Kaggen! Stormaktsporter - Närke Kulturbryggeri AB

orangesol

Pennsylvania

4.65/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

One of my long time wants. I brought this one to the Pre-Ffej of July party to share with the usual suspects. I hope you guys liked it as much as I did. '08 Bottle served right after the regular version.

A - Pours opaque black with a small half finger tall mocha colored head leaving little to no lacing down the glass.

S - Smells just like the regular version with a few extra things tossed in. Compared to the regular version this one has a bit more vanilla, charred oak, peat whiskey, and just the faintest sour note. Excellent stuff.

T - Just like the regular version the taste is a bit of a letdown from that amazing nose but with the addition of the cask maturation it has really helped to round things out. Hints of rich bakers chocolate, sweet vanilla and charred oak tannins, licorice, dark fruits, and a tiny bit of light soy sauce. Only the faintest hint of alcohol creeps in as it comes to room temperature. The finish is a mix of sweet dark roast and some dry wood tannins, lingering for a short period of time.

M - Heavy body and flavor with moderate carbonation. Silky smooth feel with a mix of sweetness and dryness lingering through the finish. Only the faintest hint of booze can be detected.

O - Damn, I really wish I had a few more of these. I don't like to say that a specific beer is the best I have ever had, but if you asked me what is the best RIS I have had this would be near the top of my list. I am glad I could share this one with a few people who could appreciate it as much as I did.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2011 21:45:31 | More by orangesol

dboon

Florida

4.78/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

2008 vintage bottle (perfect for my 300th rating). What a wonderful dark brown pour with a frothy brown head. Like the Stormaktsporter this also has that great oily lacing. The nose is enticing with oak, vanilla, and fig aromas. This is a thick chewy stout which has fantastic balance considering how big the roasted malt body is. Flavors of dark bitter chocolate, oak, and vanilla compliment the bold roasted malt notes..
Update. Just tasted the 2007 vintage. It was starting to fade...

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2011 00:54:29 | More by dboon

pixieskid

France

4.85/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Review of 06' Kaggen!

I feel the most recent reviews of this beer have been a bit stingy, so I will go ahead and share my Kaggen! experience.
When I found out that my fiance was going to be in Stockholm for a work conference, I knew that meant I was finally going to get to try Kaggen! I attempted to make a trip out to Orrebro and go to the brewery, but that didn't work out. So, off to Akkurat (went two days of the five we were there, wouldn't have been able to afford any more!)

This most epic of beers poured a thick jet black with a nice off white tan head, pretty nice retention as well.

The aroma was of brown sugar, vanilla, oak, chocolate, and a lingering whiskey note.

The nose matched the taste with an amazing milky, dare I say silky mouthfeel. Seriously, this was like drinking some sort of silky whiskey chocolate milk. The mouthfeel and body was probably the most impressive and interesting I have ever had.

Notes of milk and dark chocolate with undertones of charcoal. Nice mellow whiskey presence throughout with some oak, vanilla, and a rich caramel presence.

Finishes just as it started with a long rich chocolate note, nice warming whiskey presence, and a touch of grains...rye.

Overall; incredibly rich and complex yet well balanced. At 5 years in perfect cellar condition, this beer has developed into one of the most layered stouts I have ever had. It's one solid note after the other! Not exactly sure what a fresh bottle would be like, but I did have a bottle of the 15th anniversary of Akkurat & 5th of Narke collaboration Konjaks! (Cognac Barrel Aged Stormakstporter)

All in all, theoretically it is worth the price tag and I will tell you why. I spent a few days in Sweden and spoke to a lot of people about how the alcohol laws work, etc. Basically this beer is so expensive because of the warped system in Sweden and in order to support the amazing brewery of Narke and restaurant Akkurat it was more than worth the 375 kroner. It's not their fault that the government won't allow them to just sell his limited barrel aged stout at their brewery for 20 bucks like everyone in the states does...I'm sure that if he could, they would.

