Shawinigan’s Le Trou du Diable is one of the pillars of Quebec’s acclaimed craft-beer scene, so I was thrilled to discover Bishop’s Cellar in Halifax offers a wide selection of its beers. I was in the store loading up on a heavy winter supply of stouts, porters and strong Belgian ales, when a helpful staff members suggested I balance things out Le Trou de Diable’s MacTavish In Memoriam APA. He assured me it would impress me. I was sceptical; I’ve had some good American pale ales over the years, but most underwhelm me—just a palate cleanser before I go on to a DIPA or something. But the team at Bishop’s never steer me wrong, so I took the advice.

From the brewery: D’un bel orange ambré, la MacTavish s’écoule inéluctablement du verre laissant comme unique trace une belle dentelle de Bruges. Alors que quelques bulles s’échappent du liquide, des effluves de houblon vert, de terre ancestrale et d’épices se mélangent aux traditionnels parfums de noisette et de caramel des ales anglaises. En bouche, fraîcheur et acidité s’accordent aux saveurs maltées de biscuit et de caramel. Le houblon laisse alors une bonne amertume et ne confère sa verdure qu’en rétro-olfaction. La finale est sèche, subite et totalement désaltérante.

Appearance: Nice golden pour, with a big frothy white head that hangs on forever. Enticing white lacing.

Aroma: There’s a lot going on here. Fresh-baked white bread predominates, followed by a bit of sweet malt and fresh boiled carrots. Intriguing.

Taste: Very slight hops and light malty sweetness, with a bit of black-coffee bitterness to finish. Other reviewers report a lot of citrus flavours here, which I didn’t get at all.

Mouthfeel: Clean and easy drinking. I could suck this down in about three swallows, if I’m not careful.

Overall: As usual, the team at Bishop’s gave me good advice. This is a finely crafted, nicely balanced APA—just what I’d expect from a brewery with Le Trou Du Diable’s reputation, and a nice counterpoint to a flight of big, dark beers.

85/100

You can find Le Trou du Diable on the web, Facebook, and Twitter.

Regular contributor and guest reviewer Trevor J. Adams is senior editor with Metro Guide Publishing and the editor of Halifax Magazine. In 2012, he published his first solo book, Long Shots: The Curious Story of the Four Maritime Teams That Played for the Stanley Cup (Nimbus Publishing). You can see what Trevor is drinking on Untappd and follow him on Twitter.

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