Creme Brulee (Imperial Milk Stout) - Southern Tier Brewing Company

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

4.55/5  rDev +17%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A. Poured into a snifter. Nice inch of light brown head, that became a fine lace.

S. Vanilla cream in the nose. Its Creme Brulee afterall.

T. Follows the nose in a very sweet vanilla chocolate stout. A robust roasted malt feature is complimentary to the lovely sweet lactose.

M. Creamy and smooth. Milky. Great.

D. Very drinkable, though tends to ruin the palate to other beers. Good night cap, change of pace beer.

Serving type: on-tap

08-27-2008 04:28:46 | More by Stinkypuss

stace

Illinois

4.9/5  rDev +26%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours opaque dark brown with a dark beige head.

Smell: Smells of coffee and vanilla, aroma is quite pervasive.

Taste: Very sweet tasting, still with heavy coffee and vanilla tones. The coffee taste almost completely masks the alcohol.

Mouthfeel: Not too thick, just right.

Drinkability: This is a sipping beer, a dessert beer. That being said, I was quite happy to enjoy two after dinner.

Serving type: on-tap

08-22-2008 20:59:26 | More by stace

soccerman7

Vermont

3.88/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Had this on tap at Holy Smoke

Appearance - Beautifully pitch black.
Nose - pure vanilla period.
Taste - Vanilla dominated, sweetness was upfront. An excellent dessert beer, but not a food beer.
Mouth - smooth but very coating. lingers for a long time.
Drinkability - Very sweet but easy. It most certainly is a different style of beer, and worth trying, but needs to be drank last.

It is worth noting that after it started to warm up, the vanilla disapated and some nice roasted flavors came in.

Serving type: on-tap

08-22-2008 15:20:56 | More by soccerman7

Cakanator

Massachusetts

4.95/5  rDev +27.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

On tap at Sierra

Pours dark as night with a great brown/mocha head. Aroma is dead on carmel vanilla, pretty much think I'm smelling creme brulee. Pallet is heavy but is the sweetest thing ive even had. Rich flavors present this as the desert beers of all desert beers.

As a side note I have had this from bottle many times already from Table & Vine northampton. It is a tad bit sweeter in bottle than on draft, but not overpowering. Poured it on some vanilla ice cream... amazing.

Serving type: on-tap

08-18-2008 14:27:26 | More by Cakanator

TheMistler

District of Columbia

4.35/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Draft into a pint glass.

Thick and black, with a light tan head. Incredibly sticky lacing on the side of the glass.

My bartender's immediate comment when I ordered this was "breakfast in a glass," and she mentioned waffles. I'm not sure I can improve on that description. Maple syrup, caramel, milk, nutty sweetened oatmeal on the nose.

Oh so smooth, a not-displeasing heavy viscous quality. It definitely is breakfast in a glass. Lactose sweetness, maple syrup, sweet roasted nuts. I was pleasantly surprised by some nice hop bitterness.

Definitely imperial. Very good, but I could not drink more than... two, lets say. I almost said just one, but darnit, this beer is good.

Serving type: on-tap

08-11-2008 19:39:45 | More by TheMistler

Cunningham26

Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

service- on tap into smaller tulip, maybe 10oz

a- Very dark brown almost black with a head that was described earlier as milk chocolate colored, but was more the color of a chocolate milkshake. left very little lace.

s- strong vanilla and caramel, aka creme brulee. after smelling it i almost thought i'd have to break through the shell of a head to reach the custard body.

t- very sweet, with strong notes of caramel and vanilla mellowing into darker stout notes of expresso and chocolate. lingering sugary taste made me keep putting the glass to my lips to refresh the palate. Alcohol level did a decent job cleaning much of sugary sweetness, but lingering tastes were also pleasant

m- very very smooth, lightly carbonated. I mentioned to my friend I was with that it reminded me a lot of an oak cask aged stout i had years earlier but thankfully this one had some carbonation whereas that one was completely flat. very very sweet, an absolute overload on the tastebuds, definitely a dessert beer that would be wonderful with chocolate, caramel or even berries and creme.

d- because of the sweetness and abv, there's no way someone could drink more than one of these in a session, although i'm sure plenty (myself included) would like to.

great beer that was very well executed in the brewing process.

Serving type: on-tap

08-10-2008 15:40:08 | More by Cunningham26

auxiliary

Rhode Island

4.85/5  rDev +24.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

appearance - Black color, nice large tan head with some crazy lace on the glass. Looks good.

smell - For real, I can smell this about 2 feet away. Chocolate, sugars, vanilla, and caramel to die for.

taste - Very sweet with a little bit of a bitterness after taste. So smooth, silly.
Taste of chocolate, vanilla, and caramel.

mouthfeel - Full body, sweet.

drinkability - I tasted this before and ran to track 84 RI to get it on tap. Very good. I hear it is strong to drink on your own. It should be used as a after desert drink.

