De Dolle Extra Export Stout

This one exploded on me as I popped the top, so there was only about 5 oz. left to drink. Not crazy about the aroma, but the taste is good - strong note of grainy coffee, plus roasted malt and hoppy bitterness. Some alcohol warmth. Smooth palate with a lingering bitter finish. Will rerate when I can drink an entire bottle.

First snifter is nothing but a beige head. Though EES calms down a bit and I can eventually find some liquid at the bottom (it’s dark brown with hints of red), the head is excessive throughout. Nose is roast, dough, alcohol, and lots of sweet dark fruit. The flavor is very similar, but burnt and bitter with less sweetness and more roast. Palate is thick and creamy. Not very complex, and coffee stouts are slowly fading from the "favorites" list, yet this is still smooth and rather cohesive.

330ml Bottle: Aroma of alcohol, chocolate, must, coffee, malts, hazelnut, and licorice. Very complex aroma. Huge gusher. Poured black in color with a massive, foamy, brown head that lasted throughout. Opaque. Flavor of smoke, roasting, chocolate, coffee, cocoa, and a hint of licorice. Medium to full body. Creamy, then chalky texture. Soft carbonation. Smokey, malty finish.

Bottle. Pours very dark brown with a tan head. Aroma of coffee and maple syrup. Roasted flavor that is both sweet and salty. More coffee, some fruit. Nice.

Bottle. Pours black with a huge, thick, creamy head. Aroma of Belgian yeast, roast and coffee, dark fruits, apple. Flavor of initial bitterness, lots of roast, nuts, and charred notes. Just slightly a little more bitter than I’d prefer, but this was a good Belgian stout