Péché Mortel (Imperial Stout Au Cafe) - Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel

trxxpaxxs

New York

4.64/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Big thanks to tom10101 for this bottle...

A: Pours a deep dark black with one full finger of dark khaki colored head. The foam fades fairly rapidly, leaving a thin clingy layer of bubbles across the top of the beer. Excellent lacing as it drinks.

S: The nose is roasted malt, toasted chestnuts, milk chocolate, coffee, and a touch of sweet vanilla. Smells excellent.

T: This beer starts out sweet and creamy with milk chocolate, vanilla, and marshmallow. The coffee notes of this beer dominate in the middle, but the beer remains creamy. As it moves to the back end, I get a lot of roast and toast. It tightens up with big dark chocolate bitters, and burnt toast. It's wonderful.

M: Full bodied beer. It's sweet and creamy to start, silky smooth in the middle, and gets almost bitterly dry in the finish.

O: Excellent beer. One of my favorites. I can't believe it took me this long to finally review it. I need more of this as soon as possible.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 19:04:36 | More by trxxpaxxs

korguy123

Ontario (Canada)

4.66/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle into tulip.

Inky, oily, black pour. Half finger creamy tan head. Lacing is excellent.

Obviously coffee right up front, with some chocolate and vanilla with a touch of brown sugar and licorice. Some molasses with burnt toast and some figs.

Massive amounts of coffee, bittersweet chocolate with a touch of smoke and vanilla. Molasses with some licorice.

Creamy medium body, low carbonation, Slightly syrupy. Sticky on the lips.

This beer is truly part of the top echelon of beers for a reason. I've had this many times and it never ceases to amaze.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 22:57:16 | More by korguy123

Flounder57

Massachusetts

4.43/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

11.5 oz bottle was poured into a snifter.

Appearance: This beer poured a one finger mocha head that reduced to a thin layer and left some lacing on the glass. It is a pitch black color with no clarity, but bubbles can be seen towards the top of the glass. Super nice lacing on the glass as the beer was drank.

Smell: nice roasted coffee, chocolate, molasses, smoke, and the booze is hidden really well.

Taste: Coffee is upfront like the label says. Nice and roasty with some chocolate, sweetness, and warm booze in there.

Mouthfeel: Silky smooth, full bodied, low to medium carbonation, very drinkable, and nice warming booze.

Overall: A nice find when I was up in Portland, ME. I have always wanted to try this beer out and happy to finally have had a bottle. Now I need to get more.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 04:03:00 | More by Flounder57

FloppyDog

North Carolina

4.9/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Pours black as night. No light shines through the edges of this viscous brew. Head does not stick around very long, but it could be due to the glass I am pouring it into.

Aroma is dominated by espresso and hints of chocolate.

Taste is again espresso in its fullest, with bittersweet chocolate intermingled.

Mouthfeel is viscous and smooth.

Overall, a world class coffee imperial stout. Very fortunate to try it.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 22:29:55 | More by FloppyDog

dar482

New York

4.7/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

Pours in a pitch black color with a khaki hint of a head. Almost non existant one.

The aroma has coffee, bitter chocolate, a malted and roasted sweetness, possibly a hint of vanilla.

The flavor upfront is great. There starts off with this creamy, yet bitter espresso and chocolate. Then there’s a hint of alcohol at the end of the mouth and top of the throat. The finish has a huge amount of hop and roasted espresso bitterness for a Russian Imperial. This is not a sweet beer nor does the malt linger and stick. There also is this smokiness that I pick up because I’ve recently had KBS. The dark tobacco character lingers around with both flavor and aroma.

The mouthfeel is not as velvety and thick and round as some other Russian Imperials, but that’s fine. It is quite drinkable because of the clean tongue finish.

Be sure to let this warm up from refrigerator temperature. It opens up to be creamier. The flavors roll around the mouth. The bitter espresso just melds into this smokey finish. It is just wonderful.

