Emelisse Espresso Stout - Bierbrouwerij Grand-Café Emelisse

capra12

New York

3.23/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Reviewed solo at home served out of an East End Pint glass.

Appearance: pours jet black with 1 1/2 finger of light brown and caramel frothy head leaving a spotty lacing.

Smell: a ton of iced black coffee.

Taste: Opens with mild roasted grains, I get a coffee bitter in the middle with a dark and almost sour malt profile. There is an initial black coffee finish that mellows as I finish this pint.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied with medium carbonation, a subtle sour twinge in the aftertaste.

Drinkability: this is a one an done for me, I recommend this to those seeking a brew with a strong coffee and espresso presence and unique malt backbone.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2010 01:32:27 | More by capra12

ESPNman

California

3.31/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25

Poured into a Delirium Tremens snifter.

A - Pours a near-black (like a too-syrupy coca cola). Virtually zero head, some lacing. It's a very, very dark brew with just hints of brown when you hold it up to the light.

S - Good stout character with some sweetness and roasted malts. A decent amount of espresso and some booze in there as well. Good nose, but nothing really special. Representative of the style, but not as much coffee as I'd like.

T - Just not what I was looking for out of this beer... it's woody, has a hint of bitter espresso, but just too much of the malty sweetness. Some alcohol in the middle, and it just finishes flat. A bit of bitterness lingers at the end.

M - Thin, almost watery. Surprising for an imperial stout like this. Light carbonation, not a lot of body.

O - Not worth the price-point that it sells at. It's good, but certainly not great. It has good elements, but just has too many misses to be considered a recommended beer. This would be a value at $8-10 for a 6-pack, but at $5.50 for a single it's just not there.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2013 04:54:38 | More by ESPNman

scotv

New York

3.75/5  rDev +4.2%

06-01-2013 00:32:07 | More by scotv

beernads

Florida

3/5  rDev -16.7%

05-08-2013 07:34:38 | More by beernads

bobhits

Kentucky

4.26/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

Pours is dark, creamy, thick and dark. Very nice imperial stout.

A lot of more fruity and flora aromas than expected given the espresso stout name. Rich chocolate and coffee still are huge and rewarding.

Chocolate and espresso take front stage but unexpected fruits and floral hops end the show with force.

Creamy so so creamy and carbonated totally enhancing the mouth feel and making things amazing.

Not even close to perfect but this is really great stout, I'm shocked how poor the reviews are. I'm a big fan.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 00:12:50 | More by bobhits

Maltmaiden

Alabama

4.49/5  rDev +24.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

A: dark tan head. looks on the thicker side. great lacing. can't see through it.

S: Dark very roasted malts are equally sensed at the espresso. Sweet chocolate. Alcohol is apparent but not off-putting. some plum.

T: Almost dark covered espresso bean with vanilla. Alcohol is pretty well hidden for being 10%. Very well balanced with bitterness and sweetness. Little bit of spiciness (from hops in that area?) Wow!

M: Medium. Very smooth. Plenty of carbonation. Nice long finish but not an abrasive one.

O: Just a fantastic beer that shows you don't have to overdo it with the coffee if you make an espresso/coffee beer. This had complexity without being cloying. Loved it!

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2013 03:27:37 | More by Maltmaiden

GRG1313

California

3.75/5  rDev +4.2%

03-23-2013 05:22:48 | More by GRG1313

spycow

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev +4.2%

03-10-2013 20:06:37 | More by spycow

mmsimmons

Pennsylvania

2.25/5  rDev -37.5%

03-03-2013 22:54:04 | More by mmsimmons

Texasfan549

Texas

3.75/5  rDev +4.2%

02-26-2013 00:12:56 | More by Texasfan549

OneDropSoup

Pennsylvania

3.06/5  rDev -15%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3

Poured into a shaker pint: Black body with just a dusting of tan head & some floaties. Some brown highlights around the edges.

Very sweet, nougatty cocoa smell, with some dark fruit & a kind of caramel or butterscotch syrup character. Approaching bourbon, but like with a really candy-counter toffee note. Not really getting any espresso.

Taste has a sharp chocolate liqueur note, some licorice, then turns to a kind of black espresso note toward the back. Finishes with some alcohol, raisin-like rum sugar & a mild astringency, a little woody.

Medium-bodied, somewhat warming, goes down both sticky but a little too thin given the strength.

