I’ve just finished watching the 2014 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, which aired on your tv’s last night.

I think it’s fair to say that for as long as I can remember, I’ve been obsessed with supermodels. I’m not sure precisely where this began or how it developed, but it even predates my love of beer and I will never forget standing in the convenience store, staring in gobsmacked awe at the 1997 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition. Tyra Banks, red and pink bikini.  

Then, in high school, I discovered Victoria’s Secret (much like many of you other young men, though not exactly alike, I reckon). In 1999, they broadcast their annual fashion show live online and it broke the internet. (yeah, that’s right, Kardashian. VS did it first). The brouhaha that surrounds this lingerie runway event has always been extraordinary and over the years the show has been responsible for launching many of the most famous Supermodels (including my personal favourite, Karolina Kurkova, whose career exploded after she opened the 2001 show).

There’s a difference between a ‘model’ and a ‘supermodel’. Sure the model is fine at what she does. But it takes more than fine to be Super. The same goes for beer. Every so often one stumbles upon a beer of such quality and integrity, of such beauty and personality, that it deserves to be celebrated and recognized. And if there were a Supermodel of beer,  it would have to be Maudite, from Quebec brewery Unibroue.

I will run out of superlatives before I come close to describing just how wonderfully balanced and flavourful this beer is. Its style is a Belgian Strong Dark Ale. And it is 8.0% abv, so you can’t really pound them back. Which is perfect, because a brew this extraordinary is meant to be savoured.

The classic Belgian yeast profile is strong here, with lots of clove, orange, banana and spice on the nose. There are also heaps of dark fruit and caramel. The flavour quite simply knocks your socks off. Rich and sweet, with a bit of spice coming right at the end, with a nice clean finish – this beer is immensely drinkable and in a word, SUPER.