If you find yourself in Stockholm, splurge and order a bottle to support Narke and Akkurat (and of course because it is an amazing beer) for offering amazing beer and refuge to beer lovers in Stockholm, despite a warped monopoly on alcohol in Sweden...

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2011 09:25:01 | More by pixieskid

olradetbalder

Sweden

4.97/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Best beer I have ever tried. The worst about this beer, or brewery is that I went to school temporary in the sad litle town in Sweden for a year. The school was located next to the brewery and I had no idea about it.
Who's the goose?

The beer is exceptional in every way besides maybee the appearance, but that is also wonderfull with its brown foam and motoroil consistence. Balance is the keyword for this beer. All of the complexed flavours is on a straight line the whole time.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2011 14:37:17 | More by olradetbalder

hotmanflab666

New York

4.4/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

said to be the rarest. had a friend ship to me from the brewery, strong powerful malty base with enough hop to round it out to a nice robust finish. exceptional stout. with no ego i can say its good but not the best, definitely worth the drink but by no means shell out your beer collection to grab it

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2011 02:53:00 | More by hotmanflab666

tarheels86

California

4.45/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

250mL 2008 ed

A- The pour is significantly improved over the normal 2007 Stormaktsporter. A very lively, large, blooming, deep brown head erupts on a near jet black body. Lacing is sheety, large, and sticky.

N- Very intense: fruity, floral, buttery, maple, something not unlike bourbon but more akin to brandy and spiced orange. As it warms, very heavy buttery bourbon comes through even though this has no bourbon component in the aging. More spiced orange comes through again with licorice and mild peat. Later, I get a lot more orange, potpourri, heavy clove and cinnamon.

T- Very different from the normal version. Up front this is sharp and citrusy, mild butter and spicy oak in the mid, and finishes neutral, tannic, and rich with bourbon, oil, and coconut similar to Goose Island Bourbon County Stout.

P- Slightly carboardy and mildly dusty. Not super oily or thick. Very different from the normal Stormaktsporter. Not coffee, chocolate, or bourbon forward. More neutral malty, bitter orange, mild coffee.

Pretty good but not mind blowing. Inferior to Misto BA or even De Molen Heaven and Hell. Overall weaker, thinner, mild, relatively tart.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2011 14:21:42 | More by tarheels86

Pundarquartis

Denmark

4.9/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Bottle. 2007 vintage. An aroma of coffee, chocolate, vanilla, raisins, oak, fudge etc. that invites you to a wonderful taste that is perfectly balanced with no taste taking over the show. It feels quite different on the palate, however, much more carbonation that I expected but this isn’t a bad thing, quite the opposite. It looks beautiful in the glass, pitch black with a brown head. Quite possibly the best beer of all time.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2011 14:03:06 | More by Pundarquartis

francisweizen

Australia

4.93/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This is a killer. A killer....

I was lucky enough to try a few bottles of this at the Akurat pub in Stockholm the last time I was there in 2010.

The different vintages each had their own excellent virtues about them.

A: This stuff is pitch black with maybe just a tiny bit of cola hue on the edges of the mocha head.

S: This smells fantastic dark black coffee grounds, chocolate, leather, and dark cane syrup dominate the aroma

T: Thick, heavy, and chewy coffee, chocolate, oak, vanilla, and spices with a bit of tobacco and leather for good measure.

M: Mouth coating thickness and syrup

O: Phenomenal. A benchmark of the style

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2011 05:03:18 | More by francisweizen

craytonic

District of Columbia

4.28/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Many thanks to habmike for popping this one, split four ways with him, SpencerDB and kkipple

Appearance: Dark pour with perhaps a touch of ruby/mahogany. Decent head an lacing

Smell: Fudge, vanilla, espresso, caramelized dark fruits, big roasted malt. Typical for the style.

