Overlooking the Eardley Escarpment, the Champlain Lookout offers a very special perspective on the Gatineau Parc and has seen its share of romantic stories. This strong, fruity and spicy blond ale is surprisingly easy to drink.
Geographically, the lookout sits on the line between the Canadian Shield and the St. Lawrence Lowlands. Well located in the Collines-de-l’Outaouais, it offers a magnificent view of the flat landscape of the Pontiac region and the Ottawa River.
The ascent to reach the lookout is a popular trail for cyclists. With its 37.1 km round-trip from the P3 parking lot and an elevation gain of 623 meters, it poses a solid challenge on the way to, but also on the way back, with high speeds making the slightest mistake dangerous.
Very popular with motorcyclists who like winding roads and majestic, meditative views, the place has also seen many underground street races in the past. After sundown, one could often hear the roar of engines in the distance, as enthusiasts would against one another. To ensure everyone’s safety, it is no longer possible to access the lookout at night.
This nocturnal closure has created nostalgia for many lovers of first dates, and for people who loved bringing their new conquest to the high peaks. There was no better place to enjoy a starry night in these majestic settings, creating romantic closeness. One can still enjoy a poetic sunset there, but it is no longer possible to enjoy the intimacy of the night and its discreet atmosphere, where only the moon is your witness.
Our Master Brewer and Sommelier first discovered Belgian beers at a time when, for the general population, any microbrewery beer was a Robert Charlebois beer. It is also one of the first styles that Dominique brewed in his parents’ basement. It is only natural that he would choose Belgium to travel to and complete his training as a brewer. It is with sports, adventure, and passionate romanticism in mind that the Triple du Belvédère was created.
The beer feels just like the lookout, steeped in nostalgic memories. With a slightly orange hue, it is topped with a rich head, exuding aromas of alcohol, pepper, fruit, cinnamon, and hints of cloves. No spices or fruit were used to create it, these wonderful flavours all come from the yeast strain and the honey used in the recipe. It has a great drinkability and a beautiful mouthfeel. The aromas, flavors, the effervescence, and the roundness of the beer are all balanced by a robust bitterness finish. Fruits and spices then delicately linger, camped in the subtle taste of honey.
The choice of using honey in this triple was initiated by the desire to brew with 100% Quebec ingredients. In a triple there is a good dose of simple sugar, contributing to the production of alcohol while maintaining great drinkability. To have 100% of the alcohol coming from the malt content would make the brew feel heavier with a thicker mouthfeel. Simple sugars are produced in Quebec, but with beets from Alberta, which left us to choose between honey and maple syrup. To create our triple, we decided on honey and made it a point to get a local one. Bee Api farm Val-des-Monts was the perfect door to knock on to get it.
The base malt is a blend of traditional and modern pilsner malt and a hint of M2 from Innomalt in Sherbrooke. For bitterness, we used Magnum hops from Houblonnière Lupulin on Ile-aux-Allumettes and went with Saaz hops from Houblons des Jarrets-Noirs in Beauce for aromatics A bit of magic ties it all together with the delicious work from the yeasts from Labo Solution Brassicole in La Pocatière.
