Péché Mortel (Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel)

I finally decided to indulge and pick up a bottle of this much talked about coffee stout from north of the border. This is also one of the few coffee stouts I've seen that is brewed with fair trade coffee. It gets incredible reviews online and as the style is one of my favorites it was hard to pass up (even at close to $6 a bottle). 

From the Dieu Du Ciel site:

Péché Mortel (French for "Mortal Sin") is an intensely black and dense beer with very pronounced roasted flavours. Fair trade coffee is infused during the brewing process, intensifying the bitterness of the beer and giving it a powerful coffee taste. Péché mortel is brewed to be savored; we invite you to drink it in moderation.

Pours an amazing jet black color with a beautiful coffee colored head. Another perfect replica of one hell of a giant shot of espresso. The head is thick and clings very tightly to the side of the glass. We are off to a great start...

Smells of fresh coffee grounds and sweet cream. There is also a mellow smoky vanilla smell that reminds me very much of the pipe tobacco my grandfather smoked. Dark chocolate bitterness also hits the nose.  Lots of strong inviting smells really draw you in!

Taste is fresh, strong, bitter Italian espresso followed by semi-sweet chocolate and rich cream. Amazingly smooth on the tongue and although the alcohol instantly warms you, it is in now way noticeable and in fact hides extremely well. All those great smells come out in the taste and provide for a very enjoyable and satisfying beer. 

Actually, that is an understatement. This beer is truly incredible. Péché Mortel is one of those rare beers that lives 

up to all the hype. Santé!

BEER FACTS

Name: Péché Mortel

Style: Imperial Coffee Stout

Brewery: Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel

Location: Montréal, Quebec, Canada

Container: 11.5 oz. bottle

Malts: ?

Hops: ?

ABV: 9.5%

IBUs: ?

Blue Fin Stout (Shipyard Brewing Co.)

The old Blue Fin label had a picture of the bluefin tuna, a fish that had a huge presence in the Gulf of Maine. The new label is a nice homage to the ships that were once built in Maine, or at least that is my take on it.

Pours a deep dark brown with a very big dark, coffee colored head. Lot of carbonation from the minute the cap is popped. 

Smells of rich roasty malt and light coffee notes. There is also the familiar Ringwood yeast smell as well. No real subtle smells, mostly dominated by the dark malts.

Taste is rich, roasted malt with some dark chocolate or mocha tastes. The carbonation is definitely very strong in the mouth, not sure if this bottle was just shaken up or something but the carbonation is much more than expected in a stout. I've had this on nitro out on Peaks Island a number of times and really enjoyed its smoothness. I think I prefer that quite a bit over the bottled version. 

BEER FACTS

Name: Blue Fin Stout

Style: Stout

Brewery: Shipyard Brewing Company

Location: Portland, Maine, USA

Container: 22 oz. bottle

Malts: ?

Hops: ?

ABV: 4.7%

IBUs: ?

Brewed in Maine

Big Bear Black Stout (Bear Republic Brewing Co.)

Talk about excitement! A Russian Imperial Stout from Bear Republic. This is the style that can really make it or break it for some breweries. Considering what Bear Republic has done with the Hop Rod Rye and the Racer 5 this is definitely in line to be an incredible beer.

Pours slightly viscous with a nice coffee colored head. Its amazing how smooth this beer pours. You can really see the just how thick and rich this beer is going to be based on how it fills the glass. 

Smells of sweet coffee, bitter chocolate with a toasted malt side as well. It definitely comes across as a roasty, slightly smoky strong stout. No complaints from the smells, overall it is rich and appealing.

Taste is oh so smooth. Its way too drinkable for being over 8%. The dryness is there in the finish but before that comes a lot of deep dark sweet malt tastes. The sweetness really draws you in and the strength is hardly noticeable. Excellent beer. 

BEER FACTS

Name: Big Bear Black Stout

Style: Russian Imperial Stout

Brewery: Bear Republic Brewing Company

Location: Healdsburg, California, USA

Container: 22 oz. bottle

Malts: Belgian & English roasted barley and Crystal malt

Hops: Chinook & Cascade

ABV: 8.1%

IBUs: 68

Old Rasputin (North Coast Brewing Co.)

