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

CRJMellor

Arkansas

4.1/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review # 800
Pours a midnight black with some red highlights and a light tan head with some sticky lace.
Aroma of cracked coffee bean, chocolate, caramel, roasted barley. Really beautiful nose.
Flavor is coffee/espresso shot upfront with a layer of bitter chocolate and an astringent bittering on the finish.
Mouthfeel starts really rich and lush but seems to fade away a bit. A tad disappointing and doesn't match nose or flavor.
Drinkability is solid but not as varied and palate coating as I would have expected with the nose this gives off. Sort of unfair but minorly disappointing to be honest.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2006 23:16:52 | More by CRJMellor

rajendra82

Georgia

4.1/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked up this bomber a little while back while visiting Charlotte and making a stop at Brawley’s. This is the last of a series of Coffee flavored Stouts I have run into lately. The beer poured out dark and opaque like a Stout should. The color was not quite completely black, and showed a bit of red at the edges when held up against the light. The head was two finger tall, creamy, and displayed excellent stability and longevity.

There was no mistaking the presence of coffee while smelling the beer. The dark espresso roast smell came out quite clearly and beautifully. There was also some floral hoppiness coming through in the aroma.

The taste was dry, roasty, and decadent. Dark bitter coffee was certainly in the forefront, followed by bittersweet chocolate, sticky toffee, and finishing up with grape skin. The alcohol was very warming, but not overly pungent. Mouthfeel stayed dry and got a little grainy at the end of each sip.

This was certainly not as easy to drink as Founder’s Breakfast Stout, or my local favorite Terrapin Wake and Bake. Unlike those beers, this was missing the rounded oat texture. Without that aspect, it felt slightly harsher and edgier.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2006 04:24:37 | More by rajendra82

Brewfan

Connecticut

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

Poured into my DFH Raison D'Etre long-stemmed oversized goblet.

Poured a coal-black with a hint of burgundy on the far reaches of the glass when held up to the light. Nice 3/4" finger of beige head with decent resilancy. Faded to a nice layer of foam surrounded by thick lace.
Aroma of dark bakers chocolate and espresso beans and rum raison ice cream. Mildly hoppy, but the hops can't compete with the malt in this baby.
Now for the good stuff. Wow. Bitter coffee from the very start. Dark bittersweet chocolate malt layered with unsweetened coffee and a solid hoppy bite. Very well balanced though. Carbonation is really up there. Quite the amalgam of hoppy and malty, chocolate and coffee. The creamyness just takes over your whole mouth. Silky smooth and quite tongue coating. It's like drinking a molten chocolate cake with coffee icing.
Finishes a bit dry, thick and rather bitter. Kinda like an asparin stayed in your mouth a bit too long. But in a good way. Trust me.
Beautifully done. I'm glad I have 1 more of these in the cellar. We'll see how it reviews a year from now. If I can forget about it for that long.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2006 04:22:18 | More by Brewfan

jamie2dope

Massachusetts

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

I've had this beer sitting down in the cellar for about 4 months and its about time I tried it. Poured fast into a pint glass with a light foamy head that dissipated quickly. Three was not a shred of light getting through this beer...black as night. Smell was intense with coffee aromas dominating and hints of chocolate, espresso and whiskey hiding in there somewhere. The coffee was even stronger upon tasting...similar to Founder's Breakfast Stout except with more coffee if you can imagine that. Not cheap instant coffee mind you, but intoxicating Columbian coffee that will leave its presence with you for a while after finishing. As it warmed up a bit, some of the chocolate characters really made themselves known, offsetting the coffee ever so slightly. Mouthfeel was medium bodied and a tad lighter then I had anticipated, but the big flavors made up for it completely. One of my favorite things about this beer was the 9% alcohol...not weak by any means, but strong enough to make its presence known. Me being somebody who enjoys a good cup of coffee, I could drink this beer often without feeling too intimidated by the big tastes. Final verdict is that this is an exceptional beer. It might not appeal so much to people who don't like a cup o joe every now and again, but even so, its still a beer that is worth sampling for the complexities alone. It may be a bit pricy if you find it in your area at $16, but I can say that I'de pick it up again and save it for a special occasion. It is unique, rich, interesting and damn tasty. Anyway im gonna stop reviewing and get back to drinkin. Try, Try, Try

