A blend of two great imperials, it seems the Struise cannot get enough of this formula. And again they hit it: a jet black stout with moussy, sticky, beige head and very dense, powerful aroma, delightfully perfumed with coffee, elderberries, whisky, wood, cane sugar, vanilla, chocolate, port wine, toasted bread... Rich and full palate, oily mouthfeel, strong chocolate malt and molasses, red berries, peppery spiciness, mouth-filling coffee bitterness and a long, dry but well-rounded, full finish with heart-warming alcohol. Still, why they have to blend two excellent beers in an attempt to make a third, better one, is a bit beyond me: instead, I had preferred they’d make a completely new one and try to top their own Black Albert... If that were possible, of course.

Bottle @ Schraevenacker, Belgium. Pours pitch black with 1 finger dence and creamy tan head. Aroma of roasted malt, little yeast, coffee, chocolate, kaluha, port, wood. Flavor is rather sweet, malty, yeast, caramel, wood, port, kaluha, light spice, hints of pepper, dark fruits, raisin, plums. Medium to full body, average carbonation. Rather sweet beer, but still easy to drink. 010814

330ml bottle. [European ’Tour de quitter’ or ’Trauerzug durch die Gemeinde der ausgeschiedenen Nachbarn’ part two: Belgium]. Opaque darkest brown colour with late awakening, huge, thick, firm, frothy to creamy, long lasting, moderately lacing, tan head. Intense, chocolately dark malty aroma, yeasty overtones add a decent amount of fruitiness, hints of red and dark berries, plum, raisin, also some vanilla. Taste is chocolately dark malty, interspersed with yeasty proliferation, fruity hints of dark berries, plum, also some oak and vanilla, some treacle, peppery yeast spiciness; oily texture, sticky palate. If you are inclined to divide beer country into three regions and allocate a genuine, special strength to any of these three areas, you might arrive at the following arrangement: Germany (malt), United States (hop), and Belgium (yeast). So you know what is unique about this Imperial Stout. (If you don’t have a clue: Danish is wrong - sorry for that).

Good imperial stout, balanced and rich and all. Yet, I feel that mixing two great beers is cheating. This ain’t brewing, this is mixing.

330ml bottle from Struise Beer Store in Brugge - Perfect looking jet black body, robust and lasting beige frothy topper. Nose is a bit more delicate than I was expecting, liquorice, dark chocolate, boozed up cake fruits, but all in a lighter fashion than anticipated. The taste is dominated by a boozy warmth, not too strong to overpower the layers of complex flavours, with fruits, liquorice, and espresso coffee allowed to come through. Not the best Struise I’ve had, but there are loads of brewers who can only dream of bottling something like this.

@Antwaerps Bierhuyske, Als je nu als Hollander dit bier besteld, wel even op letten om het uit te spreken in het Frans (Kabért), anders kan het even duren eer de barkeeper begrijpt welk bier je nu wilt hebben ;). anyway, de looks zijn fantastisch, mooi donker bruin/zwart bier met zeer volle bruine kraag, aroma’s zijn ook heerlijk, de port barrel aged komt er lekker doorheen, geroosterde en gebrande mouten, donkere chocolade, vanille, zoals gezegd, port. Smaken zijn ook erg goed, chocolade, moutig, zoet. heerlijk romig in de mond, volle body. Lekker spul maken de mannen van Struise toch (bijna) elke keer weer. --- Beer merged from original tick of Kabert on 15 May 2018 at 21:35 - Score: 8

(Bottle, Antwaerps Bierhuyske, Antwerpen, 24 Oct 2013) Black colour with dense, brown head. Malty, roasted nose with dark chocolate, black coffee, oak wood, liquorice, soy sauce and hints of red fruit. Malty, roasted taste with notes of dark chocolate, black coffee, anise, oak wood, hints of port wine and a generous spicy bitterness in the finish. Full body, with a certain sweetness coming through. Quite powerful and very tasty. Excellent beer.