This is unmatched in complexity for a non-barrel aged beer and even beats some barrel aged beers. Ten Fidy and this are different, so I can’t decide which is better, but this is Top 2 for Russian Imperials.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 04:42:53 | More by dar482

craft_shannie

Indiana

4.23/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

pours black, four finger frothy coffee head with nice lacing. nose is a bit restrained: espresso, burnt sugar, w. a bit of booze. taste is big and refined: espresso, robust malts. extremely smooth, rounded with just the right amount of sweet creaminess.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2013 02:05:59 | More by craft_shannie

TwelveOunces

Kentucky

4.4/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

11.5 oz bottle poured into a snifter

A- Pours very black with a half finger of an off white head.

S- A massive roasted malt. A slight bit of a dark chocolate with an underlying coffee note.

T- A big roastyness at first. A bit of a BBQ smokiness made it into this beer. A dominant coffee flavor in this beer. A very dry aftertaste. A big roasty malt takes up most of the beer but seems to branch off to cocoa and dark chocolate. This beer is much smokier then I imagined but it works quite well.

M- Thick and very dry. This syrupy stout is a flavorful sipper and to be appreciated.

O- A solid stout to say the least. A wee bit pricey (7$) but definitely worth trying once. I would love to try the bourbon barrel version.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2013 23:53:35 | More by TwelveOunces

BGDrock

Ontario (Canada)

4.36/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: black as night, even under the light; milk chocolate head fades after a minute or two to a film

Aroma: lot's of black licorice ju jubes, some coffee and chocolate round out the roast; on the sweet side; a bit of dried herb

Taste & Mouthfeel: beautiful flavour and texture, great medium roast coffee with a light and airy body - like you're just drinking the crema - but not watery; has an acidic and fairly well hopped finish with good length, carrying the coffee and anise flavour with it for perfect balance, kind of like it's burning the flavour into your palate - it's a great way to cap it off; bitter dark cocoa powder gains more of a presence as you get through the beer

Overall: amazingly luxurious mouthfeel, and a robust flavour that grows more complex with every sip; pair it with some berries for dessert

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2013 02:51:05 | More by BGDrock

deadonhisfeet

Kentucky

4.44/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The beer gave an angry hiss as the cap was pried off and the contents poured into a Lost Abbey Teku was extremely dark brown, but not quite black. There were 2 fingers of khaki brown head that slowly dissipated down to some nice Belgian lacing. The nose is pretty dreamy, but not as intense as I anticipated. Rich, deep espresso notes with just a hint of sweetness behind it.

Full body and a deep, coffee-infused flavor. Lots and lots of coffee assaults your palate, but the beer is not overly bitter. The feel is creamy enough to enhance the flavor, but not so thick it compromises the drinkability. Besides the coffee, there is a slight oaky flavor in the back of the palate. The finish is well-sustained and, obviously, full of coffee. The taste of freshly roasted espresso beans and a hint of baker's chocolate just lingers on and on.

I had heard a lot about this beer and was really excited to finally get a chance to try it. The best part is that I have two more bottles of it to look forward to. If you don't like coffee or coffee stouts, avoid this beer like crazy. If you like coffee-focused beers, seek this one out. It can be a bit pricey, but worth trying once (or three times).

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 02:13:08 | More by deadonhisfeet

sleuthdog

Illinois

4.81/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

2011 vintage poured into GI goblet

Pour: Hard pour created about a finger of creamy brown looking head. The beer itself is as dark as a big stout and does not allow any light through. Lacing is minimal at best but there is a bit of spotting.

Smell: Even though this bottle has some age on it the coffee is still huge in this but in a genuinely good way. A wonderful aroma of roast, coffee, some vanilla, chocolate and a touch of wood. The coffee aroma is spot on in that it is not over powering yet you know you are getting into a big coffee stout.

Taste: Similar to the nose and again the coffee balance is absolutely perfect with the dark chocolate, roasted malts, vanilla and wood notes. This is one well balanced coffee stout as there is an initial sweetness at the front of the tongue that is quickly pushed aside by the coffee bitterness. The bitterness that follows to the finish is perfect. Not too bitter but yet just right.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied beer with just an unbelievable creamy texture and softness even though it is quite bitter. Carbonation is low.

Overall: A gem of a beer. This is one well crafted gem in all aspects, especially if you enjoy coffee stouts. This one is hard to beat in the non barrel aged category. Delicious!

