hopIQ
ENDE
Build your DNASign in

The Nemeton Cognac Barrel Aged Edition

Tap to rate

Brewer Dennis Verduijn's first recipe, recreated, and the beer that started Nemeton Brewing: a thick honey stout with old-school roasted, liquorice, honey and caramel flavours. It matured on bourbon barrel chips and for two years in barrels that held a single cognac for 46 years, and cognac and oak now run through the glass. 11 % ABV.

ABV
11.0%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter26 IBU
Roasted bitterness
SRM
dark35
PaceSipper
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
What makes this beer itself
MaltHop
roastedhoneyoak
roasted
honey
oak
caramel
chocolate
coffee
Aroma
The nose opens with pronounced roasted malt and charred grain, underpinned by honeyed sweetness and subtle liquorice notes.
also:dark fruit
not found:hoppy,bready,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for The Nemeton Cognac Barrel Aged Edition

◎ Appearance

Deep mahogany to near-black in the glass, with rich opacity revealing only dark ruby at the rim when held to light. A dense, creamy head forms with excellent retention and lacing, clinging to the glass in thick bands. The body moves slowly, suggesting significant weight and alcohol presence.

deep mahoganydense cream headexcellent lacingfull-bodied

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with pronounced roasted malt and charred grain, underpinned by honeyed sweetness and subtle liquorice notes. Cognac barrel influence emerges clearly—oak spice, vanilla, and dried stone fruit develop with time in the glass. A soft chocolate undertone rounds the profile without dominating.

roasted graincognac oakhoneyliquoricevanilla

◐ Taste

Entry is thick and warming, delivering roasted malt backbone with caramel and honey sweetness playing across the mid-palate. Oak and cognac barrel character integrate smoothly, adding spice and a subtle brandy warmth. Bitterness is restrained at 26 IBU, allowing the honey and caramel to persist without harsh edges. A touch of dark chocolate and coffee appears on the finish.

roasted malthoneyed caramelbarrel oak spicesmoothchocolate-coffee notes

◑ Finish

The finish is long and warming, with cognac-barrel oak lingering alongside dry roasted notes and residual honey sweetness. Alcohol presence becomes more apparent as the beer warms, lending a boozy but integrated final impression.

long finishcognac warmthroasted dry
87
hopIQ score
Aroma
88
Taste
88
Appearance
85
Finish
85
Serve at 10–14°C

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

Pint glass

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

Can be cellared 2–5 years. Develops dark fruit, leather and port-like complexity with age.

+ Sign in to add your tasting note

Food Pairing

What to eat with The Nemeton Cognac Barrel Aged Edition

More from Nemeton Brewing

BockThor
BockThor
Doppelbock
9.5%·Lightly bitter
Find matches →
Nemeton's Blond
Nemeton's Blond
Belgian Blonde Ale
6.5%·Lightly bitter
Find matches →
Okinawa Obscura
Okinawa Obscura
Imperial Stout
12.5%·Lightly bitter
Find matches →
Ritual #1: Opening Ceremony
Ritual #1: Opening Ceremony
Barleywine
10.8%·Strongly bitter
Find matches →
Ritual #2: Spirit Chants
Ritual #2: Spirit Chants
Imperial IPA
9.2%·Very bitter
Find matches →
Ritual #4: Blood Ritual
Ritual #4: Blood Ritual
Imperial Stout
11.0%·Noticeably bitter
Find matches →
Ritual #5: Galdrs
Ritual #5: Galdrs
Scotch Ale
12.0%·Lightly bitter
Find matches →
Ritual #6: The Burning
Ritual #6: The Burning
Black IPA
6.5%·Strongly bitter
Find matches →

About Stout

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a 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 Stout

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same roasted, honey, oak character as The Nemeton Cognac Barrel Aged Edition will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Compare with another beer →Explore all Stout beers in hopIQ →New to Stout? Read our guide →Browse Netherlands beers →