Aphrodisiaque - Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel

BobZ

Massachusetts

3.96/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

11.5 oz Bottle poured into a Huna snifter.

Appearance: Dark brown with little to no head that quickly recedes to a thin ring.

Smell: A pleasant vanilla aroma with a bit of cocoa as expected.

Taste: Another beer that is much better the warmer it gets. Cold kills the initial flavors but as the beer warms the vanilla and cocoa come forward making this a very enjoyable beer.

Mouthfeel: A bit thin for a stout, very drinkable but thin.

Overall: Very good, not great, a very good combination of flavors especially with the vanilla but the beer could definitely use more body. Again, enjoyable but not on the level of Peche Mortel.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 17:08:21 | More by BobZ

magictacosinus

California

4.15/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

I eventually had to file a restraining order against myself towards Péché Mortel in order to try other beers from what may become one of my favorite all time breweries. That is, if their other beers are that impressive! Poured into a teku glass from a 11.5oz bottle. Bottle was purchased 2-3 months ago.

Before I mention the ad nauseum description of these kinds of stouts (opaque, viscous, slight mocha head), I must mention that I enjoy the label of this bottle especially given the theme. Looking into the illustration's eyes straight ahead makes her look kind, but from looking at said eyes from a higher angle makes them look seductive and wicked. And, that's probably the case of this beer. It's only 6.5% but it looks like every great imperial stout I've seen. No light goes through this thing and it almost looks like a chocolate liqueur. Slight lacing, but otherwise solid.

The aroma is a cascade of cocoa nibs and vanilla beans exactly as the beer advertises, but not as sweet as you'd think. There's a semi-dark chocolate aroma right at the front combined with dark roasted barley malts, almost in the sense that you'd get with freshly made chocolate - the tannic, cocoa skins that are upfront, for instance - and only the addition of vanilla keeps it slightly sweeter and less bitter as a result. There's a kiss of alcohol, as well as some light graininess that melds with the chocolate quite well, but otherwise the vanilla and roasted chocolate character is winning here. Still smells damn good, I don't care about balance here.

The flavor is quite the opposite, with and initial burst of creaminess and vanilla/milk chocolate sweetness that is quickly replaced by the bitter dark cocoa and creates an astringent finish that appears to go on forever. Much like eating a rich chocolate cake, this provides a similar experience with the bitter, cocoa peel aftertaste, fudge full bodied flavor, and balanced melody of dark malts and grains at the same time. All the flavors are surprisingly well represented in the beer - even the alcohol makes itself well known with slight burning finish, but at the same time adds the much needed sweetness to the cocoa bitterness. There's a smidgen of coffee, and not as much vanilla here as in the aroma. The mouthfeel is really unique in the realm of chocolate-focused stouts as it coats the palate with a gritty, syrupy dry sensation that is akin to having a good hot cocoa or something quite similar. There's a slight melting sensation that was so good that I decided to pair with this with chocolate cherry truffles as well, to great results.

Yet another solid offering from Dieu du Ciel. This appeals to me by not packing the stout with loads of sweet textures and instead enhancing the aspects of chocolate that I enjoy best - roasted, bitter, full-bodied, and most importantly, very tannic and juicy overall. This is instead rather dry and really gets all of the dark barley flavors with no juiciness to speak of, but the vanilla is a nice addition that makes this heartier without being overwhelming. This is easy to drink, and very rich, so it's a conundrum to figure out how fast to finish. Awesome stuff.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 04:05:05 | More by magictacosinus

polloenfuego

Ontario (Canada)

3.89/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a short pint glass (14.5 oz.).

A one finger head which was persistent for two to three minutes. This beer is black, even held up to light it does not show any other colour.

The smell is coffee, cocoa and vanilla. Upon tasting these flavors come through. There is a definite roasty taste to this beer and I find the cocoa and coffee flavor dominant. Perhaps it is my palate but the vanilla is overpowered by the other flavors.

I did enjoy this beer, but as opposed to my friend B who quite enjoys it, I will not be revisiting it any time soon.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2013 20:33:55 | More by polloenfuego

deadonhisfeet

Kentucky

3.8/5  rDev -10%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a bottle into a Dogfish Head snifter. Very, very dark pour with no light getting through. It sports a nice tan head that has some good retention. On the nose I get powdered cocoa, vanilla, and faint roasty notes.

