 JPDIPSO (4185), Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, USA
Apr 28, 2008
Dark brown color with a rich looking, tight bubbled, glossy tan head. Fairly mild aromas, with husk and grain adding sweetness. Light grapefruit, mild light fruit, hints of roasted malt and coffee all seems to be hanging around, but nothing comes out and takes over the nose. It does seem to have a mild "green" scent. My first thought after sipping is... OK who handed me the creosote and tar infused coal. Certainly strong and foreboding flavors. A little more dissection is required. Very sweet start, with brown sugar, maple sap, and caramelized simple sugar. This is beyond WWS in many aspects. I started to think about a side by side, but then realized that I do have to work tomorrow and want to sleep vs. pass-out tonight. Only a few ounces in and my throat, stomach and head are all starting to warm up. Slick and lightly oily on the tongue. At this point in time this is far to young. I can see some potential. Middle has roasted and burnt malt, light grapefruit acidity, some berries and dark chocolate. Finish returns to the sweetness and sugary side. Light caramel and alcohol. Linger is long and bitter. I’m catching hops, tar, black malt, roasted malt, burnt coffee, charred wood and a few other things that are black, burnt and otherwise living up to the name bestowed upon this one. I will share one more bottle of this at some point in the next few months, otherwise any other bottles I may accumulate will need a few years.
MiP (4744), Flensburg, Germany
Jul 17, 2008 Bottle, 17.5%. Vinous sweet liquorice aroma, burning my eyes slightly. Black colour. Big stable brown head. Very thick mouthfeel, must be because of the intense sweetness. Very sugary with intensely rough campari-like bitterness. I think there is some aroma hops, but it is hard to be sure. Well, this beer is certainly interesting, but is it good? I do not know, but I do not think I will beer drinking more of it soon. Tried to drink the rest of the bottle mixed with some Helles, but it just will not do. I guess I should rate this high or low, but it will be in the middle.
uhre (185), Denmark
Jul 17, 2008 The aroma of; alcohol, caramel, coffee, malt and a bit acidly. It has a brown head and is of course black. Flavor of alcohol, coffee, caramel and hops. It is sweet. I guess I will have to wait a couple of years to rerate this, when the beer has matured.
talon1117 (401), Bellvue, Colorado, USA
Jul 17, 2008 Pours opaque black with an average, light brown, creamy, pillowy head which is somewhat lasting and some tight but sporatic lace. Nose is potent, powerful, and intense; rum-soaked black currants, candied dates, black molasses, fudge, light notes of leather, and alcohol. Flavor is the same rum-soaked black currants and candied dates with some heavily roasted coffee notes, hop bitterness from perfume, cedar, and resin notes, and other notes of molasses, fudge, and some light notes of grapefruit into the finish. Palate is very full, maybe the fullest beer I’ve tried to date, soft to lively, very viscous but not quite syrupy or oily, and intensely warm with fusel alcohol notes. Finishes very long with lingering sweet notes of candied dates and fudge, heavily roasted coffee, and some resinous and grapefruity hop notes. This one was huge in every aspect and would certainly benefit from quite a few years in the cellar, but as is, it was extremely intense and interesting. Palate is amazing already and the nose was incredibly inviting; many qualities were quite port-like. I can’t wait to see what this will be in 3+ years; it may end up being similar to WWS, which would be tremendous. Mikkeller stretches the boundaries again.
Doggythedog (911), Split, Croatia
Jul 15, 2008 Bottle, RBESG08 grand tasting.
Brown/black body, tan head. Nose contained chocolate, soy, dust and alcohol (surprise surprise). Aggressive bitterness, soy sauce. Roasty, malty but just overwhelming and not all that enjoyable in my opinion and I feel like I’m overrating it a little. Guess even I have my limits...
Veer (321), Landskrona, Sweden
Jul 14, 2008 Aroma: very powerful, black malt, big roasted backbone. Alcohol, estery (elderberry), fiery, orange, slightly fudgy, vaguely of smoke & ancient leather, coffee, rowanberry.
Flavour: big, sweet, sourish, extreme malt bitterness, burnt sweet liquorice. Great balance of obscene & extreme falvours. Absolutely adorable. Alcoholic burn & mandarin sweetness. Some oak tones? Very bitter aftertaste with hints of beautiful hops, red onion & golden grapefruit.
Appearance: ridiculously dark - black coffee-/red-tinted with superfine dark tan head leaving a greyish film. Awesome.
Palate: very smooth, fluffy, vinous, oily, surprisingly ’fruit-juicy’... could almost swear they’ve put some juice in it.
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