grow up she did and through a combination of personal fortitude, good fortune, and astute brewing, became la célébrité du bon goût *** we know and love today. Time for La Rousse to cut loose!
Okay, a bit of a dramatic intro to a Quebec favourite. Les Brasseures du Nord claim that this Boréale Rousse was the first to be brewed in the province, and now most of the Quebec craft brewers do have a Rousse in their repertoire. Technically it’s a red ale, but caramalts add that caramel flavour so that it does approach an amber in colour and taste. Time to see if Boréale rules the Rousse.
This one pours watery copper approaching brown. Toffee colour is consistent with the aroma as well. First taste is a watery slick mouthfeel, with a strong caramel body and a flat dry finish. Not bitter initially and with a caramel aftertaste. All Rousse, no juice. The amber gets more aggressive as time goes on and some bitters show up as well. Full flavoured yes, smooth no. A bear of a beer, or is that un ours de le pours? Whatever it is, I found it to be a strong flavoured watery mouthfeel Rousse. True to its origins, somewhere between a strong amber and a Red.
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