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Boréale Noire

Les Brasseurs du Nord
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🌍 Canada · Dry Stout · One of 6 Dry Stouts in hopIQ

A dry stout in the English mould, in the range since 1989. Black malt, roasted barley and chocolate malt give an opaque black beer with a tan head and a creamy texture. Cocoa and coffee lead the aroma, with caramel, walnut and toasted bread behind them; the roast carries a light sweetness through the middle before the finish dries out. Most of the bitterness comes from the roasted grain.

ABV
5.5%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter25 IBU
Roasted bitterness
SRM
dark35
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Style expression
textbookdistinctive
Taste structure· The backbone of the beer, regardless of style.
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
hopIQ take

Full body.

The weight carries the beer on its own, leaving the aromatics free to lead.

Wider bands mean we're less certain about the exact position.
Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Dry Stout.
Malt character
roasted
coffee
chocolate
nutty
caramel
toasty
Compare with another beer →

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Boréale Noire

Appearance

Opaque black with a tan head that settles into a creamy collar. The body is dense and light-absorbing, typical of stouts built from black and roasted malts. Head retention is firm, with visible lacing clinging to the glass as you drink.

opaque blacktan headcreamy texturegood lacing

Aroma

Cocoa and coffee dominate the nose, lifted by roasted grain character. Behind these lead notes sit caramel sweetness, walnut depth, and toasted bread. The roast is clean and balanced, with no harsh or acrid edges—a measured expression of black malt and roasted barley.

cocoacoffee-forwardroasted graintoasted breadnutty undertone

Taste

Entry is dry and roast-driven, with coffee and chocolate flavors unfolding across the mid-palate. Caramel and walnut notes provide sweetness and complexity, while the body stays creamy and smooth. Bitterness builds gradually from roasted grain—not aggressive, but persistent and well-integrated.

dry roastcoffee and chocolatecreamy palatemoderate bitterness

Finish

The finish dries considerably, with roasted grain bitterness taking hold. A subtle cocoa and coffee echo lingers, fading cleanly without astringency or overstay.

dry finishroasted aftertaste
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
79
Taste
80
Appearance
76
Finish
75
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Boréale Noire

Serve at 10–14°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Slightly warmer than you might expect. 10–13°C lets the roasted malt, chocolate and coffee notes open up fully.

Pint glass
Recommended for this style

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

Drink within a year. Standard stouts are best fresh but hold reasonably well for 6–12 months.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Boréale Noire

About Dry Stout

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Dry Stout?

Stouts are dark ales with roasted barley character, 4–8% ABV and IBU 25–45. Expect coffee, dark chocolate and toast flavors with a creamy body and dry finish.

Finding a similar Dry Stout

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same roasted, bitter, dry character as Boréale Noire will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Dry Stouts in hopIQ