Mørketid
Valkyrie Brewing

MørketidMørketid
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From:
Valkyrie Brewing
 
Wisconsin, United States
Style:
Schwarzbier
ABV:
Not listed
Score:
79
Avg:
3.29 | pDev: 19.15%
Reviews:
19
Ratings:
19
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Sep 23, 2009
Added:
Apr 01, 2006
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
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Ratings by bros:

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Photo of Viggo
Reviewed by Viggo from Canada (ON)

2.45/5  rDev -25.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
12 oz bottle picked up in Wisconsin.

Pours a lightly hazy dark reddish brown, mahogany almost, medium sized light tan head forms, quickly drops down to a thin layer, a thin film of lace sticks to the glass. Smell is alright, light caramel sweetness, a bit nutty, light chocolate and roast, biscuit, brown sugar, a touch of raisin sourness, light fruit, smells alright if uninspiring. Taste is very watery, almost no flavour here, light raisin and caramel, a bit of fruit flavoured water, nothing at all, weird. Mouthfeel is light bodied with low to medium carbonation, watery mouthfeel. Wow, smell is alright then this does straight downhill.
Sep 23, 2009
More User Ratings:
Photo of morimech
Reviewed by morimech from Minnesota

3.77/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Pours a reddish black color with a small tan head that had a short life and settles to a thin film. Large amount of spotty lacing is left on the glass surface.

I smell roasted malt with some baker's chocolate and milk.

Roasted malt is featured in the flavor. Semi-sweet overall with some chocolate hints. Leaves some burnt flavors in the finish.

Just too thin of a body for a dark beer. Carbonation seems to be a bit fizzy.

A good beer but suffers from a lack of depth and body. Worth a try.
Oct 14, 2008
Photo of beckje01
Reviewed by beckje01 from Minnesota

4.2/5  rDev +27.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
A very good malt smell to start, appearance is nice and black just like a schwarzbier should be. Good malt with a nice thickness just the right amount of activity and a very good beer. Drinkable while still malty enough exactly what a schwarzbier should be.
Aug 13, 2008
Photo of Mdog
Reviewed by Mdog from Minnesota

2.5/5  rDev -24%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
Appearance: Dark brown, almost no head. A little foam keeps it from looking like cola.

Smell: Not a lot there, sweet smelling, maybe a touch of apple?

Taste: Pretty vague flavors. A little sweetness and a little roasted character but nothing stands out.

Mouthfeel: Thin and watery.

Drinkability: I'd drink it again if I had to, but there are better beers to be had.

This is a pretty mediocre beer. I think Viking either has swings in quality or retailers will have a mix of old and new stuff. This beer isn't offensive, but doesn't do anything too special.
Sep 28, 2007
Photo of BuckeyeNation
Reviewed by BuckeyeNation from Iowa

3.63/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Morketid is a Norwegian term for that period in winter when the sun doesn't rise above the horizon. In other words, it's one, long, continuous night. Svalbard, an island off the northern coast of Norway, has four months of Morketid every year. I can't think of a more appropriate name for a schwarzbier (black beer) brewed by a company named Viking.

Darkest brown with generous dark bronze highlights at the margins. The cap is barely two fingers of sandstone colored foam that has such a slow rate of bubble poppage that it lasts for quite a while. A thick necklace of lace is beginning to form around the circumference of the glass. Shredded sheets appear eventually.

Dark malt dominates the nose, as expected. I'm tempted to compare the aroma to a brown ale, but it's a fraction darker than that. Let's go with toasted pumpernickel coated with butter and caramel. Maybe a whiff of sweet pipe tobacco as well.

It's hard for me to get used to such light-bodied dark beer as Morketid. The biggest reason is that malty beer should be full of malt (and, therefore, full-bodied), just as hoppy beer should be full of hops. When I like the flavor, I want it to have some permanence on the palate.

The beer delivers the same array of flavors to the taste buds as were described for the nose. If anything, it's a wee bit more fruity sour than expected, and a wee bit less sweet. Let's add cocoa powder and untoasted walnuts to the mix. The beer certainly is a cinch to drink, I'll give it that.

Given the style, the body/mouthfeel is probably appropriate (which is why I haven't been too harsh with the score). It could, however, stand to have more heft on the front end and hang on longer on the back end.

