Hof ten Dormaal is our Belgian farmhouse brewery, where most of the ingredients used in their beers are sourced from their own farm. It is the quintessential rustic, Belgian countryside brewery.
And in typical Hof ten Dormaal fashion this beer isn’t your average imperial stout.
It pours pitch black, glugging out of the bottle to form a thin white head that settles quickly. There is the aroma of chocolate, coffee, licorice, gingerbread and some spicing.
The body is thick and creamy, thanks to the oats. Lots of chocolate and a nice hit of coffee, with enough hop bitterness to balance out that big dark body. There is also roasted chicory root in this beer, which is something of a signature inclusion for Hof ten Dormaal it seems. I’m guessing this adds to the earthy, slightly spicy character that you get.
Overall it’s a very nice beer, balanced well and lots of interesting flavour. A good one to let warm up if it has been in the fridge. Then sit back by the fireplace and enjoy this bottle of winter gold.