L1933 00909, 17/01/22

Well, I don’t know. What has become of the once great l’Abbaye des Rocs? Some things as good as ever, most things not, and then there’s this.

Is it a stout? Sort of. Is it a coffee stout? Absolutely not. Is it a ‘flavored stout’ (whatever than means, and what it says onthe label)? No. Is it a Belgian Dark? Some elements of it might feel a bit that way. It is a little insipid? Yes. Too thin? A bit. Frankly it’s all over the place and not really in a good way.

The pour us a bit Dubbel-like which, at the best of times is not the most attractive beer to look at. Dark brown body and a thin tan coffee colored film on the surface. No lace, and whatever head was on the pour is gone very quickly.

Nose offers little. Maybe some very simple malt, not much else. The same is true of the tastes, bland malts and a touch of residual bitterness on the back end. The label screams ‘Flavored Stout’. Errr, flavored with what? Even the 7.5% ABV is barely noticeable.

Strange, bland , forgettable, I have no idea what anyone was shooting for here, and in the end it feels like a low rent, poorly executed Belgian Dark. Nothing to report here, pass.