Imperial Crème Brûlée Java Stout
Kuhnhenn Brewing Company

Imperial Crème Brûlée Java StoutImperial Crème Brûlée Java Stout
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From:
Kuhnhenn Brewing Company
 
Michigan, United States
Style:
American Imperial Stout
Ranked #1,490
ABV:
8.5%
Score:
91
Ranked #6,412
Avg:
4.1 | pDev: 10.49%
Reviews:
69
Ratings:
221
Status:
Active
Rated:
Mar 03, 2024
Added:
Dec 25, 2009
Wants:
  88
Gots:
  7
Coffee. Chocolate. Caramel. Vanilla. You’re used to seeing a lot of these terms when describing stouts. These are not just descriptors; they are ingredients. “Java,” as we call it, has become a crowd favorite by perfectly balancing the sweet and the roast, thanks to the use of Creme Brule coffee. The aroma and flavor are a coffee, chocolate or dessert-lover’s dream in a glass.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by coldmeat23:
Photo of coldmeat23
Reviewed by coldmeat23 from Oklahoma

4.07/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
GLASS: Snifter
TEMP: Chilled at approx 42 degrees, allowed to warm to room temp
Super fantastic thanks goes to mjd83goblue for sending this one my way! Damn I sure do love Kuhnhenn beers!

This pours up a very dark brown color and has some pretty intense ruby highlights, when backlit. The small head that forms is dark brown colored and doesn't stay around for very long. The lacing is mostly spotty, but does leave a couple of thin strands, and is quite sticky.

Big notes of very dark roasted coffee beans, freshly ground, ooze from the rim of this glass. They are being kept in check by a wonderful sweetness. This is full of rich vanilla notes and loads of carmalized sugar and traces of brown sugar. Very light notes of dark fruits, mostly cherries. Hints of milk and dark chocolates and a splash of heavy cream.

Okay, maybe Java should come before Crème Brûlée, in the name of this one. Coffee is definitely the stand-out here. Lots of great flavor of dark roasted coffee beans. Loads of fresh ground coffee flavor. Slightly bitter and acidic notes. The Crème Brûlée aspect is here, but it's underneath the surface. A good touch of vanilla is here. Light traces of caramelized sugars. The Crème Brûlée aspect actually comes off as more of a flavored creamer in a cup of great coffee.

This one has a medium body and a low level of carbonation. This helps it maintain a nice smoothness, but it has no creaminess to it. This one really ought to have a good deal of creaminess, and I think that it suffers by not having it. It comes off as almost thin because of it.

This is nicely drinkable, and the 8.00%abv is nowhere to be found, even when trying to find it. I'd be inclined to reach for a few other Kuhnhenn offerings before this one, but I'd never turn one of these down though, that's for sure.
Actually, I think that I'd love to blend this one 50/50 with Southern Tier Crème Brûlée Imperial Stout. ST can almost be too sweet sometimes and the coffee prominence of this one should go nicely with that.
Jun 14, 2010
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.75 by jduprey007 from Michigan

Mar 03, 2024
 
Rated: 4 by HopBelT from Belgium

Feb 21, 2024
 
Rated: 4.14 by RalphStanley34 from French Polynesia

Oct 16, 2023
Photo of Bouleboubier
Reviewed by Bouleboubier from New Jersey

3.61/5  rDev -12%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
(12 oz can, canned on 11/03/22, 8.5% abv; purchased cold single at the brewery last week... poured into my St. Bernardus goblet)

L: curiously extra-brown liquid with highlights painted out; little-to-no foam on the pour... no lace, naturally

S: ground espresso, roasted/burnt nut (skin); toasted hazelnut, diner coffee, Dickies work shirt... smells more like an Imperial Robust Porter, if I may, but not quite Baltic or whatever

T: heavily coffee-forward, malt-dense foundation; the finish and aftertaste is arguably artificially nougaty, but with seeming vanilla and/or marizpan inflections fragmented or absent... aftertaste after second sip gets nuttier and earthy, stained-woodier; but by the third sip, the nougat rises again... nutty wood and not-so-sweet chocolate biscotti?; subtle back note of oxidasicality?

