Unibroue Trois Pistoles

Having a beer with Sachin is a whole new experience for anyone who loves beer. If you are like me, you meet a friend for a beer, catch up on what’s new and the beer is only there for the camaraderie. As a matter of fact, my beer of choice always the same or at least one of the same. But with Sachin, it’s a whole new ballgame. First, you take a minute to look at the beer, to admire it’s color or the perfect head of foam. Then you get to smell it; aroma, perfume, bouquet – it’s all there to fully appreciate. Still, before you take a sip, there’s a story, always a story behind the name.

Today, we met at Aroma’s, the perfect place for specialty wine, beer and liquor. On tap is right now is Unibroue Trois Pistoles ( trwa-pee-stole) or "Three Coins", a uniquely savory craftsman brew with a dark brown color and a rich foam mousse. Close your eyes as you gently swirl the glass and the cocoa and fruity aroma takes you to a hot day on the beach covered in the coconut scents of Hawaiian Tropic – back when your body glistened with suntan oil – not that creamy Sport SPF 50 used today.

Visit the Unibroue website and you’ll discover that the beers at Unibroue are entirely natural, contain no chemical additives or preservatives, and are made with first quality ingredients. But that’s not the story. Unibroue changed the way beer is brewed in Canada. Traditionally, Canadian breweries were state-owned, but the founders of Unibroue were successful in bringing Belgian yeast brewing to Canada while maintaining sole ownership.

Unibroue beers also can seem strange to the untrained eye; there is a small amount of sediment at the bottom of each bottle. This is normal, it is the yeast, an essential component of brewing beer. When the yeast ferments a beer during the brewing process, most brewers filter the yeast out of the beer for bottling. Unibroue, however, does not filter their beers and leaves the yeast in the beer. This is a process called "méthode Champenoise" in Belgium and "beer on lees" by Unibroue. The yeast remaining in the bottle gives the beer a secondary fermentation, increasing the alcohol strength but heightening the complexity of the brew. The yeast is harmless. It is meant to be drunk and not discarded, and, as a matter of fact, provides a great source of vitamin B complex.

Malty chocolate with aftertaste of port, enjoy this beer on it’s own like I did, or have a yummy chocolate dessert with it and you’ll be basking in smooth delight. 9% abv.