Serving type: on-tap

08-10-2008 04:21:07 | More by auxiliary

pershan

Maryland

4.1/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this on-tap at Frisco Grille in Columbia, MD.

The beer poured a dark amber with a thin brown head into a chalice. The smell was of butterscotch, with a hint of vanilla. The taste was a big hit of butterscotch and vanilla, plenty of malt sweetness, with a creamy mouthfeel and slightly bitter finish. Not a bad approximation of a Creme Brulle in a glass. The alcohol content is masked quite nicely as well, making this a deceptively potent beer.

Serving type: on-tap

08-06-2008 19:38:10 | More by pershan

sholland119

Pennsylvania

3.15/5  rDev -19%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

A-Pours a deep black with just a little bit of thin white head. Very appealing.

S-Strong scent of vanilla sweetness with some booziness behind. Intriguing.

T-And the taste is intriguing at first too. Not much like beer at all, but an interesting adventure. Nice strong vanilla with a bit of alcohol. But the sweetness quickly becomes cloying and over the top. My wife and I can split a snifter of it but that's all.

M-Creamy and rich.

D-See above. Can't finish one.

I am a big fan of ST big beers, and efforts of brewers to do interesting and new things. This did not work for me though.

HV

Serving type: on-tap

08-05-2008 18:48:41 | More by sholland119

thequeen711

Pennsylvania

3.23/5  rDev -17%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This beer is an absolute clone of creme brule, whenyou smell it!!! The nose is creme creme creme. The taste to too strong for the brule, which takes away from the nose of the beer. The sweetness of the caramel and vanilla is not a good match for the brew. The mouthfeel is a creme brule taste,the then the high alcohol content hits you like a lead balloon! I am stillmixed on this one, I am a fan of Southern Tier brews, I want to like it...

Serving type: on-tap

08-04-2008 23:03:58 | More by thequeen711

IronCitySteve

Pennsylvania

2.85/5  rDev -26.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Had on tap, needed to let it warm a bit.

A: A rich dark black. A very thin tan foam head, dissipates quickly.

S: Lots of vanilla, chocolate, cocoa, caramel and some hints of maple.

T: It is a very sweet. Lots of vanilla and chocolate. Definitely tastes like having a creme brule.

M: A thick creamy film is left on the tongue and mouth.

D: While you cannot taste the alochol, it is masked rather well, it does have a high ABV. It is extremely sweet, a decent dessert beer.

Serving type: on-tap

08-04-2008 13:07:53 | More by IronCitySteve

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

3.65/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

On tap at Frisco's in Columbia the other day.

The beer pours a very dark brown color with good head retention and lacing. The nose on this beer is it's best feature by far, consisting of an exotic smorgasbord of vanilla, caramel toffee, chocolate, cherry and coffee. The beer smells as if it will be pretty sweet, and it certainly is. The flavors on the palate generally replicate the nose, though the sweet vanilla and toffee flavors tend to overwhelm everything else. The beer is a bit heavy and tiring on the palate, and as it sits in the glass, the alcohol becomes more and more apparent. Towards the end the beer becomes cloyingly sweet, hot from the alcohol and very, very tiring. Drinkability is not one of this beers better features, and frankly I could barely finish my 10 ounce goblet.

This is an interesting beer, but the combination of sweet vanilla/toffee flavor, coupled with the noticeable alcohol, make this one beer I'm unlikely to order again any time again soon.

Serving type: on-tap

08-04-2008 12:53:33 | More by johnmichaelsen

erosier

Connecticut

4.3/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

L: Pours a jet black color with a medium sized and thick tan colored head that laces the glass nicely on the way down.
S: Very sweet smelling of syrupy creme brulee flavoring over a very thick and sweet malty body.
T: Very sweet taste of chocolate and the creme brulee flavoring that really overpowered this beer. I could taste a bit of the malts but not alot, this beer was mostly the creme brulee.
M: Very thick, smooth, and warming with the right amount of carbonation.
D: Pretty drinkable but probably no more than 1 or 2 because of its viscocity and how rich tasting it is. Very good dessert beer and I really like how Southern Tier delivers on bold flavors like this one. Definately worth a try.

Serving type: on-tap

08-03-2008 13:52:23 | More by erosier

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

4.58/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a dark brown to a black color, with a light tan head. In the aroma, vanilla, hazelnut, and cocoa, quite sweet as well. In the taste, chocolate, vanilla, and a bit nutty. Like drinking a creme brulee. A smooth, big body mouthfeel and a dry, small bitter cocoa aftertaste. FANTASTIC smell, taste, and mouthfeel. Hides the 10%, and easy to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

07-31-2008 00:47:54 | More by OWSLEY069

NJpadreFan

New Jersey

4.47/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Southern Tier- Creme Brulee

On tap at Isaac Newton's- Newtown, PA
(drank this with fellow BA's; lemasney and guinnessdoc)

A- Deep dark black with the smallest filmy head.
S- Very strong flan/ vanilla caramel cream aroma. So strong I could smell it from a few feet away.
T- Big sweet vanilla caramel malt blended nicely with a strong cocoa cream touch.
M- Smooth and creamy, very desssert-like.