Grigori Rasputin was a Siberian peasant turned mystic and healer. His life is full of mystery and intrigue and his death even more so. What a great namesake for this style of beer. I honestly can not think of a better name for a Russian Imperial Stout and this label is one of my all time favorites. 

Pours india ink black with the viscosity of a thin motor oil. Its a beautiful site to see that big coffee colored head form on the top of this beer. It looks so inviting, so perfect. As the head slowly fades it leaves very thick lacing on the side of the glass. 

Smells of strong dark malty goodness, citrusy bitter west coast hops and fresh brewed black as night coffee. Who would have ever thought those three distinct smells could come together and be so amazing. Along with those more intense smells comes a faint smell of alcohol. I love the smell of this beer. 

Taste is chocolate milk, bitter citrusy hops, coffee and sweet cream. There is a nice smooth, silky mouthfeel with this beer with nice carbonation and an almost immediate warming sensation from the alcohol, which also provides a dryness in the finish. 

This is the real deal when it comes to Russian Imperial Stouts being made in America. Look on the list of top tens from anyone who loves this style and this one will be near the top. Lately I've been drinking a lot of this on tap at Novare Res, they've had it on nitro and its even creamier and pretty much heaven in a glass.

BEER FACTS

Name: Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout

Style: Imperial Stout

Brewery: North Coast Brewing Company

Location: Fort Bragg, California, USA

Container: 12 oz. bottle

Malts: ?

Hops: ?

ABV: 9%

IBUs: 75

Cadillac Mtn. Stout: Bombers vs 12 oz. bottles

  VS  

By now you've heard that Bar Harbor Brewing Company was sold and moved from its prior location (Tod and Suzi Foster's place) to a new location in Bar Harbor. You may have also heard that the bombers that were rather limited in supply are no longer being produced. Bar Harbor Brewing Company is now contract brewing three of their beers at Geary's in Portland for sale in six-packs. 

Since there are a lot of fans of the BHBC beers that are concerned about the taste and quality of those beers they've grown accustomed to, I present my personal comparison of the "old" to the "new" Cadillac Mtn. Stout. 

Looks like...

Bomber (old) - Pours a perfectly dark, pretty much black color. The head is nice, fluffy and coffee colored. The contrast of the very dark stout and that light colored head is one of the greatest things about a good example of this style. The head on this one doesn't good away quickly which I'll say can be contributed to it being a well brewed beer.

12 ouncer (new) - Pours inky black, a bit syrupy with about a finger's worth of coffee colored foam on top. The head lasts for a bit before slowly disintegrating leaving about a quarter-inch ring around the glass with some oily foam left in the middle. 

Smells like...

Bomber (old) - Smells like dark roasted malt, a little sweet with slight hints of vanilla, chocolate and coffee.

12 ouncer (new) - Smell is very rich, tons of dark sweet maltiness, lots of coffee and caramel. A few more whiffs bring out some chocolate soft serve smells. All in all a very tasty smelling beer.

Tastes like...

Bomber (old) - Tastes very rich with a smooth creamy finish. Chocolate and coffee notes galore. Lots of malt sweetness with some well placed dryness. An excellent example of the style. Once you drink a bit of this beer, you'll understand what all the talk is about. 

12 ouncer (new) - Taste is very roasty and sweet. There is a creamy texture on the tongue which gives way to some bitterness and dryness. There is an aftertaste with this one that was also present in the new bottle of the Thunderhole Ale. I really can't explain it, but its a sharp almost metallic taste that stays in your mouth for quite a long time. It doesn't ruin the taste of this beer and this is still a very good stout. 

Overall...

Okay, we all know that you weren't going to brew a Cadillac Mtn. Stout outside of Bar Harbor that tastes exactly like the original. I will give some credit and say that the "new" CMS smells great and looks great and maintains some of the rich, roastiness that the original head. That being said, its is not the creamy, smooth beer that it once was. The bombers were definitely better and the smooth, sweet dry finish has been replaced with the astringent, cloying taste. Such is life, grab the bombers while you can. I've already talked to a number of people that have bought cases so its only a matter of time before they go extinct.

