George! Bourbonfadlagret - Mikkeller ApS

NittanyBeerFan

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev -3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to bucketboy for cracking an 11.2oz bottle of this today during a really impromptu bottle share with shadesofgray and me. Poured into a tulip.

Pitch black, I can tell that this is thick and syrupy just by watching it pour. A very thin hot chocolate colored head forms and disappears into wispy bubbles very quickly. A swirl kicks up a dark oily film that remains on the glass and doesn't recede into the beer. Every sip leave a parabolic pattern of foamy bubbles suspended in the dark film.

The aroma is very muted, even with this beer barely down to cellar temp. A lot of tannic character here; mainly oak, along with some coffee, and a touch of peat with only a hint of American-style whiskey. The flavors are far bolder and more well-rounded than the characteristics of the aroma. Bitter chocolate, coffee, vanilla, and roasty notes all come through, balanced by bourbon that was hidden in the nose. This is definitely a sleeper of a beer.

The feel is thick, syrupy, full, and resinous. Only a little bit of carbonation to cut the texture lightens this up. Overall, the nose is a real disappointment, but the rest of the beer does what it can to pick up its slack. This beer is going to explode. Glad to have been able to try this one! Thanks, Joe!

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2011 23:25:41 | More by NittanyBeerFan

2bet

Norway

4.25/5  rDev -1.8%

05-06-2013 22:59:25 | More by 2bet

DarthKostrizer

California

4/5  rDev -7.6%

04-20-2013 02:48:31 | More by DarthKostrizer

spycow

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +3.9%

04-15-2013 01:42:25 | More by spycow

MordorMongo

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev -1.8%

02-09-2013 03:25:21 | More by MordorMongo

laituegonflable

Australia

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

Pours a very dark brown, with glints of colour up to the light. Head is a good, deep umber, like whipped milk chocolate. Dense and creamy in consistency, leaving lacing that looks great. Dark, brooding and wonderful.

Smells spicy and roasty, with a good belt of a tartness as well. Nutty caramel, peppery shiraz and a minerally note as well. But yeah, that syrah note is really prominent and adds a massive boost to an already pleasant spicy, stouty aroma.

Taste is similar, but it seems a little weaker. Roasty and sweet for the most part, with some dark caramel and malted grain, that develops dark, charred wood and peppery spice, a hint of capsicum and a touch of sumac. Then on the mid-palate gets that organic fruity note, a touch of syrah, but it has more of a late-harvest character now, more sweet but at the same time a touch more refined, as if it's gotten pure fruit character in there with less fermentation. All very enjoyable, though, but I do feel it could still use more grounding. Sweetness is a very big part of this.

Full, complex texture, with nothing too thick. Does get quite dry at the back, and there's an unavoidable boozey note as well. Good, though.

Sweet, but with a great spicy dimension added, giving this a dynamic, enjoyable quality. Excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 01:39:41 | More by laituegonflable

westcoastbeerlvr

California

3.75/5  rDev -13.4%

01-08-2013 23:03:23 | More by westcoastbeerlvr

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

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

Once again another stellar brew sent over from MrKennedy. This beer poured out as a rich oily black beer with a thin creamy looking brown head on top. The retention lasts for a little while but faded by mid glass. There was an in brown tinge that the beer leaves on the glass after each sip. Incredibly thick looking beer. The smell of the beer is boozy, it's loaded with rich roasted malt aromas as well has some bourbon and even some maple sweetness in there. The taste is rich, it's heavily roasted, with some sweet burnt sugar notes as well has chocolate in there too. The mouthfeel is like syrup, it's sticky, and sweet, gently carbonated and heavy. Overall this is a massive beer and it's very impressive, the flavors just linger on your tongue for so long. It was very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2012 04:27:31 | More by Knapp85

kjkinsey

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +3.9%

10-11-2012 00:20:18 | More by kjkinsey

JCDenver

Texas

4.4/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to mulder1010 for providing this from the land Down Under. Slightly aggressive pour produced a dense chocolate milk head that sticks around. Smells of deep roasted malts with baker's chocolate and some wood/alcohol notes. Mouthfeel is a bit thin, but still appealing. Roastiness and barrel characteristics really come through on the palate. Super long finish. One of the best Mikkeller beers I've had; wish I could easily get more.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2012 22:17:00 | More by JCDenver

RobSchneidermang

4.5/5  rDev +3.9%

07-02-2012 17:44:05 | More by RobSchneidermang

bsuedekum

Missouri

4.25/5  rDev -1.8%

06-29-2012 16:27:44 | More by bsuedekum

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

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

Shared by Thorpe429. Thanks a lot Mike!

