| Everyone knows that beer is best served ice cold on a hot summer day. It's certainly not the beverage you would choose to warm your spirits during one of Calgary's dreary winters. On the other hand, you've probably never tried Unibroue's Quelque Chose, which in English means "Something."
There is something special about Something – it is intended to be served hot. A seasonal beer, it is offered only during winter and only in years when the cherry harvest is of sufficient quality. This year is such a year – and anybody interested in experiencing culinary art at its finest would be well advised to seek out a bottle. In fact, Quelque Chose will improve with cellaring for up to three years, so you may wish to purchase a case (or two) and save several bottles for those notorious dreary winter days Calgary has each July and August.
Although some people choose to drink it cold, Quelque Chose's ideal serving temperature is 70 degrees C. A microwave oven will suffice to bring the beer to this temperature, but I prefer to heat it in a more gentle fashion. A slow cooker is ideal, but if you do not have access to one, bring a pot of water to boil, turn off the heat and stand the opened bottle of beer in the pot. Allow the water to heat the beer for several minutes, then wipe the bottle dry before serving.
To get the full effect, serve the beer in a bulbous glass (I feel that a brandy snifter is best, but a wine glass will suffice), which will help capture and accentuate the aromas and direct the beer to the tip of your tongue as it enters your mouth.
There is no mistaking the presence of sour cherries in the aroma, as well as some light spicing. You will be, of course, inhaling steam, which will begin to warm you and hint at the flavour to come.
Take a sip, but instead of swallowing, close your eyes and allow the beer to coat your tongue. If you've used an appropriate glass, candy-like sweetness tickles the tip of your tongue first, before a balancing sourness washes over the sides and underside. Light spices dance over the surface. Nowhere else will you find a beer so powerfully flavourful, yet delicate and intricate. Some people will say that this beer tastes like wine, but as a beer lover, I consider this to be an insult to the beer, though I will concede that it does have a vinous character.
While the 2002 vintage of Quelque Chose is more gentle than in previous years, it is also better balanced with a softer mouthfeel. In 2000, Quelque Chose won a platinum medal at the Beverage Testing Institute's World Beer Championships, one of only a handful of beers to ever have won this prestigious award. And yet, in my opinion, the 2002 vintage is even better.
Quelque Chose can be drunk on its own as a dessert, or as a wonderful accompaniment to shortbread cookies – the dry texture can help cleanse the palate so that each sip of the beer is experienced with refreshed tastebuds. Alternatively, have Quelque Chose with some dark chocolate – the slightly more bitter character will add a further dimension to your tasting experience. And if you really can't decide, have it with some shortbread cookies dipped in a dark chocolate fondue.
Are you warm yet? |
