Beer Geek Brunch Weasel - Calvados Edition - Mikkeller ApS

hopsputin

California

4.31/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

a: black, almost dark dark brown at the bottom of the cup. dark tan 1/2 finger head

s: smells amazing. a lot going on here. smooth roasted coffee beans, sweet milk chocolate, roasted malts, tons of oak, something almost charred in there as well. maybe a hint of alcohol. also some figs, and what i assume is the calvados. smells quite warming

t: initial sips are all milk chocolate and some alcohol. then the smooth coffee flavor washes through with something thats almost like an apple bite. figs , berries, and plums are there in the background. some slight oak and vanilla here too. the aftertaste is real nice: roasted malt, coffee, and juicy red apples

m: medium - lighter than i expected. not much carbonation

o: ok, probably not worth the price. still GOOD though. the more you sip on it, the nicer it gets and the more you pick up. i think the barrel might just be a little too much for me as i would have liked a little more coffee here. the aftertaste is really nice though, and that apple flavor is something that is really tasty

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 02:41:34 | More by hopsputin

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

LOOK: Pours an opaque very dark brown with a light tan head. Lots of tiny bubbles make this a viscous looking brew, it has legs. Appearing to be a big bad barrel aged stout, but the looks can't quite prepare you for this unique ale.

SMELL: Oaky and earthy. Roasted malts, coffee and sweet alcohol are very present. As it warms a suggestion of chocolate emerges. Very wood centered, mildly fruity, boozy and complex. A bit of ocean breeze saltiness

TASTE: Greeted by a smooth mocha coffee note, along with waves of vanilla, oaky tannins, fruit and calva. This is good shit, literally earning that designation by using coffee beans that were partially digested by a weasel. Big oak, sweet chocolate, warming booze; robust flavors, a treat for beer geeks as advertised. A hint of berry and hard cider notes emerge to compete against the roast. Mild acidity, partially from hops and most more than likely from the calvados, as there is more than a pinch of aged calvados making itself known.

FEEL: Full bodied, silky smooth with a moderately low level of carbonation. There is a small heat in the semi dry finish.

OVERALL: A sipper for sure, especially since every sip cost me about $ 0.75-1.00. I dig this beer for its originality, but I wouldn't return to it unless I was really at the right place at the right time. Still worth seeking out, for sheer novelty if nothing else. It is seriously good though, I enjoyed the nip.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 20:37:09 | More by Stinkypuss

bobhits

Kentucky

3.48/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 1

GIven the tiny bottle, I figured why not use a Utopias glass for this one.

Pours impressively black and opaque, I only see a twinkle of light when pouring, once in the glass this is a black hole of epic darkness. A nice tan cream cap barely forms at the top.

Apples from the brandy barrels gives this one a sour note at the top followed by coffee and chocolate, roasted malt, and brandy sugars.

Dark chocolate, dark dry fruits, coffee, brandy, sour notes from apples. This beer could so easily turn to the sweet and sugary side with calvdos barrels used, but thankfully that is not the case. While plenty of sugar is in here the roasted and bitter elements from the malt, coffee, and chocolate all keep things in line.

Very warm, very hot, and very dry. This isn't creamy nor overly heavy. it's an interesting mix of all these elements.

I thought the normal brandy version of this was great, so great I bought two bottles has these comically high and absurd prices. I like the beer but can't imagine ever coming back for another bottle at 118.59 per normal six pack.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 19:35:00 | More by bobhits

jaasen64

Massachusetts

3.94/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

8.5oz bottle poured into Founders snifter.

A- Pours a completely opaque jet black with a very thin mocha brown head that recedes almost immediately. Decently carbonated and leaves very light faint layered lacing.

S- Light coffee, dark chocolate, dark fruits of figs and light prunes, fairly light barrel presence with a hint of apple and oak from the calvados, light booze. Not overly aromatic, but smells pleasant.

T- Fudge, Chocolate, coffee, finishes with more of a thick creamy presence of fudge, dark fruits such as figs, molasses, and light oak. Aftertaste of dark fruits and fudge. The initially taste isn't anything spectacular, but I like how the fudge and dark fruits really come out on the finish.

M- At first feels a tiny bit watery but finishes fairly thick which goes well with the fudge flavor, lightly creamy, easy drinking, smooth.

