Mikkeller Black Hole

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

Bottle shared with, and courtesy of MartinT. Minimal head. Ink black. Dark smokey dry aroma. Flavour is like sucking on a crude oil and honey sugar cube. Vanilla finish. An oily good beer.

Poured very black, dark fruits, coffee, alcohol, molasses, vanilla, roasted malts, little dark chocolate.

Thanks to ygtbsm94 for this beer. Pours a deep dark black with artistic, thin mocha head. Bubbly lacing. Aroma of espresso, molasses, chicory and vanilla. Rich coffee flavor with toasted malts, vanilla and alcohol dipped dark fruits. Soft chalk flavors near the finish. Enjoyable.

Bottle from Belmont Station. Opaque black pour with minimal head. Syrupy with nice lacing down the glass. Aroma of burnt coffee, molasses, alcohol & roasted malt. Flavor is reminiscent of South Indian filter coffee - a blend of sweet roasted coffee beans and chicory - but also vanilla and toasted malt. This gives way to a bitter finish of hops and dark fruit. Alcohol is present with every sip. Very bold beer that’s definitely worth revisiting every year or two.

Courtesy of my beer director. No need to even describe the color of this beer...the name says it all. Still pours a beautiful, vibrant lacing...looks amazing! This is one very large and robust coffe stout. Aromas of coffee, dark espresso roast and even some hops. The taste is incredible with notes of coffee, molasses, dark fruit and this bittering hoppiness. The beer is pretty heavy on the palate and they really let the alcohol show. This is one stout that really pushes the limit.

375 ml "champagne" bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 13.1%. The beer is pitch black, impenetrable for light (hence the name). Nice brown head. Intense aroma of malts, alcohol, coffee, burnt sugar and vanilla. The flavour is intense and overwhelming: an aggressive malty sweetness, backed up by honey and dark sugars, with distinct notes of roasted barley (but not quite as extreme in that respect as I expected ), the coffee is distinct, and the vanilla is also noticeable. Distinct hoppy bitterness in the finish. Warming mouthfeel. This is a "sipping beer", to be savoured slowly - definitely not a "refreshment beer". Not for the squeamish or faint hearted.

My Bottom Line:
Soaring vanilla spiciness gathers molasses and roastiness, taking this Imperial Stout’s potent malt personality to piney and bitter hop resins for a muscular display of complexity.

Further Personal Perceptions:
-A line of foam is drawn atop the brown-ringed blackness.
-Although it was quite pleasant, I did not find the aroma as complex and personable as the flavor profile.
-A diligent vinosity adds complexity.
-The boastful hoppiness is also a bit citrusy in the last half.
-Alcohol is warming, but there are so many (agreeable) flavors to be tasted that the tongue can forget about this wandering heat.
-Chocolate is tasted as well within the roasted malt character.
-This is amazingly classy despite its show of strength.

Bottle; best before 14/08/2011.

bottle, cork date 07.07.12, walnut colored pour, some lasting medium bown foam, aromas are standard coffee, plum, etc, but the flavor is exceptional, perfectly balanced fruit and coffee, finishes like a really nice espresso with cream