Mikkeller 黑 / Black

Bottle (375ml) shared with HogTownHarry & garthicus -- courtesy of HogTownHarry. Pours black with a small somewhat-lasting creamy light-brown head. Aroma of alcohol along with notes of coffee, roasted malt and fruit -- but mostly alcohol. Flavour: Holy shit, is this moonshine? It starts relatively normal with some hops and espresso but then BANG!, there’s an incredibly long boozy / bitter finish that doesn’t end. This is a big boozy bitter bastard! It’s way too intense for me. Try as I might, that’s the highest I can rate this.

Black. Thin dark brown head. Aromas are rich sweet dried prunes, coffee, leather, chocolate, raisins... WOW! Alcohol is there, but not aparent. Flavor is initially big black licorice, sweet dark chocolate, figs - no, scratch that - black strap molasses with raisin tar. Then finishing back into black licorice with a touch of astringency. This beer just doesn’t finish! Roasted nuts, tobacco, leather, dark rum... should age well for 20+ years if anyone has the patience... Tasted May 21, 2008 - Bottle from John’s Market Place in Portland.

Bottle from someone at the stoners tent at BCTC. This was incredibly alcoholic and over the top, I tried to taste it, but it was just too much. Nose is alcohol, a bit of bakers chocolate, and more fusel alcohol. Mixed this with So. Tier Creme Brulet Stout and it somehow got worse.

Bottle @ Dutch Ratebeer Session. Aroma has paint/terpentine, alcohol, chocolate, vanilla. Black-brown coloured with not much head. Taste has let’s say potential. The ingredients are definately okay, but this is so over the top. No balance found, alcoholic, etc. Syrupy mouthfeel. Probably, it becomes better with time. But well, some work to get more balance in it would definately be a good idea. When that’s not the idea of this experiment --> Experiment failed... Next! :-)

Harrys bottle, shared with HogTownHarry and Blankboy. App: Black as satans fillings (I have used that before!) with a pancake mix appearance head. Aroma: Alcohol and coffee and spiced rum/honey rum. Flavour: Burnt alcohol, plant fibres, bitter as hell, long alcoholic coffee finish. Interesting.

Had at the Seattle International Beer festival. Pours very dark black with dark brown fizz film that lasts. Aroma dark chocolate, burbon, licorice. Huge alcohol presence that burns considerably for first 2-3oz of drink. Mellows as you drink so you can begin to taste sweet chocolate beginning, but alcohol dominates this one. Needs more balance.

Bottle sent in a trade with pantanap I believe. Many thanks again Kan! Shared with wetherel and Sean at the PP Bottle Shop. This beer is seriously over the top! I almost don’t know what to say here. Black pour, with a big burnt malt and espresso nose. Holy sugar bombs! This crazy concoction slams the palate like a sledgehammer. Sweet sweet sweet; and then some more espresso. Ends with a slight bitter twang I couldn’t figure out...and then fiery cauldrons of alcohol burn! Difficult to drink, but it gets the points for intrigue I guess.

Bottled, bought in Vejle. Hazy brown color, no head. Sweet vanilla aroma, chocolat. Very very alcoholic taste. Initial taste is brilliant, but immediately alcohol kicks in and finshes with extreme dry bitteness. Could have been so much better. Now it is so over the top.