O- This was a pretty nice beer, my only complaint is that it could have had a little bit more barrel presence but perhaps that's faded after being in my cellar for almost a year. I really liked the fudge-like presence and how the dark fruits really came out in this beer. Overall I really enjoyed this beer, however I'm not sure I'd pay $11 for only 8.5oz even if it's made of weasal shit coffee (not that I let that affect my review).

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 23:21:38 | More by jaasen64

CruisaC

Ohio

3.45/5  rDev -18.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Picked this up a few months back. Have to say I was a smidge irked at the cost per ounce factor with this one. I'm trying to remember how many Mikkeler beers I've actually purchased---not many.

Pours standard stout ish with a mocha head. Nice coating of the glass.

Smell is really....unique. Some worchestshire/soy, some coffee, raisin, and oak barrel. Not sure what I think of this.

Hmmm. Unfortunately I'm getting more of the savory aspects off the aroma--not a good thing. Could I have an off bottle? Can't imagine this being a mainstream flavor. Some coffee sneaking in towards the end but the sweetness for the barrel im not getting.

A little carbonation forward for my preference.

Meh, I'm not loving this. I feel like I could have been a little more harsh as well, just not my thing.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 00:46:11 | More by CruisaC

wyatt13

Illinois

2.7/5  rDev -36%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 1 | overall: 2.25

Poured from a tiny little bottle into a snifter.

A - Pretty disgusting looking, to be honest. The pour was really viscous and sludgy, like when I wash out my French press after I brew coffee in the morning. It is a very dark brown that leaves a heavy, gritty residue over the entire glass. The appearance makes it impossible to forget that you are drinking civet dookie.

S - Despite the off-putting appearance, the smell is pretty nice. Definite coffee and roasted malts, with a significant barrel presence as well. Some oaky vanilla. It is definitely apparent that a Calvados barrel was used here -- acidic twang in the nose that is a little harsh.

T - Nice notes of chocolate and roasted coffee, with the barrel adding a lot of complexity over the top. However, I find it hard to hold this in my mouth long enough to get a full impression due to the extremely offputting mouthfeel.

M - Clumpy like pudding or greek yogurt. Almost like a gritty milkshake. I almost gagged, this is frankly pretty gross.

O - I'm not sure if I got a bad bottle, but unfortunately this might be a drainpour. Sort of tastes like beer, but doesn't look or feel like beer. Really disappointed here.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 03:03:46 | More by wyatt13

emyers

Illinois

4.68/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

8.5 oz. bottle poured into a Founders snifter. No bottled on date.

Appearance: Black with a thin light brown head. Head dissipates quickly into a thin lacing.

Smell: Apple brandy, oak notes, coffee, chocolate, and underlying tones of caramel. Deep, complex, and very smooth. The smoothness of the aroma is extremely impressive. Normally I think of that as a mouthfeel descriptor, but this beer smells...velvety. Coffee is pretty mild in the aroma but definitely present and integrated wonderfully into the rest of the nose.

Taste: Yep, that's pretty damn awesome. Oak and brandy lead the charge, with the coffee coming in next (definitely more intense than it was in the aroma), followed by rich dark chocolate and roasted malt, which is accentuated by some more charred oak. Bittersweet finish. Every bit as complex and delicious as the smell would suggest, and then some. There is a noticeable alcohol heat on the finish and an ever-so-slightly harsh acidity (probably from the coffee?), but those are very minor complaints (and the only reasons this doesn't get a 5 for taste).

Mouthfeel: Thick, rich, and velvety, with a light touch of carbonation. Excellent. Coats the palate with brandy/coffee deliciousness as you swallow it.

Overall: I had the cognac-barrel aged version a while back (well before I was reviewing beers on BA), and I remember it as one of the best beers I ever had. I expected this to fall far short of my memories, but it stood up to the challenge. An absolutely phenomenal beer in every respect

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 23:00:16 | More by emyers

spoony

Colorado

3.96/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

From a 250 ml bottle into a snifter.

A-This beer pours heavy, like maple syrup. A normal pour produces no real head, just a ring of dark brown mist around the edge of the glass. Color is pure black.

S-This brew smells intensely of bitter coffee (my notes say "day-old espresso grounds"), with similarly intense whiffs of roasted, charred, smokey malts. There is a fair amount of booze heat, as well, and a little bit of sweet, dark fruit underneath the bitter scents.

T-The taste is less bitter than the smell, with roasted coffee flavors being more noticeable than the old espresso I found on the nose. There is still some smokey, acrid charred flavors and a pretty substantial boozy heat, too.

M-The feel is heavy with very little carbonation. Feel is well-matched to the style and flavor.

