Mikkeller 黑 / Black

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

375ml Bottle: Complex aroma. Smells of alcohol, chocolate, mocha, burnt malts, sugar, piney hops, and coffee, among other things. Poured pitch black in color with a thick, creamy, dense, shaving-cream like head that lasted throughout. Opaque. Beautiful head. Good lacing. Flavor of alcohol, bunt malts, mocha, dark chocolate, coffee, rubbing alcohol, and piney hops. Full body. Thick, chalky texture. Soft to average carbonation. Lightly dry, burnt finish.

Thanks to Lithy for sharing this one at decaturstevo’s Februmergency Tasting. From my wants list too, Thanks again! Opaque black with a tan head. Bourbon, alcohol, coffee roast malts chocolate,and vanilla are among the aromas that come easily from this brew. The flavors follow the aroma. Full bodied sipper.

I am rather amazed at the bimodal distribution of this beer’s scores, although I cannot say I am surprised. I have a lot of thought about this beer. I do not find it credible for someone to lowball worldwide stout and praise this one, because they share many similarities (I’d estimate 40-60% homology). I also do not find it credible to give it a lowball score for nose or look. At any rate, here’s my take, for what it’s worth. The pour (into my Stone tulip) is onyx, with about 3 fingers of dasrk brown head. I don’t think anyone can deny that this one looks great in a glass. The nose is huge, complex, and hot. For God’s sake, how could a 17.5% ABV beer not be hot on the nose and tongue? That is what I expected, it is what I got, and I relish it. Roasty malt, prunes, figs, red grapes, blackberries, dark chocolate, and spirits. This one smells wonderful. The taste is roasty dark malty, but the malt is indeed overpowered by the bourbony spirit flavor, but the heat seems to actually dissipate throughout this beer’s life cycle, almost as if the other taste components, including blackstrap molasses, figs, blackberries, dark chocolate, hops, and port, become more pronounced. This phenomena is likely due to the tongue normalizing the alcohol over time, but it is a phenomena that, in my mind, serves to smooth this one out as it warms, and cause it to transcend itself from being a heat bomb to being a beer/spirit hybrid of sorts, with blackberry merlot notes thrown in as well, that is perfectly acceptable as an aperitif or with a fine maduro cigar. I suppose the arguments over this one shall continue for years, perhaps decades even, as I hold no doubts that many will age it for a long time to come, and I rather welcome those debates; as a spirited debate is good for the soul.

Bottle. Increble aroma and flavours in this beer. Powerful bitter finish. Full bodied. Find someone to share it with.

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.

EBF 08. Black with a brown head. Nose is slightly sour, roasted, espresso and cocoa tones. Mouth is just intense, the best wakeup call my mouth has had at 11.30 am in a long time. Burnt espresso, burning feeling, rich and dark and thick. Not too much alcohol present. Dry mouthfeel, amazing.

I think beerlando shared this one. Alcohol on the nose right away, licoricce, and sambucca in the aroma. Pours dark dark brown, black with no head. The flavor is a little smokey at first, with some alcohol burn, coffee and licoricce, intense dark chocolate, with a spicy finish. Surprising light on the palate. wow.

This beer is smoking. Pours darkest black with a thin tan head. Nose is chocolate, brandy, malt, and coffee. Taste is like a regular imperial stout, but with a warming feeling that comes from the alcohol content. Needs time, but it is killer.