Microbrasserie Dieu Du Ciel has been a staple in Montreal since their inception in 1998, and my discover of Dieu Du Ciel started after some time of moving to Montreal. But since my first sip of Moralite I have tried several of their offerings. I had never really however jumped into drinking coffee stouts due to my caffeine intolerance. The worst outcome is that I become extremely hyper, which isn’t a terrible outcome at all, sometimes it can be beneficial. For example after a cup of tea my wife made me, I ended up cleaning the entire apartment out of sheer hyperness.
It wasn’t until people around the craft beer community kept mentioning and raving about Peche Mortel, Duie Du Ciel’s famous coffee stout. But even more so the bourbon barrel aged version of Peche Mortel. So after curiosity caught rained over me, I decided to just take the dive, and the results, well delicious but my new bed time became 6am. Having learned my lesson the first time around, I decided the next time I will have a Peche Mortel again, I will start much earlier, this way ill be hyper but I’ll be able to hit the hay on time.
Although Peche Mortel is loaded with coffee, there are many other coffee stouts I have tried which do not have as much coffee in them resulting in a less hyper experience. However, to not have Peche Mortel is certainly is a mortal sin, more specifically seven deadly sins.
Peche Mortel Bourbon BA 2018
Imperial Stout || ABV: 9.5% || IBU: –
Lust: Intense Longing
What lead to my interest in drinking these beers was a unwavering lustful desire. This lust was sparked by the masses of the craft beer world, after hearing so much about its decedent chocolate, mixed with woody bourbon and bursting coffee taste. It sat on my mind for a long time, and when I finally opened my first Peche Mortel, I chose the freshest bourbon barrel version I had in my collection. The coffee attack hits strong, almost send me back to the days I used to enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning. Taste is super heavy on coffee with an accompanying spicy tang with a vanilla creamy body and a minor feel of bourbon. It is a super smooth stout for sitting at 9.5% abv. I can say that my lust was satisfied. But it intensified a greed within in me. I wanted more.
Peche Mortel Bourbon BA 2017
Imperial Stout || ABV: 9.5% || IBU: –
Greed: Artificial, rapacious desire and pursuit of material possessions
What led to the continuation of my exploration of Peche Mortel was a strong desire and pursuit of material possessions, in this case beer. Odd to say some of us do so much just for beer. But it is our desire of pursuit that leads to this need within us. After drinking the 2018 version, I decided I would try all the versions I had starting from fresh to and ending with old. This version seems to be far more favorable to me as the bourbon woody character really shines and it has a nice cocoa spiciness along with the roasty coffee, and it finishes with a great roasty tobacco with a slight touch of vanilla on the back end.
Peche Mortel Bourbon BA 2016
Imperial Stout || ABV: 9.5% || IBU: –
Sloth: Absence of Interest or Habitual disinclination to exertion.
After finishing the 2017 version I felt like a bit of a sloth, I had gained an absence of interest in anything other than Peche Mortel, it had captivated me. And the interplay between hyper activity and the buzz from the alcohol had me hooked. It was a feeling I had never experienced before. So I moved forward. I was thinking that with age, the beer would fall off like some beers do, this version had a bit of a rusty feel for me, but the same decadent coffee, vanilla with a very subtle bourbon kick. Seems to be mellow with each older year I try. But soon I came to the realization that I was left with just one variant, and an uncontrollable rage be fell me.
Peche Mortel Bourbon BA 2015
Imperial Stout || ABV: 9.5% || IBU: –
Wrath: Uncontrollable feelings of anger, rage and even hatred.
I was filled with this rage, realizing the fact that I was out of my Peche Mortel variants. I was certainly sure that a beer that was sitting at three years old would definitely not hold up well, but again my skepticism was met with a delightful surprise. Peche Mortel gets better with age, it mellows out and balances everything. It has a great balance and dance between chocolate, coffee, vanilla and woody bourbon. I can only imagine what some older variants might taste like. Would be curious to try some!
Peche Mortel Double Barrel Cognac & Brandy
Imperial Stout || ABV: 9.5% || IBU: –
Pride: Dangerously corrupt selfishness
I was filled with a sense of pride when I was able to snag the double barrel version which was even more highly coveted than the bourbon barrel aged. This one is aged in cognac and brandy and it has a very barrel forward aroma. The taste I find is mellow and balanced just like the 2015 version. Both were bottled in 2015 which makes some kind of horizontal sense. It gives way to the same qualities, chocolate and coffee with a tobacco finish. The only thing I’m missing with older variants is I find them less creamy and lacking a bold vanilla and are naturally more flat.
Peche Mortel Termopilas
Imperial Stout || ABV: 9.5% || IBU: –
Gluttony: Overindulgence
After my first taste of Peche Mortel, the curiosity had turned to an overindulgence. I was finding any and every variant of Peche Mortel, and drinking them all. I needed to fill the Peche Mortel void I was left with by avoiding it for so long. The aroma is creamy and bursting with chocolate and decadent coffee. And the taste was sure to follow the nose, with a creamy mouth feel. Oh dear, only one more left again.
Peche Latte
Imperial Stout || ABV: 9.5% || IBU: –
Envy: Sad or Resentful covetousness towards the traits of possessions of someone else.
Last one of the variants I have left. Bursting with coffee, as the Peche Mortels normally do, but on taste it was a surprise, no cliff hanger needed there, lighter and more gentle on the coffee, with roasty tobacco, creamy texture and I am falling head over heels for that burnt tobacco. The coffee on this one plays a bold first period but eases off by the end of the match. This variant is one of my favorites thus far. But as it is my last variant, I’m filled with an Envy, that I was not picked from the lottery for the Anniversary release and I was not able to snag some more Peche Mortel.
But as I browse through social media, the trepidation fleets me quickly! Peche day 2019 is coming! And so is the new Peche Day pack! MY PRECIOUS!
Details for the event can be found here.
Words + Photography by Hopcitizen
HopCitizen 