Black Hole (Cognac Edition) - Mikkeller ApS

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BA SCORE
93
exceptional
-
122 Ratings

rAvg: 4.23
pDev: 10.4%
Reviews: 72
Hads: 50

Ratings Help

Brewed by:
Mikkeller ApS

Denmark

Style | ABV
Russian Imperial Stout | 13.10% ABV

Availability: Limited (brewed once). bottle (56), on-tap (16).

Notes:
This beer is retired; no longer brewed.

Brewed at De Proefbrouwerij.

View: Beers (135) | Events (0)

Reviews

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Reviews by ludachris:

ludachris

Ontario (Canada)

4.47/5 rDev +5.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

For an RIS, I couldn't ask for anything more in appearance. Thick, viscous, and black as the dickens with a mounstrous three finger frothy chocolate milk brown head. Long, horizontal patches of lace stick to the sides of the glass along with a thin film of alcohol.

The nose is absolutely huge, bursting with dessert-like aromas, reminiscent of a rich chocolate cake. On the sweet side, there's sweetened dark chocolate, smooth and rounded vanilla and oak, buckwheat honey, brown sugar, and a scoop of strawberry jam at the very bottom. Syrupy, alcohol soaked raisons also ooze over the top of the glass and I assume come from the Cognac barrels. On the other end lies notes of old and weathered wood, char, and roast. Maybe even a touch of smoke. Alcohol tickles the nose, but is no more pronounced than many of the other components that make up this big and complex RIS.

A big first sip gives a big alcohol punch to the back of the throat. I know it clocks in at 13.1% ABV, but based off the nose, I wasn't expecting it to have that much of a kick. A minute later, a warming feeling still lingers in my chest. Many of the flavours have smoothed out and melded together. Sweetened dark chocolate is spread across the top of the tongue while charred wood and roasted malts come up from beneath. The notes of vanilla and oak are delicate in comparison but still but manage to give a feeling of softness in this hefty stout. Honey is also lathered on top and extends to the tip of the tongue. The finish is both roasty and woody with a touch of fruity sweetness. The more I sip on this, the more tame the alcohol becomes.

When I think of full bodied, I'll now think of this. Creamy, mouth coating and incredibly rich. Some dryness comes through with the roasted notes and alcohol. When I first started drinking this, it seemed the alcohol was far too pronounced. After warming up and a few more sips however, it integrates well into the rest of the beer.

As my memory serves me, this has to be the biggest RIS I've had to date, in terms of both alcohol content and feel. I'd love to drink this in a year or two with the hopes of the alcohol dumbing down a bit. I'm not that familiar with Cognac but that didn't take away from me appreciating this. Big thumbs up to Mikkeler. I'll be sure to pick up a couple more barrel aged versions of this.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2011 02:53:16 | More by ludachris

More User Reviews:

megamass

New Jersey

4.25/5 rDev +0.5%

05-20-2013 04:43:53 | More by megamass

csustar001

Ohio

5/5 rDev +18.2%

04-04-2013 20:29:29 | More by csustar001

cfh64

Texas

3.75/5 rDev -11.3%

03-31-2013 01:30:56 | More by cfh64

michaeljstraub

Georgia

4.25/5 rDev +0.5%

03-15-2013 12:38:52 | More by michaeljstraub

CwrwAmByth

United Kingdom (Wales)

4.5/5 rDev +6.4%

02-26-2013 22:41:44 | More by CwrwAmByth

ngeunit1

California

4.16/5 rDev -1.7%
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, cognac, vanilla, some dark fruit, and some booze.

T - Dark chocolate and sweet dark caramel malts, roasted coffee, cognac, vanilla, black licorice, molasses, some vanilla and 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 cognac barrel adds some nice complexity.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 06:38:52 | More by ngeunit1

JMBSH

Colorado

4/5 rDev -5.4%

01-28-2013 03:51:06 | More by JMBSH

spycow

Illinois

4/5 rDev -5.4%

01-12-2013 20:04:16 | More by spycow

CGMLS3

Florida

4/5 rDev -5.4%

01-02-2013 03:06:31 | More by CGMLS3

Professional_Drunker

4.75/5 rDev +12.3%

12-25-2012 05:59:55 | More by Professional_Drunker

derkfromwi

Wisconsin

4.25/5 rDev +0.5%

12-06-2012 06:09:38 | More by derkfromwi

MarkyMOD

Colorado

4/5 rDev -5.4%

12-04-2012 06:13:24 | More by MarkyMOD

thagr81us

South Carolina

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

Served from bottle into a Mikkeller oversized wine glass (proper!). Poured pitch black with a one finger brown head that subsided to a minimal amount slowly. Maintained phenomenal lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, roasted malt, dark chocolate, dark fruit, wood, sweet alcohol, plums, raisins, and sugar. The flavor was of sweet malt, wood, roasted malt, honey, dark chocolate, alcohol, dark fruit, and subtle coffee. It had a medium feel on the palate with medium-high carbonation. Overall this was a good brew. This brew had a huge amount of complexity. The cognac barrel definitely made itself known throughout the brew. I wish the coffee aspect would have come through a little more to add some more acidity to the brew, but beggars can’t be choosers. Definitely worth your time trying this one. Can’t wait to try the others that are sitting in my fridge currently.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2012 12:16:41 | More by thagr81us

cvm4

Mississippi

3.98/5 rDev -5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Pours a dark body with a 2 finger tan head. Not much lacing to speak of

S - Very forward nose with all the cognac and boozyness showing through. Lots of oak, sweet chocolate & a slight coffee.

T - Very boozy, even from the beginning. Lots of roasted malts, vanilla & cocoa nibs. It can come across as sweeter than I'd prefer.

M - Medium carbonation, body is lighter & not as heavy as I'd expect.

O - I've had the bourbon, peat whiskey & tequila versions & this is the best of the bunch by far.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2012 00:51:45 | More by cvm4

JRed

New Jersey

4.5/5 rDev +6.4%

10-18-2012 21:58:14 | More by JRed

StonedTrippin

Colorado

4.43/5 rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

yup, this one is big time. big big time. it pours midnight black, literally like the depths of space. its dense as blacktop, and has a small off white head that doesnt stick around too long. im smelling tons of alcohol, as well as sweet tobacco notes, raw honeycomb, and spent espresso grinds. the flavor is easily as complex as the nose, with the honey notes really adding something special here. the cognac barrel adds some potency to the alcoholic profile, as well as a light woody tone that is trying not to be overpowered by the huge roasty malt and coffee flavors. its bitter and its sweet, everything in excellent proportion. this is an order of magnitude more complex than the standard black hole, and one of the more enjoyable mikkeller big stouts (and there are a great many of those). mouthfeel is huge. massive body and light carbonation. a little on the syrupy side, altough not as bad as some others. the alcohol is almost to a brutal level here, and this bottle demands to be shared. what a sensory experience!

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 18:42:55 | More by StonedTrippin