Beer Geek Brunch Weasel - Mikkeller ApS

Scotchboy

Idaho

4.08/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle split with my brother, poured into a pint glass.

A: Opaque & viscous black, brown head has good retention, body is oily.

S: Spicy earthy coffee, lighter roasted component, a bit astringent. Coffee really dominates.

T: Spicy coffee, medium roast blend, mild chocolate, lots of spicy notes and prominent espresso notes.

MF: Spicy & viscous, a bit oily medium-to-full mouthfeel.

O: A good coffee beer, but not my favorite, I think the coffee could have been more pleasant and less astringent.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2012 18:33:55 | More by Scotchboy

TenHornsProud

Colorado

4.48/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a thick black with a small tan head. Almost no head, I assume, from the coffee.

Smells like toasted bread, oatmeal, some notes of coffee, slight sweetness, and some honey. Really great aroma.

Taste is roasted chocolate malt up front that goes into a coffee, astringent (but not too much) note, and ends on a slightly bitter, yet smooth finish where a big hit of toasted oat character and coffee comes in, blending in with some chocolate and sweetness. Wow, the coffee flavor and oat flavor is utterly fantastic.

Heavier body with low carbonation is right on for the style.

An absolute bomb of coffee and oats. Some sweetness and chocolate notes, along with a hint of earthy/fruit hop character, sneak in. This is an amazing beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2012 23:20:32 | More by TenHornsProud

BMoney575

Michigan

4.65/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Sampled on 3-16-12

Appearance: completely black and opaque with a big tan head that leaves behind a ring and lacing.

Smell: all coffee at first, with a huge deep malt character and a good bit of age. Very complex and interesting.

Taste: all coffee up front followed by big flavors of anise, chocolate and a strong burnt character. Enormously complex and enjoyable.

Mouthfeel: thick, viscous, and awesome. Perfect for the flavors.

Overall: an outstanding beer that I will look for whenever I can.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2012 04:12:24 | More by BMoney575

david131

Michigan

4.38/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Pours absolutely pitch black with a creamy mocha head that settles to a thin lacing but rises to a thicker covering with a quick swirl of the glass.

S- Raw oats, cocoa, and exquisite coffee. Not overly complex, but it is obvious that the ingredients are top-notch.

T- Top of the line coffee, oats, caramel, and cocoa. Absolutely delicious. The flavors couldn't be any better blended.

M- Creamy body with a bit of a carbonation bite. There is some lingering bitterness and coffee astringency.

O- Very tasty. Top-notch ingredients. The alcohol is well hidden. Well-made and worth seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2012 04:12:04 | More by david131

BarryMFBurton

Indiana

4.53/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I never imagined that there could be a weasel-dropping-based coffee that sells for hundreds of dollars a cup – or that I’d ever be drinking a stout made with that same coffee. Now that my glass is full of Beer Geek Brunch Weasel, I’m as excited as I am astounded that a drink like this even exists. Cheers to crazy coffee, and even crazier beer!

A: One of the best looking stouts I’ve seen. The head is thick, two fingers of glorious chocolate-colored cream that leaves lacing all the way down. There’s this rosy tone in it that’s unlike anything I’ve seen – it shines in the light with a reddish glow. Its retention is deep tan silkiness, appearing almost sandy, that looks great atop the pitch black body – really, this beer is so dark that it seems to be sucking in all ambient light and singlehandedly making the room darker. Exaggeration? Sure, but it’s damn dark.

S: Smells like weasel poop. Just kidding – it begins with some intensely aromatic coffee, as expected, which envelops the nose in chocolaty, mocha roasts and smooth vanilla smoke. The great part, though, is that these beans go deep. Unlike the majority of coffee stouts I’ve had, which have good coffee aromas that (unfortunately) only last for the first few moments of the nose, this beer has an all-the-way-down coffee richness. From the malts come cinnamon oatmeal, chocolate malt, dark chocolate truffles, and a load of hazelnut cream and caramel sauce. What’s more, that loveable Euro-yeast is present in layers of light biscuit bubbling up with chalky cream. Finally, there’s an unexpected kick of bourbon alcohol: not a boozy scent, but pure woody spice. It makes its presence known, with a power like hot peppers and a character like a good brandy sauce on Bananas Foster.

