by Brouwerij Emelisse/Slot-Oostende
As the name suggests, this beer is dessert in a bottle. It is part of the ‘Innovation Series’ from Emelisse, which unfortunately means it is not produced all that often.
It is an Imperial Stout at heart, with the addition of lactose, which aids the thick, smooth mouthfeel and also the awesome aroma.
A very dark brown, almost black body, with a beige foam. The nose is simply ‘wow’! Thick vanilla bean, chocolate, caramel, butterscotch and toffee.
These characteristics follow through in the taste as well. It is sweet, as expected, with all the attributes above. But there is also the stout lying at the heart of the beer. A strong roasted bitterness cuts through to balance out this sweetness. Somewhere there is the 8.0% ABV, but that is a mere sideshow.
A really thick mouthfeel and long, lingering aftertaste make this beer a real treat to substitute for dessert, or finish off a night.
A Fact: I called in to the brewery during my last trip to Europe, and it was brew day for the Crème Brulee Stout. I witnessed this batch being made!