Les Brasseurs du Temps Obscur Désir

Brewed by Les Brasseurs du Temps
Style: Imperial Stout
Gatineau, Canada

A deep dark stout with a thin moka head. In aroma, beautiful sweet chocolates, brines, figs, onctuous hops, very pungeant. In mouth, a smooth bitter chocolate, with British hops, cold coffee, burned toasts, smooth yet challenging. On tap at brewpub, Nov. 28 2009.

My Bottom Line:
This very complex and personable Imperial Stout develops vanilla angles, dark chocolate softness, biscuity crunch and coffee-like roasted malt flavors within which piney and resinous hops thrive in perfect harmony.

Further Personal Perceptions:
-A lofty coffee-colored head of foam sticks to the utter blackness, lacing beautifully all the way down the glass.
-This is not your typical over-the-top Imperial Stout which streamlines to flavor efficiency with two or three powerful flavors. There is a lot going on here, from the malts, hops and chocolate used, and everything is beautifully cohesive.
-There is lots of flavor here, but plenty of drinkability also.
-The mouthfeel is silky and cushiony, a very comfortable vehicle for all these harmonious flavors.

On tap at the brewpub.

2009-11-17. Pitch black with a modest dark khaki head. 4+ Aroma is a subtle sweet malt with dry roasty overtones. 7+ Flavour is dominated by coffee like roast and bitterness, to much for my liking. Sweet dark malt core is very much secondary. Smooth medium palate. Well made, but far too much roast and coffee like character for my own tastes. On tap at the brewpub