BA Cocoa Shake
Mikkeller ApS

 

Drank from a 1 pt 0.9 fl oz (500 ml) bottle purchased at Eataly, Boston, MA
2021 vintage
Served in a tulip

Dark brown bordering on blank appearance. Perhaps slightly thinner in body than anticipated. The slick, oily looking liquid was topped by a small, creamy, khaki colored crown that fell to a fat, clingy, resilient collar. A patchy blanket of lacing trickled down the sides of the glass.

The aroma was outstanding. Powdered cocoa notes came through big time right off the bat. Possibly some milk chocolate or chocolate syrup too. Both the bourbon and the vanilla notes were subtle initially but really intensified as the beer warmed. Fresh vanilla bean came to mind. Bit of roasted malt character as well.

The flavor profile was solid but somewhat harsher than the nose. Malty and robust up front. Nice melding of roasted and caramel malts. Cocoa appeared as the beer moved along the palate, but it was more subtle here. Moderate amount of vanilla too. Boozy bourbon notes came through strong on the back end and the finish. The roasted malts reappeared here and displayed some bitter, acrid, char-like character after the swallow. There was a subtle metallic quality initially as well, but this subsided as the beer opened up.

The mouthfeel was thinner in body for a beer of this magnitude but still solid. A super fine, subtle effervescence gave the liquid a nice frothy slickness on the palate. Toward the drink’s end, the sugars in the beer deposited a sticky film on my lips.

Like most Mikkeller stouts, BA Cocoa Shake finished a touch roasty and bitter for my liking, but the adjuncts (particularly the cocoa) expressed themselves really nicely. This is definitely a well balanced offering that is neither excessively syrupy nor too sweet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a total monster here, a barrel aged version of the famed beer geek cocoa shake, lots of bourbon on this one, and it seems to balance some of the sweetness. i recall the base beer being almost too desserty to drink much of, but we have a more well rounded and balanced brew with the charred oak and whiskey on it, as much oak and booze as there is vanilla or actual whiskey character from the barrels, and i think thats a good thing here. its as dense as i remember it being, with a frothing mocha head on it and leaves some long legs on the edges of the glass. aroma is pure cocoa still, so much chocolate on this its almost silly, but this time with a richness from the oak and the bourbon that really add a lot of depth. still sweet, but some balance exists now, some roast from the grain coming out a bit more, and with a neat coffee complexion as well. dynamic to say the least. the body is enormous, totally coats the palate and throat going down, and the alcohol doesnt cut it much. this is like a glazed chocolate donut and a shot of decent bourbon, a pretty great combination. one of the highlights of the beer geek series really...

edit: neat to find this on tap too, maybe slightly mellower in this format and perhaps with some age on it, but a wonderful beer, a standout in their already epic lineup. hides its alcohol scary well in this format too...