Scheldebrouwerij Generaal Pardon

Brewed by Scheldebrouwerij
Style: Imperial Stout
Meer (Hoogstraten), Belgium

On draught. An almost black beer, with a foamed beige head. It has a aroma of dark malts, coffee and chocolate. The taste is from dark fruits, like prum and raisins. Some drop (dutch black sweets) and pure chocolate after taste. An enjoyable complex beer for cold dark evenings.

On tap @ De Geuzen. It has been a while when this was on draught, but I really liked this one. Dark brown/black with a beige head. Nose of coffee, lots of brown sugar, dark fruits. Taste is sweet, brown sugar/caramel, liquorice, coffee, roasted malts finish. A lot going on in the flavours, but all nicely balanced. Very warming. Soft mouthfeel.

On tap @ Pothuiske and @ Take One in Maastricht. I sampled this twice without knowing what style this was supposed to be... and I think it’s better that way. Rather than an imperial stout, I considered it an abbey-style dubbel of excellence. Pours dark brown with frothy, tan, lasting head. Aroma was full of dark fruits, with tinges of milk chocolate. Lightly sweet beer with a healthy dose of roasty bitterness -- more hops than you’d find in a typical abbey brown, and they bring more complexity and balance to the table. Fairly lively mouthfeel, lightly dry. Alcohol hidden. Really enjoyed it. Glad I didn’t know it was supposed to be an impy stout, that probably would have messed with my head.

Draught at Pothuiske in Mestreech. Creamy light beige lasting head which leaves proper lacing behind. very dark almost black color. Roasted malts flavor and scent. Expected more bitter finish. not bad, but it needs to be thicker to be an Imperial Stout

On draft at In de Wildeman, Amsterdam. Dark red-brown coloured, lasting brown head. Roasted malty nose. Some caramel in flavour, moderate sweetness. Quite thin. Fair, but not really impressive.

Tap, Arendsnest. Dark black color, medium brown head. Aroma of heavy licorice, quite spicy, some coffee, but overwhelming licorice. Roasted malty taste. Quite straightforward stout-like beer, not an imperial stout. Ok.

Tap, Café Morshuis in Albergen. Cream and honey in the aroma. Creamy, velvety flavor with raspberry, some roastbitterness and honey. Honey and roastbitter aftertaste, almost milky. Hint of diacetyl?? Good, but somehow I expected better.

Yellow-brown head, deep dark red-brown beer. Dry, roasted nose, even scorched malts. Whiff, very briefly, of chocolate. Sweetish, after the roastiness thins out a bit. Caramel, bit chocolatey. Bit slick, medium to well-bodied, just a bit of alcohol coming up. Sweet, but not undeserving. It feels quite professionaly brewed, despite the homebrewers’ recipe, quite OK. Whatever a "Belgian Imperial Stout" might be, is an enigma to me.