Le Saint-Bock Sacrilège
After thoroughly enjoying Le Saint-Bock Brasserie’s Enigma (a barrel-aged barleywine), I had no hesitation about pulling this bottle of Sacrilège off the shelf and placing it amongst a few other beers already in the basket. Much like the Enigma, the bottle was rather unassuming but it had enough on it besides the beer’s name to let me know that I needed to purchase it.
This imperial stout was cracked open back in February (I’m playing catch-up with my notebook) and was unlike most every stout I’ve ever had before. Its 16% ABV alcohol content, the presence of dark fruits and its syrupy slick mouthfeel made for an enjoyable drinking experience.
Appearance
Dark, murky brown with a ruby edge and no head at all to speak of. It did have impressive legs that clung to the sides of the glass as I gave it a quick swirl to raise a head.
Aroma
This beer smells amazing. It’s boozy with wafts of molasses, malty sweetness, caramel, figs, licorice and dark roast coffee. Hints of rich chocolates come in a bit as the beer warms.
Taste
After the introductory sip, I knew right away that this one was meant to be enjoyed slowly. It’s sticky sweet and very warming. The full, viscous mouthfeel carries molasses, caramel and a little toffee while dark fruits and chocolate follow quickly behind as the beer transitions to a lingering coffee component with the slightest touch of bitterness. The syrupy mouthfeel and higher alcohol give this one an after-dinner-digestif-like character. Hell, this beer would be just fine if served as dessert. It’s a rich, full flavored beer.
Overall
This beer is characterized as an imperial stout, but it’s nothing like any other stout I’ve ever had. I have no idea what I would classify it as — a cross between an American Barleywine and a Belgian Strong Dark perhaps, but then again I don’t think that would work either. Sacrilège is an amazingly tasty beer. It’s also Le Saint-Bock’s second home run out of the two brews I’ve had from the small Quebec brewery.
Rating:4.5/5