Mikkeller Black Hole

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

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.

Bottle shared at Houston RB Impy Stout tasting. Pours black and opaque with no head. Nose is vinuous, dry, but sweet. Odd. Taste comes off hot at first, then a certain dryness comes off. Very winey, with burnt malts and a strange sweetness. Overall a late nightcap beer, dry on the end and full bodied. Good to share with friends.

Bottled & poured into a snifter. MBH. What is there to say? This is a top-notch beer. It is a bit sweeter than I expected but not in a bad way. This beer is not exceptionally sweet but has a lot of complex flavors that evolve as it warms. Licorice, tulip leaves, butterscotch, coffee, vanilla and maybe even cherry come through. It is as thick as engine oil, exits with a final bitter kick in the throat and leaves an oily dream behind.