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2006 02:53:04 | More by jamie2dope

orbitalr0x

Illinois

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

I'm finally getting around to popping the cap on this quite hyped brew from Canada. It pours from the bottle a deep, oily midnight black with a bubbly, frothy creamy two fingers of tan head atop the brew. I can already smell dark, roasty coffee before my nose ever gets near the glass. No light dares to escape this brew. Aromas begin with full force rich, dark espresso exploding all over the place. Lots of roasty chocolate and burnt notes as well. Reminds me of a fresh box of chocolate covered espresso beans in liquid form. A slight note of creaminess here, but the coffee is the centerpiece of the brew.

First sip brings rich, dark, roasted and slightly burnt maltiness with plenty of creamy chocolate flavor and a bold wall of espresso that envelopes the palate. Fairly sweet with a drizzle of caramel and a bit creamy this goes down with a nice lingering roasted coffee bitterness and flavor. Probably the most coffee forward stout I have yet to consume...if you enjoy coffee I can't see not enjoying this brew.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and creamy with a good steady carbonation. It's a touch lighter than I expected but still definetly makes its presence known. It's very enjoyable to sit down to a bottle of this...but I think one would be enough in a sitting. Rich, decadant and a sure bet for any coffee stout lover. Thanks to Shelton and Dieu Du Ciel for bringing this to the USA and into my beer loving hands, even though the high price will keep it out of my hands most of the time. Guess it's time for a trip up north!

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2006 20:26:39 | More by orbitalr0x

AlexJ

North Carolina

4.03/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Gabe for sharing this 15 dollar treat!

Inky black pour sets fourth a billowy 2 fingers of espresso crema froth that retains like a champ and encrusts my goblet on thick lace.

Aroma shows dark roasted and chocolate malts, a massive coffee presence, some scorched sugar notes, and a nudge of pine and floral hops.

Flavor is all about the coffee, and shadowed by cocoa, toffee, toasted grain, bittersweet baking chocolate, with some nondescript hops in the finish. The coffee bitterness colides with the hops to create a real tongue puckering experience.

Body is between medium and large, I was expecting huge. Mouthfeel is smooth and creamy with minimal carbonation and a dry mouthfeel. Good, but for the price I was expecting something that would blow me away. This did not.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2006 15:46:08 | More by AlexJ

Lnedrive14

Massachusetts

4.53/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Whoa baby.

A: Jet black with a fluffy white head. Great lacing. Honestly one of the prettiest beers I have ever seen.

N: Dark, roasted espresso that just went down to BALCO for a little pick me up.

T: It's true. I really think you have to like coffee to enjoy this brew. Luckily, I am a coffee lover. It is like strong, dark, italian coffee. No milk, no sugar, no wimps. Suck it up and suck it down - grow some hair on your chest. It's an intense flavor, but not like Arrogant Bastard or anything like that - just good ol' fashioned folgers...only good.

M: Medium body - fluffy because of the head. Good carbonation. Not syrupy at all.

D: I could pound a few of these away (if i was Warren Buffet). Expensive, but damn drinkable.

I have one more of these and I can't wait to drink it. We will see what happens with that one.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2006 07:06:39 | More by Lnedrive14

GCBrewingCo

North Carolina

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

The beer poured into the glass black with a brown highlight when held to light. The head was brown, make that dark brown and low, but lasting enough to make an attempt to lace the glass.

The aroma was strong expresso coffee and chocolate. The aroma reminded me of a chocolate covered expresso bean. The aroma was roasty with some fruity aspects and just some light wafts of alcohol. There was also present a bit of caramel and some dark fruits.

The flavor was coffee, plain and simple. This was expresso in a bottle. The beer was also roasty with a substantial amount of bittering hiding behind the coffee and chocolate presence. The flavor contained a fruity aspect along with some caramel thrown in for good measure.

The finish was even with a lingering bitterness from hops, grains and coffee long and pleasant into the aftertaste. The body was just full, but not chewy. The aroma and taste of coffee rule this beer and make for a highly drinkable beverage. Alcohol was only present in warming after consumption and in a slight amount in the aroma. A very nice beer. Dunno if it was worth the coin, but considering how difficult this was to obtain, certainly worth giving it a whirl.

