Mikkeller Black Hole

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

12.9 oz bottle rating. Pour is pure blackness, there’s no seeing through this beer. A nice creamy brown head settles above the tar. Very nice aroma of roast, vanilla, raisin, dark chocolate. Flavor is really coffee forward, with most of the other complexities noticed in the aroma taking a back seat. Alcohol is totally masked, with the exception of a nice warming feeling experienced in my stomach. For such a rich beer, this is very drinkable. The one downside is that the coffee is maybe a little overpowering. However, as I sip on this and the temp warms, I notice some other flavors become assertive. Very good beer. I can see some similarities between this and Speedway Stout (which is probably my favorite Impy Stout of all time).

A mostly black pour with a little bit of brown on the edges. Light head. The aroma has some nice coffee and malt going on with caramel and charcoal as well. It actually smells creamy. Unfortunately I did not care for the flavor as much as I thought I would. Coffee was present and it was well mixed with the malts. There was also a good bit of bitter chocolate but it seemed to be mixed with a touch of saltiness that I found misplaced and distracting. Semi-dry full body. Not bad, but certainly not as good as it was hyped to be.

A small, but dense tan head with mild lacing occur upon pour. The nose is dark roasted coffee, chocolate,dried dark fruits, slightly vinous and other more subtle tone which I can’t quite nail down. The flavor Is rich with combinations of sweetness and bitterness from roasted malts. It is quite well balanced and a definite winner. I hope to try this again soon.

Oh wow. This a great impy. Pour out a deep black color with nearly no head. aroma is huge roasted malts with a nice nutty note to it. Flavor is sweet roasted malts with coffee notes through out. A very enjoyable brew.

Bottle in a blind tasting. Black milky texture with a whispy trace of a very dark head. Some rubies might be noted in there somewhere. The aroma is chocolaty, molasses, some roast, espresso, noted alcohol burns my nose. The flavor has walnuts, strong alcohol presence. A sharp hickory flavor is up front with a drying earthy finish. Hints of fanilla wafers come through. The sharp flavors are very strong, it makes it almost minty in feel. I noticed some ash as well. Intense, almost awkward, but very good. This was my 3rd pick of 4 in a blind tasting, but I loved all 4.

375ml bottle, courtesy of Travisd13. Hi-Oh! Pours black as the night, thin, brown, somewhat creamy, little bit of lace. Smells of black coffee and alcohol. Tastes much more malty than the smell implies. Stiff black coffee and booze hit in the middle and last through the finish. Palate is thick but not super thick, good carbonation. This is a potent brew.

2007 Bottled sampled at the Kulminator along with Mikkel who just happened to be there that night. Poured jet black with a 1 finger of head. Aroma is truly amazing. Loads of dark malt, American hops, dark chocolate, espresso. Hops and malts come out equally in the aroma as in the flavor. Flavor is really incredible, loads of roasted flavor, caramel, raisins, espresso, bitter chocolate, and resiny American hops all come together with perfect balance. Mouth feel is thick and satisfying. A truly incredible beer.

My treat, shared with my good friends at Steve’s house, Dougboy and DrBayern, etc. Poured black, appearance is on an oily, sludge beer. Flavour is of a smooth, yet bitter Impy Stout. Burnt coffee beans, deep dark chocolate malts with a particular hop ending. Extremely impressive beer from our friends in Denmark!