De Molen Tsarina Esra Imperial Porter

Brewed by Brouwerij de Molen
Style: Imperial/Strong Porter
Bodegraven, Netherlands

12oz bottle #224 from kramer17801. Very lucky to get this without having to spend a fortune trading overseas. High fill bottle. No pop when the cap was removed. I was told this leads to undercarbonation (as this beer was flat) in naturally carbonated beers, and also prevents mellowing with age, which would be desirable in this beer. Pours thick and black with a heavy body. Aroma is powerful despite the lack of carbonation. Lots malty notes with figs and prunes abounding. As strong as the aroma is, it pales in comparison to the first sip: Like soaking a leather belt in pipe tobacco and prune juice, then chewing on the belt. Flavors abound. Actually pretty nice and fun to drink. I wish the carbonation level was higher and it had another 6 months of age, or put into a barrel or something. Mega-potential. 4.1-4.2.

12oz bottle #224 from wetherel brought to the PP Carlsbad Bottle shop tasted with deftim13 and bikesandbeer. Really crazy beer. Pours black with a little head. Nose is sweet and leathery. Taste is huge with notes of leather, tobacco and smoke, very intense and somewhat overwhelming. Overall an interesting beer I’m glad I could try.

Bottle #27. Poured opaque black with a bronze edge and legs but no head. The aroma is of roasted malt and bitter dark chocolate. Notes of unsmoked cigar as well. Roasted malt and more dark chocolate make up the flavor. The choclate starts to turn to a milk style toward the finish. Bitterness on the dry finish. Full creamy body. Some chest warmth is provided.

Appearance: Lazily pours out an opaque, inky black body. No amount of swirling, shaking, or verbal abuse can raise a bubble of carbonation from its depths. Smell: Roasted malt aroma with notes of barley, baker’s chocolate, and licorice liqueur. Taste: Richly roasty and certainly sweet. Hint of scorched grains. A taste reminiscient of bitter herbs and wood run loose amongst the other tastes of chocolate, licorice, molasses. A bit of smoke on the long bittersweet finish. Mouthfeel: Medium body that takes on an oily feel due to the absence of carbonation. Drinkability: All in all, it really is a fine beer.

Bottle #40 thanks to jbrus via kramer17801: Pours an opaque oily black with a thin ring of light tan bubbles. Complex aroma of dark chocolate, mint, tobacco and earthy smoky peat. Body starts fairly rich, but quite still, with a good amount of dark caramel and chocolate sweetness and a touch of light fruity ester complexity. Has some peaty smoky flavor toward a slightly drier and warming bittersweet finish with lingering smoke and dark chocolate. Leafy tobacco notes come through more as it warms. Very complex throughout and would be great with a little more carbonation.

Bottle #40: Pours a deep almost opaque brown color with no head. Aroma is malty, toffee, chocolate, roast, alcohol, and some spicy hops. Flavor is caramel, plum, toffee, roast, a hint of coffee, alcohol, and a bitter peppery finish.

Bottle. #233. Black colour with a nice brown head. Mild aroma of sweet malt, roastedness, chocolate and dry coffee. Flavour of coffee, alcohol and roastedness. Ends up quite alcoholic and nearly just coffee.

Black body with a medium sized big bubbled brown head; Amazing nose, super intense but still elegant and secretive, a nice soft warmth is peaking out from the otherwise quite strict nose; Super soft body with very little but the right amount of carbonation, there is a sharp strict bitter bite and lots of balanced sweet and salt, amazing depth, complexity and balance; Long sharp and soft finish, it bites a bit and it is perfectly balanced with the soft texture, great warm and sharp aromas. Elegant deep and complex beer that is very, very well composed. Thanks!!!