Mikkeller 黑 / Black

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

Pours almost like black syrup. Beige head, mostly lasting. Lots of aroma, dark, roasted, port, alcohol. Flavor is heavy sweet, warming alcohol, a bit sticky too, chocolate, coffee, yeasty. Syrup texture. Soft carbonation.

Bottle: The aroma is pretty intense and consists of molasses, chocolate, black licorice, burnt notes, dark fruits, and definite alcohol. It pours black with no transparency and a small brown ring for a head. The flavor starts with a big sugary sweetness with some black licorice. It finishes with some black coffee bitterness, some burnt notes, and alcohol. The alcohol is definitely noticeable, but I didn’t find in as overbearing as some. Full bodied with an oily mouthfeel.

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

Bottle. This gem comes pitch black with a beautiful brown head. Looks like a dark treasure chest desperately not trying to give away any of its secrets. The aroma is full of roasted malts, coffee and licorice with toffee and butterscotch notes. The alcohol is hidden quite well and only briefly comes across along with the subtle hints of hops showing themselves as an easy breeze of grapey citrus fruit with a bite. It’s been in my glass for 20 minutes now, and I’ve still only gotten to sniffing this beer. Very potent; very nice! It does leave room for improvement however, as certain elements of the aroma would benefit from aging thus becoming more apparent. Aging would probably also add new elements. Taking my first sip of this baby almost blew my tastebuds away. A lot of flavour with all the sweetness expected from the malt along with an unsuspected bitterness, that came off without any fruitiness from the hops. The malty taste of brown sugar and dark fruits compensates a little, but again I’m convinced that aging would do this beer good. The alcohol is also very apparent without being too much though, but it would still gain something from a trip to the cellar. I agree fully with the commercial description, but I’d say 3 years or even more. Then this beer might be a true gem hidden in all it’s secretive darkness.

Bottle. Black as the blackest pitch. Very powerfull - but has a very "young" feel. I’m looking foreward to tasting it in a couple of years - notes of roasted malt, molasses, grass, pines, soap, coffee, dark bitter chocolate, alcohol and a hint of smoke.

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.