Black Hole (Bourbon Edition) - Mikkeller ApS

danieelol

Australia

3.63/5  rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Purchased from Platinum

Appearance is dark black (brown around edges) with good head/lacing.

Smell is nice. Bourbon - caramel, chocolate, soy, roasted wood. Very nice.

Taste and mouthfeel go together. Gingerbread, chocolate; mouthfeel is too thin, too watery. A little bitter from booze; but sometimes too sweet. Paradox?!?!

The bourbon barrel is enticing but the base beer seems kind of mediocre. Did enjoy it though.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2012 13:48:03 | More by danieelol

megamass

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +12.4%

05-20-2013 04:44:37 | More by megamass

MaseFace

Kentucky

4/5  rDev +5.8%

05-19-2013 02:04:38 | More by MaseFace

davey101

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -7.4%

03-03-2013 03:43:07 | More by davey101

ngeunit1

California

4.16/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Dark brown-black with a finger of frothy chocolate colored head. Fades at a normal pace.

S - Dark chocolate and dark caramel malts, roasted coffee, molasses, black licorice, oak, vanilla, Bourbon, some dark fruit, and some booze.

T - Dark chocolate and sweet dark caramel malts, roasted coffee, black licorice, molasses, vanilla, oak, Bourbon, some dark fruit, some citrus and pine hops and a bit of bitterness, and some booze.

M - Full bodied with moderate carbonation. Smooth with a warming and sweet finish.

D - Nicely balanced big imperial Stout. Nice body and mouthfeel. The Bourbon barrels add some nice depth and complexity.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 06:01:54 | More by ngeunit1

JMBSH

Colorado

3.25/5  rDev -14%

01-28-2013 03:49:31 | More by JMBSH

BierJager89

California

4.71/5  rDev +24.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Poured from a bottle into a tulip glass.

A: Literally black with a dark brown head. Perfect appearance for an imperial stout. Very deserving of the name Black Hole, a thing so dark it's blacker than black. It sucks light into an inescapable void, through the infinity of endless ages.

S: Caramel, coffee, vanilla, honey, roasted malt and a touch of alcohol in the nose. In short. It smells amazing.

T: Coffee, chocolate, honey, a lingering hint of vanilla in the finish. Bitter aftertaste of alcohol is unpleasant, but the beer is delicious.

M: Creamy, full bodied and quite smooth. Alcohol takes a bit away from the smoothness.

O: One of the best Mikkeller beers out there. Worth a try if you can find it. I still can, but according to BeerAdvocate it was only brewed once.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 20:01:10 | More by BierJager89

eawolff99

Minnesota

3.5/5  rDev -7.4%

12-13-2012 21:40:41 | More by eawolff99

MarkyMOD

Colorado

4/5  rDev +5.8%

12-04-2012 06:12:14 | More by MarkyMOD

brewdude1982

North Carolina

3.4/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I had this beer in a 12 oz bottle poured into a snifter.

A: 4.0 dark with light head
S: 4.0 a whole lotta bourbon and a little bit of dark malts in the nose of this brew
T: 3.0 very smokey and then bourbon.
MF: 3.5 smooth and slippery
O: 3.5 I love the bourbon but not too keen on the smokeyness. It was like being overwhelmed at a bonfire and smelling smoke in your hair the next day.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2012 19:53:13 | More by brewdude1982

cfh64

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%

11-22-2012 22:03:42 | More by cfh64

t0rin0

California

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%

10-29-2012 01:23:53 | More by t0rin0

JAHMUR

Connecticut

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%

09-30-2012 17:06:46 | More by JAHMUR

brewcrew76

Wisconsin

3.5/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Black brown with no head.

S - Bourbon and oak with sweet malt and hints of vanilla and coffee.

T - Bourbon with sweet vanilla and honey. Roasty in the middle with a hint of coffee and then some alcohol heat that lingers.

M - Medium mouthfeel with very little carbonation and warming alcohol.

