Hercule Stout
Brasserie Ellezelloise

Look - brown, lighter than a Baltic porter

Smell - like fruity burnt marshmallows

Taste - complex with typical dark chocolate and plum stout flavors, but with a coconut aftertaste, wonderful

Feel - very smooth, lots of small-bubble carbonation, overflowed upon opening

Overall - This is the best stout I have ever had.

Copenhagen 20/2 2019. 33 cl bottle from Køl Beer Webshop (kolbeer.com). Drawing of good old Poirot in Peter Ustinov inspired version on the label.

Pours opaque dark brown with big light beige head. Bubbly but fairly stable. Settles as 3 cm thick Crown of foam. Substantial Lacing.

Aroma is dark sweetish with strong yeasty notes and a sharp, sourish odor rummaging in the background. Caramel, licorice, humid basement and hints of tart berries. Strong alcoholic presence.

Light carbonation. Slightly thick, Soft but lightly prickly texture.

Flavor is fairly sweet followed by a more moderate but notable sourish bitterness. Aftertaste is tart with a sweet undercurrent. Lingers for a while. Lightly searing alcohol.

Fairly fresh and easy to drink for a Stout with a ABV of 9,0.

11.2oz swingtop bottle into a small goblet. Best by November 2025.

Black body, small white head shrinks to a covering, specks of lacing. Aroma of dark fruit. On tasting, slightly sweet. Later on and into the finish is a very pleasing bitter roasty burn that isn't in the least bit harsh.

Overall, never heard of this before. Swiped from my s-i-l's beer fridge. Nice beer.

Bottle 0.33L.
Deep brown body with large, frothy, tan head, mostly lasting with nice lacing.
Moderate-to-heavy malty (roasted) aroma with notes of dark chocolate (cocoa) some dark fruits, spices and some yeasty cheese as soon as the bottle is uncorked.
Moderate-to-heavy bitter flavour with light sweetness; some dark chocolate in the finish.
Medium-to-full body with creamy texture; soft carbonation.

Black with were little, beige head. Dark fruits, raisins, roasted malt, and chocolate in aroma. Sweet, malty taste with moderate, roasted bitterness. Full-bodied and smooth.

On tap at Monk’s Café in Philadelphia, PA.

This one pours a fairly dark black color, with a small head, and a little bit of lacing.

This smells very chocolatey, with roasted malt, smoke, licorice, tobacco, and char.

This is really solid. It’s not a complete thickboy, like an American stout, but it’s some nice creaminess and solid enough heft to it. It’s roasty, bitter, and herbal, but there is a solid creamy chocolatey thing going on that helps add some balance. There isn’t much “Belgian” about in yeast character, it just feels like a stronger British stout, or something like that.

This is medium bodied, not all that boozy, and really drinkable.

This wasn’t anything that was on my radar, but it was really cool to try it.

 

 

 

 

Very dark brown, with lighter brown edging, no head after initial salvo. Smells of tons of date with supporting plum, raisin, molasses, and brown sugar, with a roasted malt backing. Taste is so short lived, dark fruit and chocolately malts zip by the palate, like what I got but it turn watery quickly. Which brings us to the feel, watery, thin, yet malty. Like so watery I'm not convinced it isn't flavored water. Give me more body!

The bottle had rested for weeks and been well chilled and handled with care, but man did it want to foam when gently releasing the cap. Tip #1 be prepared to progressively release some gas from the cap but be ready to lock it shut again if it foams, then wait and repeat.
L- In natural light it's black. To a halogen it's ultra dark chestnut/ruby. Sediment in it is just visible and pours with a 2mm pale tan head.
S- Prominent coffee, front and centre.
T- Deep roasted, very toasty charred plus pungent coffee. How they get that from just barley/malt/hops+yeast I've no idea.
F- It's solid meaty has depth and a pungent feel - glad to say it never strays anywhere in the direction of having a sweet note. This is primo winter-warmer stuff. Slow-sippin' in front of the log fire.
O- It's lovely, great balance, nothing out of place to note. I'd happily buy and drink this again.
Bought from BelgiumInABox Antwerp/BE for delivery to me in London/UK. 330ml bottle BBE: 04/21

 

Black liquid; a dull orange rust appears at the edges when held to the light.

Nice khaki head; a curtain of lace.

Dark fruits & bread in the nose; definitely a Belgian stout.

Medium thick mouthfeel; creamy like a nitro tap.

Cherry, licorice, slight wax & slight chocolate conspire to make a singular, delicious beer.

Truly unique, I've never had a flavor quite like this. More importantly, it's delicious.

More than worth the $7 I paid for 11.2oz. Just...wow.