#2 Brouwerji De Molen's "Hemel & Aarde"

By Brouwerji De Molen based in Bodegraven, Netherlands
10.00 ABV
Russian Imperial Stout

Hemel & Aarde(translates to  Heaven and Earth) on first sight looks like a bottle handmade by a kindergarten arts and crafts class. Very basic with a black and white label, this bottle didn't even say what type of beer it is. According to their website this beer contains some of the most heavily peated malt they could find.

Visual: Looks like an oil change in a beer mug, very little head and almost no carbonation

Smell: Straight hazelnut, fresh roasted coffee, a hickory smell. After this warms up it smells like a southern barbecue with a strong bacon smell, just enough to disgrace the sabbath and make farmer john feel right at home

Taste: Heavy thick oily mouthful, almost like you stuffed your mouth full of liquid bread.  Heavy charred malt but surprisingly it's easy to drink. Has also a roasted nut quality to the taste. As it warms you get a heavy Wilbur the pig taste, very tasty pork pours out. Seemingly out of nowhere Robitussin aspects come out, this really detracts from the beer and even though it's not overwhelming, it isn't pleasant.According to their website they were going for a licorice taste, think uneaten/inedible black licorice, not red vines.

Overall: A very complex brew with a unique flavor profile of a backyard barbecue. Heavy char, pig, coffee and the only detractor is the medicinal taste. Russian Imperial Stouts age well and I'd recommend aging a few to expose some new flavors. 88/100