22 ounce bottle. Bottled on 8/05. Purchased at Brawley's.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2005 00:56:40 | More by GCBrewingCo

sulldaddy

Connecticut

4.43/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bomber bottle courtesy of Mentor. I am sharing with Stopper and pouring into apint glass at room temperature. The beer pours pitch black with small creamy tan head foaming up easily, great retention as well.
The aroma is a great mix of malt, with chocolate and roasted notes mixing with epressso notes. there is also just a hint of sweet brown sugar too.
Overall quite enticing nose!
First sip reveals a silky smooth body and very fine carbonation that still tingles my palate as I sip.
The flavor is similar to the nose with roasted malt, some chocolate and brown sugar too. The espresso is large and in charge with some slight bitterness coming through on the end of each sip. The coffee notes linger on my palate long after each sip.
The beer is dangerously easy to drink with no hint of ABV anywhere to be found. Quite a well crafted brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2005 22:39:47 | More by sulldaddy

nlmartin

Ohio

5/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

The beer was poured into a wide mouth goblet.

Appearance: This beer is black. There is no opaqueness to light a total black hole. The head was coffee colored with a touch of creame. The head was briefly there and was gone. There was speckles of lacing left behind on the glass.

Smell: Coffee almost says it all about the smell. This is the mother of all dark roasted espresso treats. Juan Valdez himself could not have crammed more coffee smell into this beer. There is a trace of chocolate and vanilla lost in the coffee.

Taste: This is the very essence of dark roasted espresso crammed into a beer. There is a small amount of sweet coffee and vanilla present in the taste. A very roasty toasty beer.

Mouthfeel: This is a meduim bodied beer. The taste is very thick and chewy.

Drinkability: Just an excellent coffee beer. Very drinkable not to sweet and not to hoppy. Just perfection in a beer bottle.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2005 18:48:47 | More by nlmartin

whartontallboy

New York

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

Bottled August 2005.

Pours out jet black with brown edges that let just a tiny bit of light through. Generous tan head that fades extremely slowly and leaves a nice amount of lacing. Lively bubbles still dancing in it an hour or so after initial pour.

Smell is sharp, strong coffee of the French roast/espresso variety, with a light roasted malt and powdered cocoa scent underneath for good measure.

Flavor is completely unique and will make me think twice about assigning "coffee flavors" to any other stout. Yes, the coffee jumps right to the front of the tongue and runs around, but it's not at all like drinking a cup of coffee. Instead, it's like drinking, say, a mocha or a latte, but with beer instead of milk. The roasted malt notes stand up surprisingly well to the heft of the coffee, and a little bit of creamy vanilla even works its way in there. Intense, but well-rounded.

Mouthfeel is perfectly creamy and just right for this one.

Overall: A great, great stout that uses the coffee flavors creatively and daringly. Worth the 23 bucks I paid for it? Well, probably not, but it's an interesting taste to try once. I'd try it again at a reasonable price.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2005 03:56:24 | More by whartontallboy

canucklehead

British Columbia (Canada)

4.7/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

thanks to Malto for this bottle

The beer pours dark brown/ black with a big tan head but what really stirs the senses is the strong nose of coffee followed by rich dark chocolate. The first taste follows the coffee/ chocolate theme with complexity and smoothness combined in a marriage parfait. Truly one of Canada's best beers and a benchmark for coffee stouts.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2005 07:35:10 | More by canucklehead

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

(Served in a snifter)

A- This beer pours a dark inky opaque black body with a thick dark tan head of foam. There are lots of bubbles pooling under the foam at the edges of the glass.

S- The smell of cold coffee with a faint banana hint is strong in the nose. Notes of coffee beans and dark chocolate nibs come through in the finish. There is an earthiness in the coffee aroma aswell.

T- The initial coffee taste is that of cold coffee grounds with the finish of a light tangy note. The coffee taste has a slight plastic hint to it that is a bit off. As it warms the nice deep roasted coffee starts to come out in the finish.

M- This beer has a medium mouthfeel with a good bit of fizz on the tongue and a creamy texture. No astringency or alcohol warmth.