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 01:37:18 | More by sleuthdog

eduardolinhalis

Switzerland

4.8/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

341ml bottle served in a tulip glass.

A: First of all, the most beautiful bottle art ever. Dieu du Ciel trademark. The beer pours a deep black Imperial Stout color forming a one to two fingers brown moka-style head. Thin bubbled and creamy. Retention is low but many spotty molasses lacings are left in the glass as it goes...

S: Strong roasted malts on the nose, followed by notes of coffee and dark chocolate. A bit milky with some notes of wood too

T: Follow the nose. Strong notes of roasted malts. Notes of coffee and dark chocolate. The upfront is slightly sweet becoming deliciously bitter quite quickly. Absolutely delicious roasted bitterness in the end. Again, a bit lactic and woody

M: Creamy, heavy molasses body. Low carbonation. Roasted bitterness aftertaste

O: Delicious Imperial Stout. I was expecting more coffee but, in the end an excellent experience anyway

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 18:01:15 | More by eduardolinhalis

wethorseblanket

California

4.35/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A; Pours black with a thin (1/4") mocha head with fades to leave clumpy lace.

N: Coffee and roast with some vanilla and wood, earth and dark fruit.

T: Coffee dominates with an intensity of espresso, roast, dark chocolate/cocoa.

M: Full body and semi-moderate carbonation. Thick and creamy. Roasty finish.

O: Rich and expansive with a mild sweetness.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 03:44:52 | More by wethorseblanket

unclejazz

New York

4.4/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Finally got around to reviewing this cellar staple.
12oz. bottle poured into small snifter. Fall 2012 vintage

A-jet black with a solid 1 finger mocha head with solid legs and lacing.

S-a bunch of roast coffee and dark malts. A hint of soy that is to be expected from RIS.

T-rich notes of Italian roast coffee and deep earthy notes. Very little hoppiness or sweetness.

M-rich with a great level of carbonation lending itself to a creaminess that evens out the bitterness of the coffee

O-this beer tend to cost between $5-6 and is worth it for the decadence. On the same level at FBS and wake n bake.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2013 22:56:22 | More by unclejazz

Pinknuggets

Vermont

4.23/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Bottle to hfs sniffer

A: it is very dark brown the color of black coffee. It is completely opaque and no light passes through. There is a small mocha colored head that fades quickly and leaves an avg size lacing around the top of the glass.

S:you can definitely smell the coffee a this almost smells like a fresh vup with lots of roasted coffee aroma. There are also some hop aromas and smells that make this smell like a beer As well so there is some balance. Good but not great I expected more perhaps I got a lesser bottle.

T: it's got a straight coffee flavor upfront it has a ceaminess/chocolatiness to it too. The roasted nature of the coffee adds to the dark malts that come out with some sweetness after the upfront coffee flavor. The finish definitely has the coffee bitterness in the finish but it is not overpowering there is good balance

M: it a has a very smooth and creamy texture too it like a coffee milkshake almost because it is also very thick and heavy. All that beig said it is not overwhelming and very drinkable as the abv is completely hidden

O:this is a really high quality beer the taste could have more coffee to it but is balanced. The aroma needs more power but the feel is supburb. I was not blown away by this beer as I kinda expected but it is really good so I highly recommend it

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 00:13:39 | More by Pinknuggets

arfenhouse

California

4.31/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A: Black with light brown head. Decent retention.

S: Getting a big note of baker's chocolate. A good amount of roasted coffee. Decent amount of vanilla. A bit of licorice.

T: Starts off with a sweet mocha which is cut short by a bitter charred malt.Roasted coffee beans and some prune. Bitter grain and bitter chocolate finish.

M: Medium-full body and carbonation. Fine carbonation. Finishes wet.

O: Overall a solid and enjoyable beer. Was hoping for a stronger coffee aspect. Just about right for the price.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2013 07:14:06 | More by arfenhouse

CommanderOfAwesome

California

4.65/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

About a month old bottle poured into a snifter.

A: Pours a rich deep dark brown with a coffee khaki colored 2 finger.

S: Let this one warm up. Initially I was getting a weird off aroma that smelled of burnt plastic. After a couple of minutes this one opened up. Huge coffee aroma, right up there with speedway. Intense coffee aroma with hints of chocolate and toffee.

