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

PicoPapa

Connecticut

4.34/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Taken from notes from a recent trip to Montreal and Vermont.

On tap at Dieu Du Ciel! Pours a pitch black color with an inch of frothy khaki head. Lots of lacing. The aroma is boozey with some nice coffee, roasted malts and smoke. Hints of chocolate but the main focus is the roasted coffee. The taste is no surprise, coffee, along with some sweet chocolate, roasted malts and earth. Maybe even hints of licorice. Not a huge alcohol presence. Silky and creamy. This one is almost like a delicious coffee milkshake. Good mix of roasted coffee and earthiness. Overall, outstanding brew I'm glad I got to have on tap. I look forward to drinking the bottles I grabbed as well.

Serving type: on-tap

05-04-2013 01:03:54 | More by PicoPapa

Beersquad

Ontario (Canada)

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

I've enjoyed this beer many times in the past in a bottle. It's a great imperial stout, I'd rate 4.25 out 5. On tap however, it's a 5 out of 5. Completely different pour and taste. In a bottle, the head is dark and has big bubbles, disappears quickly. On tap, I had it in a tulip glass and the head was over 3/4 glass until it finally settled to about 1\2. And it was not the same head at all, it was thick and creamy. I was wondering if the bar tender gave me the wrong beer but if you google it online, and look at images, you can tell the difference.

On tap, the taste in far better as well. In a bottle, this is a complex and well done imperial stout, one of my favourites. On tap it blew me away. It got better as I got to the bottom and it warmed up a little bit more.

Buy this beer in a bottle for sure but go out of your way to try this on tap. You will not regret it.

Serving type: on-tap

04-14-2013 02:01:57 | More by Beersquad

Beer-A-Lot

Virginia

4.29/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

On tap at birch.

A - Pitch black, but small head.

S - Amazing aroma, including roasted coffee.

T - Sham f***ing wow. Bitter coffee and chocolate. Lots of sweet cherries. Gotta bite to it. Very yummy.

M - Perfect mouth for the abv.

O - Freaking good and very substantial. A superb beer.

Serving type: on-tap

01-23-2013 03:33:42 | More by Beer-A-Lot

abenf

3.89/5  rDev -12%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

A - Black as night, no head, at least by the time it was brought to me (the bar was packed).

S - Like somebody else said, muted aroma. Nonexistent once you taste it.

T - The best part. Coffee and chocolate. I mean, there's not much else to say. Not that it isn't complex--it is--but everything else is just accenting the two.

M - Silky smooth with light carbonation.

O - I'm glad to have tried it but also glad my friend was the one paying the $9 for it. Not really my favorite or something I'd seek out again but I definitely enjoyed this one!

Serving type: on-tap

01-17-2013 06:32:05 | More by abenf

BlindProphet

New York

4.55/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I had the pleasure of trying this beer at the brewery, straight from the tap, during a recent trip to Montreal. Brewery Dieu du Ciel! is without question a hallowed name there, well known to any beer drinker worth his malt. But its beer is well worth the hype, and Peche Mortel proves it.

An inch of luscious, tan foam sits thick atop this opaque brew served to me in a tulip glass. The scent of coffee and dark, roasted malts comes up at me--that sweet and smoky aroma typical of strong coffee stouts--with just a hint of vanilla and chocolate. The smell alone is enough to perk you up. Sipping this beer, the first thing that stands out to me is its texture: thick, but velvety smooth and remarkably drinkable. Its taste is blissfully complex. Without dominating, the espresso flavor comes on strong, a back-of-the-mouth bitterness balanced nicely by the chocolatey, roasted flavor of the malt, a taste that lingers conspicuously on the palate.

As both a coffee and beer lover, this beer speaks to me in ways others cannot. Dieu du Ciel! isn’t shy about featuring coffee in their brew, and for such a strong one--a whopping 9.5%--they deliver a remarkably drinkable product. Peche Mortel is not a beer for the faint of heart (mortal sin in French), but for dark beer drinkers like myself, this beer’s bold, complex flavor and silky texture set it apart from other stouts. Hot or cold, rain or shine, Peche Mortel will do you right.