O-This is a big, intensely flavored beer. The flavors are complex and concentrated, and the mouthfeel is well-suited for sipping slowly. Fans of coffee would do well here. That being said, this brew was a touch on the bitter side for me, and I have found other coffee stouts that I enjoy more (especially when price is factored in).

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 17:09:37 | More by spoony

UnderJoath

Illinois

4.39/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from bottle, 2011 vintage. Pours dark molasses with nice dark tan head that dwindles to a nice thin head and maintains. Aroma is full of coffee, roasted malt, bourbon, and chocolate. Tastes of chocolate with a nice bitter coffee finish. Not too prominent of a bourbon note but present nonetheless. Mouthfeel is spot on with a light burn in the throat.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 05:01:16 | More by UnderJoath

BeerNemesis

New York

4.64/5  rDev +10%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

Mikkeller Beer Geek Brunch Weasel (Calvados Cask) | 375 ml. | 10.9% ABV | 2012 vintage

Brewer: Mikkeller
Style: Imperial Stout (coffee)
Glass: tulip

Appearance: (4.5 / 5.0)
Silky black body; thick, with a mocha crown.

Aroma: (4.5 / 5.0)
Intense notes of coffee, cocoa, and malted barley.

Taste: (4.8 / 5.0)
Profound dark chocolate and roasted malt notes at the outset, offset by a twinge of hops. Finishes strong with a blast of coffee, dwindling into an aftertaste reminiscent of Calvados.

Mouthfeel: (4.2 / 5.0)
Velvety smooth and supple. Don't expect much carbonation (and that's ok).

Harmony: (5.0 / 5.0)
The predominant flavors (dark chocolate, roasted malt, and coffee) are meant for each other. But what brings this one home are the minor notes of Calvados. Much like the cask editions of J.W. Lees Harvest Ale, this brew benefits from time in the barrel.

Would I get it again?: Yep.

Bottled: 2012
Served: 01/19/2013

Price = $26 at the Blind Tiger Ale House (NYC)

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 18:03:05 | More by BeerNemesis

schnarr84

Alberta (Canada)

4.23/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

very interesting barrel aged offering from mikkeller. you can definitely smell the brandy on the nose and on the pallet. the beer has little to no carbonation.. no surprise when the abv is 11%. a very complex bouquet of flavours come through, with coffee, brandy and fruit notes. very enjoyable.. left me wishing it had come in a bomber not a 250ml bottle!

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 07:08:49 | More by schnarr84

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

3.83/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Bottle from wordemupg, 250ml bottle into a whiskey snifter - has side by side with the Cognac version.

Black with a dark brown head, that actually retains and leaves some semblance of lacing. Nose of dark fruit, fruit loop dust, light smoke, chocolate, sweeter than the cognac version and has a drier woody character. Taste has dark fruits, umami, roast chocolate, coffee and more barrel character. Not too different from the cognac on the whole, but has some more desirable character.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 22:42:23 | More by liamt07

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

4.3/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

250ml bottle. The weasel and apple depiction on the label is just not as amusing as Hop City's Barking Squirrel squirrel.

This beer pours a deep black abyss of 'colour', with very, very slight basal cola highlights and one finger of tightly foamy, somewhat bubbly dark milk chocolate head, which leaves a few limestone arches of drooping lace around the glass as it quickly settles.

It smells of sweet, pungent, toasted caramel/toffee malt, treacle, dry coffee bean-tinted chocolate, mild anise, musty apples, a bit of oaken vanilla, and some simmering herbal liqueur. The taste is more sweet caramel malt, with strong molasses and hardwater taffy aspects, softly smooth cafe mocha, long-opened black licorice strings, weighty apple brandy - with the subtle woodiness and attendant fruitiness - and some quite restrained earthy, somewhat dusty hops. Only a wisp of alcohol warming makes itself known at this juncture.

The carbonation is pretty much passed out on the couch, the body a sturdy, but still nimble medium-heavy weight, and generally rather smooth, the underpinned booze maybe picking at the tongue just a wee bit. It finishes sweet, the multi-pronged malt density hardly abating at all, but at the same having to contend with a rising prickliness, some of it hop-based, I suppose, but more in the vein of burgeoning booze, both that from the blended barrel notes and the veritable, near 22-proof ABV.

