Närke Kaggen Stormaktsporter

2006 bottle. huge thanks to kan (pantanap) for sharing this rare gem. pours black with swirling tan creamy head. looks great but also thin. the aroma is really roasty with soft bourbon notes, dark chocolate, coconut, nuts, and vanilla. flavor is intense roast with coffee, dark chocolate, vanilla, and mild dark fruits in the finish. finises dry, nutty, and isn’t that long. the carbonation is wonderfully smooth. alcohol isn’t noticed at all. really drinkable stuff. the nose was amazing but the flavor didn’t quite match up.

Bottle, courtsey of Craig aka cgarvieuk (cheers Craig) had this on the 31-12-07 The top prised off satisfyingly to the accompaniment of the dim and distant rolling and crackle of thunder and streaks of lightning. The drink poured the colour of black treacle with a small beige head, and as I lift it to my lips once again a fury of thunderous claps swirls around. An infuriated Thor was riding his chariot across the storm clouds that were gathered menacingly across Otmoor and wielding his mighty hammer mjollnir. Without delay I sipped this brew as streaks of bright white light flashed all around, the aroma was honey, finest cocoa, and dark sticky fruits, the taste was sumptuous, filling, rich and simply stunning, it was like a cadbury’s flake moment, the taste of marshmallows dipped in the finest chocolate and left to drip all over your hand vanilla, figs and dark sugars make up some of the other flavours. The crackles and bangs continue outside, Thor is busy tonight but I sip again, the full range of flavours literally beats my tastebuds into submission, its almost numb with this full flavoured onslaught. I head outside to greet the mighty Thor with my chalice held high, the cracks and flashes continue to surround me, next doors firework display was quite something and more than served it’s purpose not just for them this evening. A truly magical beer!

2006. Very good IS. Poured a thick black with a great looking creamy brown head. Aroma of chocolate, malt, oak, and some fruit. Flavor was much of the same with somewhat of an alcohol burn finish. Not bad by any means. Oak and fruit make it somewhat sweet. Great complexity.

250 ml bottle at Bishop’s Arms, Avenyn, Gothenburg, Sweden. Årgång 2006. Dark brown with a small, light brown head. Rich, sweet aroma of coconut, plums, cherries and oak. Sweet taste with soft bitterness. Ligh carbonation.

[Sampled at the Stockholm Beer festival 2007] Pitch black with a small brown head. Rich aroma with (among others) coffey, vanilla and citrus. Complex but surprisingly smooth creamy flavours of bitter chocolate, coffey and woody vanilla. Enormeous in every way.

Dark brown color with a thick brown head. smell of cofee, yeast and nice oak tones. The taste is cofeey and vinous

Secret Santa hooked this one up!!! The dilemma is this, I have convinced myself that this is indeed going to be the singular greatest beer I have yet to consume, causing me to ponder if this will actually live up to the billing. Upon pouring, my heart races a bit. A nearly completely light obliterating black, the only glimmer of color is the faintest brown, trying to escape around the edges. The aromas coming forth are an opus of complexity, the likes of which are rarely attained. Oak, vanilla, roasted malts, smoke, Valhrona Chocolate, the sugar crust of a creme brulee, Black Mission Figs, date syrup, plums all make their presence known. Waves of olfactory pleasure engulf my psyche, pulling in more inward into a contemplative state. I continue to inhale, wondering how this is possible. The flavor is other worldly. The roasted flavor is the first to makes its presence known. As I continue, a light brown caramel teases the senses, sublimely yielding to a playful balance of oak, vanilla and Italian meringue, though ever so slightly. The warming alcohol finishes what in essence is the brewer’s tour de force. Perhaps it is not simply brewing, but is rather alchemy, transforming simple ingredients into a master piece.

Huge thanks to TheCheeseMan for sharing this one with me. 2006. Pours black with black/brown edges and a small, creamy, brown head that dissipates to a ring on the edge of the glass. Nose of roasted malt, oak, bittersweet chocolate, vanilla, burnt sugar, honey, dark dried fruits, light smoke, and subtle licorice. Flavor is similar, but even more rich. Adds milk chocolate, molasses, marshmallow, more roast, and just a hint of warming alcohol. Nice balance of sweetness and roast. Full body is rich and smooth. Awesome. Definitely one of the best imperial stouts I’ve had.