Serving type: on-tap

07-03-2012 16:10:49 | More by BlindProphet

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

4.45/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from tap at the Brewery into tulip.
Pours an oily deep black/brown. Tan color head with stick oily bits stuck in the lacing. Fantastic aromas of roasted coffee and chocolate malts. Taste is great, smooth chocolate coffee roasted malts, dried fruit, and boozey. A bit bitter hop, but otherwise very very drinkable. Such a fantastic brew and lucky to have on tap at the source. Deff a world class brew.

Serving type: on-tap

05-30-2012 23:53:24 | More by DrinkSlurm

BigBry

Alberta (Canada)

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

I had the good fortune of trying this from a bottle, but when I saw Beer Revolution had it on-tap I had to go. As a bonus, they had Aphrodisiac on-tap to compare side by side.

Served in a snifter, jet black with a thick, brown head.
Smell has lots of chocolate, and even more coffee and cocoa, espresso was the dominant aroma. Also could smell vanilla, and some smoke to finish.
Complex flavor profile, with all the same tastes as smells. Coffee was the dominant flavor, but cocoa and chocolate, vanilla, oak barrel, all come through.
Thick and creamy mouthfeel, smooth and not too sweet or cloying. Flavors hid the alcohol, you might think it was a bit higher, but not double strength of an average beer.
Well worthy of its World Class designation.
Very comparable to Aphrodisiac

Note to Self: Ranked #1 Top Beer in Canada, #16 American Double / Imperial Stout, #53 Top Beers - Popular when I tried it on-tap.

Serving type: on-tap

04-24-2012 21:00:58 | More by BigBry

tonyf55

Alberta (Canada)

4.75/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

On-tap at the new Beer Revolution here in Calgary. Served in a 12oz pockal.

Visual (4.5): Dark, dark, dark brown with an espresso froth head. The head is extremely creamy looking with tight bubbles that just sit beautifully atop the midnight beer. Perfect lacing coats the interior of the glass.

Aroma (5): Sweet chocolate espresso grind that intermingles with the smell of alcohol. A perfect blend that entices the nose before the beer touches your lips.

Taste (4.5): Roasted coffee malt flavour and the sweetness of dark chocolate. The coffee malt flavour dominates as it should and sticks in the mouth and throat after the swallow. Whatever slight hop they used, is used beautifully as the savoury malt coffee is perfectly balanced with a touch of bitterness at the end.

Mouthfeel (5): In a few words, perfectly fitting. The creamiest beer I've ever had, with a coffee grind roughness that beautifully emulates the style. The thick, chewy body more than anything screams "coffee stout". Strangely enough though, doesn't leave an alcoholic lingering.

Overall (5): Exactly what you would want and expect in an Imperial Coffee stout: stark coffee malt flavour, a touch of dark chocolate, an amazingly creamy mouthfeel and a coffee grind aftertaste all tied up with nice hop balancing, alcoholic touches, and a dark dark body. Couldn't ask for better.

Serving type: on-tap

02-05-2012 23:23:35 | More by tonyf55

WillCarrera

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at Local Option in Chicago.

A- Pours jet black with a finger of creamy coffee colored head.

S- Smells exactly like an iced coffee, some nice creamy dark chocolate in the back.

T- Coffee. I mean loads of it. The coffee flavor tastes most like raw, unroasted beans, which blends with some roasted malt and chocolate flavor. Light milk and vanilla flavors as well. The malt provides a bit of bitter flavor but hop presence is minimal.

M- Medium to full bodied, has a nice smooth creamy feel, carbonation is moderate to light.

O- A really great stout, one of the best coffee flavored stouts I've had, it really packs in the coffee flavor, I think I liked it a bit better from the bottle, but this is still an amazing beer.

Serving type: on-tap

01-28-2012 05:50:10 | More by WillCarrera

garuda

Pennsylvania

4.63/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Black, with a tan head that retains for an absurd amount of time with nice lacing.

Robust mocha aroma follows in the taste along with layers of milk and dark chocolate. Some hints of candied plum with clean, fresh roasted coffee coming through strong in the finish. Full, hefty body with a low carbonation level makes it velvety smooth across the palate. Some tastes of chocolate milk come out as it warms with the abv staying well hidden.