Overall- Absolutely loved this 1. This is definitely something you should drink with dessert, but I had 2 pints and it was a delicious finish to my evening.

Serving type: on-tap

07-30-2008 22:38:09 | More by NJpadreFan

plaid75

New York

3.15/5  rDev -19%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

Poured a deep brown hue with a one finger thick and creamy tan head. There was good retention and lacing.

The smell featured a mix of vanilla, cocoa, caramel and the slightest burnt grain.

The taste was a mix of the aforementioned elements with a slighly stonger burnt grain. But honestly, I don't really don't have any use for a beer like this. As a dessert, there are already several liquors that can be added to coffee to achieve the same effect.

The mouthfeel was full and sweet.

Overall an interesting experiment, but a beer in nmae only. Personally, I think beers like this give craft beer a bad name. For non-craft drinkers, beers like this potentially pigeon hole all craft beer as gimmicky and undrinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

07-30-2008 15:01:36 | More by plaid75

drjamyma

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +22.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I don't review beers often, nor have I been on B.A. for a while. I just had to say something about this beer. When I heard about milk stouts years ago I envisioned a beer that tasted like this one. Every other Milk stout in comparison is an utter failure (ha just trying to sound like a beer snob). Seriously though, excellent tasty beer. To the point where your questioning whether or not it's really a beer... Kinda like the first time I had a rasberry or fruit beer.

I only had a 3 oz. serving of it at a place called Bukowskis in boston. It was considered desert. And no complaints. I'm not sure if I could finish a pint of this. But I'm going to try because I found a lone bottle of it at blanchards today on my way back from work.

I'm stoked. Even more stoked that it's now almost 7 and an acceptable time to start drinking this fine beverage. Excellent.

Cheers.

Serving type: on-tap

07-29-2008 22:56:29 | More by drjamyma

weeare138

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Capone's...
Appears an opaque black with a small, tan head that quickly fizzles into a mild collar. Scattered lacing is left around the glass.
Smell is of cocoa, caramel, cream, sugar, tons of vanilla, and butterscotch.
Taste is of the same with butterscotch and roasted nuts standing out.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied, creamy, rich, smooth in the finish.
I liked this one but I could see how many would not like this. The caramel, and vanilla, along with the lactose come across as being butterscotch, which isn't usually a likable trait in beer, as it is taken as the usually unlikable diacetyl(which I happen to enjoy in Sam Smith's Imp Stout).

Serving type: on-tap

07-29-2008 01:19:03 | More by weeare138

garcia2a

Pennsylvania

4.53/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

WOW.

This beer poured a deep deep mahogany color, with a light reddish head that laced nicely. Couldn't tell if there was any carbonation.

The bouquet was amazing. Massive amounts of sweet crème, natural vanilla, a hint of clove, a dash of butterscotch, nice roasted sweet malts. The bouquet is strong and can be detected over 2-3 yards away. This translated perfectly to the taste. That vanilla and crème overtake the taste buds, powerful, but not overpowering. As the beer finished, I got hints of bittersweet dark chocolate.

The mouthfeel is good, but the beer is big bodied and does cloy. A great taster or even finish to a great meal. A very tasty and drinkable beer, but not one that you can have more than 20 ounces or so.

Serving type: on-tap

07-28-2008 15:34:20 | More by garcia2a

marcpal

New Jersey

4.38/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap and poured into oversized goblet.

This is a beer that will do one of two things: blow your mind or make you sick. My review shows which end I fall on with this one.

A: Black as night, cappucino colored head that was thin and some lacing. Had the look of the creamiest of chocolate milks, not a weak yoo hoo.

N: Good God, I smelled this coming out of the tap from about 4 feet away. The best smelling beer I have ever come across. It was all butterscotch and vanilla. Phenomenal, 5.5 and as it warmed you could pick up some of the hops. How they escape I dont know but I can smell this all night and day. If they made it air freshener form, Im hanging it in my car.

T: Whipped cream, vanilla, butterscotch, espcaping bitterness, powdered sugar, maple syrup. Intensity bursting out of this one. As it warmed, it took on more vanilla than the raw sugars and was tremendous. I equate this one to drinking a milk shake flavored with chopped up vanilla Charleston Chews. Fantastic.

M: Smoothness is there and dont understand how some claimed it to be thin- I thought the milk shake creaminess was like whipped cream. Sweetness of Baileys but more texture.

