I HOPE you're ready for a treat, because this is one of my long-term favourites in the way of coffee stouts.

Brewed to a robust 8.9 per cent and treated to massive quantities of coffee roasted at the (appropriately named, for this pairing) Black Dog coffee house, this beer is unctuous, rich, and decadent.

It's always worth securing a bottle soon, however, because this is very much a winter seasonal beer – not only does it warm the cockles on these long, cold evenings, but coffee is one of those flavours best enjoyed fresh in a beer, in my experience at least. Plus there's the year-long wait until the next batch comes along to worry about.

Pouring viscous black with the slightest edge of a crema-brown foam, Kujo looks every bit as intense as it tastes. The nose is ashen toast, brown malt, rum-and-raisin fudge, all rounded out with sweet coffee cream and fruity dark chocolate.

Sweet iced coffee runs alongside blackcurrant and roasted malt acidity, balanced elegantly alongside vanilla oakiness and caramel sauce.

Liquorice and an element of sesame seed nuttiness collide with black cherry chocolates and a wallop of almond essence.

All this flavour is held in check by the sweet, immense body of this coffee stout, carbonated evenly enough to lift the body without undermining its viscosity. It's just as well it's so strong; I'd happily drink it all myself, if only I could.

Recommended by Michael Bates, Trembling Madness, Stonegate, York