some truth telling

I felt the need to find something strong for the weekend, since the news is full of nothing but awfulness.  Also, it's gotten a little colder again and a strong beer is more of a comfort than a bright and happy IPA.  I'm still taking a risk, though, with a Belgian stout, since I'm not the biggest fan of Belgian beers and their penchant for weird aftertastes.  Also, it's a cuvée, although it is described as a Russian Imperial Stout in style.  Cuvée Delphine is also barrel-aged in bourbon barrels, so even more potential sweetness.  I seem to recall De Struise from other moments, without any bad impressions, so I will go in under the assumption that they know what they're doing.

Unless the truth is you did kill that guy and bury him under the floor

The aroma is fruity and juicy, not what you expect from a stout but very much a Belgian sensation.  It even veers into winey-ness, with hints of heavy alcohol along the lines of barrel-aged beers.  It looks like a rich, velvety drink, just what you want from those black beers.  While I was apprehensive about the flavor after taking a good whiff, remembering some previous disappointments with cuvées, it's a pleasing and complex flavor in reality.  There is a little bit of fruitiness, but it's well balanced with stouty earth and smoke, as well as a hint of dark chocolate.  There's a good amount of body, but it's not super smooth I would say.  It has a slight prickliness going down, like a cat that wants you to know it isn't your little pet the way the dog is - it might choose to hang out, but you don't have total control, dammit.  Not that you should expect any real roughness, it's more symbolic and just respectful to acknowledge it.  The fruit comes out more and more as the beer warms, developing a clear raisin quality.  However, there's also a feeling of freshness too it, and naturalness.  These are not raisins that have been at the back of the cupboard for ten years, nor is it just raisin flavored chemicals.  In all honesty I would have preferred a lean into the chocolate taste, but it's a warm and cuddly flavor in the end.  No regrets and that's the truth.

Supplier: Labirratorium

Price: €7.85

kaboom

I was poking around Be Hoppy, looking for a good black beer and on a lower shelf I spied something looking up at me.  It turned out to be Belgian, not usually my first choice, but I have to admit there are some excellent things that come out of there.  This is one of the more modern products, a bourbon barrel aged stout, climbing up to 13%.  Whew, Moccha Bomb indeed! 

It's a thick looking very dark brown beer, not too much head, but the thin layer is resistant and decorative.  It has a slightly Belgian aroma, tangy and mildly sweet, but there's more dark chocolate than dunkel.  While the flavor is oaty and puffy, there's less chocolate there.  The Belgian twist comes out clearly.  It has a smoothness but also a good amount of solidness, almost like a melted ice cream.  A taste of fruit develops, raisins or maybe dried apple.  It's not quite as clean as some recent beers, leaving a slightly sour aftertaste at the top of the throat, but it's not hard to get down at all. The fruitiness makes it seem like a nice afternoon beverage, something to sip under an umbrella in a shady beer garden.  But there is a hidden strength that lies in wait, and although the bottle is a normal one, it packs quite a punch.  A nice piece of cake or a brownie a la mode would be amazing right now.