If you do happen to see the bombers grab one and grab a 12 ouncer and do your own comparison. I'll try and do the same for the Thunder Hole Ale and the Harbor Lighthouse Ale (which I think could end up being one of the best six packs of "light" beer available in Maine).

"New" Cadillac Mtn. Stout (Bar Harbor Brewing Co.)

My second journey to the new world of Bar Harbor Brewing Company and their 12 oz. bottles brewed over at Geary's. Cadillac Mtn. Stout is going to be hard to replicate, I have to admit I have pretty high expectations. I absolutely love the bombers and find the beer pretty much close to perfect when it comes to stouts. 

Pours inky black, a bit syrupy with about a finger's worth of coffee colored foam on top. The head lasts for a bit before slowly disintegrating leaving about a quarter-inch ring around the glass with some oily foam left in the middle. 

Smell is very rich, tons of dark sweet maltiness, lots of coffee and caramel. A few more whiffs bring out some chocolate soft serve smells. All in all a very tasty smelling beer.

Taste is very roasty and sweet. There is a creamy texture on the tongue which gives way to some bitterness and dryness. There is an aftertaste with this one that was also present in the new bottle of the Thunderhole Ale. I really can't explain it, but its a sharp almost metallic taste that stays in your mouth for quite a long time. It doesn't ruin the taste of this beer and this is still a very good stout. 

Once again, a new beer with an old name. Some of the old qualities are there but the taste and appearance are a little bit different and with beer that can make quite a big difference. 

BEER FACTS

Name: Cadillac Mtn. Stout ("New")

Style: Stout

Brewery: Bar Harbor Brewing Company

Location: Contract brewed at Geary's in Portland, Maine, USA

Container: 12 oz. bottle

Malts: ?

Hops: ?

ABV: 6.7%

IBUs: ?

Brewed in Maine

Oatmeal Stout (Portsmouth Brewery)

This is a pretty special beer for me. Not only is this a great beer that I've been looking forward to cracking open and enjoying, but it also marks my 100th beer review. Not bad, it only took a little over four months to accomplish the feat. I chose Portsmouth Brewery's Oatmeal Stout for number 100 because its one of my favorite styles from one of my favorite brewpubs here in New England. 

From the Portsmouth Brewery site:

"The addition of 55 pounds of flaked oats add a "smooth" texture to this big black ale. Lots of chocolate roasty flavors tightened up by an abundance of Pacific Northwest hops."

Pours dark, very dark. This is pretty much inky black in color with a rather slight coffee-colored head that gradually develops to about an inch in thickness before slinking away to a ring around the top of the glass. Nothing like a big glass of rich, creamy black stout.

No surprise that this one has big roasted malt smell emanating from it. Wow. Along with strong roasty smell comes some cocoa and coffee notes. Some more whiffs bring about creamy sweetness and some very faint hoppiness. Lots of great smells with this beer. 

First big sip and we've definitely got a winner. Creamy smooth texture with the bitterness of the dark malts is accompanied by mocha tastes and some nice sweetness. Very well balanced and very delicious. Everything comes together perfectly with this stout. Yet another great beer from the Portsmouth Brewery. 

Tod Mot, the brewmaster at Portsmouth Brewery, can do no wrong. Besides this great oatmeal stout, the Portsmouth Brewery is going to be re-releasing their Kate the Great imperial stout soon. This is much to the delight of beer fans everywhere. Kate the Great was recently named best beer in the US by BeerAdvocate and the very limited amount (limit 2 bottles per person) being unleashed upon the public on June 24th (at 2:27pm to be exact) is sure to go extremely quickly. I'm still not sure if I am going to take the day off of work to stand in line or not...its a tough call.

BEER FACTS

Name: Oatmeal Stout

Style: Oatmeal Stout

Brewery: The Portsmouth Brewery

Location: Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA

Container: 22 oz. bottle

Malts: ?

Hops: ?

ABV: 6%

IBUs: ?

Peg Leg (Clipper City Brewing Company)

Another visit to Clipper City and their Heavy Seas collection. I've been looking forward to this one for quite awhile now. 