D: Sure its like a dessert, sure its like you need to eat it with a spoon, yet bizarrely drinkable. I probably couldnt drink them all night but I had no problem savoring the shiznit out of the goblet I got and am looking forward to picking up a large amount to put in the cellar.

I have always like Southern Tier's more mild beers and been back and forth on their imperials, but this freaking thing is pure genius. Loved each and every delectible sip. Not for the faint of heart.

Serving type: on-tap

07-28-2008 12:28:03 | More by marcpal

naproxen

Connecticut

3.63/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

yowza! I enjoyed this first from a bottle at bonbon's summersplash, then split a draft the other night at eli cannon's for 'dessert'.

Appearance wise, all Imperial Stout, it is black as night and really that is all there is to say, very true to the style, coffee w/ milk colored head.

The smell is amazing, butterscotch and caramel knock you right in the face like a diabetic at the Werther's factory. The taste itself is not as strong with its aroma, but this is by all means a palate killer so enjoy this, go figure, as dessert. In all my endeavors as a cook I have yet to make or enjoy real creme brulee, so I can not comment on how close this is to tasting like one, but I can only hope and pray it really is. It leaves a sweet, almost puckering, film in the mouth. I want to not like it because of the overbearing sweetness, but hot damn it is just tasty. Good to enjoy, with friends, once or twice. I could never have a whole bottle alone or often.

((edit only for spelling errors, my english teachers would frown so bad))

Serving type: on-tap

07-24-2008 02:37:15 | More by naproxen

BanditBrewingCo

Massachusetts

4.83/5  rDev +24.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had twice on tap at Cambridge Common over the weekend. With all the hype plus my past experiences with the Blackwater Series, I think my expectations were set pretty high...this one did not let me down. Served in a snifter.

Black with a garnet hue to it. Light beige head that leaves a fine skin coating that eventually resides as a lace webbing.

Smells like vanilla custard. Butterscotch. Based on the smell alone, this beer deserves its name 100% already.

Tastes sweet, low on the bittering end, kind of heavy but very smooth. Almost like a liqueur. Not hot but a tad boozy. The butterscotch seemed to prevail when it was cold but the vanilla really comes out as it warms up.

Mouthfeel is again smooth, I'm thinking there's go to be lactose added to this one...? Very nice.

Drinkability: obviously not a session beer but this stuff is delicious. Sip and enjoy. Liquid dessert indeed. I've got some questions for Phin, hopefully I can talk to him a bit tomorrow at the Publick House.

Serving type: on-tap

07-23-2008 01:24:22 | More by BanditBrewingCo

Douglas14

California

4.18/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours out a pitch black color with a light tan head that leaves a lot of lace. The aroma is overwhelmingly of brown sugar, syrup, caramel, and creamy coffee. The taste follows the smell. The taste is wonderful - kind of weird at first but still amazing. The Creme Brulee tastes like brown sugar and coffee-flavored cream...or maple syrup and pancakes (like i said, weird at first but still good). Slight roasted malt notes appear towards the end. It has a full body and feels heavy and excellent in the mouth. The intense sugar and syrup qualities of this beer knocked down the drinkability score...i can;t imagine drinking more than one of these at a time.

Anyway, Southern Tier surprised me again with this beer and how amazing they are. Well done.

Serving type: on-tap

07-21-2008 00:32:34 | More by Douglas14

Med

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Just a shade shy of pitch black with a surprisingly light tan slight head that quickly becomes just a ring. Leaves some lace, but not enough to get excited about. Smell is SWEET. It smells like Creme Brulee. I mean almost exactly like creme brulee. Loads of vanilla and some cocoa. No perceptible alcohol or yeast here. Taste follows exactly where you would expect it to. Loads of vanilla, some marshmallow, and a hint of cocoa. Actually it reminds me very much of creme brulee flavored salt water taffy, but I'm not sure why. This comes across as more of a liqueur than a beer, but again no detectable alcohol warming. Feel is thick and somewhat viscous. Drinkability is low, mostly due to the almost overwhelming sweetness. Well worth a try, if only for the uniqueness.

Serving type: on-tap

07-18-2008 23:33:39 | More by Med

mirdreams

New York

4.75/5  rDev +22.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Delicious.

Opens with a very full, sweet smell, like sniffing a Creme Brulee scented Yankee Candle. Not a lot of head, just a deep dark snifter full of gorgeousness. First sip is a smooth, velvety richness, just like the desert it's imitating. A little malt lingers behind to remind you that it's beer, not really the liquid desert the waitress claimed it. She suggested half pints because it's so very sweet and at 10%, big. But I could have happily drank a pint, and rotted my teeth out.

Going into my top three, along with Ommegang's Chocolate Indulgence and Lindeman's Framboise.

Serving type: on-tap

07-17-2008 17:45:03 | More by mirdreams