Mikkeller X-mas Porter Til Fra Via (To From Via) (2011)

Mikkeller
Formerly brewed at De Proefbrouwerij
Style: Imperial/Strong Porter
Copenhagen, Denmark

Serve in Shaker, Snifter

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Bottle as Fra Mikkeller & ___ Til ___, best before 31/08/15 (bottled 4 years earlier). Has to be this one. Black with a large brown head leaving lacing. Aroma: roasted, coffee, cocoa, some ashes, cream, licorice. Taste: coffee,dry, medium bitter, cocoa, ashes, creamy, sourish berries, fruit, maybe a bit on the harsh side.. Above medium-bodied, smooth.

The pour is black with a tan, dense, full head which settles in time to a rocky layer and leaves thick, scattered lace all over. The nose is full of burnt caramel, some spruce, faint currant, dark chocolates, and dark toast; a bit bland for an 8% beer. The flavor is similar with burnt caramels, sprucey/cedary hops, rich dark chocolates, malt flavoring, faint cinnamon, and faint currant. The palate is full, soft to lively, velvety, round, and drying a touch. The finish is rich with lots of dark chocolate, burnt caramels, but balanced by a moderately high sharp cedar bitterness and slight scorched roast. Looking back to the 2007 version, this one was less spiced but much less burnt and dry. However, this one was much richer. All in all, this one was similar and overall about as enjoyable as the last one I had.

Keg at Craft Beer Co. Thick pitch-black pour, thin brown/white head. Looks like espresso! Milk chocolate, ashy coffee nose. Slightly sweet red fruit chocolate front, backed up by big, dry, ashy coffee roast, oak perhaps, and a long roast/burnt malt finish. Wow. Think I slightly prefer the BA Fra Via Til, but this is still fantastic.

Draught at Craft. Dark brown colour with tan/golden head. Aroma is wood, oats, roasted malt, bit of smoke, bit of cream and a bit of chocolate. Taste is nice and creamy, grainy and roasty. Slight herbal element and further down nice vanilla creaminess. Very nice.

Bottle 375ml @ home
Pours pitch black with a huge creamy tan head. Aroma has notes of roasted malt, chocolate and coffee. Taste is medium sweet and light to medium bitter with a long roasted, coffee, chocolate finish. Body is full, texture is oily, carbonation is soft.

Pours deep black colour with a frothy and profuse brown head. Dry plums, some booze and chocolate hints on the nose. Roasted malt and some smokey note too. Fresh aroma overall. Dark chocolate taste, well rounded flavour with light sweetness and medium bitterness. Full body, creamy feel, soft carbonation and a mid-bitter after taste. Very good.

It is enough to see this beer to understand that this is real stuff. The beer has a strong odor of chocolate, roasted malt and some smoke. This is a really tasty beer. First comes a distinct flavor of licorice, before the fine shades of dark berries, especially blackcurrant, take over. It is also significantly with spices, especially coriander. Sweetness is well balanced against a more dark roasted character, some coffee and well-integrated alcohol. This is admittedly a strong beer, and alcohol stings a bit in the end, but not more than that it is suitable for the Christmas meal. Mikkeller has made ​​a strong, tasty and beautiful porter. It is perhaps not quite what we expect from a Christmas beer here , but it is a quite as good alternative. Recommended!

Bottle shared by bhensonb. Pours dark brown with a huge foamy tan head and a chocolate and treacle aroma. There is a hearty chocolate and coffee flavor that is slightly sour with a bitter finish that sticks to the palate.

Capped 750 from The Davis Beer Shoppe in Davis, CA. Pours very black with a lacing 3 finger cream/frothy dark tan head. Aroma is chocolate with some spice and coffee. Full bodied. Flavor is milky chocolate with some mild xmas spice and significant coffee in the finish. A refined ale for the cognoscenti.

Pours black with a light brown head. Aroma is roasted malt, chocolate and light vanilla notes. Flavour is roasted malt, chocolate, orange peal and light vanilla notes. Roasted aftertaste.