A pretty enjoyable, if necessarily sipping bevy, the hipster coffee and Calvados essences applied with a gentle daub, rather than a funnel. Perfect serving size, as the complex sweetness does get a bit slavish after a while, which in no way should detract from my recommendation to at least try this particular iteration of the Beer Geek Brunch.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 02:45:04 | More by biboergosum

ngeunit1

California

4.33/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

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

S - Dark chocolate, roasted coffee, oak, apple brandy, molasses, black licorice, caramel malts, milk chocolate, some booze.

T - Dark chocolate, roasted coffee, oak, apple brandy, earthy hops and some bitterness, black licorice, molasses, caramel malts, milk chocolate and vanilla, some booze.

M - Full-minus bodied with mild carbonation. Super smooth with a sweet, roasted, and warming finish.

D - Really nice balance. Great complexity added by the calvados barrel aging.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2013 08:02:31 | More by ngeunit1

BrownNut

Florida

4.64/5  rDev +10%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Bottle to tulip, served nearly room temp.

A - 4.0 - Black, with a smallish tan head of nice creamy texture that dissipates moderately quickly down to a stable cap. Gross little white blobs in the bottom of the glass rob this of a quarter point.

S - 4.5 - Smells great, not at all what I was expecting. Was expecting more coffee. Instead there's a lovely sweetness and a dry woody maltiness.

T - 4.75 - What an interesting mix of flavors, layers, and sensations. There's a sweet malty buttery roundness at the base of it, which certainly has a substantial chocolate note, but a very mature one. Then there's something lighter above that that's sort of just the carrier for the chocolate sweetness but isn't itself all that sweet. It's subtle and tasty and I think must be the purportedly mild coffee making itself known.

Mixed in is a maltiness of a sort I'm not sure I've had before, but which is really delicious.

Meanwhile there's a substantial dryness and a tartness warring above the sweet round level. It's dry on one level almost instantly upon getting into the mouth, whereas that usually leans closer to the aftertaste, while downstairs from there is the very mellow, mild and smooth roundness. But then towards the aftertaste, that dryness is accompanied by a nice boozy note that brings on warm fumes after swallowing. I'll take 11% in something like this any day of the week.

The aftertaste is at once sweet and dry, with a faint hint of the barrel spirit.

M - 4.5 - The taste and the mouthfeel are more difficult to tease apart in this one than in many because they seem to blend together. There is a rich, silken smoothness to the sweet note almost suspended in a lighter, waterier vehicle that I'll guess comes from the coffee. This is so interesting in the mouth.

O - 4.75 - Wow, this is so impressive and so delightfully complex. I bought it as a sort of novelty since I'm not usually big on deliberately coffeed-up beers, but what a surprise. This is gourmet stuff. It's artful. This is one of the most interesting beers I've had, which is exactly what I'm searching for. I'm trying to think how I'd improve it, and I'm thinking maybe a bit more char to stiffen up its body along with a bit more assertive coffee, both to really blast me up a notch, but then the gentle mellow roundness of one of its layers might not get to show its subtle self as I believe it was intended based on what I've read about this coffee. Really great as is. Plus I think this is about 9 months old now, so it might have been stiffer up front. I like it like this though. I have to find more.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 04:19:27 | More by BrownNut

nrbw23

Ohio

3.98/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Pours is jet black with a pretty thin tan head. Head becomes a nice little layer of foam that hangs onto the edges. Not a whole lot of retention.

S- Smells of coffee, roasted grain, dark chocolate, calvados, prunes, figs, and dates fill the nose.

T- Taste is a lot like the nose for sure. A bit hot from the alcohol. Quite smooth and a lot going on here as well.

M- Full in body and fairly low in carbonation.

O- A really nice brew and a sipper for sure. I liked about everything about this one except the price.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 11:37:54 | More by nrbw23

wd40

New York

4/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark brown/black appearance. Smokey aroma with coffee and what I'm assuming is a bit of calvados barrel! Interesting and quite pleasant. Often smoke can be overpowering but this is nicely balanced with the rest of the aromas. The taste delivers what the aroma foreshadowed with the addition of some chocolate. Decent carbonation. Overall very good beer. Mikkeller is often hit or miss and this is definitely a hit. If the alcohol was slightly better hidden and the price was better (it was very expensive for such a little bottle!) I'd give it an 4.5 overall. Worth seeking out and trying if it can be found at a decent price.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 05:59:38 | More by wd40

scrob

Colorado

3.85/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I'll buy and split with my brother I said, but alas, I cannot wait and must drink now:

Appearance: jet black with minimal tan head that quickly dissipates. some thin lacing sticking around.
Aroma: toasted wood, coffee, a little smoke in there. sweet too
Taste: as expected with oaky, vanilla, even some dark cherry sweetness. nice subtle smoke.
Mouthfeel: Medium- Medium Full, not many bubbles. Smokiness and some bitterness linger nicely.
Overall: my first Beer Geek Brunch beer, I'm very pleased and wish I had another one for Christmas brunch (with my bother!)

