Mikkeller Black Hole

Bottle from Monument. The green bottle kind of took me aback, given that Ive never had good luck with green or clear bottles. Brown or can have been the only mediums that have worked for me. Poured a black with tannish head. The malts in this one are strong, sweet and powerful. This tastes like a coffee candy you have at grandmas house. Hot on the aftertaste. I sense the touch of licorice everyone is talking about. There is something about Viking malts that differ from Mid European and American. Its present in Haand Bryggeriet. Nogne and Mikkeller.

Bottle that I purchased in Ølbutikken, Copenhagen, Denmark, Sept 08. This beer poured black, really black, grimping mire black with a brown head. There is an immediate intense bitterness to this which you sense over the hand rubbed hoppy aroma that comes straight from this. There is also some burnt maltiness and liqourice. The aromas are replicated in the mouth but rather alarmingly I dont get as excited and whilst I can appreciated the effort that has gone into this beer after saving it for a few months I feel a bit disappointed, Loz on the other hand loves it. I keep on sipping this and wonder if it is me just tiring of these hoppy Impy Stouts. I try again and get a real bitterness along with the liqourice, some dark coffee, and bitter, bitter chocolate but the hops come in like a bull in a china shop and bludgeon the life out of everything else. This is a good beer with a touch more subtlety it could have been great. A8 A4 F6 P3 OV 13 3.4

Bottle 0,375 l. Initially looks delicious, black brown with beige head, but the head disappears quickly leaving a bit flat look. Nose is good, fresh hops (?), coffee, bitter chocolate, candy, some barnyard and golf course, leather maybe, liqourice. Flavor has espresso sourness, (really) bitter chocolate, subtle syrup, gummy bears, malts, maybe even hoppy bitterness in the aftertaste. Feels more like a coffee stout to me than imperial stout. Alcohol is not up front, but warms nicely. Body is a bit thinnish for all the ingredients with just about perfect carb. Doesnt like being in glass for too long, but falls flat rather quickly, and you cannot drink this as quickly.

On tap @ EBF 2008. Totally black body with a big brown head. Strong aroma of roasted malt and chocolate and some alcohol, actually surprisingly little alcohol in the aroma. Flavor is sweet like molasses at the first sip, but then the bitterness and alcohol make the perfect balance. It is just perfect balanced. Chocolate, coffee, liquorices, moderate roasted malt, dry fruit and warming alcohol. Delicious.

bottle thanks to bleeng. Shared at December Houston Tasting. poured black as night with no head. Nose is of roast malt and coffee. taste is of roast malt, coffee and licorice. Mouthfeel is thick with alcohol warmth. Nice.

Well I am embarrased that I am about to drink a stout that I have wanted for a while and the only glassware I have is a plastic tumbler from the hotel bathroom. Oh well, it has been a fairy tale 3 days in Rome, with everything going as perfectly as they could. And now, thanks to John at Johnnys Off License, a great beer to end the trip. I know it is not an Italian, those are going home with me. Bottle, pours lightly thick and jet black. The head is very dark tan and dissapates slowly, but laces. This is how a RIS should look. One sniff and I know I will like it. Dark malt, expresso, and bakers chocolate, with a hint of mollassis. Yum, first sip, heaven. The mouth is perfect. Creamy with flavors of sweet chocolate, bitter expresso, and some hop presence. Just delicious. Slighly more sweet that I like, but I will not complain. Everything flows well, this is a powerful beer. ISO!

Poured black with a thin head, is that all, but no, gained some head after warming somehow. Aroma was just amazin with chocolate coffee candy fruit and more. We had to wait a bit for this since it was too cold, but when it warmed up, oh wow, fantastic with flavors that amplified the aroma. truly special

Bottle from bleeng at the December Houston tasting. Thanks! Pours thin and dark with an aroma of bourbon-soaked chocolate coffee beans. Flavor is earthy brown nut with a buttery alcohol finish. Average mouthfeel. Good, but not great.