D - A little disappointed with this one. Needs more carbonation and less alcohol heat.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2012 02:04:26 | More by brewcrew76

cvm4

Mississippi

3.55/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a thick black, lots of lacing, very good appearance.

S - Bourbon, dark chocolate and charred wood.

T - Very bourbon, sweet vanilla, faint malts and oak. But, there's a linger burnt flavor that is just not good.

M - Medium bodied and carbonation.

O - I had a horrible experience with black buffalo. This isn't quite as bad but really, where are you getting the bourbon barrels from??

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2012 02:45:40 | More by cvm4

Kornoms

Texas

4.75/5  rDev +25.7%

09-12-2012 21:25:35 | More by Kornoms

drewone

California

3.25/5  rDev -14%

08-13-2012 20:03:19 | More by drewone

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

4.23/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle to Founders tulip.

A - Black with half a finger of brown head.

S - Very sweet up front - chocolate, bourbon, vanilla, oak and some coffee notes. The ABV is noticeable without being distracting.

T - The ABV is noticeable up front and gives way to a mix of barrel characteristics and the base beer. Bourbon, oak and light vanilla come together with roasted malts, semi-sweet chocolate, coffee, char and molasses. Fairly complex with good integration of the base beer and the barrel characteristics.

M - Medium body. Light to moderate carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2012 00:20:03 | More by TheSevenDuffs

GOMECK

Georgia

3.25/5  rDev -14%

08-09-2012 16:19:47 | More by GOMECK

s1ckboy

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -7.4%

08-02-2012 03:22:35 | More by s1ckboy

sammo

Kansas

4.25/5  rDev +12.4%

07-07-2012 02:13:57 | More by sammo

pauljunk

Virginia

3.25/5  rDev -14%

07-02-2012 18:25:28 | More by pauljunk

Cstromberg57

New Hampshire

3/5  rDev -20.6%

06-18-2012 00:51:42 | More by Cstromberg57

champ103

Texas

2.8/5  rDev -25.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

A: Pours a dark, almost opaque black color. A dense two finger tan head forms the gently recedes after a few minutes. Light lace.
S: Charred wood, tobacco, ash. Vanilla, chocolate, toast.
T: Follows the nose and fairly simple. Charred wood and ash. Vanilla and chocolate. Fairly standard, with the barrel kind of taking over.
M/D: A medium to full body. Low carbonation, chalky, asky. Lots of alcohol, which makes this a very slow sipper. One and done.

Probably the best of the Black Hole beers that I have had so far. Though that is saying very little. Still not the horrid abomination the base beer is. It has obviously been toned down from the monsterours 17% ABV it once was. Though I have had enough of these overpriced, over barring, over alcoholic stouts.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2012 02:16:00 | More by champ103

russwbeck

Virginia

4.63/5  rDev +22.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A: Such a beautiful looking beer. Thick black pour out of the bottle with a very large, deep brown head. The size of the bubbles and thickness of the head reminds me of a sponge above the beer. Lacing is great, retention is only ok.

S: The aroma is really rich. Chocolate, roast, coffee, bourbon, vanilla, and booze. At times, the alcohol seems to be a bit too much for the rest of the ingredients...but I don't mind it. The aroma is really well put together.

T: This taste is extremely deep and well balanced. The vanilla I'd say is the most surprising part, as it really asserts itself and helps curb the intensity of the other flavors. I think the honey is playing a role in the sweetness as well. A very nice blend of chocolate and bourbon make this an intimidating offering. The coffee finish adds a dry roast character that is much needed. Booze is noted throughout the taste, but certainly only adds to the balance. All of the flavors play together very well. Really impressed here.

MF: The body is thick and heavy, carbonation low, and finish dry. I found it to be really drinkable because the flavors all worked very well together. That 13% will catch up to you!

O: Really happily blown away by this one. It was easy to justify the price when I saw what all this was brewed with, and it did not disappoint.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2012 00:27:51 | More by russwbeck