Taste: Similar to the smell, fudge, oak, tobacco, espresso, caramelized dark fruits, raisins, figs, dates and roasted malt. I was not particularly impressed. We all much preferred this to the regular offering however in a side-by-side. If you can taste rarity it is probably more delicious.

Mouthfeel: Smooth mouthfeel, medium body and weight. I expected it to be a bit bigger.

Drinkability: Not sure why they feel the need to do such small format bottles at such a price. Drinkable enough. I feel most people share these and I wonder if they would like them quite so much if they had 1/4 a 750ml bottle as opposed to a few ounces.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2011 04:30:34 | More by craytonic

Arbitrator

California

4.43/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Chilled bottle into a glass. Generously shared by dabecassis. Thanks, Dobby.

A: Pours a dark coffee brown body; it's opaque in the glass. Small, short-lived light tan head that deposits no lace and maintains only a fine collar on the beer.

S: Smoke, peat, honey, baker's chocolate, and caramel. I'm impressed by the extraction of peat without that burning-tire aroma I frequently find (and hate) in whiskey-barrel aged beers.

T: This definitely strikes me as a "European" style of imperial stout. Peat flavors nicely complement a small element of char, smoke, and baker's chocolate. Dark fruits are noted; they contribute a small plum presence (though you could argue it's licorice, and I'd probably agree). The finish emerges with leather, tobacco, and a distinct aftertaste of spiced honey. Very complex and engaging. Well integrated barrel character.

M: I'm surprised to see so many other people refer to this beer as "coating." I found it fell off the tongue very quickly. It's medium in viscosity; the flavor is excellent, but it doesn't linger.

D: Very tasty stuff. I'd certainly have it again, though I'm still not convinced I need to chase it down at $50 and change.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2011 20:55:40 | More by Arbitrator

Douglas88

Utah

4.83/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

2006 vintage, small bottle (8 ounces?) thanks big time to Eric. What can I say? Footbalm brings a beer like this and doesn't make a big deal out of it, he just sits back has a beer, and says "don't worry about it". Eric defines the greatness of this site, thanks a ton man. Anyway, Pours a very dark brown color with a medium beige head floating on top. A sweet cocoa nose, dark fruit, huge burnt molasses- very nice. A wonderful flavor; massive roasted molasses, caramel, dark fruit, juicy and yet somehow loads of dry chocolate and cocoa. Very smooth, actually no heat at all- the smoothest beer at 10% ever made I'm sure. Reminded me of a aged Expedition Stout- and that is a massive compliment. Awesome. I dream of having this on draft, or a big 750ml bottle. Wonderful.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2010 05:22:11 | More by Douglas88

gford217

Georgia

4.55/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

I can't thank Jan enough for getting me this one, 2008 bottle, side by side with the regular 2008 Stormaktsporter.

Pours just like the regular version, pitch black with a thick tan head that recedes ever so slowly to a clumpy cap and leaves very good lacing.

Oh man, the smell on this one is wonderful. It takes the chocolate sweetness and the fruity esters from the base beer and layers on a hefty dose of earthy leather notes and some spicy oak. Espresso and honey as well. Whoa.

The taste has an initial spicy kick from the oak and earthy sweetness from the honey. The heavily roasted malts hang out underneath as well as the chocolate, which really takes a back seat compared to the regular version where it steals the show. The finish is completely different as well with a hefty alcohol burn coating the throat.

Mouthfeel, much like the regular version, is stunning. Just completely coats the mouth, so smooth with just the right carbonation.

This was definitely an interesting comparison to the normal Stormaktsporter and they differed more than I expected. This beer is probably more complex and definitely has an earthier, oakier character. Definitely one of the better beers I've ever had and marginally better than the normal version. Very different beers though...

