Another pastry stout by this popular Dutch strong stout specialist, containing coconut and vanilla; thanks to Craftmember for sharing the can. Thick and dense, creamy, even somewhat pillowy, membrane-lacing, brownish mocha-beige head, slowly dissipating over a pitch black beer with very thin mahogany edge. Aroma of fudge, vanilla, old dried coconut flakes, Sachertorte, chocolate chips and milk chocolate bars, kahlua, elderberry jam, whisky, latté macchiato, chocolate liqueur, icing sheet (edible paper, indeed of the kind you would find at the bottom of a macaroon…). Sweet onset, bit sticky, candied dates, some ripe black cherry in the distance, soft carb, very light porcini-like touch of umami but just an accent and no match for the dominating sweetness; full, syrupy body, milk-chocolatey and toffeeish, cookie dough aspect with indeed retronasal vanilla and coconut, but the latter in a dry, ‘old’ and somewhat cheesy kind of way rather than the fresh coconut milk effect I was hoping for. Some herbal hop bitterness and heating whisky-like alcohol add bittering balance to an otherwise still very sweet finish, where chocolate and vanilla linger; the macaroon effect remains limited to the dried coconut flake and edible paper associations, but these are well integrated into the whole so I can accept the “macaroon stout” intentions here. Decent pastry stout from this producer – again.

LCI

Can at home, from HOTM online, 27/05/21. Black with a well presented tan covering that dissipates to a swirl but seems happy to hang out. Nose is dark malts, bitter roast, coconut shavings, cocoa powder, dried fruits, molasses. Taste comprises sweet malts, lighter roast than the nose suggested, vanilla, chocolate, light spice, toffee fudge, coconut, chocolate, light coffee dusting. Full bodied, fine lightly massaging carbonation, light drying close complemented with a kiss of alcohol. Decent well balanced impy affair ... keeps a good bitter and roasted bite and doesn't get runaway sweet.