D- This is a unique beer it has many different coffee flavors some off and some very nice. I couldn't taste any of the grains and hops that would have really giving a nice compliment or balance to the coffee.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2005 02:33:45 | More by rhoadsrage

markman

Connecticut

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

Péché Mortel (Mortal Sin): Bottled August 2005

OK, let me say from the get-go that I am not a coffee drinker. I don’t much care for the taste, and I’ve learned to tolerate it’s aroma…and even enjoy it on occasion. But, fear not…I will review this beer for what it is, an Imperial Coffee Stout. I just hope I can get some sleep tonight with a bomber-full of “Fair Trade Coffee” coursing through my veins.

The pour is just beautimus…everything an imperial stout should be: deep rich cocoa color, with a tight brown head that wants to hang around a while managing to stay out of the way. The aroma is dark roasted malt and coffee. Very nice and inviting…a coffee aroma I could wake up to every day. I prepared myself for an onslaught of sharp coffee flavor, but, much to my surprise, I got more of a velvety creamy mocha-malty burnt fullness up front with an edge of dark Belgian chocolate that is just damn good. Then, it hits me…the coffee finish is long and strong, adding to the drinkability in the sense that I want to another sip as a palate cleanser. But, as you can imagine, that creates a viscous cycle. Alcohol makes itself known, but not too much.

Damn, this must be a coffee-lovers’ wet dream of a beer. While I give the beer very high marks, it will not cross my lips again…though Dieu Du Ciel clearly nailed this one, it is just too much coffee for this reviewer. Maybe I’ll take the 2nd half of this bomber and mix it with some Rogue Chocolate Stout so see what shakes out…but then again, why ruin a perfectly good Rogue?

And by the freakin’ way, this beer just destroys the palate for the next beer.

<30 minutes later> In-fuckin’-tense coffee finish lingers on...

Cheers…

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2005 02:24:20 | More by markman

meathookjones

Virginia

4.7/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Bottled on date of 8/05. Pours out a thick opaque black with a nice sized velvety tan cap of foam. Some streaky lace was left around the glass as this was consumed. HUGE roasted coffee bean and espresso aroma more so than any other coffee beer I have had. Lingering underneath the giant coffee scent was some dark chocolate notes add a nice sweetness to all the coffee bitter. Taste follows suite with a big coffee punch with plenty of roasted malts and a good bit of bittersweet dark chocolate. This is definitely all about the coffee and while it may seem over the top it was never too much. Dry roasted espresso finish. Nice solid body that carries the big flavor very well and stays smooth. Pretty damn drinkable considering how powerful the coffee comes on. Great stuff especially if you like coffee.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2005 13:48:09 | More by meathookjones

Billolick

New York

4.53/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bomber bottle, cost me $15, high cost, but a fine brew. Pours the expected jet black , with a dark tan head, leaving moderate lacing. Its no suprise to announce that this is a rich, dense, flavorful, chewy brew. Loaded with roasted, burnt flavors. Also loaded with heaps of chocolate, coffee, smokey, and burnt flavors. Big and bold, coffee stout lovers rejoice, glad I got to try a bottle of this stunner.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2005 03:23:35 | More by Billolick

palma

New York

4.75/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Well, I couldn't hold off on cellaring the other bottle... This beer is that good.
My second review of this beer. This time around, the mouthfeel is not as surreal, and the drinkability seems to be a bit more demure. The nose is taken aback with a remarkable fresh roasted coffee aroma. Still, this is the best beer I’ve had in a very long time.

There is an aura surrounding this beer - the name, the rarity, the Picasso inspired label...

A slow-sipper for sure. This is not a beer to drink on an empty stomach.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2005 05:17:17 | More by palma

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.85/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

So, here we go, the unattainable maiden is at my command at last! I like the label art. If this is "mortal sin", then is the woman with the snake in the picture Eve after the fall? Is that why she not naked? And how could a coffee stout be sinful? Why, they're heaven on Earth to me!
But, I ramble...less thinking, more drinking, starting...now...

Decadent black sheathing, not a trace of light shining through....a solid crown of fluffy brown foam stands guard, like a mochaccino cap. Very nice.

Ahhh!!! Aroma reeks from the start withcocoa and espresso, riddled with earthy, bittersweet tones, redolent of richest chocolate, turning soft and creamy...very, very nice. I could smell this all day, etcetera, etcetera...