Full body, well balanced semisweet flavors, and a nice silky feel. I get sweet, creamy, chocolatey malt up front with hints of molasses and vanilla. At mid-palate some roasty notes kick in and sweet notes start to be replaced by bitter. The bitterness does not dry out the flavor. Instead, it balances the sweetness and produces an exceedingly drinkable beverage. No trace of alcohol at all.

Overall a very nice beer, though the price of this one will likely keep me from revisiting. For a non-imperial stout it has good flavor and a nice mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2013 00:44:17 | More by deadonhisfeet

BEERMILER12

Maine

4.36/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a pitch black color with a fingers worth of tan head that reduces to a thin cap within minutes

S: Loads of vanilla and both dark and milk chocolate, along with some roasted malts. Very vanilla and chocolate forward, in a very very good way

T: Follows the nose. Starts off with vanilla and milk chocolate and slowly moves into roasted malts and dark chocolate. Gets lightly bitter towards the end from the hops and cocoa. Very light alcohol comes through

M: Full bodied with low-moderate carbonation. Smooth, creamy, and lightly dry

O: If you want a vanilla or chocolate forward stout, look no further. This one is very good, while maintaining a nice balance of chocolate and vanilla and never getting overly sweet. This would make the perfect dessert beer

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 00:48:47 | More by BEERMILER12

wethorseblanket

California

4.16/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours black with a half-inch tan head which fades leaving spot lace.

N: Roast, cocoa powder, vanilla and trace coffee and char.

T: Dark cocoa and roast. Simple and balanced.

M: Full body and medium carbonation. Creamy and smooth finish with roasty notes.

O: Nice, with vanilla increasing on warming.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 03:38:28 | More by wethorseblanket

Patou

France

3.39/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Nice aroma of chocolate and coffee. Black color with nice white head. Taste is rather bitter with strong notes of dark chocolate, vanilla hidden behind, not really percievable. Full-bodied, creamy texture, average carbonation.
Overall, this is a nice original stout, but not my favourite though. Tastes more like a dry stout. I prefer the Mikkeller BeerGeek Breakfast by far. I precise that I tried it both for apertizer and dessert with black chocolate.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 20:50:23 | More by Patou

woosterbill

Connecticut

4.23/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Nitro at BarVolo in Toronto.

A: Black body with ruby glints, underneath a classically cascading head of ultrafine tan nitro foam. Tons of lace.

S: Rich cocoa, vanilla, and nothing else. Sweet, intense, and deeply inviting. Wonderful.

T: Opens with huge (and hugely sweet) vanilla, followed by some gooey chocolate midway through and closed out with bitter, coffee-tinged roastiness and a metallic note. It's amazing except for the finish, and does improve as it warms. Quite tasty, but not as good as the aroma.

M: Creamy, velvety medium body. Nitro works.

O: Delicious, adjunct-forward stout. The vanilla was intense almost to a fault, but the cocoa was beautifully integrated.

Cheers!

Serving type: nitro-tap

03-30-2013 03:45:14 | More by woosterbill

ThickNStout

Georgia

3.58/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

11.5oz (341mL) bottle from La Duchesse D'Aiguillon (Quebec City). 11.99/ 6 pack. Damn these duel 1-10 notches, no clue when "4&6" was bottled. Served in a Cigar City snifter.

Pours very dark brown with a quarter finger pale tan head. Small points of lace.

Smells of chocolate, roast malts and faint vanilla.

Taste follows the nose. Plenty of bittetsweet cocoa, roasty malts, vanilla cream, mild coffee and leather. Nice blend of cocoa and vanilla.

Lighter side of medium body with fairly light carbonation. Long bittersweet cocoa finish with hints of the vanilla still peeking through.

Not as robust as the other couple stouts I've had from Dieu Du Ciel but this is quite nice. I'm sure glad I brought a 6 pack back from Quebec City but I won't be hunting down any more.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 05:39:18 | More by ThickNStout

eduardolinhalis

Switzerland

4.63/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

341ml bottle served in a tulip glass.

