Mikkeller 黑 / Black

Mikkeller
Brewed at De Proefbrouwerij
Style: Imperial Stout
Copenhagen V, Denmark

12.7 fl oz bottle (been saving this one for awhile and figured it’d be a good, or at least an intense, way to celebrate my one hundredth beer rating). I should first note that everything about this beer is quite a bit stronger than normal, even for strong beers. Very dense and thick burnt/roasted aroma that tingles the nostrils with every whiff, some firewood, black chocolate malt , black coffee, minor heavy sweet fruity esters evident just for a second, vanilla beans as well, and a touch of whiskey alcohol... very stimulating. After pouring it, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a darker chocolate brown head than i did with this beer (even oak aged dark lord). The head is still fairly small, but then again there’s a lot alcohol in this one to kill it off. The beer still looks pretty interesting, as there is a swirl of dark head lacing around the top of the beer. In all honesty though, i pictured this beer to be slightly darker than it actually is (it’s still darker than 99.9 percent of beers anyway). The color is more of a very rich dark chocolate brown, with a good amount of black chunky particulate. Still, this one is pretty sinister looking. On to taste. Its really not a sweet as i expected, but very very rich. As expected mocha flavors come out pretty strong, but the heavy malt flavor is much more than that. Its also almost as if they lit on fire a large basket of melon and berry fruit, and then added that to the mix to ferment. I can’t exactly recognize any hop bitterness in this one, but i really am not overpowered by an off balance in that respect. So, as with most beers of that intensity, it took me a while to truly get into it, as the first several sips were nothing more than a slap in the face of high alcohol beer craziness. I enjoyed the ride that this beer took me on much like i enjoy riding ridiculous amusement park rides, but i’m hard pressed to give it a really high rating as a result. Good times... but there’s just a little too much in this "beer" to say i truly loved it.

Thanks to Blake for bringing the bottle! Poured medium-deeper brown with a short cap of tan head. The aroma was very strong with burnt black malts, espresso, and chocolate amplified by a whole helluva lot of alcohol.. a year old, but extremely raw and unrefined. The flavor was sharp, strong, and aggressive the whole way soy, molasses, and espresso at the core.. bitterness and alcohol were very assertive on the edges, with hot bitterness riding out the long finish. Heavier-bodied, bitter, and boozy on the palate with an unpleasant feel all around. Ouch.

bottle. Super dark pour with no head. Strong alcohol aroma, soy sauce, dark fruit. Surprisingly smooth, alcohol is very evident, but not overwhelming. Dark dry fruity very interesting, very warming.

Bottle: Dark brown pour with a thin brown head. Dark fruit, roast, chocolate, and smoke in the aroma. Hints of the ABV already. Tastes sweet and fruity into a heavier roast and coffee note. The ABV shows, but not too bad. Molasses and light smoke too. I would like to try this aged 3-4 years... Thanks BuckeyeBoy.

Very strange. Aroma is thick alcoholic and very heavy. Pour is black...just pure black. Flavor is dark chocolate with some coffee in there. Very warming and very surprisingly very little alcohol can be noticed. A very good beer for such a high ABV.

Bottle 0,37ltr: Black brew with almost no but brown head. High in alcohol with an vine or liquor taste and an great stuff to got an good night rest. And the symbol means "Black" by the way.

charred and burnt to be angry with acid. flavors of salt and soy sauce. some added spice and fruit with a burning alcohol finish that starts pretty soon. different and demonstrative for sure it is of interest and perhaps delight to the weary of palate. flavor of cherry tobacco and cork hidden in the acid. thick dank and menacing in the pour with a whimper of a head.

My 100th Imperial Stout - not bad for a hop-head - was picked up at Binny’s Beverage Depot in Orland Park, Illinois. It poured out a thick dark brown that turned black in the glass, briefly capped by a small bubbly head that rapidly reduces to a film and a slender ring. I’m intrigued by those who look at a glass of what essentially looks like motor oil and go, "Oh yeah! That’s definitely a 5/5 look!" Me, I rate it a 3/5, the ale looking much like what I’d expect an ultra-strong Stout to look like. The heavy alcohol content gives a strong medicinal twist to the nose - and my broken schnozz really needs no more twisting. Beyond that it smells of bittersweet chocolate, burnt barley, licorice, grilled prunes, and charred elm twigs. Interesting blending of flavors. It starts hot with alcohol and bitter with charcoal. Angry dark caramel, bitter chocolate, and aggravated dried dark fruit follow after. The smoke of burning tar and damp cherry wood join the fray. ABC licorice and more alcohol finish it off. The finish is sweet with dark malt, bitter with something that didn’t want to be burned, and hot with alcohol. This was more fun to drink than it was enjoyable to drink.