Mikkeller 黑 / Black

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

From LIC, Aarhus, DK. Bottled, 260608. Black with a brownish head. Aroma is vinous. Flavor is long lasting of malt - incl. roasted barley - caramel, chocolate, liqourice and hop bitterness.

This corked and caged bottled brew from Indianapolis, IN poured a medium sized head of fine to medium sized very dark brown colored long lasting bubbles that left behind an opaque black colored body with no visible carbonation and a most excellent lacing. The aroma was of vinous whiskey and dark malts. The mouth feel was thick vinous tingly and mildly burning from start to finish. The flavor was extremely yummy with thick dark malt brown malt and whiskey notes.

It’s a beer that you have to try just because of the absurdly high alcohol. A general rule is 13%+ works in barley wine but not imperial stout, and that seems to have been confirmed here. The nose is actually quite nice, something I enjoyed: sure there’s a tone of chocolate liqueur, but it’s actually a really nice (and strong) note of chocolate liqueur, very hot, but almost dessert-like, with notes of black licorice and heavy char. Flavor, though, that’s where this thing turns into a complete mess. Hugely hot, stinging, sharp, biting, boozy, but the char and roast makes this seem like I’m drinking booze distilled off of burning rubber tires.

Bottle. Huge brown head with good duration. Color is pitch black. Aroma and taste are rich with coffee, chocolate and hops.

Bottle at home ... Thanks to Maria for this ... Deep black ... thin off white head ... dark dry chocolate roast ... Nice ... Nice ... Nice ... odd first word for flavour but HONEY ... sweet light gentle lots of fruit almost raspberry ... loads of roast with some charcoal... really very tasty with quite a spirit burn ... oh finish isnt so hot lots of charcoal bitterness in linger and a long dry burnt linger ... This would be a good 0.5 higher if it wasnt for its charcoal finnish.

12.7oz bottle, courtesy of acrdz. Thanks, Mike! Pours a very very dark black color; textured, creamy medium brown head with solid retention and fine-bubbled lacing. Loads of nougat, licorice, and dark chocolate liquor in the aroma; not a ton of alcohol; lots of charred / burnt malts; pretty nice nose, actually. Huge amounts of alcohol in the mouth: full mouthfeel: loads of booze, intense coffee, jarringly bitter chocolate; just huge, boozy, messy, and abrasive; soy sauce and coffee grounds and alcohol; completely over-the-top and barely drinkable right now, even as a sipper. Nothing held back here. Age forever.

Bottle, thx to fonefan, 37.5cl corked. Pours a black, slightly oily body with a dense tan head. No carbonation. Soy sauce, some alcohol, coffee, dark bitter chocolate and a little salt in the aroma. The flavor has a wonderful sweetness, chocolate, an intense hoppyness and salty licorice notes. Oily mouthfeel, and a finish with lots of bitterness, fruityness and coffee. A lovely, big beer, but it will probably be a better big beer after some time in the bottle. Still I loved it. I loved it enough that I have later on enjoyed a bottle on my own, and will do that again. �)

Bottle @ Maria tasting. Black colour with a tan head. Aroma is roasted, malt, coffee, licorice. Flavour is roasted, malt, licorice, coffee, hop, alcohol. The finish is hop, coffee. Very nice after dinner beer.