T: What robust, peppery coffee flavors! They singlehandedly lift the usually grounded nutty chocolate and mocha flavors of a coffee stout to a lofty height alongside the spice of great coffee. It even has a tart berry flavor to it, like the aftertaste from a chocolate-covered raspberry. From then on it’s smoke, leather, tobacco, and almond, all from the charred malt underbelly of this extremely roasty palate; seriously, if you love toast and campfire smoke, this beer is for you (I know I’m a huge fan). Vanilla and caramel resonate in the expected stout way, and brown sugar makes a dominantly buttery statement. Umami all over the place. Hot cocoa, Noble hops, cigar smoke, and dark, fruity candi syrup all around. Aftertaste has some caramel candy and buttery toffee, but remains a testament to dry, flowery, and brightly fruity hop effects.

M: Just what you want in a stout: rich smoothness mixed with bitter, puckering chocolate and salty dryness. Lays flat on the tongue for most of the drink, but the bubbles can’t always be suppressed.

O: For the style, it’s one of the best I’ve ever had. Coffee stouts/porters shouldn’t be about drinking a shot of espresso with every sip: like all great beer, it’s about balance and complexity. And with dark, fruity roasts from the coffee instead of a completely charred taste, this one is a stout worth remembering. Better than Beer Geek Breakfast, and one to rival Founders KBS.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2012 03:10:53 | More by BarryMFBurton

JTSbeerislife

Pennsylvania

4.9/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

16.9 oz bottle, bottling date unknown, purchased 11/2011 and well stored

Poured into a Dogfish Head Signature Snifter

Pours a very thick 1/2” mocha colored head, which reduces to thin cap typical of the style.
Pitch black color, sticky lace clings to the glass with each drink but disappears rapidly.
Easily revived with a swirl of the glass. It is a live stout.

Rich, malty aroma of distinct, very elegant, and refined coffee, bready Pumpernickel yeast, faint hints of Liquorice, dark chocolate, and then as the stout warms the very rich malt comes back to battle it out with the coffee, in the end neither one dominates. Very complex and extremely enjoyable.

Extraordinarily rich, thick, intensely malt driven entry on the palate, followed by flavors of very fine, elegant, exceptionally delicious coffee. Massive mouth feel with a delicate acidity which is perfectly balanced with the flavor profile of this stout. Quite dry actually and this is very welcome and refreshing.

Very long finish of rich, deliciously bitter coffee, and very rich mouth coating malt, which clings to your mouth like glue.

Exceptionally delicious stout characterized by a massive body but at the same time a very refined and elegant brew. One of the top 5 coffee style stouts I have had the pleasure to drink. Just amazingly fine coffee flavors and mind blowing richness. Wow! To my taste no where is the 10.9% ABV noticable
Very complex with the aromas and flavors constantly changing. One of the most complex stouts I have drunk. Port like in its intensity and complexity. Like most brews of this style it is at its best at 55 degrees plus, IMO.
I would love to try this side by side with Founders KBS, and I believe this would take the prize, really!
It is of course horribly expensive in this area at $22, which works out to be about $1.30 per oz. Yikes!
Extraordinary stout and a “must have” highly recommended!

(On label)
Brewed by Mikkeller at Nøgne Ø, Norway.
This imperial Oatmeal stout is brewed with one of the world’s most expensive coffees, made from droppings of weasel-like civetcats. The fussy Southeast Asian animals only eat the best and ripest coffee berries.Enzymes in their digestive system help to break down the bean. Workers collect the bean-containing droppings for Civet or Weasel Coffee. The exceedingly rare Civet Coffee has a strong taste and an even stronger aroma.
Ingredients : Water, malts, hops, yeast and Vietnamese ca phe chon coffee.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2012 00:35:55 | More by JTSbeerislife

neckbracesub

Indiana

5/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Enjoyed out of the bottle and into a pint glass. This is tailor-made FOR COFFEE FANATICS. I am a major coffee addict so this one hit me the right way just from the initial smell out of the bottle as it was being poured.

