Mikkeller Santas Little Helper 2008

Mikkeller
Brewed at De Proefbrouwerij
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Copenhagen V, Denmark

750mL bottle. Great beer. Pours black with tan head. Aroma of vanilla, port and spice, Mouthfeel a bit thin, but taste is huge, mallty roasted loveliness, licorice, spice, dark chocolate, and finish has nice burst of bittness.

THOUGHTS: Delicious. Not as sweet as last years version, but similar. This one also didn’t hid the alcohol as well, but still very nice. This was also way more hoppy. This was just as rich in flavor, but a little lighter in body. It is in a unique class of beers. I’d lump it with Gouden Carolus Blue, Samichlaus and Sam Adams Triple Bock in their unique, almost hybrid or style crossing profiles. This was not overwhelmingly Christmasy, but it did hint at it. As it warmed it reminded me a little of Belgian take on Pum King aroma wise. This goes back to a time before Christmas. TECHNICAL: Bottle. Poured a dark brown with orangey red highlights and a small, tan head that mostly diminished and left fair lacing. The aroma was moderate and when warmer, heavy cocoa powder, chocolate syrup and slight cereal that came across as Cap’n Crunch; light hoppiness that was mostly hidden by spices; moderate yeast; soy sauce, chocolate liquor, dark fruit, spices, more and more chocolate as it warmed, fruit skins and dark berries. The initial flavor was sweet and a little acidic; while the finish was sweeter, acidic, moderately bitter with a hint of sour and an average duration. There was dark fruit, cocoa powder, spices, yeast, citrus hops, oranges, a hint of coffee. It was like a spices orange hot cocoa or mocha coffee liquor. The medium body was slightly syrupy, sort of oily and then a little dry, but sticky on the lips with fairly soft carbonation and a very lightly astringent, moderately alcoholic and dry finish.

Mahogany with a nice tan head. Spicy, cocoa, and herbal aroma. A bit sweet but not cloying, with a lovely finishing bitterness.

Very dark brown, large long lasting tan head, excellent lacing. Aroma is spicy, lots of dark fruits, light alcohol, yeast, some orange citrus. Flavour is of lots of oranges, spices, cherries, some alcohol, moderate sweetness. Warming in the mouth, medium body, moderate carbonation. Finished long, warm, citrusy.

Some pine at the very end, a rather warm beer. Some age will round out the corners of this one.

750ml bottle obtained through Roland and Russell Imports.
Opened on January 30, 2009.
Best before September 1, 2012.

Bottled 75 cl (BB 09/2012)
Dark brown color, small beige head. Cinnamon, dark prunes, licorice, molasses. Slightly pine hoppy, cinnamon-clove spicey, licorice. Finish has alcohol and spices. Tannines, woody notes in the slightly hoppy aftertaste. Less spicey and more mellow than fresh 2009.

750ml bottle. Pours almost black in color with full foamy tan head. Aroma coffee, spicy and roasted malt. Taste roasted malt, chocolate and cocoa with bitter finish.

Pours a very dark ruby red/chestnut brown color that’s almost black and completely opaque without even the slightest bit of lighter edges when held to a light source. Huge frothy light tan/coffee colored head with amazing retention that only slowly settles into a lasting cap that leaves thick chunks of soapy lacing in it’s wake. Spicy pepper aroma with lots of dark fruit notes, especially dark cherry, grape, raisin and plum. Also, there is some prominent candy sugar, sage, brown sugar and dry piny hops. Peppery spice flavor up front with a full bodied dark roasted malt body. Lots of dark cherry, plum and raisin with a prominent chocolate malt presence. Very well balanced, smooth and creamy and the high ABV is very well masked. This beer is amazing.

Pours dark brown with a beige head. Aroma is sweet malt, liquorish, light hop. Flavour is alcohol, liquorish, light sweet caramel. Bitter aftertaste.