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2010 03:36:07 | More by gford217

Doodler

Colorado

4.97/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

At Jason's CO Stout tasting, This was a real treat: to try along side the regular Stormaktsporter. Tiny bottle that pours a deep coffee brown with a very thin tan head, Wow! Barrel flavors come through along with rich, sweet chocolates... mocha,,cocoa, creamy butterscotch... what a masterpiece. I can understand the hype. Never-ending / mouthcoating flavors. My favorite stout of the tasting and of those I've rated. Yummy stuff!

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2010 02:29:51 | More by Doodler

Bardwashrind

Colorado

4.88/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

I knew 2010 was going to be one hell of a year for new and rare beer experiences. Never did I think that an encounter with these Swedish beasts would be in store.

Tasted on October 16th, side by side with the base Stormaktsporter. 2008 vintage.

Wonderful hiss as the cap was pried off. Pours a darkened tan head with tight bubbles. Not the darkest stout, almost the color of some porters or bocks when held to the light. Still a beauty in the glass. Could smell the deep char of the barrel from across the room. Sticking my nose in the glass and was overcome by rich oak and roasted grain aromas. Big oak driven vanilla, molasses and chocolate notes with a soft pepper coming out as well. No overly sweetened candy tones, nor soy sauced based astringency found. Just a wonderfully focused and completely distinct quality only found in the best of barrel aged stouts.

This was only the beginning.

Tasting this beer was a lesson in balance. The absolute clear expression of the barrel came through without overwhelming the base beer. No note of oxidation nor any of cloying sweetness. Hops played a very small roll, mostly in bitterness just like the malt. Similar in the nose, big vanilla and floral flavors of honeyed toast and milk chocolate. Not as much molasses as the regular Stomaktsporter, which I liked. Such a pleasure to sip again and again. As rich as some stouts can get and as whiskey forward as other barrel aged beers are, this one truly set the bar without being intimidating.

The labels for these beers are not that exciting on a visual level but their simplistic subtly were perfect in representing the inside nectar.

To age a beer in barrels is the most interesting form of a 'special beer' in my eyes. Many of my favorites are done this way. After having the Kaggen!, I may have to rethink what could be the best.

I don't know of another beer that comes off as being so balanced and yet so complex. Something so varied in flavor while having such subtly. If calling a 10% beer 'clean' makes sense, I want to say thats how this one came off. Truly a beer to be within the top 5 of barrel aged stouts, and in terms of sheer balance, one of the best beers being made today.

Just amazing.

Thanks again Jason (Popkas).

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2010 19:29:25 | More by Bardwashrind

drabmuh

Maryland

4.8/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Look everyone, I'm finally in the Kaggen! club. I had pretty much written off this beer to some distant future, after the kids had grown and left the nest the wife and I take a trip to Europe for a month and I would drink the rarest Cantillons and shot gun bottles of Kaggen!...distant distant future, far after the Mayan calendar destroys us all and most of Europe is underwater as a direct result of the war with cyborgs. BUT, Thorpe429 moved that time table up 30 years with a casual invite to come over and help him slay this treasure. I was eager to provide my assistance. Thanks Mike. Might not get another opportunity to do this for several years / decades, I am very appreciative.

Served in a tulip, 2007 vintage. Beer is black. Thin head that breaks and floats toward the walls of the glass, no lacing, the head is a little sad, hard to motivate, carbonation is low, looks like a big stout to me!

Yep, this beer smells perfect. I could have smelled it all day long, just smelled it. I didn't want to drink it, I was afraid I couldn't smell it anymore. This feeling was universal I have to say. There was chocolate and vanilla in there, a healthy but not overly oakiness as well. There is sweetness and mild alcohol but its not cloying or hot at all. Its very "complex" -- it almost turns to a liquor aroma after a while, a mild whiskey or something slightly fruitier, but its not oxidized.