A: First of all, perfect beer art. Dieu du Ciel makes, IMHO, the most beautiful beer labels ever! Pours a dark brown to black color forming a small dark beige head which dissipates quickly leaving a lot of lacings around. However, a thin layer remains for a long time on the top

S: The best part. Strong notes of vanilla and dark chocolate. Roasted malts. A bit milky

T: Slightly sweet upfront. Very malty but less sweet than expected. Balanced roasted malts bitterness. Strong notes of vanilla and dark chocolate

M: Heavy and creamy body. A little bit molasses. Roasted malts and vanilla aftertaste

O: Very drinkable. Excellent beer

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 20:21:44 | More by eduardolinhalis

Booarnes

Ontario (Canada)

4.24/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A: opaque, head present but not overly.

S: Distinct chocolate tones

T: Clear chocolate taste with a slight vanilla finish.

M: Slight carbonation and very smooth.

Overall: Drank between fridge temperature and room temperature, this stout was very easy to drink. This was a stout with balanced flavours with none overpowering. Sessionable for a strong beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 23:14:45 | More by Booarnes

timiskin

Ontario (Canada)

4.28/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A: Dark, opaque actually. Good head with poor retention.

S: Malty, with strong chocolate tones.

T: Very smooth, easily drinkable. Strong chocolate off the start with the vanilla coming through to the finish.

M: very smooth.

Overall, an exceptional stout. Not a chocolate or vanilla monster but very well balanced. Sessionable and delicious.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 23:06:29 | More by timiskin

elNopalero

Texas

4.89/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

This pours a thick black with a creamy foam topping. It has an amazing cocoa smoothness. Creamy, velvety, thick, rich, with a great aroma of powdered cocoa dust and an amazing, full flavor to match. It’s such a fantastic Belgo-stout that it’s become my new benchmark for the style. Just fantastic all around!

Serving type: on-tap

03-12-2013 06:46:24 | More by elNopalero

barczar

Kentucky

4.18/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Pours an opaque black with a quarter inch nitro-like deep tan head that slowly dissipates into a thin layer of froth.

Dark chocolate, coffee grounds, roast malt, vanilla, tar, and caramel sweetness form the aroma. There's a hint of nuttiness. Malted milk balls come to mind.

Chocolate dominates the flavor, with a touch of sweetness at the start, but roast malt creeps in mid palate to dry things out a bit. Cocoa, vanilla, and a hint of coffee bitterness add complexity.

Body is moderate to full, smooth and creamy, with minimal carbonation.

Great balance of roast and sweetness. Chocolate dominant, with enough coffee and vanilla to create a harmonious flavor.

Serving type: on-tap

03-11-2013 02:27:40 | More by barczar

acevenom

Louisiana

4.49/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a glass mug. Pours black with a thin, tan head that retreats slowly. The beer smells of deep chocolate and vanilla with some dark roasted malt and caramel. The malt comes through stronger in the flavor than it did in the nose, with the chocolate and vanilla blending in very well. There's some coffee flavors that come through in there too. The body is medium with moderate carbonation. There's a nice roasty aftertaste in the finish. The drinkability is high. This is an excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 01:20:05 | More by acevenom

57md

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Pours a dark chocolate brown with less than a finger of beige head that quickly dissipates. There are roasted notes in the nose. The roast profile upfront is well above average for a single stout. There is some unsweetened cocoa bitterness on the finish that is quite pleasant.

This is a solid stout, but there is certainly nothing extraordinary here. I got no hint of the vanilla beans mentioned as ingredients on the label. In sum, there are better single stouts on the market that are also cheaper.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 04:17:31 | More by 57md

heygeebee

Australia

3.21/5  rDev -23.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

From Camperdown cellars. Bottled 12/11.

Pours black. Aggressive pour yields barely one finger head that fizzes and dies. Little film. No lace.

Aromas are of bitter coffee, and vanilla essence.

Taste is somewhat harsh and disjointed. Vanilla yes, cocoa yes, but not as one by any means.

Mouthfeel medium weight and lightly carbonated. Have to say almost watery for the ABV.

Overall a disappointment given ratings here. Not up to par, due to disintegrated nature.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 10:54:37 | More by heygeebee

kojevergas

California

3.71/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Acquired at a local SoCal bottle shop for $6.00; the high pricetag is easily explained: Imported by the Shelton Bastards. 6.5% ABV confirmed. 11.5 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap and appealing label art served into a New Belgium stem-goblet in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are extremely high; I love stouts and Dieu Du Ciel has impressed me in the past. Has label notches at 4 and 2, whatever that indicates.