This beer doesn't lack for complexity & I find myself going through it pretty quickly because I keep going back & trying to taste things again, sift through all the flavors & layers. But I also find that none of them are terribly rewarding & are kind of thin & insipid. The espresso is pretty weak, & it's way too sweet for my liking.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 23:45:04 | More by OneDropSoup

DerekMorgan

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev +4.2%

02-03-2013 01:38:35 | More by DerekMorgan

Beer-A-Lot

Virginia

4.08/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Murky, lots of lacing, nice head. A really nice beer. Not a style I've had that much, but one I'd like to try more of. The stronger abv gives a nice balance to the typical Euro stout flavors. Kinda different, kind nice. This seemed much less potent than it is, but very enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

01-23-2013 04:06:41 | More by Beer-A-Lot

cyrushire

Florida

2.75/5  rDev -23.6%

01-13-2013 06:36:47 | More by cyrushire

BartMcStout

Belgium

4/5  rDev +11.1%

01-11-2013 20:22:19 | More by BartMcStout

drabmuh

Maryland

3.63/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Served in a becher because it was the only thing handy. This beer hides the alcohol really well but it isn't a great stout.

Beer is black with a tan head of small bubbles, some retention, no lacing, moderate to low carbonation.

Aroma is mildly roasty, a little sweet.

Beer drinks smooth, almost like an RIS but lighter, almost airy on the palate, mild bitterness and hints of coffee throughout. Not horrible but not a repeat for me.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 18:07:36 | More by drabmuh

Illos

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +11.1%

12-29-2012 07:25:16 | More by Illos

MaximalC

Illinois

3.6/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours dark brown with faint highlights and a negligible--and by that I mean nearly nonexistent--tan head. The aroma smells boldly of alcohol, molasses, coffee, and something resembling bourbon. I could swear one could get drunk via inhalation alone...

The flavor is more mild than the aroma would suggest. The front end is smooth and roasty, with notable alcohol and some dark fruit. The finish is where the coffee really comes through, with a long, pronounced crescendo of fresh-roasted coffee beans. Now, I'm not a coffee drinker, mostly because what little coffee I've had tastes much more bitter and bland than it smells, but the finish on this beer tastes as much like the smell of coffee as I've come across. Tiramisu would be another apt comparison.

As fine as this beer finishes, the detractor here is the peculiarity of the front end, which doesn't taste like anything in particular. There is some flavor there, perhaps a shade of bitterness and some alcohol, but it's not something that I would envision as foundational, and in that regard this brew falls short. Perhaps the gross lack of carbonation deprives the mouthfeel of some much needed texture? The alcohol could be a little better concealed as well, but at 10% ABV that may be a tall order. The delicious coffee finish is laudable, but the lack of a cohesive identity all the way through leaves something to be desired.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 04:00:59 | More by MaximalC

ejimhof

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -16.7%

12-25-2012 22:40:31 | More by ejimhof

RuudJH

Netherlands

4/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Very dark brown with brown head.
Smell is dominated by coffee. Also a lot of black chocolate, raisins, figs.
Taste is full bitterness. Roasted malts, coffee, chocolate. Even some ash. Fruit sweetness way in the background.
This beer has quite a quick finish. The alcohol is well masked.
Overall it's a clean but powerfull brew in this style.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 15:18:16 | More by RuudJH

kmahe

Washington

3.75/5  rDev +4.2%

12-10-2012 00:56:47 | More by kmahe

snaotheus

Washington

3.65/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz (or 11.2) bottle poured into a large snifter

Pours dark gray with no head. Small amount of slow carbonation. Smell is cherries, plums, and coffee, roasted malty.

Taste is sweet, roasty, lots of coffee, not as much of the fruit, some black licorice. It's pretty tasty.

Mouthfeel is rather flat (or "still"). Overall, this is a pretty good beer, but could use more carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 03:54:30 | More by snaotheus

Lynn

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +18.1%

12-07-2012 23:32:25 | More by Lynn

ABokononist

New York

4/5  rDev +11.1%

11-17-2012 16:16:02 | More by ABokononist

AgentMunky

California

3.83/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 33cL bottle into a brandy snifter. Lot A. Best before 03 2014. 9.5% ABV. 75 EBU.

A: Mocha head. Dark, but translucent. Reddish brown.

S: Flat coffee. Chocolate malt.

T/M: Tasty! Thinnish, but chock full of roasted, malty barley. Rich and chocolatey. Trace coffee bitterness appears on the long, long aftertaste, but isn't nearly as prevalent as I expected.

O: Very nice! Recommended. Would have again. A great stout that is lightly more sweet than not.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2012 05:03:20 | More by AgentMunky