The label reads:

"Beware the pirate! Our Peg Leg Imperial Stout is dangerously dark yet very drinkable with the luxurious character of roasted coffee and dark chocolate."

From the Clipper City site:

"A dry Imperial stout with rich black color and aromas of roasted coffee, molasses, dark chocolate, toffee and caramel. Rich, powerful, and lingering."

Pours a perfect pitch black color. Its quite a sight to behold really. It that inky, oily viscous beauty that only an imperial stout can be. The head is thin, coffee colored and less than half a finger in thickness. Ultimately the head dissipates almost completely and leaves a thin ring of foam that surrounds an island of tiny bubbles.

When I popped the cap of this beer I swear I smelled lots of fresh hops. It really surprised me. I don't get a whole lot of that now that its in the glass. What I do I get is dark roasted coffee, chocolate and sweet, sweet malt. This is great smelling stout. All the rich notes are there and the coffee smells really make me think of a nice shot of espresso.

First taste of this brings back those hops I smelled from the bottle! Its got the upfront chocolaty and coffee notes for sure but there is a definite hop presence as well. The sweet maltiness of this beer is very tasty and there is hardly any sense of the high alcohol content. As it warms a bit I really get a lot of the rich flavors hidden in this dark and mysterious brew. This beer is absolutely delicious, I think I can leave it at that.

Probably one of the best domestic imperial stouts that I've had from a 12 oz. bottle that is for sure. Incredibly smooth and just plain delectable. Clipper City, once again you've come through! Cheers!

BEER FACTS

Name: Peg Leg

Style: Imperial Stout

Brewery: Clipper City Brewing Company

Location: Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Container: 12 oz. bottle

Malts: English Pale, Crystal, Chocolate and Black Barley

Hops: Fuggles and Styrian Goldings

ABV: 8%

IBUs: ?

The Heavy Seas Collection is:

Small Craft Warning Über pils - Strong Pilsner (Year Round)

Loose Cannon Hop3 Ale - India Pale Ale (Year Round)

Peg Leg Stout - Imperial Stout (Year Round)

Holy Sheet - Strong, Dark Belgian Ale (February Release)

Red Sky at Night - Saison Ale (May Release)

Hang Ten - Weizen Dopplebock (July Release)

Winter Storm - ESB (mid-October Release)

Below Decks - Barleywine (December Release)

Fuel Cafe Stout (Lakefront Brewery)

Yet another coffee beer. I really like the combo of a dark beer and coffee. Whoever came up with that idea is a genius. In fact, I wonder who was the first to brew a commercially available coffee flavored beer? Anyways...

According to the label, Fuel Cafe is a "stout brewed with coffee" and "especially for Fuel Cafe". I checked out the Fuel Cafe site to see if they did indeed serve this beer at their establishment. I didn't see it on the menu but I am sure its in their coolers.

This beer pours very dark and inky. It rushes into the glass like a fresh brewed cup of dark roasted coffee. Well, that might be a little much but if you squint and use your imagination you can just about get that. The head is a big, fluffy and a nice pretty tan (coffee?) color.  In the glass this stuff looks pitch black. I like it.

The smell is really, really good. Its fresh coffee, roasty malts and some bitterness. It honestly smells like a glass of iced black coffee. 

The first sip has some acidity, dark roasted malt bitterness, some espresso notes and a small amount of citrus in the end. Its a very smooth drinking beer. It feels a bit light for the style, I like coffee stouts with a lot of malt backbone. This one is just missing a little more of the malt that would make it a more balanced beer. Nonetheless it is NOT a bad beer. Its quite good actually and I wouldn't dream of pouring it out. I look forward to trying Lakefront's other beers available here in Maine.

I promise you that Lakefront Brewery is NOT related in any way to that big brewery in Milwaukee. I am sure they get that question a lot more now that these fictitious marketing company names are springing up for beers brewed by the big guys. Lakefront has actually been around for more than 20 years and they're brewing up some good beers that have recently managed to find their way all the way out here to Maine!

BEER FACTS

Name: Fuel Cafe Stout

Style: Stout (coffee flavored)

Brewery: Lakefront Brewery

Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

Container: 12 oz. bottle

Malts: ?

Hops: ?

ABV: 5.9%