Mikkeller 黑 / Black

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

Serve in Snifter

The absolute strongest imperial stout I’ve ever had. Can’t even begin to describe it. This is why I love Mikkeller.

Heavy smell of licorice and red wine. Black. No head. Aroma of cherries and red wine. Sugary.

On tap. Completely black with a thick brown head. The aroma is very strong, very roasty and some coffee. Taste is at first a bit sweet and ends with a long loasting roasty aftertaste. As it gets heated up the alchohol is showing itself in both aroma and taste. Wouldn’t believe it was 17,5% if I didn’t know it. A good beer but one is enough...

375ml bottle. Opaque black with huge frothy lasting brown head. Dark malt, roasted malt, dark chocolate, sweet milk chocolate and coffee aroma, only a hint of alcohol. Taste starts innocent with sweet dark berries, replaced by sweet milk chocolate, first 2/3 are accompanied by a lively carbonation, dry coffee and bitter chocolate finish, burning alcoholic aftertaste. Thick, smooth, oily mouthfeel, lighter to the end. A bit over the top.

Draft. 2012 ed. 17,5%. Pour is black with some brown head. Aroma is coffee, loads of brown sugar and a bit of booze. Taste is first very sweet then fresh and coffee-fruity, dark malty, coffee. The taste last many minutes for every sip. It’s a almost surprisingly both elegant and powerful experience. (I think it tastes a lot like a Shakerato (a shake of double espresso, syrup and ice) with alcohol.) Full bodied is almost a understatement - it’s really thick and sticky. It will numb your palate - a king of beers!

From paper: Bottle. Very nice broad aroma of spicyness and sweet berries. A completely dark beer with an almost oil-ish substance. Head is golden and thick but disappears after a short while. Aftertaste is a bit too bitter after my opinion and maybe the beer is slightly too sweet also. Nevertheless it is a fantastic beer and you cannot really sense the 16% of alcohol.

375ml bottle, deep black color, with no head, strong boozy, alcoholic, chocolate liquor, sweet vanilla, black, chocolate, roasted malt nose, with some brownie, dark bitter baking chocolate bar, brown sugar, burnt bran muffin, thick molasses sweetness accents, with a licorice, chocolate granola bar note in the aroma follows through on a full-bodied palate with a thick syrupy warmth, dark sweet chocolate truffle, vanilla, brownie, alchocolic chocolate cup filled with brandy liquor, coffee, molasses character, with some sweet roasted, black, chocolate, toasted malt, chocolate liquor flavors, with a spicy licorice, chocolate syrup, faint yeasty, burnt dried date, fig sweetness, burnt toast, burnt bran muffin backbone, leading towards a strong warming alcohol, sweet molasses, brown sugar, chocolate syrup, roasted, chocolate bitter maltiness finish.

Black thin tan head ... aroma of anise, roasted malts .... taste is of very strong anise (licorice), lots of bitter hops very strong roasted flavors, soy sauce ..... finishes dry bitter roasted finish .... an insanely bitter roasted brew