Over the lips and in the mouth, it's beauty, indeed. Fills the entire orifice, and seeps into all the cracks and corners, spilling this dark deliciousness far and wide, reverberating long after the liquid has slipped down the throat. All those flavors in the nose resound and rebound, roasty malts and tingly hops conspire to create an exquisite sensation on the tastebuds. Though fully flavored, it's never overbearing or unapproachable...though, clearly, enemies of stouts or coffee are urged to stay far away from the contents.

This is a sly and sophisticated thing, the 9% hiding well, the flavors resting happily, comfortably on the palate, long and wide. A beatiful beer, an excellent indulgence. And a rare one, as well.

Though, on reflection, the $16.59 I paid for this bomber could have got me a 6-pack of Bell's Batch 7K. The price, and rarity, remains the only drawback I can think of, but I remain glad to have tasted it at last!

and, happily, this is a sipper, which means I get to enjoy it longer than other beers that slip down the gullet with more ease. I just might be set for the night.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2005 02:43:33 | More by feloniousmonk

IrishRedRock

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

My dessert pairing on this thanksgiving night. Pours straight black with a thick creamy tan head. Aroma is pure espresso and anise, and it's strooong. The alcohol doesn't hide either; present mildly in the nose and moreso in the taste, showing itself throughout, into the finish and warming in the aftertaste. Flavor shows off notes of dry roasted cocoa and a huge wallop of bitter Italian coffee beans. Blackened espresso. Yow. There's a lingering hop bitterness, but the coffee/espresso flavor brings all the bitterness you'll need. Sharp astringency on the tongue leads to a creamy smoothness that gradually thins out. This is very good; however now that I've had it I do think it is quite overhyped, and way too pricey.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2005 01:22:11 | More by IrishRedRock

Beaver13

Colorado

4/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle dated 8/05. Pours an opaque dark brown with a thin tan head that quickly goes to a thin collar that leaves a touch of lacing.

The aroma is mostly roasted coffee with a little chocolate and vanilla and lactose. Some slight sour notes pop up every once in a while.

The flavor is a whole lot of roasted coffee as well with some chocolatey malts and lactose in the background - kind of oakey. It's pretty sweet but the coffee helps balance it - not much bitterness though. The alcohol is very well hidden. As it warms, the sweet dessert notes blossom. The mouthfeel is full and very smooth with low carbonation.

Overall, an interesting coffee stout (my first). It seems pretty one dimensional to me (all coffee), but it is enjoyable and decadent.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2005 08:06:56 | More by Beaver13

bruachan

Rhode Island

4.43/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

from hudson wine & spirits. think i paid $16 per, like that last guy. i'll have to see how many more steve has. the ingredient list includes fair trade coffee

i don't like coffee so we'll see how this goes. my apartment smells like a coffee shop, which isn't entirely bad, and the beer smells more like coffee than beer

pitch black. with a thin creamy tan head that never really goes away and leaves some frosty lacing

there's a malty sweetness upfront, that quickly gives way to the coffee character. little to no hop presence to allow the cofffee and roasty mocha to come through, except for the nice bitterness at the end

incredibly smooth. oh man. a fantastic creamy mouthfeel; not thick, but i feel like i just took a sip of baby's butt. and the tactful bitterness prolongs the whole experience. until now i thought impy stouts (or double stouts or whatever) were oblivious to subtlety and balance

i might like coffee now

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2005 05:31:54 | More by bruachan

Gueuzedude

Arizona

3.8/5  rDev -14%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle Batch #2, Sampled November 2005
Pours with a frothy, three-finger thick light brown head that sits atop a rich black hue. As I pour the beer I get a rich note of burnt fruit. Up front the burnt fruit notes of raisin and prune are evident, but quickly the nose is dominated by the a strong burnt roast character that is reminiscent of black coffee and roast barley. There is also quite a bit of burnt grain husks; sharp, slightly acidic, and a bit tannic.

The taste is immediately rich and full in the mouth, though not intensely so. The beer has a sweet malt character that coupled with the roast character makes me think of a sweetened black coffee, or even better a mocha that is heavy on the espresso. The finish is quite long, it loses its richness though, it is strong on a burnt acidity, almost with an acrid burnt note that lends a certain burnt bitterness to the finish. The finish definitely makes one want to take another sip of this beer. Up front and through to the middle, this beer is rich and well matched between the mouth coating sweet malt character, the over the top roast barley & coffee notes, and rich dark chocolate flavors. The finish though is a bit too acrid, and the malt notes die off way to fast, if it lingered a bit more this beer would have a much better finish.

