Mikkeller Santas Little Helper 2010

Mikkeller
Formerly brewed at De Proefbrouwerij
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Copenhagen, Denmark

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

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THOUGHTS: Very nice. Seemed to have aged well. Seemed a little more Christmasy than most years More spices and maybe some orange peel. Hid alcohol fairly well. TECHNICAL: Bottle.Poured a dark, reddish brown with red highlights and an average, beige or tan head that kept a nice sheet and left excellent lacing that nearly completely coated the glass. The aroma had moderate roasted malt, caramel, dark chocolate, chocolate syrup and spiced cake; hints of coffee; moderate spicy yeast; toffee; brown sugar; spice cookies; orange peel and Christmas spices. The initial flavor was lightly sweet, slightly acidic and slightly bitter; while the finish was light to mod sweet, light to mod bitter and lightly acidic with a fairly long duration. there was chocolate syrup, dark candy sugar, spicy Belgian yeast, holiday spices, cinnamon, nutmeg, and other spices, spiced Christmas cookies, fruit cake, orange peel, roasted malt, citrus fruit, a little lime, dark chocolate, toffee, caramel and hot cocoa. All ever so slightly watered down. The medium to full body was slightly dry and then rather dry with soft carbonation and a chalky and lightly alcoholic and finish.

Bottle. Dark brown pour, light tan head. Dark fruit, plum, brown sugar, and Christmas spices. Pretty nice christmasy beer. Moderately spice.

Hazed brown, frothy tan head. Aroma of molasses, nutmeg, some citrus. Taste of dark fruit, molasses, oak, tobacco. Really nicely mellowed.

Pours dark brown with a beige head that fades slightly but lasts. Aroma is caramel, dark fruit, some chocolate, and some spice. Taste is caramel, dates, some orange peel, spice, and yeast. Silky texture. Alcohol is slightly noticeable.

Già al naso i sentori di malto, caramello e cioccolata fanno intuire di essere davanti ad un grandissima birra. Al palato sorprende l’equilibrio: nulla è invadente e fuori posto lasciando con una sorprendente nota luppolata. Ottima

Bottle at Camp Beer IX. Pours a dark amber with a small off white head that leaves sticky lacing. The aroma is smokey malt. Medium mouthfeel with a vanilla and chocolate bitter finish. A very good Belgian strong ale from Mikkeller.

750mL bottle, split 4 ways, pours deep dark brown with a reddish tinge and a medium beige head. Aroma of brown sugar, soap, caramel and turpentine. Flavour of brown sugar, citrus, turpentine, burnt caramel and booze. Complex and well-balanced, despite the acetonic notes. Very enjoyable.

Pours pitch black with a rich creamy brown head leavin lace. Aroma is smokey, roasted malty, some fruityness, spicy and dark fruits. Flavor is malty, roasted, cumin, bready, sweet, smokey. Finishes bitter malty with a slight sweet touch.

750ml bottle. Glad to find this one tucked away in the cooler of one of my local stores. I love it when I find already aged brews! Brownish brew with some tan head. Aromas of spice, caramel malt, and a bit of chocolate. Flavor is the same - spices have most likely been subdued over time but this allows the dark fruit, caramel, and chocolate to come through more.

18/01/2011 Brasserie 4:20 (tap). Bruna, intensa, quasi impenetrabile, con riflessi rossicci, schiuma poco abbondante color beige, non molto persistente. Aroma di caramello, con note tostate, appena caffettose, erbacee e specie. In bocca è dolciastra, zuccherosa, caramellata, con un finale amarognolo abbastanza importante e convincente. Corpo pieno, carbonazione soft. Discreta birra natalizia di Mikkeller, ma un po’ stoppacciosa e difficile da bere.