Can In Black
Hoppebräu

Copenhagen 6/4 2021. 44 cl can from Best of Beers web-shop. Can is modeled on the first Men in Black movie with suits and sunglasses and secretive agents.

Pours opaque, dark brown with a big beige head. Settles as 0,3 cm thick layer of foam just covering the surface of the beer. No lacing.

Aroma is intense with a sweet odor of roasted malts and alcohol. Brown sugar, leather, bit of licorice, peat. Scent of alcohol lurking just beneath.

Light carbonation. Thick, soft, smooth, viscous, creamy texture.

Flavor is intense with a strong sweetness followed by a medium strong bitterness. Aftertaste is sweet with a notable bitter undertone. Lingering. Finish is semi-dry with boozy burn.

Powerful agent dressed in black.

 

Pours a pitch-black coloration, with a large, creamy, lasting, dark brown head that leaves wispy lacing on the inside of the glass as it slowly subsides. Smells of slighty roasted, caramel malt, chocolate, coffee and lighter brown sugar and dark fruit, with just a hint of herbal, hops coming through as well. Taste is a great balance of roasted, caramel malt, chocolate, coffee and lighter brown sugar, dark fruits, with notes of fig and raisin, as well as hints of licorice and earthy, herbal, almost woody hops. Finishes with a light/medium bitterness and some chocolate, coffee, licorice and hints of dark fruit and herbal hops lingering in the aftertaste. Full mouthfeel with a medium/rich body and medium carbonation.

This makes for a very nice Imperial Stout that has got a great balance of roasted, sweet and bitter notes to it, with some distinct chocolate and coffee notes standing out particularly, as well as lighter licorice, dark fruit and herbal/earthy hops. While it's perhaps just a tad too sweet for my personal taste, those roasted, bitter notes balance that out nicely enough, while the coffee and subtle licorice and dark fruit really gives a certain complexity to this. Overall, a very enjoyable Imperial Stout that is well-balanced while featuring a good complexity and nice body and mouthfeel as well.