It’s as close to perfection as a coffee stout can get. Just as Mikkeller does with all of his products, this one is brewed with only the finest, most expensive coffee beans and aged for a considerable amount of time before it finds its way to the shelves of your favorite liquor stores.

An incredibly powerful drink that will floor you with its coffee intensity, this is not for the faint of coffee hearts. Fantastic.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2012 00:16:32 | More by neckbracesub

Doodlesby

Indiana

5/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured from a bottle into a Sam Smith half pint glass.

As black as a shot of espresso or your favorite roast. Weasel is a nothing short of amazing. Complete coffee overload but at the same time a very balanced stout. It has a slight sweetness too, so its not all bitter which lightens up the taste as it goes down. I enjoy all things coffee, especially my beer. There are some chocolate notes in the scent and taste. The mouthfeel is especially interesting because it doesn't leave my palate dry and it isn't as thick as I expected. In my opinion, If I ever see this again I know I won't hesitate to snatch up a bottle in an instant.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2012 06:03:13 | More by Doodlesby

Ruds

United Kingdom (England)

4.4/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

500ml bottle poured into a Brew Dog half pint tulip glass, reviewing whilst I drink.

2 part review in the following sense, part 1 - main text beer out of the fridge, poured half the bottle, part 2 - drank 40 minutes later when bottle had warmed up a little.

Pours a jet black colour with a good finger of creamy brown head that begins to subside and thin out after a few minutes.

Surprised at the lack of aroma for such a strong, bold beer ! Roasted malt, slightly burnt sugar, coffee and tar. Don't get me wrong there are plenty of smells going off here, just not as big and brassy as I'd have liked! (more smells now that the beer has warmed a little, more chocolate, stronger coffee aroma and a little alcohol)

The taste is a clear cut 2 way thing for me and no need to think too deeply and list 101 ingredients. First a wonderful bittersweet coffee flavour hits your palate, this then gives way to a real kick of alcohol in the aftertaste. I prefer the former to the latter as it is a little bit too much alcohol for me in the aftertaste. (the alcohol aftertaste is less harsh when the beer has warmed and more enjoyable)

Mouthfeel is spot on for a beer of this ilk, slick, oily and just the right level of carbonation. (continues to provide a good MF)

Overall a very good beer, but I think I expected a little more. This isn't world class in my opionion! I was expecting a stronger aroma and the alcohol aftertaste could have been better disguised, it strips away the wonderful coffee flavour a little too much and too quickly for my liking. Would definately have again though just for that first coffee hit on the palate! (definately improved when warmed a little, this resulted in me raising the taste score from 4 to 4.5 and the same for the overall score! Veering towards world class!!!)

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2012 21:37:05 | More by Ruds

PatrickSwayze

California

4.65/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Beautiful deep brownish black that gives of a cherry black hue when swirled in the glass.  

S: Coffee and roast dominate this beer with grassy hops towards the end

T: This beer is seriously a joy to drink. Lovely complementary coffee flavors that gently and subtly enhance the chocolate roast. The roast is almost not apparent but is still there on the back end with light vanilla to go along with it.

M: A slight smooth and chewy stout that has a very well balanced sweet character that warms the tongue.

O: Imperial Stouts are my favorite and this by far one of the better ones I've had the pleasure of tasting. I will be buying more to test their aging abilities.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2012 05:45:19 | More by PatrickSwayze

hopfacebrew

Colorado

4.38/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Undated bottle to pint glass the beer pours a thick oily black witha thin 1 finger dark mocha brown head, not much retention but a ton of lacing. The nose is rich though not as dominant as expected with espresso coffee tones, warm roasted barley, chocolate, vanilla, and a hint of the alcohol. The taste is just as the nose would indicate though fuller and richer. The espresso and sweet malt dominate though the vanilla and roast are prevalent. Full bodied and well carbonated the beer finishes smooth creamy and rich. Overall the beer is very good, a but pricey, but you pay for quality. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2012 03:05:01 | More by hopfacebrew

Gushue3

Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A Pours almost flat black into my CBS snifter. A pretty good sized brown head immediately foams up and leaves some bubbles and lcing after it comes back down. The body is opaque and everything looks pretty good

S Coffee roast takes care of the majority of the scent along with some boozy heat

T medium roast coffee and sweeter coffee bean taste come out upfront. There's an alcohol taste that isn't too much, along with some bitter chocolate and a hint of dark fruits. Lots of flavors in this and theres almost an oak taste on the finish. Really nice stuff.

