De Molen Eiken Hel & Verdoemenis

Almost black, but with apparent reddish brown hues at the edges. No head development, just some disparate big beige bubbles that quickly fades away. A big smell. Lots of hardly roasted malts, bitter chocolate, licorice and molasses. Some notes of alcohol. I also pick up something that reminds me of finer spirits (like a fruity note of cognac). Aging Hel & Verdoemenis on oak chips seems to have made the almost edgy roasted character significantly rounder and smoother. The smell is quite heavy and seems to suffer from the lack of carbonation, but still a very impressive smell. The taste is very sweet with malts to the fore (lots of roasted aromas, dark bread and burnt caramel). The taste of sweet spirits (cognac, liqueur or something like that) is noticeable from start to finish. Distinct notes of chocolate and dark fruits, and hints of vanilla, oak, licorice and coffee. By and large, the taste is quite vinous, sweet and round but still very complex. The finish delivers more molasses-like sweetness, some alcohol, a faint salt note and lingering malty flavors. Full bodied with a creamy smooth texture. There is basically no carbonation at all, and this gives the beer a rather interesting an amusing character. But I’m wondering if a little carbonation wouldn’t have done this one godd, despite this. Some bubbles would have lightened up the heavy flavors and made the aromas a little more lively, I think. A very impressive beer. It’s nice to see a beer like this can keep everything together with such a balanced composition. It drinks very easily considering the ABV and lack of carbonation. --- A short additional comment based on sampling a bottle from the same batch, that actually was carbonated: The carbonation didn’t do as much as I had hoped for. It lifted the smell, but unfortunately revealed some chemical aromas while doing so. It also accentuated the brandy character, both in the smell and in the taste. The body was lighter. Thus, some differences between carbonated and flat bottles are evident, but in the end it’s the same beer. Serving type: bottle (Copy of old Beer Advocate review)

Bottle, thanks again to Papsoe Black pour with a brown head, this is a gem. It is silky smooth on the tongue & in the mouth. 11% ABV? hardly noticed it. Great flavors of chocolate & vanilla.

Bottle. An absolutely impenetrable opaque black beer with almost no head. The aroma is malty, with heavy cognac-like notes and oak. There are also smoke, roasted grains, coffee, alcohol and a minnor note of chocolate. The flavour is heavily sweet, with virtually no acidity and bitterness. Intense, powerful, no doubt about it, but less drinkable and more syrupy than the regular version. Almost full body, soft carbonation, long finish with light to medium bitterness. I still prefer the normal version, but a good beer.

Bottle. Pours a dark brown almost black color with a thin off-white head. Has a sweetish roasted malty chocolate and caramel aroma with hints of dark fruit and brown sugar. Roasted malty chocolate and coffee flavor with some hints of oak and vanilla. Also some hints of dark fruit. Has a roasted malty chocolate and coffe finish with some hints of wood and vanilla in the aftertaste.

Green wax dipped bottle, #623 of 816 from April 2009. Pours an extremely dark mahogany color, almost black, with a thin, dark brown film at the head. Some dense sheeting shows on the glass, but no lace remains. The aroma shows big anise, dark chocolate, burnt caramel, and heaps of barley roast. Vanilla laden oak imparts a woody, boozy bourbon element that suits the massive base beer beautifully. Flavors again start out massively chocolaty, with smooth caramel, licorice, and woody vanilla. The oaky bourbon comes across softer, serving to enhance the underlying, roasty-sweet malts. Big bodied, slick, and low to moderately carbonated, the palate suits this slow sipper well. Delicious stuff. One of the better RIS in recent memory.

DØE Valby 09. Pours black with no head. Aroma is black roasted malt, oak and vanilla. Flavour is sweet roasted malt, coffee, liquorish and lots of chocolate.

Flaske: Åbner uden anelsen af kulsyre. Kulsort uden skumhoved. Absolut ingen karbonering men dejlig duft og dejlig smag af eg, sort malt og en smule lakrids.

Bottle at home. Pours a clear dark brown with a beige head. Smells a bit of alcohol. Sweet with aromas of caramal and toasted malts. Also aromas of dates, oak, and brown sugar. Hides alcohol well. Medium to full bodied with a slightly sticky mouthfeel. Medium carbonation. Some residual sugars towarsd the end. Long toasted finish.