T: Loaded with coffee, following the nose. The coffee is provided on a creamy smooth wave. Hints of dark chocolate follow, but this is mostly about coffee.

M: Smooth full bodied and creamy. Slight coffee bitterness finish with a decent amount of carbonation. Hides the 9% VERY well.

O: Perfect example of how diverse beer can be. This is a coffee stout and an incredible one at that. Highly recommend.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 15:55:29 | More by CommanderOfAwesome

weonfire

Kentucky

4.33/5  rDev -2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

A - Black/very dark brown. completely opaque. finger of mocha head. dissipates but leaves a nice ring around rim.

S - Mocha, chocolate, toffee, and coffee

T - initial: dark chocolate, carmel, mocha, and certainly coffee. finish: roasted coffee, touch of booze, bitterness (5/10)

M - Creamy, frothy, very nice carbonation, dense, full body, touch of velvet

O - Really nice. Coffee flavor is excellent, blended really well, mouth is outstanding, do wish it was a bit sweeter- say with carmel/vanilla/bourbon. Nose also could be better. Overall, excellent.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 00:47:00 | More by weonfire

acevenom

Louisiana

4.76/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Poured into a tulip glass. Pours very opaque black with a thin tan head. Some lacing is left behind on the glass as the head retreats. The aroma of coffee hit the nose even as the beer was being poured. There's some dark roasty malt in the nose that really blends well with the coffee. There's just a touch of chocolate in the nose. There's some nice dark coffee in the flavor with some good dark roasted barley malt in the flavor. The coffee aftertaste lingers in the mouth. There's a touch of chocolate there as well, which is something I found in the nose. I don't even taste the 9.5% ABV. The body is medium to full with moderate carbonation. The drinkability is high for an imperial stout. This is an excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 01:50:08 | More by acevenom

micromaniac129

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

The Craft Beer Outlet, just sitting there. A beer this hard to find just sitting there. Fourth frig last row down on the very bottom shelf.
Couldn't figure out the bottle date so i think it's at about mid life.
Screw on top!
A lousious black and a tall, thick and creamy head. It's airy and fades leaving great lacing. I like that.
In the aroma one smells a toatal onslaught of roasted coffee. It's bold and powerful and quite intense. I can also smell chocolate and cream and sutle nuiances of roasted malts and barley.
Yeah, this on leans way to the coffee.
I wonder how much caffine is in here because this is a coffee bomber all the way.
So much coffee flavor but the beer is out of balance. I like balance. Balance in beer is good.
Towards the end I can taste some roasted malts, a bit ashen and gritty, but ther there.
On the palette it coats my tongue and is somewhat prickly. In the aftertaste it is bitter and sports a burnt malt taste.
A strong and intense beer which is also alittle sweet.
I'm glad i found this.It's hard to find. I don't like the unbalanced of the beer. The flavor is good and definitely in the top 5.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 13:04:01 | More by micromaniac129

chinchill

South Carolina

4.43/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

11/5 oz bottle date notched at 4 and 5 or 6(?) served in a St. Bernardus snifter at an initial temperature of about 50F. .
Poured very dark brown color, looking nearly black in the glass, with a moderate size tan head than soon died to a lasting but partial top coat. Leaves the sides the glass well coated with lace after each sip.

The aroma was loaded with coffee and sweet dark roasted malts. Occasional hints of dark and milk chocolate, as well as vanilla. Not much alcohol present in the aroma of this 9.5% ABV ale, but enough to add some interesting overtones. The rich coffee was a bit too much like used coffee grinds as opposed to fresh ground beans.

T: not surprised to find a pronounced black coffee flavor mixed with a full load of dark roasted malts. Intense, but not at all challenging due, in part, to the excellent sweet/bitter balance. No burnt, charcoal, or other off flavors here. The lingering finish kept a nice mix of roasted malt and coffee, without the unpleasantly high level bitterness that almost always accompanies this.

M – Full bodied, almost thick, with just the right amount of carbonation. The creamy texture leaves the mouth nicely coated and would earn a 5 if not for the slight harshness from the alcohol, which is inevitable if admirably low with 9.5% ABV.