O - Exceeded my expectations, this was a fabulous coffee stout. Seek it out if that's your thing.

Serving type: on-tap

01-28-2012 01:40:55 | More by garuda

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First had: on tap at Capone's, Norristown, PA

'10 vintage, consumed Jan. '12.

Poured an opaque black with a moderate tan head, decent retention and lacing. Aroma of coffee, cocoa, dark malts, some dark dried fruits. Big coffee/espresso taste, but decently balanced with sweet malts, caramel, dark chocolate, hints of dark fruits, ash, and light indistinct spice. Pretty nice. Full-bodied and quite drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

01-21-2012 04:47:27 | More by Rifugium

BMoldy

New York

4.38/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had on-tap in a tasting glass at the DDC brewpub in Montreal. From notes:

A: Pitch black with a creamy mocha 1-finger head. Solid retention and fantastic lacing.

S: Lots of chocolate malt and strong roasted espresso.

T: Mild coffee flavor rounds complements the dark roasted malts. Nice and bitter. Slightly earthy, almost woody.

M: Very little carbonation. Slight alcohol kick but not offensive at all. Long, strong finish.

O: A great, great beer. I'll admit that I'm not a big stout kind of guy, but I found this to be a tiiiiny bit overrated. Delicious in every way shape and form, but not necessarily world class. Still, as my first coffee stout, I'll give it the benefit of a doubt. A must try.

Serving type: on-tap

08-13-2011 17:17:28 | More by BMoldy

scinerd3000

Pennsylvania

4.58/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Served on draft- 10oz into a snifter at Teresa's Next Door. Review from notes....

A: Black and when held up to the sun it is completly devoid of light. Brown head with excellent retention and the lacing rivaling the best i have ever seen.

S: coffee, molasses and toasty. No hop character. Slightly sweet.

T: Rich roast espresso flavors, coffee, very smooth- amazingly so for 9.5%. Slight alcohol is evident on the finish as the beer warms in the glass. Very restrained hop bitterness balances this nicely. Amazing!

M: clean. Leaves coffee flavor in my pallet

O: Exceptional. One of the better beers i reviews that night.

Serving type: on-tap

08-11-2011 21:47:34 | More by scinerd3000

NittanyBeerFan

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap today at Teresa's Next Door. Poured into a 10 oz tulip glass.

Obsidian black in color, this beer comes to me with a creamy espresso-like head with some fine bubbles. This head fades to a thin layer of bubbles that covers the whole surface of the beer, though as I sip, it gets slurped right up. Only a little bit of lace, but honestly, how much lacing do you expect out of an imperial stout?

The aroma is full of bitter coffee and dark chocolate. There are some hints of caramel and sweet, rich vanilla extract. On the palate, the bitterness fades a touch and yields to sweetness, but the coffee counteracts this nicely. The best thing about the flavor is that the coffee character is not fake-tasting. In the finish, I get some of that vanilla from the aroma, which adds a decent amount of depth to this beer.

Peche Mortel has a creamy and silky consistency with a medium to full texture. Very good level of carbonation in this one too, as it is evident, but just a footnote to the overall feel. A bit too sweet in the finish, which knocks the flavor and feel down a little, but this is a great coffee stout. Unfortunate that it's so damn expensive.

Serving type: on-tap

08-06-2011 22:15:36 | More by NittanyBeerFan

gskitt

New York

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

In Montreal in the brewery. Very excited. Pours a black, but takes some time for the bubbles to dissipate. Head is thick, creamy, and ever present. I almost have difficulty getting through the head. Scent is of roasted vanilla, roasted malts. Bittersweet chocolate on the tongue. Heavy doses of vanilla and warming and super creamy mouthfeel. Overall, unbelievable!

Serving type: on-tap

07-07-2011 21:11:13 | More by gskitt

AmericanGothic

Iowa

4.22/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Red's, reviewed from notes.

A: Color is absolutely pitch black and opaque, with not much head but very good lace.

S: Roasted aromas with some chocolate. I am surprised not to detect any coffee here, however.

T: Wow. Sweet, smooth chocolate, very rich, with the slightest tinge of alcohol that enhances the bitter chocolate. The coffee notes are very faint on the finish at first, but they do emerge as the beer warms. Some mellow vinous flavors as well.