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 03:16:09 | More by scrob

MasterSki

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle purchased at Beer Revolution back in August. Shared with Tom and Jason at Soma Bierhaus. Some sort of tulip glass was presumably used.

A - Tan foam settles to a thick collar, partial cap, and a few specks of lace. Body is pitch black. Pretty impressive for a high-ABV barrel-aged stout.

S - The apple notes of the calvados are immediately present, mingling with coffee, vanilla, cocoa, char, smoke, fruity yeast notes, and a bit of sugary malts. It's definitely got the Scandinavian vibe to it, and it's quite good.

T - The taste is also quite nice, with a similar blend of coffee, apple brandy notes, caramel, cocoa and oaky vanilla. The finish has a bit more char and oak than I prefer, but it's fairly characteristic of Mikkel's stouts.

M - Smooth, medium-full body, with lower carbonation, minimal alcohol warming, and a sticky and viscous finish. The brandy barrel-aging doesn't impart much in the way of tannic character; I'm guessing the barrels had been used a number of times by the distillery before being used for beer.

D - This was better than the cognac version. Other than the stupidly expensive pricing I'd happily drink this again. Perhaps Chicago will actually get subsequent batches now that Shelton has ditched Windy City. Could easily drink a bottle on my own.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 06:10:48 | More by MasterSki

DoubleJ

California

4.1/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Oh, I've already had Beer Geek Brunch Weasel. Oh, this is aged in wood? Yeah, I'll take a little. From a tiny 250 ml bottle split three ways, on to the beer:

This one is black as ink with a tanned colored head. Good lace spashes around the glass. The wood aging has added the aroma of smoked wood to the nose, in addition to the roasted coffee and burnt sugar notes. Similar to the aroma, the taste goes down a similar path. The smoked wood flavor is very noticable. Coffee and bitter chocolate follow afterwards. Kisses of herbal hops add a delicate layer. Vague smoke also. The beer is heavy, chewy, and low in carbonation. An aftertaste of coffee and wood lingers on.

A tasty stout, and a great way to wake yourself up in the late morning.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2012 04:13:28 | More by DoubleJ

birchstick

Missouri

3.85/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - pours black with a small chocolate head on top

S - apple brandy, dark chocolates, rich coffee all ascend out of the glass into my nose

T - sweet brandy upfront moves on to rich, dark chocolates. These move on to a bitter, rich coffee flavor and a touch of vanilla. Big and bold flavors in this one.

M - smooth, watery, and full

D - pretty good barrel-aged stout. This has very rich coffee flavors, almost too much to make the coffee distracting from the rest of the flavors present. Worth the price? It's a Mikkeller beer...

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 00:23:03 | More by birchstick

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Reviewing a beer before 9am? I must be in Vegas!

Appearance. Pours black with just a skim of bubbly, creamy coffee coulured head that rises up from the depths of a Bellagio wine glass.

Smell. Dark roasty malts, a brandy-conac boozyness, dark bitter chocolate and some cold espresso.

Taste. Dark bitter unsweetened chocolate, tannic wood, roasty dark malts and brandy.

Mouthfeel. Medium+ body, seems a bit thin for the taste coming through, low carbonation, some soothing warmth.

Overall. Nice big stout with a complementary amount of warm brandy boozyness.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 16:43:02 | More by Rutager

Jeffo

Netherlands

4/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Got this one at Geers in Gent a while back.

From a 25cl bottle into a snifter.

APPEARANCE: Thicker, sludgy black pour yields a one finger, thicker looking, tan colored head with good retention. Head slowly fades to a thin wisp and ring. Thick black body with no carbonation evident. A ring remains with a few dots of wisp, but leaves no lacing down the glass.

SMELL: Big calvados brandy on the nose for sure. Vanilla, woody notes, light cherry aromas from the barrels, then some burnt and charred malts, dark chocolate and light notes of molasses. Big alcohol notes and lots of barrel, though the burnt malts still manage to punch through. Good stuff.

