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

fbc24

Pennsylvania

3.86/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

First review:

On the hand pump served in a tulip at Teresa's

A: deeeep black, with a pinky finger's worth of dark tan head

S: not getting as much coffee as the taste would suggest

T: overwhelmingly bitter coffee with little else

M: mmm...velvety

O: lack of sweetness to balance the coffee killed this for me. Would love to try it on nitro

Serving type: cask

02-02-2013 17:38:30 | More by fbc24

Rhettroactive

Virginia

4.08/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

From cask to tulip glass at Rattle 'N' Hum in NYC on 7/23/11
*From notes

-- This was purposely served at room temperature --

A: Dark and imposing. This monster is the blackest of rich, dark blacks. No head, no lacing. This is one hardcore cask beer about to be had.

S: Wow - a Costco sized dose of tannic wood and dark roast. The heavy toast here is impeccible. The balance of freshly ground coffee and toasty wood is outstanding.

T: Unsweetened cocoa slaps the palate into submission. As the tounge begins to lay down and take it, in comes the epic, just-brewed black coffee. I take another sip and pull splinters out of my mouth - the wood here is all over this thing like Ike on Tina Turner. Hints of pimento on the back end are unexpected, yet it adds a level of depth and complexity I didn't see coming. This is a nifty and utterly unique brew.

M: I've never had a beer that felt this slick. It's crazy - this is a big time, thick beer that has been conditioned to the point where it feels like satin sheets. I can't imagine ever finding a beer that comes close to resembling the one-of-a-kind mouthfeel of this one.

O: Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel's Péché Mortel on cask is one of the most badass beers I've had in ages. It's also a massive tick for me - I'm thrilled to have finally had this, and on such a momentus occasion at that.

This is such a wonderful beer, but due to it's heavy nature and cask conditioning, one was more then enough. I highly recommend seeking this beer out, and look forward to my next encounter with this dark and brooding Imperial Stout.

Serving type: cask

08-07-2011 17:14:06 | More by Rhettroactive

Kendo

New York

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

Had it at Spuyten Duyvil in Williamsburg on 4/2/11, where they serve it in a wine glass.

A: Body is black. Dark black. Given the hand-pump, there was a surprisingly full (1-finger) chocolate-brown head on top. Leaves behind good lacing.

S: The nose smells mainly of coffee, but there's also some cream, chocolate, raisins, molasses and burnt sugar that offset the coffee and provide some balance. It's really, really nice.

T: The taste is also big on coffee, but there's plenty of chocolate and molasses, both of which provide sweetness to counteract the roasted coffee bitterness. Cocoa powder is there too, along with a touch of drying alcohol at the finish. Some port-like raisins are present as well. I have to say the cask version of this is much better than I recall it from the bottle.

M: Thick. Hefty. Viscous. But creamy and smooth at the same time. Intense flavors and a heavy feel are a real nice combination, makes this seem like a decadent dessert beer.

O: Awesome. Highly drinkable as an interesting, tasty beer that you won't want to stop drinking. The flavors are fairly balanced, with just enough sugar, molasses and chocolate/cocoa sweetness to cut through all of the coffee. In the bottle, I thought this beer didn't live up to its reputation. From the cask, I get it.

Serving type: cask

04-05-2011 14:57:13 | More by Kendo

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

4.63/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On cask, via hand pump @ The Farmhouse (Burlington, VT) on 2/19/11. Served in a wine glass. I did this side by side with a cask serving of this beer's base Stout, the Grande Noirceur.

Pours a black with a thin covering of burnt mocha head. This leaves just a light smattering of lacing back but does leave some gooey brown oils dripping down the sides of the glass. This looks identical to the glass of Grande Noirceur sitting next to it. The aroma is literally buzz inducing with coffee. I mean roasted espresso beans just shoot up the nose and stay there. There's a bit of underlying chocolate sweetness and maybe a touch of green citrus present but this nose is just absolutely OWNED by the coffee. This is fantastic smelling!

The taste pretty much matches the nose, and wow man, this is just pure coffee flavor. This is probably the most that I've ever felt in a Coffee Stout. The bitterness from the roast and green citric hops are actually well balanced by those chocolate and caramel malts that are present but man, the parching dry roasted coffee finish on this is one of the more intense that I've ever encountered. I literally had a lingering hazy burnt roast feel hang on my palate for up to a ½ hour after I finished this glass. And it was only a half pour! The mouthfeel is fuller bodied with a mellow and creamy feel up front but then gets much sharper towards the swallow. That bigger ABV here is showing itself a bit here on cask and it's not coming off as hot in any way but does make sure that you take your time with this one.

I love this beer out of the bottle and to finally have this beer cask conditioned off the hand pump was a real treat. I mean, this is about as unadulterated of an experience that you can have with a coffee beer IMHO. The intense combination of the alcohol and roast here on cask was something that I won't forget for a while. Just completely awesome stuff.

Serving type: cask

02-24-2011 20:12:46 | More by Kegatron

kingcrowing

Vermont

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

On cask poured into a wine glass.

Pours pitch black with almost no head at all. Nose is dry bitter coffee and light sweetness.

Mouthfeel is lackin on cask, it's a bit flat. Otherwise it's phenomenal, rich and roasty with a nice light bitter finish. Phenomenal.

Serving type: cask

02-16-2011 22:51:53 | More by kingcrowing

bobsy

Ontario (Canada)

4.88/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I've now had the good fortune to try this beer on cask, on tap and in bottle, and this review is an average of all three versions. The cask is by far the best (and in some respect is seems like a completely different beer), while the bottled and kegged version seem to be equivalent.