Don't get me wrong this is quite an enjoyable beer, for the most part; The finish really is a bit too harsh, and the nose has a bit of the harsh notes as well. I wish that all of this beer had the balance and richness that is found up front in the taste.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2005 04:53:28 | More by Gueuzedude

mattcrill

Ohio

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

Huge props go out to cmaruschak for securing this bottle. He was nice enough to split this with me in anticipation of our first born. What a way to celebrate.

Appearance: A dense brown/black pour with cola edging. A tighly carbonated off white head develops.

Smell: PURE coffee. One of the most pronounced coffee aromas I've ever noted. Like sniffing pure espresso grindings. I can't detect anything on the nose other than pure espresso.

Taste: Like drinking pure espresso. A touch of cream and a strong roasty finish (contrasts nicely with the bitterness of the initial tasting). Pure coffee goodness throughout. A long lingering and slight cocoa finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied to full with that long cocoa finish (wonderful).

Drinkability: One of the best stouts I've ever had. I have to qualify this...if you aren't a coffee lover, don't even bother with this one. I've loved my coffee a lot longer than my beer so for me, it was the perfect marriage. I could drink this all day, every day. But I would never offer this up to someone that didn't like coffee.

World Class in my book.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2005 13:47:44 | More by mattcrill

MABZ

Nebraska

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

I was surprised as hell to see this at my store. I had to pick it up even despite the steep price of $17 per bomber. This beer has definitely lived up to the hype.

Pours to a pitch black color that seems to absorb all light around it, topped by a huge chocolatey pillow of head that continues to grow for a while after the pour. Sounds like a bowl of Rice Krispees as it pours into the glass. Leaves curtains of thick stratafied lacing that looks like some type of hieroglyph afterwards.

The smell is very dark chocolatey with some bitter french roast and hazelnut aroma. Very bold coffee bouqet, along with some undertones of caramel, butterscotch, and toffee. Quite stunning. I would have hoped for maybe a little bit of hop undertones to further separate this beer from a cold cup of joe, but the brewers have absolutely nailed their mark.

The taste is very good. Has a nice semi-sweet chocolate malt flavor to it with a hugely bitter dry roast coffee flavor. Definitely french roast with hazelnut. It could just be wishful thinking, but I think I might even taste some hops far, far, far below the huge coffee flavor. Very smooth with some oaky vanilla flavors to it as well.

The body is a bit thinner than I was expecting, but the mouthfeel is still quite excellent. Very smooth and creamy, but not quite thick and chewy. Quite crisply carbonated as well.

Drinkability is good for this massive coffee imperial stout, but there is only so much of an assault my tastebuds can handle after a while. It even seems to give me a bit of a caffeine jolt. If you are a coffee lover, you absolutely must seek this beer out. If you don't like coffee, there is still hope. Hell, I can't stand the stuff [coffee], but for some reason I absolutely love coffee stouts. If only I could force carbonate coffee and serve it slightly chilled I might be on to something...

edit: after drinking more of this beer, it was an absolute must to increase my ratings. This is probably my favorite beer at the moment, but it's a shame that I bought and drank the last bottle in stock (and probably the last we'll see at John's Grocery for quite some time).

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2005 05:24:21 | More by MABZ

ppoitras

Massachusetts

4.78/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

22oz bottle from pentathlete, thanks for the opportunity! 11/04 bottling date notched in marker along side of label.

Poured into an imperial pint glass carefully, and still formed a 3 1/2" dark brown head over the totally opaque dark brown/black brew. Head fades oh-so slowly, with HEAVY foamy cappucino-type lacing. Aroma is deep, rich coffee. Taste begins with a sweet dark maltiness that is quickly overpowered by the same rich coffee flavors indicated by the nose. Closes with dry coffee grounds in the mouth, and not a bit of alcohol indications. Mouthfeel and drinkability are exemplary, especially for the style. Search this one out, if you needed to be told again...

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2005 01:51:20 | More by ppoitras