Beer Review: Dieu Du Ciel Peche Mortel

Happy New Year! For those nursing a hangover today, the next beer from Dieu Du Ciel might be the perfect remedy.  Peche Mortel (mortal sin) is an imperial stout brewed with fair trade coffee to add to the delicious dark flavors of this beer.  A nice blend of coffee and chocolate and a little hair of the dog, and it should fix you up for the weekend ahead.

Imperial stouts were historically brewed with such a high strength so it could survive the trip from England to Russia, and it was brewed specifically for the Russian royals, who loved it and hence the “Imperial.”  I am particularly fond of this beer because of the use of fair trade coffee and not just any coffee.  It does cause a rise in price as with all fair trade products, however this money goes to the producers and helps to promote financial stability in countries that are unstable and rely heavily on the export of few products to places like the U.S.

The fair trade philosophy is something that I believe is closely related to craft beer.  Money is not the focus, people and their well being are the important thing, which is the right perspective and refreshing in a world of profit driven macro produced beers for the masses and an epidemic of Wal-Marts.

Before I even tasted this beer I liked it, and after I tasted it, I loved it.  Here is my review:

Dark hazelnut brown to black in color with almost no head, just a halo of khaki colored foam that leaves little lacing.  Gives off a roasted coffee smell, toffee, vanilla, chocolate, and hints of dark fruits (prune, raisin).  There is some smoke in the nose as well with some woody, earthy olive notes.  It was a delicious first sip, with deep chocolate and coffee flavors that are beautifully subtle.  Smooth roasty flavors of coffee merge into a dark chocolate finish with a comforting warm alcohol that lingers.  The flavor plays well with a rolling sweet throughout, going from roasty to bitter coffee to sweet booming once more.  This is a very good beer.  It is rich and complex, subtle yet very bold when all the aspects of alcohol, coffee and chocolate combine in a delicious harmony. It has a slick mouthfeel, chewy, full-bodied and leaves a stick on the mouth with residual warmth relative to a barrel-aged beer.

It’s a great after dinner sipper, and could stand up to a cigar if you so desire, so skip the Folgers and drink a Peche Mortel.