As it pours a slightly satanic aura emerges with a cloud of mocha bubbles transitioning to depths of midnight black. What a majestic appearance! A super thick cake of a head leaves heavy sheets of lace all the way to the bottom of the glass. The only fault I can find is that it would be nicer to have a slightly thicker cap come the finish, but this seems like a minor quibble

Aromas of coffee, cream, chocolate and caramel waft enticingly upwards and the first sip cannot come soon enough, but it is worth taking the time to appreciate the intense bouquet the brewer has crafted here. While I wouldn't describe the coffee aromas as that of an espresso, I would say that there's a nice dark roast in here, and I'm curious what they use. What also impresses me is that the coffee is not allowed to overpower the other elements in the nose, and it immediately strikes me as more balanced than most coffee flavoured beers.

The taste is of an extremely smooth, and perhaps as divine as the aroma suggests. Creamy dark roasted coffee, with some cocoa powder and alcohol in the aftertaste. Dark fruits and Christmas memories linger in the background. Whippings of milk chocolate cut the coffee bitterness and bring things to a delicate and beautiful balance. The cask version takes this up a notch, and the intensity of the coffee, cream and chocolate becomes almost dizzying. The mouthfeel is just amazing - heavy and viscous, yet delightfully smooth, and again, the cask version takes this idea and runs with it. The intensity of the flavour combines with a weight which gives the impression of table cream to create a truly decadent experience.

What really marks this beer out is how ridiculously drinkable it is. Without doubt its the best coffee beer I've had, and certainly the best coffee accented imperial stout. The flavours are in perfect balance, and there's just enough sugar to cut through all of the coffee roast to make it insanely easy to drink. Péché Mortel is widely viewed as the best offering from this brewery and the best beer out of Canada. It should be considered one of the best beers in its class in the world.

Serving type: cask

10-19-2009 02:35:12 | More by bobsy

Derek

British Columbia (Canada)

4.6/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks Ralph.

A: Black with a creamy tan head (hand pumped), good retention & lace.

S: HUGE nose of COFFEE!!! Dark chocolate, nut, roasted barley.

T: Coffee, port, dark chocolate, slight licorous & tar, assertive bitterness.

M: Moderate to full body, moderate carbonation, smooth and creamy, with a prickly roasted acidity.

D: Dangerously drinkable.

Serving type: cask

10-21-2007 01:24:04 | More by Derek

baiser

Massachusetts

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

Had on cask at the brewpub in Montreal during the beer fest. This is a tremendous beer. Black as night, like motor oil. Tremendous espresso and chocolate aromas. I can only describe this as liquid chocolate. Intense cofffee flavours, rich, smooth and creamy. The alcohol is not apparent at all, and at 9%, this is one dangerous and potent brew.

Serving type: cask

06-06-2007 01:49:33 | More by baiser

Viggo

Ontario (Canada)

4.6/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On cask at Volo Cask Days 2006. Thanks to Dieu du Ciel guys for making the trek out and bring great beer to Toronto.

Pours deep dark black, some red in the edges, small tan head forms, some lace spots. Smell is awesome, very malty, toffee/chocolate and tons of coffee aroma, very raw and very powerful. Taste is malty and choclate/toffee notes are in the front, followed by a big coffee roast hit, lots of coffee in the finish and aftertaste. Mouthfeel is full bodied with low carbonation. I really enjoyed this, better on cask than in bottle, and I understand this was the first time DDC has ever done Peche Mortel on cask!

Serving type: cask

11-06-2006 00:42:40 | More by Viggo

tatterdash

Ontario (Canada)

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

Sampled this at Volo Cask Days 2006, what an amazing event!

Appearance was a black, even held up to light, with a small dark brown head that dissolved into a ring of brown bubbles. Aroma of black coffee, dark chocolate. Taste was like chocolate-covered espresso beans, very complex and warming and got better with each sip. This was the smoothest beer I have tried, silky and thick and the high ABV is almost inperceptable. Wow... So glad I tried this, best beer Canada makes IMHO.

Serving type: cask

10-22-2006 23:45:48 | More by tatterdash

grub

Ontario (Canada)

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

sampled on cask as part of the volo cask days 2006. thanks to ralph and all involved for putting together an awesome fest.

pours a nearly opaque black colour with a thin dark head.

armoa is great. rich and roasty. coffee and bittersweet coffee.

taste is awesome. rich, roasty coffee flavour. thick biscuity malt. bittersweet chocolate. nice alcohol warmth on the way down.

mouthfeel is great. big and thick, with a nice low carbonation level.

drinkability is also excellent. i wish i had steady access to this beer. i'd love to try this one with a year or two of aging as i think it'd be even more amazing. highly recommended to everyone.

Serving type: cask

10-22-2006 22:54:18 | More by grub

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

4.18/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Dark coffee, coffee aroma with some booziness and tiny head. Bottle from Dr. Jay via Sam's in Chicago. Smooth and medium mouthfeel, tasty, some richness. A bit overrated. A speeedway stout caffeine and alcohol melange. A bit of lace on way down. Understated carbonation. 2005 bottled.

Worked as the clear winner, on cask at Volo cafe in fall 2006 and that is my ranking. Coffee aroma, and thick chocolate coffee was superb.

Cask on in fall 2007 was way too much coffee grinds and did not work.

Serving type: cask

03-22-2006 01:19:31 | More by northyorksammy

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

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

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

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

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