M The feel is heavier for a stout and extremely smooth.

O I really liked this stout. Flavor was great and delightful to drink. Coffee was obviously the main factor but the other flavors worked well together. Add in the oatmeal smoothness and this is a winner

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2012 01:32:06 | More by Gushue3

TWStandley

Massachusetts

4.23/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a snifter.

Appeared a very dark and oily, with a one finger mocha colored head. Left some nice oily lacing on my glass.

Smelled heavily of coffee, with some vanilla, molasses, and booze scents.

Tasted awesome, hit upfront with some coffee bitterness, which gives way to some lighter vanilla and cream flavors, followed by some dark fruit tasts.

Mouthfeel was good, a bit syrupy which made the taste stick around for a while. A bit hot, but believe that would die down with a few months on it.

Overall a delicious stout, I would like to sit on a few of these for a while and sample some more down the line.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2012 14:45:13 | More by TWStandley

orangesol

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Decided to pull this one out of the cellar after two years to see how it is holding up.

A - Pours jet black with a small film of tan head, dissipating down to a light film, leaving no lace at all down the glass.

S - Smells of rich coffee, chocolate, dark roasted malt, charred wood and some warm alcohol.

T - Starts off with a ton of slightly bitter dark roasted coffee slowly giving way to hints of chocolate, molasses, dark roasted malt and some charred wood. The booze only grows as it sits in the glass. Finish is a mix of light sweetness and warm booze, lingering on the pallet for some time.

M - Heavy body and flavor with moderate carbonation. Thick, slightly boozy feel. Kinda tastes like chocolate pudding.

O - I rather enjoyed this one, minus all the sludge at the bottom of the bottle. It had quite a bit of flavor and was fairly easy to drink, it did get a little boozy as it warmed up.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2012 19:01:40 | More by orangesol

draheim

Washington

4.53/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

500mL bottle into a snifter. Pours an oily black w/ a dense reddish mocha head that settles slowly. Looks rich and decadent, having trouble imagining a more perfect-looking stout.

Aroma is rich espresso, dark chocolate, dark fruit, and some licorice. A nutty sweetness as it warms.

Taste is bitter coffee, dark roasted malt, chocolate. A perfectly balanced blend of rich bold flavors.

Smooth, full-bodied mouthfeel. Coats the tongue but finishes dry and clean.

Overall, I haven't had many imperial stouts as good as this one. A well-executed sipping beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2012 05:52:15 | More by draheim

Jambarino

South Carolina

4.35/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A- Pours jet back with a one inch dark brown head.

S-Smells like the iced coffee I drank this morning.Chocolate,coffee,and molasses?licorice?

T-Sweet coffee taste upfront just like iced coffee.Malty backbone,chocolate throughout.Slight bitter hop taste at the end with a slight alcohol bite but not too bad considering the abv.Doesnt seem to have that burnt coffee,espresso taste that some have.

M-Medium mouthfeel.I expected it to be thicker and heavier but its kind of mild compared to some other coffee stouts I have had.Very little carbonation.

O-This was my first beer from Mikkeller I have tried and im loving it.Was rather easy to put down,I could drink a couple of these easily.A great coffee stout and one I will definately try again.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2012 03:24:27 | More by Jambarino

buschbeer

Ohio

3.65/5  rDev -15.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

One pint .9oz bottle
Served in a snifter

A - It is super dark. It may as well be black. I got two inches of dark brown head.

S - The first thing I smelled was licorice. I also got some milk chocolate and molasses.

T - My initial taste was strong coffee. It subsided as the beer warmed and was replaced with licorice, molasses and milk chocolate.