This isn't the best schwarzbier that has ever entered my glass, but it's good enough and is nicely drinkable. However, if I lived above the Arctic Circle and had to face four months of Morketid, I wouldn't be drinking Morketid. More like a few dozen cases of Russian Imperial stout.
Aug 05, 2007
Photo of objectivemonkey
Reviewed by objectivemonkey from Minnesota

2.98/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2
Into a mug, pours a dark black with no head, a thin white ring around the liquid, no lacing but a sticky dew sticks to the glass. The aroma is a bit off, even if this is a schwartz... like all Viking brews it seems, a heavy lactose presence, with burnt caramels and dark grains, just a bit of funk. Similarly, the taste has a funk to it, but is rather less noticeable, the burning and the bittering and the same charred caramels and grains in the nose. The mouth is awfully thin and watery, with decent carbonation. In all, as with most of their beers, just not impressed.
Jul 04, 2007
Photo of feloniousmonk
Reviewed by feloniousmonk from Minnesota

3.97/5  rDev +20.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Rich, caramelly brown color, thick, but transparent at the bottom of the glass, under a slim head, soon gone.

Sweet chocolatey nose. Molasses and maple, and a hint of nuts. Slick, and lovely.

Very smooth on the tongue and over the palate, quite a tasty, malty thing, full of dark richness and utterly approachable, infinitely drinkable. Sweet, slick, supple schwarzbier.

Medium bodied, even-tempered finish, still lingering sweet notes, drifting echoes of chocolate...nice...

I'm keen on schwarzbiers and this is a danged nice one. Good job, Viking!
Jan 27, 2007
Photo of ZAP
Reviewed by ZAP from Minnesota

1.76/5  rDev -46.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1
A-dark brown...no head...minor lacing on glass

S-Caramel and a home brew like off aroma

T-Off-taste like a bad homebrew...some mild caramel trys to fight through but this doesn't pack a whole lot of flavor.

M-Thin, watery and not very appealing

D-Finishes with a sligh sour tang to it. Not a good beer at all. My scores might be too high.
Dec 13, 2006
Photo of TheLongBeachBum
Reviewed by TheLongBeachBum from California

3.15/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Presentation: Stubby but sturdy looking 12 fluid ounce brown glass. A thick red, gold, black and silver foil encases the crown cap, and almost covers the entire neck. The main label is the same as the one on BA and has a dark silhouette of a coniferous forest lit by what appears to be the Northern Lights. No strength or freshness date. Listed as Mørketid – and as I wasn’t exactly sure what that meant so some digging on the Viking website revealed that this is a January Seasonal and that….“Mørketid (The Norwegian name for midwinter polar darkness). This German-style Schwarz (black) beer has a balance of deep roasted malt flavors and moderate hop bitterness”

Appearance: Dark brown body is deeply fashioned. Thin head, it dies quickly to leave only remnants around the edge of the glass, though the levels of carbonation are lazy a gentle flick of the glass will reinstate a breaking tan brown cap. Minimal lacing.

Nose: Sweaty malts mixed into musty roasted malt middle. Grains, brown sugar and a light nutty aroma.

Taste: Burnt granulated sugar and some feint cocoa. The middle has a very bitter roasted centerpiece and some bonfire toffee. Thin malts in the back end; the finish is riddled with more burnt sugars and a dry roasted nutty caramel swathe. A bit icky at times.

Mouthfeel: Tends to have a feel that reminds me of water with burnt sugar dissolved into it. The low carbonation helps to smooth things out but the overall body is at the light end of the spectrum.

Drinkability: Gets a bit cloying after a while and lacks the cleanliness that many of the better Schwarzbiers tend to exhibit.

Overall: Average offering that is a bit harsh on the burnt sugar and a tad thin. Lacks something to make it special.

Thanks for another Viking offering Huge.
Nov 25, 2006
Photo of Bighuge
Reviewed by Bighuge from Minnesota

3.45/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Looks the part. Pretty dark. Almost black. Thin, bubbly chocolate brown head. Lace is adequate. Decent nose of roasted malt, chocolate and milk sugars. Taste follows suit somewhat, though the aroma is a lot more enjoyable. The taste has some burnt malt, roast malt and a little caramel. But it also has something a little odd. Not a lot of it, but it is noticeable. Like an armpit type of off-flavor. Staleish. Wet cardboard. Oxidation perhaps?? It's not a huge defect, but nonetheless, it redueces my rating to an "average" from "good." This beer is medium bodied and adequately carbonated. Not one I'd really need to revisit though. Shame since good schwarzbiers are hard to come by.
Nov 22, 2006
Photo of dirtylou
Reviewed by dirtylou from Oklahoma

3.6/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
12oz single, Riley's, purchased 4-6 weeks ago I would say

appearance: pours into imperial pint glass...cola-like appearance, chocolatey foam with very little retention...dark body with ruby highlights. pretty standard

smell: strong roast aroma...surprise surprise but i detect buttery biscuit (which i am pretty sure i have found in every viking beer i have ever sampled)...chocolate malt, milky sweetness

taste: smooth and milky, creamy chocolate malt, light roasty bitterness, dry coffee taste, very light hopping comes through, some light dark fruit...pretty good but nothing too special here

mouthfeel: low carbonation, smooth and silky

drinkability: fine
Oct 26, 2006
Photo of brewcrew76
Reviewed by brewcrew76 from Wisconsin

3.37/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A - Pours a near black dark brown with few ruby highlights and a thin tan head.

