Mikkeller 黑 / Black

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

Bottle. [#2400 rating]Aesthetic fantastic looking bottle that really gave you the motivation to taste the content. Nice sound experience as the cork came off the bottle, and smoke was coming out. The fluid that came poring out was thick and pitch black like never before. Start poring heavily into the glass and at first there was no evidence of bubbles. Then suddenly a huge thick and creamy head started forming. Used about a full five minutes to examine the aroma experience. Notes of dusty motor oil, light sour malt, powerful burned malt, light fruity notes that leads to some dried fruity notes such as prunes and dates. Some smoke and brown sugar appears, with soft notes of pine and bitter flowers. Also some sharp experience of potent alcohol. Over the palate came the most intense and extreme experience ever. Sharp almost warming and numbing feel. The hops, burned malt and alcohol supply an endless surreal experience. Notes of liquorish, chocolate, coffee, smoke and dried fruit creates the complexity. Full bodied with an average carbonation and the most powerful texture ever. Flavor was heavy bitter and sweet and the same time. Finish was forever lingering, with an explosion of notes. This is by far the most extreme beer experience I have ever had. Nothing comes close. And I thought it was fantastic. Sipping away was just amazing. Once again thanks Mikkel!

Bottle, the best part of this beer. No surprise at 17.5% its not n easy to brew a good stout at this volume. Black as night even the head is dark. Loads of burnt and sweet sugar, malt, liquor and licorice. Some astringent fruits get lost in the mix. I think i cringed at ever sip, i brought it out and mixed with kriek de ranke even still i think it went unfinished.

Bottle at ølbutikken - served in a plastic cup. Pitch black - big brown lasting head. Wow what a rush !! I can still taste it after 1 hour - I do get a bit afraid of this beer. Aroma: Coffee, sweetness, high hoppy. Taste: Lots of sweetness, brown sugar, burned, syrup, licorice, coffee. Aftertaste: Long lasting high hoppy and alcoholic burning. _________________ Later____ Bottle - thanks Lars. Now I am not that afraid of it, it is till burning, but now a lot more pleasant !!!!

(Bottled) Almost black with a small, brown head. Bready, very leathery aroma with chocolate, milky sourness and some soy sauce. Quite an alcohol burn in the flavor with burned malt, some black coffee, but also syrupy soy-sauce sweetness. Full-bodied, very malty palate with low carbonation. Like Black Hole, but with more alcohol and sweetness. Not very drinkable when young, but might be good when properly aged.

37,5cl bottle: Black with a brown head. Oily, slick, soft , full bodied beer with heavy roasted malts. Chocolate, coffee, prickling alcohol, hops, vinousness, sugar, sticky, bitter, warm/burn. A big beer from all angles!!!

Bottle. Huge brown head with good duration. Color is pitch black. Aroma and taste are rich with coffee, chocolate and hops.

Poured an opaque black color with a small, bubbly tan head leaving very light lacing on the glass. Aroma of alcohol, syrupy sweet chocolate, roast, hops, smoke, all over the place, and no where near melded at this point. Taste too, acrid burnt malts, molasses, smoke, green apple, roast, chocolate, and an extremely high IBU (chinook?) level that only matches the extremely high ABV. I wouldn’t expect this to be drinkable for at least 10 years. I made reference to this reminding me of SA Triple Bock, I wish I had what the guys with high scores had...

Thanks to OSLO for sharing this one from Joebrew’s tasting the previous week. Black color with a thin head. Big array of aromas... roasted malt, wintergreen or mint, oak and madeira. Quite an overwhelming flavor. Rum and raisins. Crushing alcohol. Some oak and vanilla. Very astringent grain. JK compared this to DFH WWS and rightfully so. Definitely needs a year or two.