Beer is a little lighter in the body than I was expecting but I suppose I should have been expecting the way it was due to the ABV being so high. Leads off with a definite sweetness, mild alcohol but its not drying. Great palate connectivity, the beer sort of coats the tongue, lingering with these subtle fruit flavors and general sweetness, creamy in the mouth, no help from carbonation at this point but this beer doesn't even need it. Its a very good beer. Have it again? Definitely. If I ever get a hold of a bottle of this, it will be shared with a group of beer nerds who fantasize about this as much as I had.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2010 03:20:54 | More by drabmuh

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.93/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Huge thanks to a very generous BA for the chance to finally taste this one.

2007 Vintage

Pours jet black with a mocha head and a tad bit of lacing as it makes its way down. The smell is incredibly complex and quite forceful--I could actually get a pretty good whiff of it upon opening the bottle even before pouring it into my glass. Nose consisted of nearly every imperial stout adjective imaginable with great notes of chocolate fudge, vanilla, espresso, burnt dark fruits, roasted malt, and a bit of barrel characteristics. The taste brought things forward even more, really just layering the complexities in a very intense manner.

The chocolate fudge really stood out to me at time, but in all honesty it was really difficult to pick out individual throughout, as everything was just so well integrated. In essence, all I can really say is that this is exactly what an imperial stout should taste like. I would say that for a beer with this incredible amount of flavor, the feel was a bit thin. However, the carbonation was really nice and let the flavors shine through. Drinkability was just out of this world. I can't wait until the day when I get to try this again.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2010 02:17:29 | More by Thorpe429

Brabander

Netherlands

3.98/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This brewer was also at the Borefts festival in Bodegraven, the Netherlands. In De Molen, a fine dutch brewery there were a lot of good breweries.

I asked the lady bartender for the 2009 version.

Poured in my the Molen tasting glass this beer looks very warm. A nice dark head and a darkbrown fluid. Lots of chocolate and coffee. This kind of beer is not my style but i could not resist trying this hyped beer. I wanted to buy some bottles to try it at home but they were all sold out in a few minutes.

Because i am not really a stout lover this review is lower than normal!! Sorry for that...

Serving type: on-tap

09-26-2010 09:56:11 | More by Brabander

kbutler1

Minnesota

4.7/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Bottle.
2008 vintage. Pours one of the darkest, deepest brown/black colors in an IS that I have seen. Slight mahagonay reddish tan head with good lace. A mixture of aromas including oak, roast coffee, dark chocolate, and a slight touch of vanilla. Chocolate is the first aroma that comes to mind when I first took a smell. Medium mouthfeel. Loads of tastes as well that include the dark bittersweet chocolate and leather. Sweet malts (maybe the honey?) up front with a lingering bitternes. Extremely well balanced. My only gripe (a very small one) is that I would love to have the mouthfeel a little bit heavier. I will say that it has a great velvety, creamy medium mouthfeel though. Just outstanding! Really wish they made this more available and in BIGGER bottles!

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2010 13:07:15 | More by kbutler1

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

4.55/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

I had a sample of the 2007 at RBSG 2010 and when kbutler1 cracked a 2008 bottle I was pretty jacked.

Decided to listen to some O Fortuna for this review

Poured into CCB snifter.

Pours 1/2 finger of tan head that fades down to a ring. Leaves some splattered lace.

Aroma: Lots of oak up front. Amazing amount. Chocolaty and velvety. Very rich. Vanilla notes with hints of caramel. The oak is dominate, but in a good way. Very warming.

Taste: Starts out a bit muted, but then the flavors hit. Huge oak again with vanilla. Roasted malt and chocolate. It is so silky smooth. Very rich. Caramel notes. Dried fruit flavors. I get a dose of licorice in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Rich, velvety, smooth, warming. A great mouthfeel to it. Full bodied with a medium amount of carbonation. Ends very oaky.

Overall, the oak in this beer was spot on. It was the keynote in this beer, but didn't distract from the other flavors. Very drinkable. It is a shame it comes in such a small bottle. Thanks Kevin for sharing this one!

