Mikkeller Beer Geek Brunch Weasel

Brewed By: Mikkeller in Copenhagen, Denmark (Brewed at Lervig Aktiebryggeri)

Purchased: 12oz single bottle bought at West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago, Illinois; 2014

Style/ABV: Imperial Oatmeal Stout, 10.9%

Reported IBUs: ?

Continuing with the second Beer Geek beer of the night...About Mikkeller: 

Mikkeller is that European brewery that does things like an American craft brewery. The brewery was founded in 2006 by Mikkel Borg Bjergsø, a humble math and physics teacher who enjoyed craft beer and homebrewing. Mikkel and his childhood friend Kristian Keller bought a few American books about brewing, and began brewing beer and entering it into competitions (and winning!) for two and a half years. Eventually, Mikkel and Keller began brewing beer at the Danish microbrewery Ørbæk, and Mikkel's twin brother Jeppe began selling their beer at his beer shop. Mikkeller's first big break came with their infamous "Beer Geek Breakfast." Since then, the brewery exports beer to over 40 countries, and brews the majority of their beer at de Proef Brouwerij in Belgium. However, Mikkeller is also nicknamed the "phantom" or "gypsy" microbrewery, as they brew at a number of host facilities in many different countries; they have also brewed over 100 different beers in a wide variety of styles. You can read more about the brewery here. 

The Beer Geek Brunch Weasel should not be confused with the Beer Geek Breakfast. The Brunch is amped up at 10.9%, clocking in at true Imperial range. The Beer Geek Brunch Weasel is brewed from with "one of the world's most expensive coffees, made from droppings of weasel-like civet cats." Yup, this is a shit beer. Literally. I already reviewed (and loved) the De Molen Kopi Loewak, so the bar is set. Will this top the fantastic Kopi Loewak? 

Mikkeller Beer Geek Brunch Weasel

I could be totally making this up, but I think the Brunch Weasel actually pours out darker than the Breakfast. The head is certainly a bit darker. Dem Black Patent Malts, amirite? Seriously though, unlike the Breakfast, the head does not hang around on the Brunch Weasel. Swirling the beer kicks up glossy alcohol legs, and you can revive the head -- but it's short-lived. 

The aroma on the Brunch Weasel seems more blunted than the Breakfast. I'm getting coffee, dirt, ash...the coffee is slightly less bitter and acidic here. There are some woody and roasty notes on the nose, with some hints of meaty roast. I'm getting a little baker's chocolate as well. 

Wow! This tastes nothing like the Breakfast...in fact, there is some much needed sweetness here. Not only am I getting coffee, but I'm getting some vanilla, espresso, and even a hint of mocha. There's some chocolate in here, with definitive chocolate sweetness on the back end. The beer finishes roasty and bitter, much like the Breakfast. There are some hints of earthy nuts in here, along with hints of boozy fruits. 

This is the full-bodied experience I was craving in an Imperial Stout tonight, and you feel the weight of this beer, 10.9% and all. I'm getting some booze, which I welcome from my Imperial Stouts at this ABV. Palate depth is really outstanding, but again I feel this could dial up the complexity even more. This tastes hoppy and bitter, and I wonder if aging this for a year would mellow this out. Unfortunately, that would be at the expense of the coffee. Up front: big sweet coffee, espresso, mocha, vanilla sweetness, chocolate; the mids roll into more espresso and mocha sweetness, straight legit coffee shop; the back end fuses mocha and espresso with hoppy sweetness, and the beer goes into roast, ash, dirt, bitter coffee, and finishes bitter and dry. The finish is one or two degrees away from being offensive, but it holds it together. 

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Decent Above-Average here...at the respective price of $10 for the Brunch Weasel single, and $6.99 for the Breakfast single...I just can't justify these beers. They are good, but there are better coffee Stouts available. The Brunch Weasel definitely beats out the Breakfast. It's a bigger, bolder, sweet beer...and I want to pair this above beer with dry chocolate cake, chocolate chip pancakes, tiramisu, or even an aggressive burger or steak. This beer is probably worth checking out once, but yeah. Serious hesitation if I'll pick this up again.

Random Thought: I love Spring storms. A storm came through tonight and dropped marble-sized hail with some impressive lightning. It was quite the spectacle.