Kokutou Sweet Stout
Sankt Gallen Brewery

"Kokutou" means black sugar in Japanese. IBU is 28, OG at 1.068, brewed with Chinook, East Kent Goldings, and Perle hops. An absolutely wonderful sweet stout with a nice sugary taste that delivers what the label promises.

Appearance: The most noticeable thing about this beer is, sadly, the unnecessarily vapid head. It barely forms, then evaporates into nothing but an oily film on the surface of the otherwise lovely, thick, coffee-black body.

Smell: I have never smelled a more cola-like beer. But that's not particularly surprising, considering that black sugar (the "kokutou" of the name) has tangy molasses notes reminiscent of cola. What IS surprising is the weirdly cheesy, strawberry yogurty funk that dominates the nose... odd for a beer that doesn't use spontaneous fermentation nor lactose, so it seems completely overpowering and out of place. And unfortunately, that funk is almost impenetrable - there could be some roasted coffee and maybe a little dark chocolate going on beneath the surface, but it's awfully hard to reach.

Taste: Remarkably tasty, much better than the aroma. Tangy and bitter with burnt malts, with a rich yet subtle stewed cola-syrup sweetness from the kokutou. Mild chocolate and brandy undertones evoke luxurious associations while tight, leafy hops and snappy alcohol hold everything together.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, bordering on full, with carbonation that buzzes with countless microscopic pops to boost the hop bitterness, then smooths out to allow the lushness of the malts and sugar to express itself.

Drinkability: Nice. Drink and enjoy - just avoid sniffing it too deeply.