Mikkeller 黑 / Black

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

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!!!

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.

Very Very different! Bottle thanks to Bman1113VR’s girlfriend. Drank with both of them. Pours a thick motor oil like body with a brown creamy head. Nose is like smoked bacon (maybe wood smoke), booze, chocolate, rum cake, more wood, and brown sugar. Taste is very sweet and I would equate it to a coffee port. Mouthfeel is amazing, like silky water if that makes sense, (due to the sake yeast) it there is even a punch of cedar in the finish. Warming and pretty long finish. I have not had something this unique in a very long time.

THOUGHTS: Wow. Almost a liqueur. Great flavor, but not very complex. While it’s a different style, this reminded me of Sam Adams Triple Bock, but not as good — especially in the hiding of alcohol. Although I’ve never had a Triple Bock that wasn’t at least 7 years old. This one can really kick you in the ass though. If it could hide the alcohol at all it would be better. I could feel the burn in my eyes when I sniffed it and on my tongue as I drank it. Aging might mellow it nicely. TECHNICAL: Bottle. Poured a dark brown that was completely opaque black in the glass with an average tan head that kept a decent sheet and left good to excellent lacing. The aroma was heavy to almost harsh, milk chocolate, chocolate syrup and cocoa powder, some hops and tons of alcohol. The initial flavor was extremely sweet and slightly bitter; while the finish was very sweet and slightly less bitter. with an average to long duration. There was chocolate syrup, soy sauce, cocoa, alcohol, slight hops, coffee, more alcohol, some dark fruit near the end and plain old chocolate. The body was medium to full in the mouth, but full going down the throat. It was oily and very slick, buts also very sticky on the lips like syrup with fairly soft carbonation and a moderate to heavy alcoholic finish.

Bottle. Pitch black, medium creamy head. Aroma of coffee, chocolate, cream, leather, tar, some alcohol. Full, rather sweet taste of chocolate and cream, some soy. Not too sure about any hops. The mighty alcohol content is present, but not very prominent. Impressive stout, overall.

Pour is dark thick black with little head. Aroma of strong malt, chocolate, dark fruit, wild yeast, and toffee. Flavor is.......wow, i wrote that before I tasted it. Wow. Flavor is abnormally strong hitting you with sweet MALT, DARK FRUIT, and a HOP finish. This is suprisingly well blended for being so alcoholic. Alcohol is hidden well considering that it is so high. you definitely get the alcoholic warmth going down from this brew. This is dang good. Perhaps a little off style and crazy, but the world is moving towards new beers and this is one that could be leading the way.

Pours pitch black with a foamy chocolate colored head that settles into a lasting lacing. Roasted malty aroma with chocolate, oatmeal, toffee, dark fruit, spice, alcohol, hops and candi sugar notes. Very complex with a nice roasted coffe maltiness, sweet dark chocolate, caramel, toffee, and alcohol warmth. The ABV is noticeable but pretty well masked considering it’s strength.

Bottle, thanks mgumby. Black with a milky white cap on the top. Silky looking. Alcohol forward nose but does not detract from the oil of bergamot, patchouli, and roasted malt aromas. Very chocolatey, roasty flavors with cinnamon. Overall, killer shit!