S - Nice burnt roasty malt with hints of chocolate.

T - This beer is really good up to this point and then it is downhill. A good deal of sourness and a bit of the burnt roasty malt and chocolate you get in the aroma. The sourness is overwhelming enough to cancel out any good flavors you get.

M - Smooth but a bit under carbonated.

D - This one had potential until the sourness takes over. I will probably not try this one again. If it tasted anything like it smelled this one would be a winner.
Oct 01, 2006
Photo of jdhilt
Reviewed by jdhilt from New Hampshire

3.11/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Pours a two finger light brown head that fades to a thin layer leaving a good lace. Black color. Light carbonation and medium-heavy bodied. Sour lactose nose. Starts almost sweet like a mild coffee then a sour/bitterness of unsweetened chocolate. $1.59 for a 12oz bottle from Blue Max Liquor Burnsville, Mn.
Sep 29, 2006
Photo of ccs
Reviewed by ccs from New Hampshire

3.28/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
The first thing that hits me is the roasted malt aroma. It's a dark, dark beer, I can't see through it, with a nice latte-colored sparse head on it. Very sweet and smooth, this is a drinker for me. There is a slight spice to the flavor, but I can't really identify it.
Jul 30, 2006
Photo of Golden2wenty1
Reviewed by Golden2wenty1 from Wisconsin

3.33/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Picked up a single at Riley's here in Madison. Always looking for new examples of the largely under-represented schwarzbier style.

Pours nearly black, with glints of ruby peaking around the corners, under a finger of oatmeal cookie head. Nose jumps at you with a yogurt-like lactic sourness, giving way to your standard burnt coffee roasted malt. Taste is nice and bitter with light notes of spent coffee grounds and dark cocoa but the lingering lactose sourness noted in the nose spoils things a bit. Mouthfeel is smooth and undercarbonated, per usual for Viking. After their quite-successful Big Swede and Whole Stein, I have yet to be impressed by any of their other offerings. Kudos for creativity, but the execution is often lacking.
Jun 09, 2006
Photo of doubleshovels
Reviewed by doubleshovels from Minnesota

4.15/5  rDev +26.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Great clarity on this pour, with a modest head, this schwartz beer almost glows in the glass. It is also blessed with the strong aromas I have come to expect from Viking products. Morketid has the slighty spiced notes upfront and a quick dry finnish which I find definitive for schartz beer.
Apr 25, 2006
Photo of TastyTaste
Reviewed by TastyTaste from Minnesota

2.36/5  rDev -28.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
Appearance: Extremely black, much more than many in the style. Nice light brown head, creamy and slow fading.

Smell: Roasty cocoa smell immediate, slight grainy, with some sweet carmel lurking underneath.

Taste: Subtle at first with some lightly roasted malts, then a cloying honey/carmel sweetness pervades. I don't really much care for it, even vs. the style (I think the flavors are pretty different from most Schwarzbiers I have had).

Mouthfeel: Very smooth, low carbonation, status quo in Dallas.

Drinkability: Another dissapointing offering from Viking.
Apr 21, 2006
Photo of BeerBuilder
Reviewed by BeerBuilder from Minnesota

3.6/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Pours to a dark brown color with ruby highlights when held to the light. I agree with ADR on this...wow, an actual head on a Viking brew. It forms a tan head that leaves spotty lacing.

The aroma is slightly roasty, with caramel malts, and chocolate. It has the typical Viking yeast smell.

The flavor is light in roasted malts, a bit milk chocolatey, and with the Viking yeast taste.

It is still a bit too thin in the body and low on the carbonation for that full feeling. It is easy drinking. Not too bad.
Apr 07, 2006
Photo of ADR
Reviewed by ADR from Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Wow, a Viking beer that pours a decent head (its been awhile), 1/4 of an inch of chocolate milk-like foam. Dark and apparently clear appearance, just a bit of brownish-red light comes through at the bottom. Wide rings of lacing. Slight sweet chocolate aroma, a trace of coffee. Mouthfeel is scant, carbonation better than some Viking brews, but still the body comes off thin. Decent Schwarzbier flavor, an edge of roasty bitterness crowds around a lactose sweetness and holds on to the finish (seems sweeter as it warms). Works well with the aroma. Still, comes off a little spare in heftiness, but one of the better brews from this brewer in many aspects. I'd pick this one up again.
Apr 07, 2006
Mørketid from Valkyrie Brewing
Beer rating: 79 out of 100 with 19 ratings