Served straight from the fridge but allowed to warm considerably over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

Not paired with food.

A: Pours a rather attractive one finger thick rich dark tan colour head of great cream, good thickness, and disappointingly average retention (~2 minutes). Decent lacing as the head recedes. Body colour is a solid nontransparent black; not quite a jet black but certainly opaque. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Spot on for a stout.

Sm: Inviting chocolate/cocoa, vanilla bean, dark malts, light caramel, cream, and more of that luxurious rich milky chocolate. Some buried roast - either from coffee or roasted barley. It's subtly done and I'm glad it's there; it's a requisite note for a great stout. A very inviting strong aroma. Little hop notes are detectable; hop character is floral if anything. No yeast character. No alcohol is detectable.

T: Delightful cocoa bitterness is well balanced with an understated vanilla bean sweetness. Dark malts and light caramel fill out the foundation, with minimal floral hopping acting as a preservative. A bit of cream. Some chocolatey bitterness pokes out, but unlike hop bitterness it's quite welcome. Well balanced, but disappointingly simple. It plays it safe, and the result is a solid stout, but there's nothing unique or special going on here. I do think the cocoa is quite well executed. Maybe some coffee is needed here? It just needs something to really set it apart from the pack. Lacks subtlety. That said, the balance is impressive. I quite like it; I just expected a bit more from it.

Mf: Smooth and wet, with some creamy character. Good thickness and carbonation. Good palate presence. Maybe a touch too smooth and slick; I'd like it a bit coarser so I could enjoy the flavours more.

Dr: Drinkable and enjoyable. Another solid beer from Dieu Du Ciel, but it isn't the amazing stout I expected it to be. Bell's Kalamazoo Stout this is not. But it's a great example of the style. I'm just not sure I'd want it again at this price point. Hides its ABV well. Definitely worth trying at least once, but the price is such a huge turn off. I'd definitely want to try it on nitro or draught.

High B

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 06:12:47 | More by kojevergas

kevanb

Illinois

3.83/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

12oz bottle poured into a Microbrasserie La Naufrageur stemmed glass.

The beer pours a nice deep black-brown color, a bit like cola out of the bottle, very opaque with a thin soft caramel colored head, a quick swirl of the glass brings about a better showing with better retention and some spotted lacing. The aroma is very vanilla heavy, quite sweet and does seem a bit artificial, some smooth chocolate is there as well but the vanilla really dominates the nose. The flavors are much more rounded, roasted coffee comes out quite nicely with smooth dark chocolate providing some nice bitterness to counterbalance the sweet vanilla, some rich grain also comes through quite nicely behind the vanilla, it’s fairly simple, not overly complex, but sure to satiate anyone with a sweet tooth. The body is nice, a touch thinner and more carbonated than I anticipated, but it’s by no means cloying and goes down quite smoothly.

Verdict: A nice stout from Dieu du Ciel!. The vanilla is really the star player here and while it comes off a bit artificial, the other supporting elements do enough to provide a bit of balance. This is certainly a great choice for desert or for anyone who has a sweet tooth.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 20:14:43 | More by kevanb

mcintire78

Massachusetts

4.21/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

a: Deep brown to black with a lot of head, which dissipates slowly. Very little carbonation.

s: Strong smell of coffee with a slight whiff of alcohol.

t: Roasted malts, with lesser chocolate and coffee flavors.

m: Strong carbonation up front.

o: A very good sweet stout, if a little high on alcohol at 6.5%. More balanced than a lot of other beers in this category.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 03:30:03 | More by mcintire78

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours dark brown with cola-like carbonation bubbles along the glass, and with a medium-thick tan head that slowly rose to half-an-inch and fell to a thin layer. Lots of popping bubbles on the surface. Hardly any lace.

Aromas of chocolate and mild coffee and mocha and vanilla with definitive sweet malty characteristics that push over the roastiness. Almost has a berry fruit tartness to the nose that convolutes to slight papery oxidation, but perhaps not.

