Nod Hill Contrapasso Imperial Stout and Painted Cookie Chocolate Covered Oreo Cookies

 

I feel like we have been staying on the lighter side of things - even the IPAs tend toward the fruity side with low malt. That time is over, at least for now. We will write up a brewery and bakery visit for our trip to the Painted Cookie and Nod Hill, but we wanted to get this awesome pairing out because it was so epic. Our painted cookie goodie bag contained brilliant little chocolate covered Oreo cookies and when we saw an imperial stout with coffee on draft, we knew something special was in store for us.

The Beer: First the name of this stout is Contrapasso. Contrapasso is from Dante's inferno, and it basically means the punishment that a person receives in Hell that reflects the sin of that person in life. I think that this name elicits images of deep dark pits of some unpleasantness. While the beer is deep and dark but it is the opposite of unpleasant. It is a tad sweet and wonderfully pleasant. 

Nod Hill's Stout is deep, dark, full of coffee and big roasty chocolate and 10.5% to top it off - there is nothing small about this beer. Something I really enjoyed was that while many big stouts can overwhelm your senses in one area or another - booze, sweetness, etc. Contrapasso, while bold, gives you a chance to experience all it has to offer. The aroma is toasty with a note like a cup of fresh espresso. A sip has coffee, dark malt a bit of bitterness and a kick of booze on the end.

The Cookie: People grow out of certain childhood sweets as they get older, but Oreos are never on that list. Add high quality French chocolate on the outside (a must for running a nut-free bakery) and you have something the adult and the kid in you can agree on. A decedent thick coating of soft milk chocolate enrobing a timeless oreo is exactly as satisfying and delicious as you might imagine.

The Pairing:  Together these two indulgent treats are wonderful. This was our first stranger share too. From a young age we are all taught to not take candy from strangers, but if your at a brewery and the candy is a chocolate covered oreo, why not!? We met some very nice folks while tasting at Nod Hill and we shared a cookie with her while she was sipping the stout and we all agreed that they were together so much more than the sum of their parts. The soft chocolate lingers in you mouth and is washed away with the stout that has all of that chocolate and coffee. A wicked mocha sip.