EDIT: as the beer warms, I finally get the honey flavors and it becomes more sweet. I like it.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2010 01:46:50 | More by mothman

JAXSON

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

2008 Bottle at Akkurat, split with a friend. I can't find my notes for this, or the other bottles we had at Akkurat. So everything here is from a foggy memory on a day where I hadn't slept in like 36 hours and was pretty much walking around in a daze. Pour was black with maybe some brownish edges. Nose was pretty wonderful, some elegant bourbon, oak, plethora of dark fruits, roasted malts, almost smoky. Sweet and amazingly complex flavors swirling around. Sweet malts, sweet honey, dark fruits, some spicy oak and bourbon, smoky, roasted malts. Really surprised at the smoke element in this. As it keeps breathing and warms some breathtaking nuances take shape, I think the honey became more pronounced. It should not be served cold. This was super complex and a delight to drink.

From another 2008 bottle, consumed August, 2011. Nose is lush roasted malt with a smokey edge, molasses, charred oak, rich bourbon. I always forget how prominebt the bourbon is in this. Mouth is super thick and chewy. Really heavy on the charred, roasted qualities. Possibly the thickest, creamiest beer I've ever had. Dry fudge and bourbon-soaked raisins. Lots of sweet dark fruits as it opens. A lingering heat and bitterness around the edges that isn't entirely integrated. Great, but probably not deserving of the highest marks, at least at this age, for this particular bottle. I've certainly had better imperial stouts, barrel aged or not, and much more attainable.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2010 20:01:02 | More by JAXSON

rarbring

Sweden

4.72/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The beer is dark,black and oily, has a small beige head leaving little lacing but having good curtains.

The smell is all Christmas plum cake combined with slightly smoked sausage, vinous tones, Madeira and a whiff of yeast.

Avery well balanced taste, sweet candy upfront, marzipan and some oak tones, then roasted bread, slightly of coffee beans.

The brew has little carbonation, a complex and oily body.

This is truly a great stout, this three way divided 2008 bottle was enjoyed at Bishop's Arms in Linköping, Sweden

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2010 19:09:54 | More by rarbring

callmemickey

Pennsylvania

4.55/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

2008 Kaggen enjoyed at Akkurat

A: Deep black body with a smallish khaki head of tight bubbles. Receded over a minute or two leaving behind some whispy lacing.

S: Delicate milk chocolate, bourbon, vanilla and some oak. The bourbon barrel aging is undeniable but it is quite restrained and silky.

T: Like the nose, the bourbon barrel aging is graceful. That said, its subtleties are somewhat lost in its meekness. I prefer barrel aged stouts that are a bit more potent, but refrain from burning your throat off. Milk chocolate, oak, vanilla, and bourbon are all here. Surprising, not as much roasted malt as I was expecting.

M: The mouthfeel is the standout element of this beer for sure. Nice and thick, with a luscious, velvety feel as the beer coats the tongue. No burn with just the slightest hints of the 10% ABV.

D: Quite nice. I think just about anyone can appreciate the quality here, but its just not quite the bourbon barrel RIS that I absolutely crave.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2010 01:17:14 | More by callmemickey

rvdoorn

Netherlands

5/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Vintage 2008

I had the privilege to drink this beer for the First time at the Molen bier festival, and I experienced it as the best beer I ever had. However, I was still wondering how it would stand out against the upper-class of "American" (Russian) Imperial Stouts. Thanks to Dan I could have an epic beertasting evening with some friends with Surly Darkness, Darklord, Kate the Great, Abyss, Sexual Chocolate, Cigar City 110K OT Batch2, Speedway stout and on the other side, Stormaktsporter regular and Kaggen!.

Look: very very very dark, with an magnificent dark brown creamy head.

