Närke Kaggen Stormaktsporter

Brewed by Närke Kulturbryggeri
Style: Imperial Stout
Örebro, Sweden

25 cl bottle, 2006. Huge thanks to Yngvar for this my 1000th rating! and 100th Imperial Stout. Dark brown with some tan froth around the edges. Nose is molasses, licorice, cocoa and espresso. Medium body with a light tingle. Taste is dark roast, prunes, oak and bourbon. Smooth dry finish with lingering chocolate. Rich and complex but not overdone.

2006 Bottle. Thanks, Per. Thick black with a decent head. Aroma of oak, caramel, chocolate, more oak, vanilla. Sweet, strong, vanilla, oak, chocolate, raisins, lots of wood, alcohol, spice. Very elegant and delicious, with a long after taste. Smooth and very nice body. Yes, a great beer.

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.

On tap at Borefts Bier Festival, De Molen, 2008 edition. Black colour, thin brown head. Aroma of whisky, wood, liquorice root, roasted malts. Flavour is sweet, whisky, roasted malts, coffee, chocolate, liquorice root in the finish. Soft and fullbodied and yes, very good.

[bottle tap at EBF 2008] Smooth butterscotchy aroma with sweet molasses and honey. Plenty of oak that is balanced by toasty malt. Opaque dark red-brown with a wispy light brown top. Heavenly oak balanced by lots of chocolate and toast. Bubblegum dark malt as well with nutty toasty biscuit. Full body, moderate carbonation, smooth. Complex yet excellently balanced.

# 800. [Odense-tasting at Scheffel. A lot of thanks to Christian.]
Had some dreams to sample this wonderbrew in a few years, but it succeeded already now ......and what a brew. As cab mentioned, "It’s quite on the edge and it cannot be better." Anywhere you’ll improve it, it’ll fall. He gave it 5.0, but I’ll let a 0.1 left to the brewers of Örebro to make another superbrew. Notes of wood, vanilla, smooth roast, coffechocs, weak dried fruits, ingrediently and intense aroma of some port and oak also. Flavour needs concentration to note, caused by the complexity and I’m hoping for a refill one day!

2006. Been waiting for a while for this one. Dark milk and bitter chocolate, toasted vanilla initially on the nose. Creamy peanut butter. A big alcohol presence that kind of distracts a bit. Pours nearly black as night with a thick dark khaki head leaving spotty lacing and a nice yellow film after a gentle swirl. Roasted malt and toasted marshmallow on the tongue initially.Bitter chocolate. Some dried vanilla, a touch of soy, peanut butter and an underlying fusel alcohol note that distracts from the overall essence of the beer. Viscous and chewy mouthfeel. An excellent example of the style... if only I could get beyond that fusel alcohol... Thanks so very much for this awesomely rare treat Brad!

Rating # 1100!! Thanx to Hopscotch for sharing this at Gumby is a Baller - Merritt Island Spring Gangsta Fling and Bling.Sweet lord this smells and looks wonderful!! The pour is a tar color with virtually no head. The nose was chocolaty, bourbon, smoke,vanilla and wood. Flavors are a popping. Chocolate,bourbon, wood,espresso, vanilla,and some dark fruit.A well balanced delight with a creamy mouthfeel. This was warming going down and finished warm.Thank you Eric!!