M: Medium heavy mouthfeel and smooth going down.

O: This was a very tasty beer and a slow sipper for sure. Without a doubt, I'm looking forward to the next time it comes to town.

Serving type: on-tap

06-18-2011 22:07:07 | More by AmericanGothic

bismarksays

Iowa

4.93/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Had on tap at Red's Ale House in North Liberty.

A-Poured dark as midnight, kind of a mocha/caramel colored head. It looks like a coffee stout should look

S-fresh roasted coffee...a touch of dark chocolate, but mostly just fresh roasted coffee

T/M- Like its nose. Which is a good thing. A very very good thing. Silky yet thick, sweet yet roasted. Balanced and harmonious. The aftertaste stays with you, but not in a bad way. It is just like a lingering memory of the pure bliss you just drank.
I highly recommend this.

Serving type: on-tap

06-10-2011 19:12:03 | More by bismarksays

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From notes taken at the Armsby Abbey on 5/9/11.

A - Poured into a snifter a dark, black oily pour with a half finger of mocha cream head that leaves excellent, heavy side lacing as well as a great mocha blanket.

S - Roasted malts and chocolate as well as some coffee. Bitter espresso notes, really nice.

T - Oh so heavy on the espresso. Rich, roasty notes and a bitter espresso finish.

M - Nice and creamy, just as a stout should be.

O - This is a really, really good stout. While it was delicious on tap I found the bottle to be just a few hairs better than this. Still, its worth seeking out!

Serving type: on-tap

05-24-2011 16:10:08 | More by rudzud

Axic10

Pennsylvania

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

On-tap at Capone's Black Friday Event - taken from notes

Appearance: Pitch black with a thin khaki-mocha colored head.

Smell: Heavy roasted coffee, dark chocolate and a nice burnt malt aroma.

Taste: Bitterness from the dark chocolate and roasted malt mixed with a complete coffee bomb.

Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied and very smooth.

Drinkability: I always seem to order this whenever I see it on draft, it's that good. Definitely my favorite Canadian beer by far.

Serving type: on-tap

12-19-2010 22:50:22 | More by Axic10

oglmcdgl

Pennsylvania

4.83/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

On tap at bluedog chalfont.

A- comes to the table with a cm or so of tan head that holds rather well. Black as black can get in color.

S- big time coffee and dark chocolate, smoke and char, hint of milky sweetness.

T- sweet cocoa, coffee and cream. Complex layers of dark roasted malts and dates. Some molasses and brown sugar.

M- full bodied with a bit of chew and stick. Mid level small bubbled carb.

D- wonderful brew. This is what a coffee stout should taste like. One of the best beers I've ever had on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

09-25-2010 18:43:02 | More by oglmcdgl

BBP

Ontario (Canada)

4.8/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

A- Iced coffee look. Dark black with beautiful creamy head.

S- Mocha and coffee, a small hint of vanilla. Pretty much an espresso aroma. It was great, but a bit too faint.

T- Coffee and mocha at the front and shots of espresso. Tasted like it even had the cream in it. The alcohol is almost completely hidden. Tastes like what I'd like my coffees to taste like in the morning.

M- Medium body and full feeling, but goes down a bit watery.

D- Extremely drinkable. Everybody who likes coffee would probably like this, and then quite a few more. Will absolutely be having this beer again. 12oz was not enough for me. I'd very much love to get a bomber.

One year after reviewing, this has come out again and I've done a side by side. The year old bottle seems to have really opened up. The fresh stuff tastes somewhat one dimensional in comparison. Strangely enough a lot of the coffee is still present in the year old bottle, although it doesn't have the bitter bite it had before. The booziness takes on more of a licorice taste after a year or so and it furthers the complexity.

Ultimately, I think the tap version is optimal, and that a year of age slightly edges out the fresh. Regardless, I think that whatever form this beer is in, it won't cease to amaze.

