Mikkeller Santas Little Helper 2008

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

A rich milk chocolate aroma, beautiful color. Flavor is thick, some roast, some Christmas spice, maybe nutmeg and incredibly smooth. A hint of graininess and hops in the finish. An excellent beer.

Style; glass: Belgian Strong; trappist, tulip, tumbler 25.4 fl oz x 11% ABV = 279.4 / 60 = 4.65 beers * 150 C = 697.5 calories (est.) Purchased at: Canal’s Lawrenceville for $12.19 Aroma: cocoa, coriander, orange peel, zest, and pepper. Visuals: fun, idyllic, brand oriented packaging, A deep midnight, deep brown, opaque, bright tan head, sticky lace. Taste: expertly balanced, dark roasted coffee malt, peppery hops, refined strength. Palate: crisp texture gives way to a rounded mouthfeel, long burnt finish with bitterness and cocoa. Overall: delicious, layered and amazing. This is the epitome.

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.

[At Carlsens with Hans Ole.] Again - foreign belgian brew when it’s best. Darkbrown and similar head with aroma of x-mas-spices. More flavornotes of spices, ginger, alcohol, anise, roasted cacao, sweet maltiness and with a long lasting finish of good heavy alcoholic warmness.

It is a black beer with a red hue and the head is dense and creamy. The aroma has notes of chocolate, light dark fruit and light spice. The flavour has a light sweetness, notes of roasted malt, plum and other fruits, light alcohol, chocolate, licorice, spice and the finish is slightly dry. It is remarkably delicious. The previous years it has been wonderful, but this year I hear the angels sing. Damn, now I have to buy some more for Christmas eve...

750ml bottle
11.0% ABV
I tried this beer on April 23, 2009 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The beer poured a solid brownish-black with a 1" light brown head. The aroma was roasted malt, coffee, chocolate, yeast, and spices. The mouthfeel was full-bodied, slightly creamy and with medium carbonation. The flavour was roasted malt, chocolatey, with a hint of plums and molasses. A very enjoyable beer.

A strong, intense but very drinkalble beer. The aroma is dominated by cinnamon, dried fruit and a hint of alcohol. The flavour is very balanced with heaps of raisins and dates blending in with the cinnamon, coriander and cloves. There’s some hop flavour too, giving it a slight citrus feel. Ends very balanced and not too sweet. Extremely balanced for a beer this size, but the bottles indicates, a brewing date in 2006...

Bottle. Dark, dark brown with a small tan head. Aroma of rich, sweet malt, chocolate and spice. Medium bodied. Absolutely delicious and satisfying flavour with notes of chocolate, coffee, spices, caramel, candy, and sugared orange peel. Beautiful stuff, loved it!