F: what I usually call malt milk... it's good for what it is, but as far as an Imperial Stout, it's too flabby-fatty; needs more legs and length

O: creme brulee AND java?! - yeah, I get it, but it's not quite legally/legibly married... not sure if its the unnatural flavors going on or just a idiosyncratic imbalance... rather full-flavored, but if anything it's a(n enhanced) porter, not a(n Imperial) stout (2207)
Aug 27, 2023
Photo of drdiesel9483
Reviewed by drdiesel9483 from Ohio

4.19/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Look - black with a nice thick tan head and sticky lacing
Smell -straight up coffee cream brulee
Taste - roasted malts coffee and creamer
Feel - medium full body with a medium light carb
Overall - pretty nice stout
May 25, 2023
 
Rated: 4.39 by gshak from Texas

Jan 25, 2023
Photo of xmanden
Reviewed by xmanden from Michigan

3.57/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Pours opaque, dark, dark, dark brown, almost black. The tan head last a long time and some residual foam stayed on my mug well after I finished the beer. Smells of cocoa, caramel, coffee bean and vanilla. Taste is a blast of dark, bitter, cocoa, roasted nuts and sweet lemon grass. There are many other subtle flavors that dance on the taste buds but nothing really stands out to mention. This is very creamy, heavy and bitter, so strap in for the ride.
Sep 18, 2022
Photo of Sigmund
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Sample on tap at Mikkeller Bar, Aarhus. Black colour, creamy tan head. Aroma and flavour of roast malts, creme brulee, chocolate and coffee. Excellent beer, would buy again.
Mar 18, 2021
 
Rated: 3.76 by gbiello from Massachusetts

Jul 07, 2020
 
Rated: 3.82 by 98green from Michigan

Apr 07, 2020
Photo of superspak
Reviewed by superspak from North Carolina

4/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12 ounce can into tulip glass, canned on 11/21/2019. Pours opaque dark brown/black color with a 1 finger dense and rocky tan head with awesome retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice dense soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a light amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, dark roasted coffee, caramel, vanilla, whipped cream, toffee, roasted nuts, toasted biscuit, and dark bread/crust; with lighter notes of molasses, licorice, dark fruit, smoke, charcoal, wood, herbal, grass, pepper, pine, and yeast/roast/toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/black/roast/bready malts, lactose, vanilla, coffee, earthy hops, and light-moderate fruity yeast notes; with big strength. Taste of big milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, dark roasted coffee, caramel, vanilla, whipped cream, toffee, roasted nuts, toasted biscuit, and dark bread/crust; with lighter notes of molasses, licorice, dark fruit, smoke, charcoal, wood, herbal, grass, pepper, pine, and yeast/roast/toasted earthiness. Light-moderate pine, herbal, woody, grassy, peppery, roast, charred bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, dark roasted coffee, caramel, vanilla, whipped cream, toffee, roasted nuts, toasted biscuit, dark bread/crust, molasses, licorice, dark fruit, smoke, charcoal, wood, herbal, grass, pepper, pine, and yeast/roast/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Great complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/black/roast/bready malts, lactose, vanilla, coffee, earthy hops, and light-moderate fruity yeast flavors; with a great roast/hop bitter/sweet balance; and no cloying/acrid/astringent flavors after the finish. Lightly increasing dryness from lingering hop/char bitterness. Medium carbonation and medium-full body; with a very smooth, creamy/silky/bready, and fairly sticky/chalky/resinous mouthfeel that is great. Minimal warming alcohol for 8.5%. Overall this is an excellent imperial cream stout. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/black/roast/bready malts, lactose, vanilla, coffee, earthy hops, and light-moderate fruity yeast flavors; very smooth and easy to drink with the modestly bitter/drying finish; not overly aggressive. Great balance of rich malts, lactose, vanilla, fruity/nutty coffee, and earthy hops; with restrained fruity yeast. Light residual sweetness with lingering hop/char dryness. A very enjoyable offering, and well made style example as expected. Was a little more bitter/drying than I expected, but not overdone. No complaints.
Jan 19, 2020
Photo of bbtkd
Reviewed by bbtkd from South Dakota

4.48/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Kuhnhenn Imperial Crème Brûlée Java Stout, 8.5% ABV. Pours thick and black with a slight brown head that left no lacing. Nose is sweet caramel, vanilla, chocolate, and lactose. Taste is strong slightly sweet caramel, vanilla, chocolate, lactose, and coffee, with a slight bitter close. Excellent smooth mouthfeel, overall outstanding.
Jan 18, 2020
 
Rated: 4 by rare_bird from Michigan

Dec 02, 2019
 
Rated: 4.25 by tcbro023 from Wisconsin

Aug 11, 2019
 
Rated: 4.12 by StoutSnob40 from California

Jun 12, 2019
 
Rated: 4.43 by HardyA from Michigan

Dec 23, 2018
Photo of JimboBrews54
Reviewed by JimboBrews54 from Michigan

5/5  rDev +22%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
WOOHOO!!!!!! What a dessert in glass this is. Just as awesome as Frambouise, but the Creme Brulee version of it. Sweet, stout that has a balanced taste with some roasted malts, this does not have an overpowering coffee flavor to it but a subdued vanilla taste.
Oct 08, 2018
 
Rated: 4.16 by Futbolmanby from Michigan

Sep 08, 2018
 
Rated: 3.75 by stortore from Illinois

Jun 27, 2018
Imperial Crème Brûlée Java Stout from Kuhnhenn Brewing Company
Beer rating: 91 out of 100 with 221 ratings