Mikkeller Black Hole

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

black pour with a very thin espresso brown head that dissipates quite fast. nose is chocolate, fruit, roasted malts and no alcohol. nice on the palate with a very thick roasted flavor that is well balanced by the sweet chocolate. tiny bit of alcohol in the finish and chocolate in the aftertaste.

Poured into the tulip glass very dark brown, seemed flat at first but did produce a 2 finger thick creamy brown head. Aroma has a good mix of dark coffee and chocolate, a hint of roast and caramel sweetness, and some alcohol presence. Wow, a really thick and full body here. Big rounded sweetness complemented with a full chocolate character, notes of coffee but well blended into the whole. Finish is full, oily with a lingering roasty astringency that is smoothed over by the heavy sweetness. There’s a longer lasting bitterness that comes to the fore only after the heavy malt body subsides. Over time I pick up some dark fruit characteristics, mainly in the nose, like raisins and dates. A touch of mineral gives the beer an almost meaty, savory quality. Its thick enough to be food! Amazingly well presented alcohol presence for 13%. Just outstanding.

On tap. Pours opaque black with a big thick brown head. Aroma is lots of roasted coffee and dark chocolat, some alcohol and sugar candy is present as well. Flavor is thick, oily and intense, with bitter notes. Coffee, chocolat, malt and alcohol dominates. Great beer!

13oz bottle. Pours a deep dark black. Oily with little head. Nose is intense coffee and tons of bourbon and chocolate. Great nose. The flavor is a dissappointment. Intensely boozy, with alot of coffee and over the top bitterness that destroys any nuances. Some chocolate and vanilla peak through in a long long finish but thats about it. This is way to boozy and way to bitter for my tastes. Not at all smooth. Thick oily mouthfeel that really coats the throat. Good thick palate that is sadly wasted. This is still a great beer but I was disappointed by the end result.

Pours am opaque brown-black with a very thin chocolate head and very little carbonation. Thick aroma of coffee liqueur with bittersweet chocolate, a hint of dark red fruit, and very subtle burnt sugar smokiness. Full flavor with dark roasted grain bitterness, bitter coffee, subtlely sweet alcohol edge, and a somewhat odd dark berry/blue fruit flavor with a bot of muscovado sugar. The alcohol is present in the body throughout each taste, but in a dynamic way that melds with each flavor and doesn’t overpower or seem out of balance. Only a pleasant creeping warmth in the finish hints at its strength.

Bottle. My first Mikkeller beer rated. Pours a pitch black with a dark brown head sitting rather obediently. Intense complex aroma of chocolate, caramel, fruit, licorice,vanilla, oak and alcohol. The flavour is very full bodied with a mix of chocolate, fruit,caramel, vanilla and alcohol. Thick oily mouthfeel. A mild bitter sweet finish. An extremely good beer.

I picked this 375ml bottle for a joy on a Friday eve to celebrate Mikkeller being reviewed as one of the RateBeer best brewers and Ølbutikken as the best beer retailer in the world. This dark, green bottle, topped by a wire cradle and a cork, was bought at Ølbutikken in May last year (BB 14.08.2011). The body content is black as oil and topped by a ruby brownish, bubbly head. Smooth aroma of deep, dark malts. Dark fruits and roasted dark malts in flavour pushed into the background by a bit overwhelmingly liquorice. Solid and lingering bitter ending with warming alcohol. Great stuff, but the liquorice is rather too dominating. [Tromsø, 30.01.2009].

Bottled 375ml. Trade with nearbeer. Appearance: It pours a pitch black beer with a small dark beige head. Aroma: The nose is of coffee, aniseed, glue, grapefruit, cherry, lemon and blue cheese accompanied by vanilla and nutmeg with tobacco suddenly emerging. A wonderful sour feature showing up too when warming up - a terribly complex aroma. Flavor and palate: Extremely full bodied. Coffee, aniseed, wood, lemon and vanilla in the taste. Some wild strawberries sneaking in. Low carbonation. Very faintly sour. Warming alcohol appearing with the swallow. Lemon peel, sage and licorice in the finish which is sublime. Overall impression: Extremely good. I love every feature of this Imperial Stout. But the flavor is even more impressive than the aroma in my opinion. Thanks a lot nearbeer!