Southern Tier Creme Brulee Stout

So... not exactly the best picture, right? Here's the thing: this beer is so knockdown amazingly delicious I managed to forget even considering anything outside of the jig my taste buds were dancing for the first 3/4 of the glass. I couldn't hear people talking in the bar, the speakers made no noise, time simply stopped when I first tasted Southern Tier's Creme Brulee Stout. Unbeknownst to me, this Imperial Milk Stout has been brewed in Lakewood, New York since 2008. Somehow I had to travel all the way to Good Beer Faucets in Tokyo to get my first taste.

When there was actually beer left in that tulip glass, the luscious elixir pours a slate black and smells sweetly of vanilla, custard, and brown sugar. The flavor isn't far off from what you smell with caramelized sugar being the most prevalent. Vanilla and custard combine with quite the alcoholic punch to deliver a nicely sweet and balanced, rich and milky finish. It's surprisingly medium-bodied for an imperial stout, but makes up for its name with 9.5%ABV.

With most beers this sweet, I usually wouldn't plan on making a night of drinking them... but I'd be up for the challenge with this good'un. Hell, throw a nice big scoop of vanilla ice cream in a glass and simply marvel at how amazing life can be.