Finally got one of these. Brewed 12/5/20, drinking on 13/6/20, so unsure how much effect that has.
Praline – Oak aged cacao, hazelnut and vanilla stout. 5.8%
La Sirene lists this as Colour 5/5, Bitterness 1/5 and Decadence 5/5.
Its…interesting. On first sip I was not impressed, but this just keeps developing. Its a dark, very dark, opaque and turbid pour, with a small tan head, very light carbonation. The nose is cocoa, dark roasty malts and a hint of wild yeast funk. The taste is initially cocoa but followed up very fast with a noticeable wild sourness I assume from the barrels, that is melding with the dark malt bitterness. No noticeable hops. Theres vanilla that hangs around and after a few more sips the woody and rather dry barrel character comes out. The more sips the more the sourness transforms or is overtaken by the barrel and a red wine-like oakey dryness even on the lips. Still cocoa, still this lingering vanilla, still dark malts, all the aroma still there, but its a big red wine cabernet-like dry puckering oakeyness. I imagine super-fresh there would be more chocolate and vanilla character, but this was still very nice.
What a strange but enjoyable beer.
