Tasting Notes: T Smisje: Catherine The Great Imperial Stout

T Smisje: Catherine The Great Imperial Stout (Belgium: Imperial Stout: 10% ABV)

Visual: Pours lighter and easier than expected, a very dark brown and cloudy body with a decent bubbly brown head that subsides at a measured pace. Comparatively fizzy.

Nose: Brown sugar. Brandy and vanilla cream. Big wodge of milk chocolate. Distinct liquorice and nut. Mothballs. Black cherry. A lot going on.

Body: Lots of roasted nuts and campfire. Brown sugar. Slightly frothy bubbly reactive feel. Raisins. Some bitter chocolate, Figs.

Finish: Charcoal. Ash. Peanuts. Cherries, charred wood. Bitter chocolate.

Conclusion: Very nutty beer, and one I enjoyed more when I stopped looking upon it as a stout. Whilst some small stout elements are detectable, the beers as a whole is much closer to the strong Belgium ale/dubbel styles. There is very distinct brown sugar and the wonderful nose that is usually linked with that style.

The nose is the best aspect, wonderfully captivating. The rest of the beer is decent, though not at the top of the amazingly packed field that is Belgium beers. A decent beer, just one that does not match the style to which it claims.

(Thanks to Martin Ingram for the kind gift of this beer)