Southern Tier Crème Brûlée
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Tasting Notes
The aroma leans hard into vanilla custard and burnt caramel, with a faint undercurrent of dark roast and cocoa. On the palate, sweetness dominates — think rich dessert cream layered over toasted sugar and mild chocolate — with the roasted malt character playing a supporting role rather than leading. The body is full and almost syrupy, which suits the concept. The finish lingers sweet and warm, with just enough bitterness from the roast to keep it from cloying entirely.
About the Brewery
Southern Tier Brewing Company is based in Lakewood, New York, in the Southern Tier region of the state near the Pennsylvania border. Founded in 2002, they built a strong reputation through their Blackwater Series of high-gravity, flavor-forward imperial stouts and experimental seasonals. The brewery is perhaps best known for beers that lean into dessert and confection profiles — this one being a flagship example — alongside a broader lineup that includes hop-forward ales and session offerings.
Food Pairings
A cheese plate anchored by aged gouda works well because the beer's caramel notes mirror the nutty sweetness of the cheese. Dark chocolate brownies or flourless chocolate cake echo the cocoa thread running through the beer without fighting the vanilla. Vanilla bean ice cream served as an affogato-style pairing lets the beer stand in for the espresso shot, leaning into its dessert identity. If you want something savory to cut the sweetness, smoked pulled pork provides enough salt and fat to provide real contrast.
Style Guide
American Double or Imperial Stout is essentially a stout taken to an extreme — more malt, more hops, more alcohol, more everything. ABVs typically run from around 8% to well above 12%, and the flavor profile spans roasted grain, dark chocolate, coffee, and dried fruit, often with significant residual sweetness. The style originated in the U.S. craft brewing scene as brewers pushed English stout traditions further than the source material. What separates it from a standard stout is sheer intensity and body; what separates it from a pastry stout is that the latter, like this beer, explicitly engineers the flavor around a dessert concept rather than letting malt and roast speak for themselves.