RBWG 2010. Pours black with tan head. Aromas of roasted malts and alcohol. Roasted malt flavor with licorice, chocolate and alcohol. Full body with mild carbonation.

500ml, Bottle #04473 at Olutkellari Helsinki, Finland Taste is rich and complex, with heavy cloying sweetness. Palate is filled with too much alcoholness.

Sampled at the January ’10 Metro Detroit tasting. Thanks to whoever brought this! Poured near black, slightly brown with a small brown head. Aroma had a touch of booze with notes of coffee and an undertone of dark and sweet chocolate. Flavor had coffee notes through out with a nice booze and sweet chocolate undertone. Delicious!

Bottle bought back at GBBF 2007, kept for 2 years and drunk whilst watching Beethoven 9 on the BBC Proms. Black as night and a dark tan head. Man that has an incredible hit of choc and coffee coming off it. Yes some alcohol heat too, which is only to be expected. Beautiful wonderous aroma. I mean the mouthfeel has some velvet and some graininess and this big attack of warming heat. And then a swallow that coats the throat with espresso coffee before the heat kicks in. But the alcohol is more like a ginger kick that a boozy rush and this coffee liquer creaminess soothes it all down anyway. It has definitely mellowed from 2 years ago when I first tried it. Less alcohol harsh and way more coffee. Wow that is a bit fiery isn’t it? But it is almost like being coated in full on espresso creamy ice cream. Christ on a stick that’s good. You know what the booziness dies down a bit and leaves you with an exquisite feeling of joy, or is that the Beethoven?? Difficult to say. Certainly a massive, epic beer which did improve with age, no doubt. I still have the Mikkeller Weasel to rate and on previous samples I would say that is better than this, but this is still amazing in its assault on the senses. Pretty good, but yes just a bit too boozy maybe.

About two years old bottle # 04684 that has been storaged about 16 celcius degrees. Beer is black with very small, dark brown head. Aroma is very strong, full and intense, but still very balanced and temptating. Lot of liquirice, quite strong alcohol nuancee, roasted malts and piny hops. Flavour is practically perfect: soft liquirice, strong coffee, lot of sweetness and hops and this beer warmer you nicely in the end. And unbelievable but true, alcohol is gone even that was quite strongly present in the aroma. Wine-like, sweet, flexible and very nice to drink. Strong, dominating and overall beer with admirable balance, just unbelievable...

Bottle. Pours a dark and thick brown with very little head and aromas of chocolate and anise, molasses and alcohol. Flavor is similar and moutfeel is thick and almost chewy. This leaves a nice alcohol warmth as it rolls down to a happy belly.

Bouteille 500ml, courtoisie de Hogtownharry. De couleur noire et opaque. Nez de malt très rôti, de café noir, de chocolat noir, moyen d’alcool, de fruits (moyen de raisins aux petites notes vineuses, notes de cerises noires), léger de mélasse, de réglisse noire et de houblon herbeux ainsi que des notes de noix et de crème. Ronde en bouche avec un pétillement moyen et une texture riche sirupeuse et légèrement huileuse. Goût fruité (raisins, notes de cerises noires, traces de dattes) accompagné d’un léger goût de réglisse noire, des notes de crème et de tabac lors de l’entrée en bouche auquel se rajoute très rapidement un goût amer de malt très rôti (traces brûlées), de chocolat noir, moyen-léger de mélasse. Parallèlement, l’on retrouve un goût d’alcool réchauffant tout au long de la gorgée ainsi qu’un goût de café noir qui se développe pour être très dominant en finale avec la présence de houblon herbeux asséchant et de notes de noix. Post-goût long et moyennement sec, amer de rôti, d’alcool, de café, de chocolat noir, moyen de houblon herbeux et de fruits (moût de raisins vineux et de cerises) ainsi que des petites notes de fumée de bois.