Simple Malt Imperial Stout Plus Noire Truculente
Brasseurs Illimités

Appearance: It has a nice jet black color to it. It has a nice creamy brownish head that dies down moderately and leaves little lacing.

Smell: The aromas definitely give out hints of sweet roasted malts, dark chocolate, some coffee and some molasses.

Taste: Like the aromas, it has some roasted malts, bitter dark chocolate, roasted coffee, faint molasses and a touch of black licorice.

Mouthfeel: It has a low carbonation with a nice overall balance and feel.

Drinkability: It's a very smooth drinkable beer accompanied with good flavors and aromas.

When poored a very opaque dark succulent molasse like liquid. No head to been seen for miles.

Smell of dark malt, malty bread like Russian kvas. Followed by roasted coffee and licorice.

In mouth it is smooth with a touch of sweetness followed by roasted coffee, black licorice and barley.

 

 

 

From a 500ml bottle, undated. Served in a tulip.

Pours inky black with the merest suggestion of a plum highlight. A finger of the darkest brown head I've ever seen fades back quickly leaving a slight ring and no lacing.

The smell... well, the smell made me moan. And not the kind of moan like maybe you hurt yourself opening the bottle, more like the kind of moan where you may have to go change your pants. Smokey whiskey, bakers chocolate, oak, toasted oats, currants and apples, vanilla, mocha java and (unlit) cigars. It's all in there.

The taste lacks the subtlety of the nose, with an overwhelming first impression of bourbon-booziness and sweet, toasted oats followed strongly by bitter coffee and dark, bitter chocolate. As it sits on the palate, more flavours develop, especially the vanilla and dried fruits, and some cherry licorice, but it never does quite deliver what the smell promised. Finishes with a long, sticky vanilla-bourbon booziness in the sinuses and mild warming in the gullet.

Feel is medium-full bodied, slightly sticky but still clean drinking with modest carbonation that gets the job done without getting in the way.

Overall, this is a great big industrial-strength imperial stout and is not suitable for small children or timid adults.

Simple Malt Imperial Stout Plus Noire Truculente is not a good name and the label is just as prosaic. The beer itself, however, definitely arouses a reaction; the creamy mocha head that frothed up from the thick-as-syrup pour was eye-opening and flatters the stylishly black, utterly opaque body.

Dear Brasseurs Illimités, are you sure this isn't bourbon barrel aged? It doesn't say so on the label but I'm thinking it's possible you forgot or mixed up batches at bottling? Because it sure as hell smells like it is! This aroma is Donald Trump-rich and smells like the kind of Cuban cigars I could never afford...

Not to mention artisan chocolate truffles and gourmet coffee, like the infamous civet cat kind or something just as lucrative, expensive and rare. Harsher, intense notes of tobacco, charcoal grill and smoldering firewood are smoothed over by vanilla bean paste, fudge, and Mexican-spice cappuccino.

While I hesitate to mention Simple Malt in the same breath as the great Bourbon County Stout the likeness is uncanny. And considering this is *not* actually barrel aged yet offers a similar array of tarry, oaked, vanilla-soaked bourbon flavour as well as the cigar smoke, chocolate shaving, and espresso highlights, well, I'd be extremely curious to try the two side-by-side (if only I could land a bottle of BCBS).

Consider this: Imperial Stout Plus is available year-round, for nearly half the price, and one doesn't have to line up. Warren Buffet said the key to wealth was "to be greedy when others are fearful, and be fearful when others are greedy". This brewery doesn't have a great track-record - and for good reason - but even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while. Invest heavily in this one and you'll be happy.

 

Pitch black with a deep brown head that dissipates quickly. Strong coffee, chocolate and oats on the nose. Coffee, chocolate and cinnamon emerge from the roasted malt. Thick and creamy with very slight burn from the high ABV. This is very big and bold imperial stout that is certainly worthy of being sought out.

 

Bottle: Poured a pitch-black color stout with a nice dark brown foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of dry coffee notes with some astringent roasted malt with some nice black chocolate notes also noticeable. Taste is dominated by astringent roasted malt with nice black chocolates notes and a spicy finish. Body is full with nice creamy texture with good carbonation and light warming alcohol. This is an extreme imperials stout which retain just enough drinkability. I must admit I preferred the barrel-aged version which had less rough edges.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A: Pours really really really black. Gotta be the darkest beer I've ever seen. Incredibly dark head, full on brown color, nowhere near mocha. Retention is ok as well as lacing. Very imposing beer.

S: Very deep malty notes with tons of coffee and chocolate. Some coconut maybe in there too? There is a weird muskiness about this beer that I haven't noticed much in any other imperial stouts before. Lastly, the alcohol brings a tiny bit of strawberries that have been cooked in maple syrup.

T: Same as the nose, you get tons of semi sweet chocolate with coffee that is laced with a tiny bit of coconut. It is still a tiny bit musky which gives it a character similar to some whisky (but not to be associated with whisky barrel aging). Again, there seems to be some strawberries in this with a tiny amount of maple syrup. But, I don't know why, but the hops leave a medicinal aftertaste that reduces the score of this beer.

M: My my my, this is one thick and sticky beer. I don't remember drinking a beer this thick since BCBS. Very smooth.

O: This is a very drinkable beer even considering how heavy it is. Although it is not the most complex and awe inspiring Epic stout out there, it is still a very solid offering that I would recommend to every imperial stouts drinkers out there.