Mikkeller Santas Little Helper 2008

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

Tasted from bottle. Appearance - Pours an opaque extremely dark brown with very little head. Aroma - Dark malt with a distinctive alcohol burn. The cocoa and coriander come through nicely. There are also aromas of vanilla and cinnamon that I usually associate with oak treatment. Taste - The front of the palate is sweet. On the mid-palate, the coriander, cinnamon and vanilla come through, as do the hops. On the back of the palate the bitter orange peel, dark chocolate, coffee and hops are dominant. Palate - On the palate, this beer is absolutely perfect. The carbonation is mild but there. The beer affects every area of the palate, not to mention, the finish lasts a very long time. Overall - My only complaint about this beer is that the alcohol is a little out of balance. Other than that, it is very enjoyable. There is a high level of complexity, and the finish is very long, not to mention, there is still plenty of aging potential.

Dark brown color. Mild aroma, alcohol, chocolate, dust, light sweat. Average body strength, but quite well structured, dry chocolate flavor, moderate sweetness, average spice presence (cinnamon); in the end the alcohol warms the tongue and there is some light vegetable trace. Not bad.

Bottle. Pours very dark brown, almost black, with a creamy tan head that doesn’t last long. Nose is sweet and spicy with notes of chocolate, caramel, melon, orange and cinnamon. Flavour is less sweet but more spicy with the chocolate, cinnamon and caramel dominating but notes of roasted malt, orange, coriander, sultana and pine are all noticeable. Light, creamy mouthfeel with moderate carbonation and a sweet, spicy finish that lingers. Very nice Christmas beer, well balanced and intriguing, would go well with Christmas cake or pudding.

courtesy of Jespr - clear brown colour with a poor head retention; notes of cocoa and citrus and with some alcohol presence in the nose; good malt body and a fair sweetness, moderate carbonation; a decent bitterness and a long malty finish of cocoa and lemon with light spicy notes - very drinkable

On draft at Capones. Pours a dark cola with a creamy medium sized light beige head. Aroma of malty orange peel, cocoa and throat medicine. Taste of Vick’s cough drops, cocoa, orange peel and toothpaste. Does not taste right.

750ml bottle, dark brown color, with a tan-colored head, leaving some belgian laces, yeasty, chocolate praline, fruity candied orange peel, spicy nose of coriander, cinnamon and faint nutmeg, with some chocolate, black, roasted, toasted malt, burnt brown, candi sugar, molasses accents, with a nice mochaish, coffee, chocolate icecream note, within a faint minty aroma follows through on a medium-bodied palate with a warmth, mellow, yeasty, toasted, black, roasted, wheaty malt, spicy, fruity character of candied orange, tangerine peels, and some coriander, cinnamon, faint nutmeg, dark bitter chocolate, cocoa, black coffee, molasses, burnt brown, candi sugar flavours, leaving a good flowery hop leafy, grassy, mild minty note, leading towards a warming, fruity, candied orange peel, bitter chocolate, dark coffee, roasty, lingering leafy hop bitterness finish.

750 ml. bottle shared with Quevillon at Brouhaha.The color is a dark brown with a beige head. The aroma is of malt,chocolat and alcohol. The taste also of malt chocolat,hops some herbs and vegetables. The 11% alcohol does not alter the taste of the ingredients. This was a very good Belgium beer.

750ml bottle: Pours a barely transparent dark copper mahogany with a small coating of light beige head. Has a sweet dark caramel and cocoa nose with some light orange citrus. Starts with pretty good malty fullness and and rich malty sweetness with nice cocoa complexity along with hints of orange and cinnamon. Finishes slightly drier with a lingering light roast and bittersweet cocoa. An enjoyable spiced Belgian-styled stout.