Smell: amazingly rich: raisins, other dark fruits, vanilla, bourbon, oak, coffee, dark chocolate, roasted malts. Maple syrup and creamy milk. too much to describe

Taste: wowowowowow, this is the best tasting beer I ever had. Compared to most other imperial stouts, all of the smell comes back in the taste. And man, this beer is so well balanced. The aftertaste I like the most, long and it is so incredibly rich and creamy.... creamy coffee and chocolate, and some bourbon....

Mouthfeel: not extremely thick, but so creamy and smooth. The alcohol is extremely well hidden.

Overall: I had this beer together with some big American RIS beers. Well, these US-beers could not even come close to this Swedish beauty, they were so unbalanced (especially in the aftertaste) compared to this almost magical balanced kaggen! This beer humiliates all other attempts to brew an imperial stout, besides the regular stormaktsporter and the abyss, which finished 2nd and 3rd just after the kaggen. The best beer I ever had. I feel so happy I could try it again, and even more blessed I have another bottle in the basement to age. Worth the hype, this beer is art!

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2010 19:05:05 | More by rvdoorn

pompix

France

4.55/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Vintage 2008

Apparence : Black, compact head.

Smell : Dark fruits (blackcurrant), chocolate, vanilla, coffee, woody notes, vinous, spicy... Wow wow wow, really GREAT !

Taste : More or less the same, very long finish, incredible !

Mouthfeel : Creamy, full bodied, low carbonation, Perfect !

Drinkability : So Drinkable, where is alcohol ?

A true Monster !

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2010 08:19:57 | More by pompix

jrallen34

Illinois

4.97/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Review of 02-02-10
I drank this 2008 version 250 ml bottle into my Rochefort chalice.

The beer pours pitch black with a nice creamy dark tan head. Its very pretty and fluffy. The head rises about 2 fingers stays around a couple minutes and leaves a sopay head. The lacing is a little lighter than I would have hoped for.

The aroma is medium in strength, pretty matly to start lots of sweet chocolate, some vanilla and light bourbon on the end. There is a tiny bit of oak. Overall, its pretty understated.

The taste is super smooth its sweet up front with sweet chocolate, in the middle it brings some depth with some nice oak/bourbon than as the beer finishes you get a little more oak and vanilla.

The feel is very nice, very viscous and a very lasting taste.

The drinkability is nice, can't really taste any of the alcohol.

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Review of 07-06-2010.
Re-tasted at the brewery
- 08 kaggen vs 08 stormaktsporter, the stormkatsporter was the better by everyone.
-05 kaggen(first year of Kaggen) vs 05 stormaktspoter, the kaggen won this around.
- Tried the 09 kaggen directly from the barrel. Its on Wild Turkey, only going to be about 800 bottles, this one is going to be special. Unreal vanilla already presenting, aroma is one of the best ever, taste still getting there but this will be awesome.
-06 version that was not barrel aged put into a glass bottle and just sat for 3 years, awesome vanilla notes on the front, beer itself is almost syrup lots of acid, a little tough to drink but interesting
- 08 kaggen that is 4 parts kaggen and 1 part smoked beer. This is not a commercial beer, made by the brewery for him and his friends. This was the best of the lot, unreal balance and totally amazing. They need to make this, it would hit top 5 easily so balanced with tons of vanilla, smoke, wood, and coffee. AWESOME.

Each version is totally different, the 08 that I reviewed and gave a 4.55 is widely considered in Sweden as the worst batch. The 05 was clearly better than the 08, the variants were unreal. Everything about this beer is awesome, good variations, good story, super rare, and even better people-owners at the brewery. If you are beer freak as Hans would call you this is a beer you have to somehow track down. They plan to keep the batches small and will continue to sell at a much lower price then the market commands because they want the average person to get the beer. It will continue to be distributed mostly to just the local restaurants in Orebro and a couple bas in Stockholm and Copenhagen, but expect to pay at least 60 US dollars. Your best bet is going to be here around the release and go to a local restaurant.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2010 16:16:50 | More by jrallen34