The mighty Aphrodite: a mythical queen of beauty. Tantalizing, fabled, seductive, ill-tempered, vain. It is for her that Canadian brewers Dieu du Ciel named their incredible cocoa and vanilla bean stout, Aphrodite (named Aphrodisiaque in Canada).

Here is a stout (black ale) that made me stop and stare. Maybe that’s a quality it draws from its namesake. It pours a deep, dark, thick black color, and leaves a rich chocolate-tan head, though mine was barely half a finger, and dwindled to nothing in seconds. This beer smells phenomenal. Toted as a “black ale with aromas and flavours of vanilla, dark chocolate, bourbon and roasted malt,” I was absolutely stunned by the richness and depth of the nose: without question full of smooth vanilla, lightly bitter dark chocolate, and sweet, roasted malts. No hops on the nose.

The Aphrodite of myth was known not only as a stunning beauty but also as an epic tease. The sight of her set grown men (and gods) to madness. She lured and coaxed, and left you wanting more. Dieu du Ciel’s incarnation of Aphrodite, however, is much more gracious: she lulls with her aroma, and then delivers with her taste. This beer blew my proverbial mind. At a mere 6.5% ABV, it packs less of a punch, making it much more drinkable than other stouts. The chocolate and roasted malts here are enough to dazzle your palate, but I wouldn’t say that this beer is very coffee-like. It remains true to the faint cocoa bitterness, but has such a silky vanilla character to it, a nudge of sweet chocolate malts, and a hop bitterness that is barely detectable, that as I drank it I dreamed of thick chocolate milk and rich vanilla bean ice cream.

I have positively nothing bad — or even average — to say about this beer. It is an absolute winner. Wonderfully conceived, expertly crafted, brilliantly delivered.

One final note: be sure to savor: let Aphrodite warm as you enjoy her. She will satisfy your palate, blow your mind, and leave you wanting more. If I could find this on cask or nitro, I would die and go to heaven.