M - Silky smooth. Low carbonation

O - I was a little disappointed in the lack of coffee in taste and smell. This bottle is a year old so that may have been my mistake. There was a lot more anise/licorice than I care for.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2012 00:33:59 | More by buschbeer

WillCarrera

Illinois

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

16.9 oz bottle, poured into a snifter. I'm actually having this beer for brunch, I hadn't even noticed before I read the bottle just now that it has that crazy weasel-shit-processed coffee in it. Yum!

A- Pours black as weasel shit, only the faintest ruby tinges at the edges. Capped with a half-finger of creamy, thick coffee colored head. Has pretty good retention and leaves great lacing.

S- Super potent black coffee bean aroma, totally delicious, some roasted malt, molten chocolate and dark fruit, a little bit of hop leafiness towards the back end.

T- Massive coffee, delicious, roasted, earthy, caramel coffee beans, towards the end of the first sip it melts into some chocolate and fruit flavors with a bit of smoky burnt malt. As I keep drinking I start to pick up on some molasses and leafy hops lying underneath and some oat flavor. Alcohol is warming and slightly sweet, especially as the beer warms, but I'm impressed by how well integrated it is for almost 11% ABV. The flavors are so bold and vivid, the coffee flavor puts this beer immediately up there with my favorite coffee stouts like Peche Mortel and BCBCS.

M- Full-bodied, smooth creamy feel, it's a bit sticky on the palate, but, at least for me, if it had been a bit chewier this could have been a 5, still pretty damn good though.

O- An awesome, delicious beer, and probably the only chance I'll have anytime soon of trying that weasel coffee. I'm sure it's the quality of the coffee, but the coffee flavor in this beer is just amazingly intense. In all other aspects its a really great big stout, the hefty price tag (I paid $16 for ~17 ounces), which I'm sure is a result of the price of the coffee, puts it into the every-once-in-a-while or novelty region, but if you see this on the shelf it's absolutely worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2012 19:46:58 | More by WillCarrera

goblue3509

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dark black color with no light visible with an one finger dark khaki colored head. The beer leaves a slick alcohol lace all over the glass with every move. The aroma is of coffee, but not a bitter coffee, there is also hints of roast and a slight smell of alcohol. The smell is very inviting. The taste has a roasty backbone and then a nice coffee taste. Again the taste isn't bitter. There is a milk chocolate taste and then a bit of roast. A slight alcohol burn finishes out. The mouthfeel is thick and sticky. Overall it is a very solid beer. The taste is well balanced with nothing over power. The balance of the aroma and taste leave you wanting more.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2012 22:04:17 | More by goblue3509

StlHopHead77

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A-Pours a midnight,black body with a cap of 2 1/2 inches of dark tawny foam that died slowly leaving gorgeous,full rings of gummy lacing on my tulip.

S-Strong,high quality coffee,creamy toasted oats,rich dark chocolate ganache,scalded milk and burnt sugars with an earthy/ashy note of wood and slightly burnt coffee.

T-Rich,complex coffee,hearty oats,fully charred malts,bitter chocolate and more ash.

M-Medium bodied with a well developed complexity and richness.Perfect bitterness and creamy richness in the mouth.

O-Pricey but worthwhile.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2012 23:43:23 | More by StlHopHead77

fvernon

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I have no idea on the vintage, but I saw a few bottles that looked like they survived an explosion (splattered with dried beer) and snatched one up.

Pours a thick molasses with some red and brown tinges, very little head at first but then billowing up and looking like a chocolate malted shake. The aroma has a distinct european sweetness, dark roasted malt, and bitter coffee through and through.

The first taste... wow. That's coffee. I mean, I feel like I just ordered an espresso in Sicily and they gave me a shot of beer on the side. The bitterness of the coffee regulates this to a sipper and forces me to really focus on tracking down the other flavors, which are subtle and in the background - belgian yeast, pumpernickel bread, tobacco, and a bit of burnt chocolate.

The mouthfeel is a bit syrupy, but not overly-so... just a bit heightened by the bitterness that coats the back of my mouth without much sweetness to balance it out. Overall it is delicious and unique, but not something I would want regularly - still, very glad I got a chance to try it!

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2012 23:36:21 | More by fvernon

ism

New Jersey

4.28/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

500mL bottle pours like 25W into my Stone pint glass. Opaque black body lets no light through, and offers no hint of highlights. 2-finger mocha head with good retention for the ABV leaves patchy lacing as it subsides into a thin layer then a ring.

