Mikkeller 黑 / Black

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

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.

375ml corked bottle. Suprised its a green bottle actually. BB 12/12/17!!! Served at room temperature in a goblet. At a fortifying 17.5%alc/vol, this is a good amount (standard beer strength!) stronger than any beer i’ve ever laid eyes on, so i’m really not entirely sure what the expect! Cork is a bit of a struggle to get out, i’m expecting the contents to be reasonably low carbonation though. Tempted to get a cork screw! Pops open without a great deal of sound, and i’m presented with a dense, oily, opaque black liquid with shortly lived dark ring of lace that is probably darker than most stouts! Has legs that cling onto the glass for what seems an eternity! Aroma just screams potency up my nostrils. Warming fortified wine-like alcohol tends to dominate, but seems to keep a common theme of vinous character that seems more relevant to a port; dark berries, dried fruit, woody spice, characoal, bitter citrus, soy sauce, dark roast coffee bean, burnt toffee and roasted nuts. I’m kind of a bit afraid to take a sip! As expected, the body has the initial weight of a forified wine, but quickly dries out with a huge drying from tannic grain astringency and alcohol. Carbonation is low, thick oily texture seems almost enough to distract one from the ridiculous abv. Intense flavour is probably an understatement. I can (and have) see some people taking a sip and not even bothering, but I like to think i’m a bit more adventurous. Alas, it is hard to look beyond the alcohol, roasted grain and general bitterness, but underneath reveals layers of liquorice, roasted nuts, toffee, brandy, rich bitter chocolate, vinous dark fruits and citrus. And the list just goes on, and does the after taste! However, at the end of the day, this is a seriously brutal beer, and as the Best Before suggests, this has a good number of years left on it. So it’s be my recommondation to leave this bad boy in the cellar for a few years to mellow, because i can really see good things coming to those who wait!

12.7 oz cork and caged green bottle from Canal’s Hainesport. Poured a perfect looking pitch black body with a deep beige head that is so thick, full and creamy it looks like chocolate mousse. Aroma was lots of dark rum soaked cake, dark fruits, tobacco, soy sauce and alcohol. The body has some serious alcohol heat on the back of my throat that makes this seem more like a cordial or perhaps a Weyerbacher brew. The body itself is velvety smooth wth light carbonation. The flavor is dominated by alcohol and burnt malts. The alcohol flavor is so strong it’s difficult to pick up on the subtle flavors that were present in the aroma but still this is exactlly the strong sipper I was hopingit would be......good stuff but very very STRONG!!!

Picked up somewhere...can’t really say actually because it would violate the law. Poured a very viscous black; a very nice and thick pour. Head was a dark brown color and looked nice but faded away QUICKLY. Sweet malt alcohol and champagne yeast aroma. You can really smell that champagne yeast. I don’t think the aroma is very impressive. A roast aroma does come through. Again, just not my favorite aroma. Nice thick flavor. Wow the flavor is so much better than the aroma. Nice deep roast flavor, and honestly the alcohol isn’t that bad. THe beer starts off as a sweet malt flavor and then that deep alcohol and roast just smack your tastebuds. It is a very nice developed roast flavor. Some great bitter flavors going on. Just a nice complex taste. The alcohol doesn’t kill the flavor at all. Not carbonated and very smooth. Pretty good, thought from the aroma it was going to be worse.

Sampled at EBF2008. Pours a pitchblack beer with a chocolatebrown head. The aromna is soft roasted malts, coffee, licorice and notes of alcohol. The flavor is alcohol and roasted malts. The mouthfeel is bold and sharp from the alcohol. Overall this beer has a nice aroma, but in the flavor and the mouthfeel the alcohol is a bit overpowering.

EBF08. Black with a creamy light brown head. Aroma is vineous, sweet, blackberry, liquorish and light alcohol. Flavour is vineous, sharp alcohol, liquorish, and chocolate.

Holding on to this bottle for a while, pours deep viscous black with a thin tan head with a big complex nose. Coffee, roasted malts and alcohol. The flavor is the same with the addition of sweet stone and vinous fruits. Creamy mouthfeel.

Not much head,some coverage of froth in a thick dark Imp/Stout,aroma raisin other dark fruit,plum,soy hint molasses liccorice,alcohol,chocolate,caramel.Flavour bitterfirst up is superb as is the smooth mildly gritty taste,plenty of alcohol even with the good tastes of caramel chocolate roasted,liccorice soy raisin plum like even fig sweetness hint,finish superb lasting bitter strong flavours,top stuff.