My sister-in-law was in recently, and she commented about particularly liking crème brûlée. I recall having that dessert at several very nice restaurants, and I also enjoyed it. Since then, I have had several beers that were in the same vein as that dessert, and I recall liking them as well. In fact, I think both of the crème brûlée beers that I've had were from Southern Tier, and those guys have a knack for making particularly good beer.
One of the first things I smell as soon as I open the bottle is a butterscotch. I'm not sure if this is supposed to reflect the caramelized sugar that lays on top of a properly prepared crème brûlée, but it is definitely more butterscotch than it is seared sugar. Don't get me wrong, I like butterscotch, but it isn't crème brûlée. Other than that, the presentation is unremarkable, as most of these creams are of similar consistency and color. This one might be a tad more brown than usual.First sip is sweet, smooth, and creamy. The presence of alcohol is very forward, but it is overwhelmed by the creaminess very quickly. There's no debating as to whether or not this is a beverage containing alcohol, and it actually surprises me quite a bit to see that the ABV is only 20%. Nevertheless, the warmth of alcohol soothes as it goes down the gullet and the creaminess of the rest of the beverage makes this more than palatable.
The vanilla of the crème brûlée is coming out very strong, but it is so entrenched in the cream that the two present as one unit - a vanilla cream. Subsequent sips indicate that this will continue to be just as smooth the whole way through, and the 20% alcohol has faded so far into the background that sipping this could become dangerous very quickly. It's hard to tell how much alcohol you've had when it tastes like liquid candy.
Bottom Line: An excellent nightcap.
4.25/5