TASTE: Lots of flavor, though quite boozy as well. Lots of brandy, vanilla and cedar wood up front, with a burst of burnt and charred malts, ash, and roasted chocolate through the middle into the swallow. More alcohol and brandy barrel on the finish, lots of bitter dark chocolate, burnt coffee beans, sweet molasses and charred flavors lingering on the palate, battling against the brandy barrel. Very flavorful and bold, though a touch too boozy still. The charred base beer amazingly holds up against the strong barrel aging.

PALATE: Medium body and slightly higher levels of carbonation. A little light perhaps, but creamy enough on the palate, goes down alright with a little scratch and finishes slightly sticky on the palate. Some heat lingers.

OVERALL: This is a challenging beer, as the flavors are very intense and there is so much barrel and massive base beer working together here. The flavors are big and bold, and the base beer is able to hold up against the barrel aging. I'm quite the fan of the Brunch series, though this one falls slightly short of some of the others due to a relatively light mouthfeel, though that is only comparatively speaking, and it still being slightly too boozy. In the end, this is a very good barrel aged imperial stout that I wouldn't hesitate to get again. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2012 18:24:35 | More by Jeffo

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.33/5  rDev -21.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Tiny 8oz bottle or so into a matching Mikkeller teku glass. Thanks go to baconsausage for hooking me up with this brew during a trade we did sometime ago. The brew pours black with a finger of mocha head that slowly fades leaving some spots of lacing effect on the glass. For being 10+ % the cap holds fairly well. A swirl revives a finger of dark brown cap back to the surface and paints the glassware with stringy fingers of lace.

The aroma has some fairly sharp alcohol notes that are caught between solvent and fusel in nature. There is some fruity alcohol esters but I cant really claim that they smell at all like the expected apple brandy. In fact, it smells quite similar to the cognac version but maybe with a greater focus on solvent booze if memory serves me correct. There is a faint amount of roast and earthy quality that is faintly reminiscent of the kopi luwak character I enjoy so much in the base beer. At times, it is a bit ashy with hints of tobacco and leather. As it warms up, the alcohol character gets increasingly more spirit accented but in a very neutral way which is strange.

The taste is very ashy and bitter with roast elements like charred grain. Tobacco and hints of earthiness are present but all flavors are a bit trumped by the huge solvent/fusel alcohol inclusion. The booziness is borderline numbing to the palate and hits with a presence much more focused and stronger than you would expect for 10%. The aftertaste has a mild fruited alcohol ester.

This is a medium to lighter bodied brew. It is dry and ashy with seemingly a thin feel possibly from the big alcohol impact. At times though, it has a bit of cling and oily feel to the mouth. I honestly dont know what to think of this. I love the base beer but this is an entirely different monster with an excessive alcohol presence that doesn't really show itself as barrel aged but more like it has been reinforced by the spirit itself instead of the barrel treatment. I wanted to like this... I really did. Color me disappointed and pissed at the ridiculous cost these Mikkeller beers go for.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2012 02:03:22 | More by stakem

Pahn

New York

4.2/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

8.5oz bottle into Captain Lawrence tulip.

Appearance: Free pour yields a 1/4 inch fizzy tan head that dissipates quickly. Pours oily black. No lacing.

Smell: Excellent caramel pastry aromas highlighted by coffee liqueur. Oaky, with airy roasted malt. Sort of a sharp, fruity sweetness on top that reminds me of fruit and sugar.

Taste: At first, tastes like a really above average stout without any sort of barrel treatment or coffee addition. Lots of caramel and mild-enough-to-be-malt-induced coffee in the finish. Gradually oak and apple brandy come out. Predominantly roasted malt influenced; lots of airy husky flavors that are sort of tinged by the caramel, vanilla oak, and fruity brandy. Coffee almost entirely absent.

Delicious, but honestly not an improvement over Beer Geek Brunch Weasel.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied but just barely. Maybe a touch overcarbonated. Mildly slick. Surprisingly less creamy and decadent than normal Beer Geek Brunch Weasel.

Overall: While in many ways I think this beer is inferior to its non-barrel aged counterpart, I'm actually loving it. The roasted malt is really taking off as opposed to the coffee and cookie dough dominated normal version. The apple element from the Calvados barrels works surprisingly well, even though the mouthfeel and amazing coffee flavors seem to have been sacrificed for it. I would like more oak influence, but what's there is definitely enjoyable.

Great beer. Worth its premium price? Honestly, no, but a nice treat nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 05:30:47 | More by Pahn