Närke Kaggen Stormaktsporter

Brewed by Närke Kulturbryggeri
Style: Imperial Stout
Örebro, Sweden

Bottle (2006) from De Bierkoning, Amsterdam. To my total surprise this beer was suddenly available in the Netherlands, thank you martinboer for mentioning this! Black appearance, small brown head. Very complex nose, port-notes, wood, malts, fruit (plums) and quite some more stuff i can’t define. Sweet flavour, some cognac notes appear. Alcohol is obviously present. Great mouthfeel and long lasting bitter finish. The combination of flavours is truly unique. Really good.

Bottled(250ml). -RBESG2008, Grand Tasting. 2006 vintage.
Deep black coloured, medium sized brown head, light alcoholic chocolate nose. Roasted malt, chocolate, alcohol and coffee taste. Very complex beer. Goes in TOP 5 grand tasting beers.

Bottled (Thx Bierkönig for sharing). Pitch black coloured. Dense brown head. Roast, spice, apple, chocolate, light coffee and a touch of vanilla and barral. Very balanced nose. Flavour is as good as the aroma. Again the barralaging is quite subdued and balanced. Light cigar (Yes I like that flavour), sweetness, vanilla, spiced, roast and light chocolate. Balance, balance, balance. Flavours are very well adjusted to each other. Medium to full bodied. Chocolate, spice and vanillasweetness mingles in the perfect end. Reminds me a lot of the ordinary Stormaksporter, which I like as much as this. This for sure is a good beer.

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!!

(Bottled@Pikkulintu, room temperature. Thanks, Markku!:) Pitch black with beige, tight head. Very malty, decently hoppy, slightly alcoholic, port-wineous aroma with salty licorice, dark fruit and roasted malt. Extremely malty, very roasty, very smooth, licoricey, coffeeish, nutty-hoppy, syrupy, oaky flavor. Alcohol is fully hidden. Very full-bodied, slicky-syrupy, silky smooth, warming palate with almost no carbonation. A highly enjoyable dessert drink to be sipped slowly beside the fireplace (wish I had one ;). Must be truly great when aged...

Huge thanks to pilsnerpeter for the chance to try this one. Deep pitch black beer with a thin creamy dark brown head. The aroma is incredibly intense. Very rich dark 80% chocolate, tootsie roll character. Black licorice and a very interesting herbal/cocoa aroma. As it warms it gets a little bit muddy. The flavour is fairly boozy. Soft peppery spiciness, a touch of pine and even a light earthiness. Not really tart per se, but there is a lightness that is quite unusual for an impy. It’s big and slightly sweet but it isn’t syrupy. Light sage like herbal character. Man, this stuff is very tasty and very unique. Fairly savoury character with a lingering roastiness. Man, this stuff is so good. A lightly pruny sweetness as it warms up... awesome stuff.

(Bottled vintage 2006). Sampled to celebrate my 40th birthday. Courtesy of oh6gdx (who brought this bottle from GBBF 2007). Pitch black color, good dark brown color. Oak (oak barrels), tobacco, dark malts, vanilla, some licorice in the nose. Full-bodied. Main flavor is licorice, dark roasted malts, molasses, dark chocolate. Then nuances: oak, vanilla, honey in portwineish palate. Very very complex and highly drinkable. Kick of alcohol in the atfertaste. Long mix of roasted malts and vanilla in the aftertaste. Normal Stormaktsporter is one of my favourite beers and this even tops it.

Skillfully produced beer. At first the oak-barrels came through a little too much, but after just 10 minutes sitting around the smoothness and complexities really shown through. All in all a top notch brew I wish I could get more of.