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Vache Folle ESB

MicroBrasserie Charlevoix
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🌍 Canada · Extra Special Bitter · One of 13 Extra Special Bitters in hopIQ

Caramel malt forms the body of this red-amber ale in the English bitter tradition, with woody and herbal hop notes layered over it and a floral perfume in the nose. The bitterness is marked for the modest strength and carries into a dry finish that keeps the caramel from reading as sweet. Brewed since 2004 and available all year.

ABV
5.5%
Bitterness
Strongly bitter42 IBU
Malt-forward bitterness
SRM
golden8

AWARDS

Bronze · 2025
Canada Beer Cup
Bitter and English Pale Ale
Bronze — Canada Beer Cup (Bitter and English Pale Ale)
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Style expression
textbookdistinctive
Taste structure· The backbone of the beer, regardless of style.
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
hopIQ take

Dry finish.

A clean close sets the character — an invitation to the next sip.

Wider bands mean we're less certain about the exact position.
Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Extra Special Bitter.
Hop character
floral
herbal
hoppy
Malt character
caramel
malty
Compare with another beer →

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Vache Folle ESB

Appearance

Red-amber hue with good clarity and a dense, creamy head that leaves substantial lacing on the glass as you drink. The carbonation is moderate and well-integrated, supporting a fine, persistent foam collar that speaks to proper conditioning and serving.

red-amberclearcreamy headgood lacing

Aroma

The nose leads with floral perfume—a hallmark of balanced English hop selection—layered over soft caramel malt sweetness. Beneath these primary notes lie woody and herbal dimensions that add complexity and prevent the aroma from reading as simple or one-dimensional.

floral hop charactercaramel maltwoody, herbal notesbalanced bouquet

Taste

Entry is smooth with pronounced caramel malt body, but the palate quickly develops a marked bitterness that belies the modest 5.5% ABV. The herbal and woody hop flavors build through the mid-palate, creating a lively tension between malt sweetness and bitter assertion that keeps the beer engaging and well-structured.

caramel-forward entryassertive bitternessherbal hop bitebalanced malt-hop play

Finish

The finish is decisively dry, with lingering bitterness that cuts through any residual caramel character and prevents cloying. A clean, bitter aftertaste carries through, characteristic of the English bitter tradition.

dry finishbitter persistenceclean aftertaste
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
84
Taste
85
Appearance
80
Finish
79
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Vache Folle ESB

Serve at 7–10°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve at 7–10°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass
Recommended for this style

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

Store in a cool, dark place. Check the best-before date on the label for guidance.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Vache Folle ESB

About Extra Special Bitter

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Extra Special Bitter?

Extra Special Bitter is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Extra Special Bitter

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same floral, caramel, bitter character as Vache Folle ESB will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Extra Special Bitters in hopIQ

WHERE TO BUY

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