O: Superb. This finely crafted coffee stout is one of the best examples of the style I have ever tried, better than FBS I think, with an excellent quantity of coffee and balancing sweetness. Highly recommended

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 20:27:57 | More by chinchill

Cee-Poe

Wisconsin

4.63/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

One of the best imperial coffee stouts I've had.

A -- Rich dark brown (almost black) pour. Perhaps a finger of head quickly dissipates leaving no head.

S -- Smells great. Sweet with bitter-coffee notes

T -- This is a very complex beer. The initial taste of this beer comes off as too sweet. This however mellows out as it quickly warms on the tongue to allow the coffee to work its way to the top. This beer transforms from good to great in one sip.

M -- Rich velvety feel is perfect for this style

O -- As mentioned above, one of the best imperial coffee stouts out there.. even for $5 per 11.5oz.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2013 17:45:46 | More by Cee-Poe

Homebrew35

Connecticut

3.61/5  rDev -18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Pours a deep brownish black, fairly translucent body especially around the edges. A few bubbles of head and a thin ring of bubbles around the edges.

Smells like a nice cup of iced coffee with a shot of espresso. Some roast, carmel sweetness and light fruitiness.

Tastes like a lightly carbonated, sweet and chocolatey roasted coffee drink. Some roast blends with coffee and espresso flavors nicely. This has a very off putting metallic note which indicates this one is a bit old or just off. A good bit of carmel and malt sweetness lingers.

Medium bodied, its very neutral and delicate on the palate.

Overall this is a very solid beer. Well made even with the metallic off flavor.
I'm a bit let down tho at a price of $6 for a 12oz bottle.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 13:25:20 | More by Homebrew35

endovelico

Portugal

4.08/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

Now this was a different IRS... From the first pour, I felt this luscious milky brew was going to bring something different to the table. The nose was disappointing to me at first, showing little horse power and not being completely agreeable to me even if it did showcase a fare good amount of complexity with grainy, woody, smoky, gamy notes at the front and chocolate and coffee setting the backdrop.

At the tongue this beer manifested boldness, with a velvety smooth texture coating my mouth and a taste profile that felt like what I can only describe as a mix of tobacco, wood and cocoa.

The masters at Dieu Du Ciel definitely achieved something of distinction and quality with this beer proving that this style doesn't have to be an hegemony of bitter coffee/cocoa alcoholic bombs. It's a beer I'm happy i came across but it's just not completely to my taste, unfortunately.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2013 22:07:44 | More by endovelico

patre_tim

China

4.74/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A: Dark opaque brown with a slight reddish tinge when held to the light. Reddish brown beige foam, not quite a head.

S: Coffee, alcohol, licorice, smoke, a sweet fruity background, floral- almost red licorice.

T: Smooth, sweet but not overly, hides alcohol well, slight licorice in the back, little toasted bitter aftertaste. Toasted malt, some burnt toast. Not a lot of coffee in my opinion. Very drinkable and very balanced. No wonder its so highly acclaimed.

M: Thick, medium low to low carbonation.

O: This is really a great example of this style. Drinkable, balanced, hides the alcohol, not cloyningly sweet as some imperial stouts. Would go well with creamy cheeses, cheese cake, etc.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 22:33:35 | More by patre_tim

ThickNStout

Georgia

4.1/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

11.5oz bottle from Halftime.com. I can't decipher the notched bottling info (4 and 2?). Served in a Dogfish Head snifter.

Pours black with a bare quarter finger of pale tan head. Small streaks of lace.

Aromas of expresso mocha latte, caramel and a little cocoa.

Taste is, as expected, a coffee bomb. Strong doses of bitter medium roast coffee with charred malt, dark cocoa, burnt caramel, molasses and a little vanilla. The booze pops up in the finish but is hidden well behind a wall of coffee.

Medium full creamy body with moderate carbonation. Bitter coffee plants it's self on the tongue for a long lating aftertaste.

One of the best available imperial coffee stouts. Great balance of coffee flavors. Too bad this one isn't sold in GA or I'd get this on a regular basis while waiting for Wake n Bake's winter release.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 06:35:31 | More by ThickNStout