Roasted barley, a bit of sweet vanilla, undercurrent of alcohol, and a light oatmeal note (does not smell likes oats, just characteristic of oat stouts) that balances out the nose. Above average carbonation helps make the medium, smooth body more interesting, certainly helped by the oatmeal. The oatmeal does not leave any astringent aspects as it is wont to do.

Taste mirrors the nose; bittersweet coffee notes, dark berries minus the sweetness. Not terribly complex but incredibly pleasing. The finish reveals a bit more bitterness, and muted black cherries. A coffee-like bitterness lingers much in the way of espresso.

I'm a sucker for oatmeal stouts, and this reminds me a lot of Nøgne Ø's imperial stout in many respects, with the addition of a lithe dark berry note. Very easy to drink, even given the ABV.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2012 02:22:03 | More by ism

zoso493

North Carolina

4.6/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 500ml bottle into a Dogfish Head signature glass.

Appearance: From edge to edge, this is an extremely dark, light-absorbing brew. It is immensely murky, and there is a noticeable absence of highlights throughout the glass. The beer is crowned by a relatively thin and bubbly head which more less dies down quickly to form a thin coating atop the brew.

Smell: There is a lot to enjoy in the smell. The coffee really doesn't kick you in the face, but you know it's there. Otherwise, there is a strong scent of chocolate, followed by a struggle between the lighter, more vanilla-ish malts and the darker, thicker malts. I can't say which wins, but overall the nose is very, very good.

Taste: Right off the bat, I'll say that the taste is not as complex as I had hoped it would be. That being said, this is still a good beer. There is a solid presence of coffee but, as in the nose, it is not overpowering. Again, the malts play a big role, and they are quite welcome in this beer. I get a lot of vanilla tastes out of this beer.

Mouthfeel: The thickness of this beer is very adequate, though it certainly isn't a chewy beer. The only think which irks me about the mouthfeel is a slight soapy aftertaste which lingers just a touch too long on the palate for my liking.

Overall, this is a very good beer, but I have to feel a little disappointed. It doesn't have the complexity that I expected out of a beer with this reputation, although it certainly does have an interesting origin. I don't think the price tag is really worth so I'm not sure if I'll try this one again, but I'm glad I finally did get to try it.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2012 02:25:58 | More by zoso493

MarkIntihar

Michigan

3.8/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from the bottle into my comically huge CBS snifter.

A - Pours pitch black with two fingers worth of dark tan head. Fairly viscous, but completely opaque once in the glass. A very nice looking beer.

S - Huge roasted malts and coffee blended into a very nice nose. A very nice chocolatey background to it as well. Leans more towards the sweet smeel of the chocolate than the bitter smell of the coffee. A nice blend overall, though.

T - Taste follows closely from the nose, though there is a bit of a dark fruit presence in the mouth that was not noticeable in the smell. The roasted malts seem to come through the most behind the fruity quality, with the chocolate and coffee taking more of a back seat in this one. Not as well integrated as the nose, but still pleasant overall.

M - A little overcarbonated, but altogether nice. No burn at all even for a nearly 11% beer.

O - Overall a solid beer. Not something I would revisit very regularly, but maybe once a year.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2012 02:57:42 | More by MarkIntihar

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

500mL bottle poured into tulip

Pours a deep opaque blackness with a fluffy tanned head resting on top. Slick, oily retention across the beer with spotty rings of lacing no the glass.

Very rich and robust in the nose with cocoa, caramel and molasses. Roasted coffee beans and dark malt with a hint of bitterness. Soft alcohol warmth.

Soft notion of bitter hops up front followed by an avalanche of deep, roasted dark malt flavor. Dark chocolate and cocoa with caramel. Some hints of molasses and syrup with a slightly bitter blast of coffee. Burly backbone, full-flavored and overall pretty sweet. Finishes warm and sticky.

Full bodied, decent carbonation, sticky and chewy on the tongue, pretty soft and smooth. A rich beer overall, nice coffee and chocolate flavor.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2012 21:00:32 | More by xnicknj