Katy and Sasha are the contributors for Ottawa Beer Events! They
have distinctly different palates and in this segment they go
head-to-head tasting Isseki Nicho by Brasserie Dieu du Ciel.
Katy:
Isseko Nicho is a special collaboration between Dieu du Ciel and Shiga Kogen, a Japanese brewery located in Nagano, Japan. It's an Imperial Dark Saison, a unique combination of Imperial Stout and Belgian Saison that rings in at a hefty 9.5% ABV.
It pours a deep black with a lingering frothy mocha head that leaves some nice lace patterns on the glass as you sip. There are aromas of roasted malt, coffee, dried dark fruit, anise and some hoppy citrus – I guess when you merge two beer styles you get some complicated aromas.
The imperial stout side of this beer is more prominent in the taste with roasted malt coming in front and centre with hints of anise and clove coming in subtly in the middle and ending really bitter with some spiciness.
Dieu de Ciel's Isseki Nicho, is an Imperial Dark Saison that they brewed in collaboration with Shiga Kogen in Japan.
It pours the color of black ink, with a thick caramel coloured head, and a strong aroma of alcohol with a hint of floral from the hops.
This beer definitely delivers on its 9.5% ABV. At first the alcohol overpowered the rest of the flavours, but once it warms you get the toasted malt flavours which deliver a hint of coffee and anise.
It's definitely a "big beer", not something I could drink more than one of at a time, but will appeal to those who like the strong bitter styles.
Isseki Nicho is available at Bières Du Monde (181 Rue Principal Aylmer, QC) - lesbieresdumonde.com
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