297. Two Brothers Domaine DuPage

Our most recent sampling in a long line of delicious Two Brothers beers; we had this on tap at the Trolley Stop. Served to us in a pint glass, Domaine DuPage is a dark copper with a persistent but thin white head; the nose is a mixture of brown malt and caramel sweetness. Domaine DuPage starts sweet and bright on the palate; the carbonation foregrounds the sweetness of the front. The middle is dry & lightly sour but crisp, and it finishes a bit sticky on the palate, although still dry. Domaine DuPage has a medium to light body that carries a bit of creaminess, and the carbonation is sharp and bright—almost biting, in fact. French and Belgian characteristics are present in the beer—the drier and thinner body with slightly bigger carbonation. As Elli observes, it has something of that “juicy saison taste” that imparts a sweet and fruity element to a much drier beer. While we know Domaine DuPage is a good beer, this one, for whatever reasons, was not that stellar. So we’ll chalk this one up to experience and try it again later.

From the Two Brothers website: “Inspired by the Brothers time living in France, this food-friendly ale is deep amber in color, with a toasty and sweet caramel start. It finishes with just enough hops to clean off the palate. Bon appetit!”

ABV: 5.9%
IBU: 24

I also came across this story on “50 Beers to Try Before You Die.” I guess even CBS is ready to cash in on the craft beer industry, which pretty much makes it about as mainstream as you can get. The list is a bit tame, but then it is being aimed at the mass market, so you wouldn’t want to get too esoteric, especially if you are trying to expand the palate of middle America. So I’ll offer at least a small nod to CBS for making the gesture.

(4/23/2010)