Serving type: on-tap

09-18-2010 19:41:01 | More by BBP

metter98

New York

4.45/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A: The beer is nearly jet black in color (a slight bit of red is visible near the edge of the glass when it is held up to the light) and has a thin creamy beige head. A light amount of carbonation is visible.
S: There are aromas of coffee and espresso beans in the nose.
T: Like the smell, flavors of coffee and espresso beans stand out in the taste, which has a slight amount of sweetness and a hint of bitterness. Unlike the bottled version, roasted flavors are not very noticeable.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and incredibly smooth and creamy; the smoothness of the beer on-tap really sets it apart from the bottled version.
D: The beer goes down very smooth and tastes like creamy espresso. I could sip this beer all night long and will definitely try this again if I can find it on-tap because it tastes even better than it does in a bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

08-08-2010 23:59:51 | More by metter98

claspada

New Jersey

3.35/5  rDev -24.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap @ Rattle n Hum NYC along with 3 other Diew Du Ciel beers.

Had this in a flight. Looked and smelled like your typical russian imperial stout. The usual hints of toffee, cocoa, and mainly coffee in this one. Taste amd drinkability were extremely lacking. Highly over-rated beer in my opinion. Too cloying and sweet with no balance in the coffee/malt/hops. Lack of carbonation doesnt help but not typical of style anyway. Worth tasting but not shelling out $8 for 8 oz or even $7 at a store for a 12 oz. Seek out others if you have a choice.

Serving type: on-tap

07-27-2010 15:44:00 | More by claspada

jampics2

Ohio

4.47/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

On tap @ the Winking Lizard. Beer #43 on my beer tour. They got one keg at the Fairlawn location, so I finished my housework and decided to make the 35 minute drive down I-271 to I-77 and visit the city I used to work in back in the day. I had 2 pours, about 10-12 oz each in an open mouth tulip style stemmed glass. I was so thrilled to get the chance to have this beer on tap - I've had bottles before but always questioned their freshness. As this was the only keg the distributor got, I felt lucky to try this great beer fresh and from a premium draft establishment.

Came a bit too cold, but I palmed the tulip until it got in the 45 degree range. This beer looked like a magazine cover. Absolutely perfect - tan creamy head is one finger but sticks around, topping the black body. Opaque and impenetrable to any light. A legendary looking stout.

Smell is great, nice roasted malt meshes perfectly with the coffee. Touches of chocolate and black strap molasses. Not terribly expressive coffee component like some American coffee beers - this meshes well. Lactose sugar is present in the nose as well. A nice coffee and cream thing going on, could be a bit more expressive though IMO.

Taste is just short of perfection. Huge roasted malt presence. Coffee, chocolate, molasses. Touch of sweet cream then a bitter end that doesn't seem hops driven, more like coffee bitterness. Very flavorful and deep and complex. Really a great tasting coffee beer, I would kill to try the bourbon version side by side with a KBS because I think the taste here gives FBS a run for it's money. Touch of alcohol noticeable as it warms, but nothing distracting.

Mouthfeel was such a delight - starts off light and I thought it would be watery, but there's a huge viscous layer underneath that gives a milkshakey consistency. Carb is light w/o being too light. I loved the mouth on this beer!!

Drinkability was wonderful, on an imperial curve as this is a 9.5% and means business. But I had two pours because one just wasn't enough. Loved this beer, worth a trip to have on tap. Thanks to the Lizard for bringing in this lovely treat!

Serving type: on-tap

05-01-2010 22:31:30 | More by jampics2

ToasterChef

Maine

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

Reviewed from my notes. My pour was from a vintage 2009 keg. The beer is black with a tan foam head. It is thin in the center, but thick and clinging to the sides at its edge. There is a healthy amount of clinging and rising carbonation. They are working their way through the foam, causing a few bubbles to appear on top. It has a bitter, roasted dark chocolate aroma. It smells a lot like fresh coffee beans. The flavor has tons of coffee bitterness throughout. There is some sweet malt flavor in the back that provides a great base. I don't have much else to say about the flavor, other than the simplicity of my review doesn't do the taste justice. This is a medium bodied stout. It leaves a good coat behind that is sticky but not overly sweet. In fact, it's mostly bitter. I find it to be a pretty drinkable coffee stout. I'm not a coffee drinker, and though the coffee flavor is strong, it isn't too bad. This beer is recommended.

Serving type: on-tap

04-29-2010 13:36:08 | More by ToasterChef