Vanilla and cocoa with a tinge of coffee. Lots of pure steeped vanilla bean here. The chocolate flavors are creamy and dark whereas the vanilla is liquery and sweet. Loads of dark grains offer bitterness in the beginning and middle, but finish with contributing sweetness from the vanilla. Some cream flavors, but not so much any lactose. Really, a lovely sweetness that is photo-negative'd by the bitter, herbal elements.

Medium-bodied and medium-to-rigorous carbonation. This beer feels pretty good, and the strength isn't an issue. Alcohol is right where it should be.

One damn tasty American Stout. I wish it had more dusty cocoa to match up to the vanilla, but the added roasted coffee implication from the malts was bonus. Recommended. And, recommended for myself to have again.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 06:42:35 | More by thecheapies

Converge

Alberta (Canada)

4.35/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

341ml bottle into a Yankee pint. According to the label notches this was bottle just last month.

A - Pours surprisingly dark, with a black body and dense head of brown foam. If I didn't know better I'd assume this a 10.00% ABV stout based on the color of the head alone. Small spots of lace, though nothing substantial. As per usual with DDC I can't stand the label art, it just looks tacky and bad; I really wish they would overhaul their label designs and re-brand their stuff.

S - Tons of chocolatey goodness. Cocoa nibs, bourbon vanilla, roasted malt, and a subtle backing of espresso. So sweet on the nose, and really inviting. Likely the strongest example of chocolate in a beer aroma I've ever experienced. Can't wait to dig into this one...

T - Piles of chocolate coming through, rich and delicious. Bourbon vanilla, mild charred malt, and light espresso round it out. Slight bitterness, and the first sip ended with a metallic twang I didn't agree with. As it warms though, the metallic character disappears and is replaced with an incredibly drinkable profile, and quite full flavored as well.

M - Carbonation is abundant, but fine and smoothed out. Medium bodied, and fittingly light for a standard stout. Finishes slightly dry, with a bit of stickiness.

D - A damn good stout by DDC. Full of flavor and extremely drinkable. Given the ABV and flavor here, this one is just too good to pass up; at 6.50% ABV this punches above its weight. This certainly won't be my last dance with Aphrodisiaque, that's for sure.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 05:16:43 | More by Converge

cvm4

Mississippi

3.98/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours and looks coffee-ish, thin dark tan head.

S - Thin amount of roasted malts and can definitely smell the cocoa and vanilla on the nose.

T - Loads of unrefined cocoa to the forefront along with vanilla to round it out. Finishes with a light dare i say bitter coffee taste.

M - Medium carbonation and light body, but it's to be expected with this style. They can't all be a RIS.

O - Good stout if you're not paying for it. It's simple and delivers on flavor.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2012 00:45:38 | More by cvm4

chanokokoro

Illinois

4.23/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 11.5 fl. oz. bottle into a cervoise glass. Unknown bottling date, however the 2 and 7 are ticked on the side of the label.

Pours a very deep, dark brown topped with a fluffy one finger light beige head. Excellent retention, no lacing. Cocoa, fresh vanilla, and roasted malt on the nose. Both dark and milk chocolate intially joined by rich vanilla and a considerable amount of roasted malt. Finishes with considerable roastiness and hints of espresso combined with a touch of hop bitterness. Medium-bodied, smooth and creamy, moderate carbonation. Overall, a fantastic dessert beer that highlights a heavy chocolate and vanilla presence without becoming overly sweet. Exceptionally well-balanced. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 05:39:29 | More by chanokokoro

Pinknuggets

Vermont

4.25/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle to worthy sniffer

A:pours dark brown like coffee but looks darker in the glass like black coffee with no head pours like motor oil thick and heavy

S: smells of roasted cocoa and vanilla very delicious but not much else there or much depth

T: okay not what I expected at all but I guess I should have known with the low abv but its very light. The coca taste hits you immediately along with the vanilla that blend for a much stronger taste then the feel

M: okay this is super light for a stout I mean I know it's no imperial but like water there is a grittiness to it as if the coco powder was there oily and slimy goes down easy but not smooth with legit no carbonation at all

O: tastes as advertised with lots of strong flavors for an otherwise completly light stout easy to drink dispite the heavy dessert flavors impressive stuff for a standard stout definitely worth a try but twilight of the idols was better taste and it was a porter

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 02:45:09 | More by Pinknuggets