Mikkeller 黑 / Black

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

12.7 oz, cork and cage, cork stamped 12/12/17 (what does that mean?). Dark, opaque pour that’s a little red around the edges, dense tan head that fades - excellent lacing. Aroma is boozy but less so than I was expecting. Rich, deep chocolate, espresso, cream, hops. Ok, there is a lot of alcohol in there. Not a hugely complex aroma - the subtleties are lost on me and dominated by the aromas above. Maybe some cherry, and definitely some vanilla and bourbon. Flavor is quite sweet, and acridly bitter. Feels like hot coffee in your chest, and leaves the espresso astringency in your mouth. Tastes like the darkest dark chocolate you’d ever have. Harsh and alcoholic finish. The end of this so ridiculously long and hugely bitter. I’m putting this back in the fridge to cool down so I can actually drink it... Pretty huge beer, needs some serious time to mellow, like 3 years. I’ve got one to hang onto for a while, but for now, this beer is killing me. Totally unbalanced.

Bottled. Pours opaque black with a thick, creamy tan, head that leaves some good lacing. Nose of burned malt and caramel. Sweet flavour with roasted malt, liqourice, dark fruits and coffee. Oily texture. Alcoholic finish with some bitterness too. Very full bodied.

pours a black with caramel head. heavy in glass sitting like oil. heavy alchohol malt slight mocha aroma. hot, hot, drank this way too fresh, can see this a fantastic with some time behind it, just too fresh right now. like sipping whisky, very warming, som malt mocha. can see this as great with 2 years behind it.

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.

Bottle. Ink black with a foamy brown head. Aromas of dark chocolate, alchohol, heavy roasted coffee notes and some dark fruits as well. Intense flavour of liquorice, bitter hops, canesugar and alcohol. Thick and oily palate. I think this beer will benefit from some years of ageing, It’s just to intense and hard right now. And i thought Black Hole imp. stout was intense.. This one burns all the way down my throat, but I’ts a lovely burn..

This was a very pleasant surprise from the weekend. I’ve not been a big fan of most things I’ve had from this brewer, but this was a standout beer. I’m very happy that I enjoyed this beer. Pours a very dark black in color. Very dark malts and a very dominant roast flavor in the mouth. Believe it or not, those flavors go well in here because of the ABV. It does not taste anywhere near 17.5% at all. Full on the mouthfeel. Rich and complex beer. I will definitely pick up a bottle or two if I come across them.

Bottle. Black. Smells alcohol, tar and soy. Tastes like a burnt pop corn with soy. This is an extreme beer, but the 17,5% alcohol is still well hidden. Big taste.

This poured black in color with a thin to moderate brown head of fine bubbles. The nose was filled with aromas of dark fruit, chocolate, roasted coffee and alcohol. In the mouth it was full-bodied, concentrated, sweet and alcoholic. The alcohol really pokes out in this one, almost like a cocktail. It is quite smooth with great depth of flavor but the alcohol and burnt flavors are a bit distracting. While drinking you come to terms with the alcohol but it becomes almost ponderous on the palate.