The beer is black with a thin, beige cap. Minimal head retention and lacing. The aroma offers roast, chocolate, oak, booze, a touch of smoke. A very tasty brew. Well balanced. Low carbonation. Silky smooth yet viscous on the palate - an elegant feel. Subtle spice notes. Overall, an intriguing and delicious brew. I would happily have this again.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2012 04:48:20 | More by Huhzubendah

drabmuh

Maryland

4.15/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Shared by Thorpe, thanks! Served in a snifter. At the time of this review, this is #32 on the "Top Beers - American Double / Imperial Stout" list and #7 on the "Top Beers - Scandinavia" list on beeradvocate.com.

Beer is black with a thin dark brown head of small bubbles, haloed, pulled to the glass, some lacing, low carbonation, low retention, it looks heavy in the glass.

Aroma is smoky and sweet with a mild spice to it.

Beer is oaky and smokey with a nice grain bitterness finish from a lot of roast. The barrel is a little lost in here but this is a big complex beer. Lots of chocolate and smoke with a nice finish. I"d have it again.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2012 19:31:50 | More by drabmuh

ygtbsm94

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -13.4%

06-10-2012 02:46:18 | More by ygtbsm94

Texasfan549

Texas

4.75/5  rDev +9.7%

04-08-2012 20:07:37 | More by Texasfan549

largadeer

Kentucky

3.05/5  rDev -29.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Beddachedda shared this one, I think?

Pours a syrupy pitch black, not far off from Mikkeller's dozens of other imperial stouts. A finger of dark tan head forms but doesn't last.

The aroma is heavy on charred, burnt malt, soy sauce, oak (but not necessarily bourbon) and black licorice. There's a faint smokiness in the background. Bourbon is integrated, somewhat buried beneath malt and oxidation.

Palate is acrid, burnt and oxidized. Quite a bit of soy sauce and oak, a touch of bourbon, dark fruit, some smoke and vinous notes. Oily, full mouthfeel. Smoky, acrid finish with a fair amount of booze.

Overall not exactly the most offensive Mikkeller beer, but not particularly enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2012 17:45:23 | More by largadeer

billyshears

Maryland

4/5  rDev -7.6%

03-31-2012 19:26:52 | More by billyshears

AgentZero

Illinois

4/5  rDev -7.6%

02-11-2012 02:34:07 | More by AgentZero

HopHead84

California

3.68/5  rDev -15%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

1/28/12

Thanks to Kris for the bottle. Snifter.

A: This is an impressive looking beer. The body is as black as black can get. The hard pour yields three fingers of dark brown sea foam that linger for many minutes. Lacing is all over the glass. There are some alcohol legs left behind as well. This is about as good as a barrel aged Russian Imperial Stout can look.

S: Lots of wood with a subtle spicy note. Bourbon blends with chocolate and roasted malt. There's some licorice in there and a dash of molasses. Roast is the most notable characteristic in the aroma, but the dark chocolate comes out as the beer opens up. I get a faint note of smoke as well. Strangely enough, there's an insistent oxidation note that reminds me of cardboard. There's a little milk chocolate as well. I'm starting to get some raspberry, which is unexpected but welcome.

T: Boozy dark chocolate with a moderate earthy bitterness and a little astringency. There's an earthy note in there with a little cardboard-like oxidation. Roasted grains and dark malts are dominant. Bourbon is restrained, hardly there really, but I get a decent amount of oak. The finish is full of booze, bitter dark choocolate, and roasted malt.

M: Full body with upper moderate carbonation. The mouthfeel is sticky, chewy, and smooth.

Overall: A beast of a beer. It's good overall, but doesn't stand up to the better barrel aged Stouts made in the US. It comes off as excessively roasted and a bit acrid.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2012 04:23:16 | More by HopHead84

jakesingleton

United Kingdom (England)

4.5/5  rDev +3.9%

01-16-2012 13:20:11 | More by jakesingleton

Alpar

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +3.9%

01-13-2012 06:05:01 | More by Alpar

CrazyDavros

Australia

3.65/5  rDev -15.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pours pitch black with a small dark tan head.
Nose shows bourbon, oak, spicy hops, roasted malt, cocoa and some booze.
Very similar flavours, more bourbon, roasted malt, espresso and booze. Pretty full on. A little brash.
Very syrupy body.
A bit too much booze.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2012 07:23:43 | More by CrazyDavros

hannydawg

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +3.9%

01-12-2012 06:32:59 | More by hannydawg

TMoney2591

Illinois

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

Served in a stemless globe.

Huge thanks to hannydawg for sharing this bottle!

One of the more entertaining labels I've seen in some time. The beer within pours a bleak black-brown topped by half-finger (at best) of dark-ish tan foam. The nose comprises oak, whiskey, roasted malts, light char, and plenty of dark chocolate. It coats my nostrils in such a pleasant way... The taste brings in more of the same, with more roast, more cocoa, and a slightly bitter touch of coffee. The body is a straight medium, with a light moderate carbonation, a smooth feel, and a kinda dry finish. Overall, a damn fine barrel-aged stout, one that drinks way too easily for such a small and hard-to-come-by bottle. Good times.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2012 04:47:45 | More by TMoney2591