I have a great deal of respect for Mikkel.
Mikkeller was founded by two young renegades called Mikkel Borg Bjergso and Kristian Klarup Keller who were keen home brewers. When Kristian got offered a great position at a magazine publishers he could not say no so, control of the company fell to Mikkel.
According to sources Mikkel owns no brewery of his own, but is know as the gypsy brewer. He will go to other breweries and brew beer there. His idea was quite brilliant, he would go to breweries which were adept at brewing certain styles of beer, if he wanted to brew a stout he'd go to a brewery which was good at brewing stouts. He would brew what he wanted to drink, and over time developed quite a following, now breweries can't say no to his advances of wanting their equipment.
Black Tie is quite an epic beer, at 11.5% it is no slouch. It's a barrel aged imperial stout which is one of the blackest beers i've ever poured. The head abounds with dark mahogany colours - a bit like a bourbon biscuit. You get a big aroma of chocolate biscuits, licorice and a lot of honeycomb sweetness.
The body is massive, hugely rich and ridiculously bitter, I mean ridiculously!! A big warming alcohol burn comes through with massive woody/oaken overtones. You get a little tart-ness from the bitterness and licorice. I want to say there's a little polish in there? The % is quite obvious, and the finish is eternal with huge hints of oak, vanilla and bitter chocolate.
Another winner with me, I'm a huge dark beer fiend. I will say cheers and let the warming alcohol grace take me away to a nice dream land.
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