Dark and intense

The Dark and Intense collection brings together the great dark beers of the brewing world, from classic 18th-century London Porters to the most decadent Imperial Stouts and Pastry Stouts of contemporary craft brewing. These are beers meant to be enjoyed unhurriedly, in small glasses, sitting down, with time to spare: the perfect format for long after-dinner conversations, cold afternoons, or contemplative moments when you are looking for a deep sensory experience.

It includes Stout (the darkest family with its characteristic creamy foam and coffee notes), Porter (its slightly milder sibling, with chocolate and caramel), Imperial Stout (the potent, highly cellarable version), Oatmeal Stout (with oats for a silky texture), Pastry Stout (the modern liquid-desserts with added vanilla, coconut, or cocoa), Baltic Porter (the Baltic version fermented with lager yeast, surprisingly elegant), and Schwarzbier (the German black lager, light despite its color).

In the glass, they display colors ranging from very dark brown to impenetrable black, with characteristic and very persistent creamy, cream- or caramel-colored heads. On the nose, deep aromas of roasted coffee, espresso, dark chocolate, cocoa, roasted barley, licorice, nuts, vanilla, dried fruit (plum, fig, date), and, in barrel-aged versions, bourbon, rum, or whiskey appear. On the palate, they are medium- to full-bodied beers (except for the Schwarzbier, which is surprisingly light), with well-integrated malty sweetness, present roasted bitterness, and a long, comforting finish.

They are extraordinarily gastronomic: oysters (a classic Irish pairing), stews, ribs, burgers, blue cheese pizzas, dark chocolate, brownies, cakes, vanilla ice cream, or coffee. The stronger versions work as a nightcap or a substitute for coffee. They are served between 8 °C and 14 °C in a nonic pint, tulip glass, or snifter depending on the alcohol content.