Review: Southern Tier Crème Brûlée Stout
Appearance - This beer pours black with a nice, thick, very inviting beige head. Great head retention & lacing from start to finish.
Smell - Wow, VERY strong smell of vanilla, butterscotch, sweet caramel, sugar, etc. This is literally a dessert in a 22 oz. bottle. Very intriguing!
Taste - Initial slap-in-the-face with strong vanilla & butterscotch. Some secondary flavors that come through also include some toffee, sweet caramel, and some roasted malt. Very sweet & bitter towards the end that leaves the palate with a dry feeling. Alcohol is noticeable, especially towards the end when it’s accompanied by a nice, warming sensation.
Mouthfeel - Not overly carbonated, which is to be expected for an imperial milk stout. Not as thick/syrupy as other imperial stouts; full-bodied. The sweet vanilla & caramel rest well on the tongue, which is then followed nicely by the bitterness of the alcohol.
Drinkability - Great beer for a 22 oz. bottle, but that’s all I could drink in a night. This could easily be shared with a friend as it is a very sweet beer. I could see this being a great beer for dessert, or even to cook with.
Overall, this beer is one-of-a-kind. It is truly a dessert sealed up in a 22 oz. bottle. Highly recommended for the curious beer drinker.
Grade: B+
