Mikkeller Santas Little Helper 2011
Danish: En mørk, stærk belgisk ale brygget på: vand, malt, flækket hvede, mørk candi sirup, mørk cassonadesukker, humle, krydderier og gær.
Version sold in Sweden was 9.1%
English: Belgian Ale brewed with spices
Version sold in Sweden was 9.1%
English: Belgian Ale brewed with spices
3.8
212 reviews
Copenhagen, Denmark
Community reviews
A dark belgian xmas ale. Palate like velvet. Aroma is complex, coffee, vineous. Taste is bitter. Interesting beer.
Complex ’massive ale’ in Belgian style with a long list of ingredients including four hop varieties, wheat flakes and candi syrup. Off-white, dense head, very dark burgundy colour, hazy. Strong aroma of dried spices and caramel with hints of orange peel, cloves, bayleaf, nutmeg, caramel, passion fruit, port wine, pear and hay. Dry and tingling spiciness in the onset (dried citrus peel), deep caramelly and chocolatey maltiness, candied fruits, yeast bitterness especially in the end, finishing with leafy hops and warming, sherry-like alcohol. Must be a great provisional beer with amazing ageing potential.
Bottle from local Alko. Originally rated 13122011. Colour is dark brown with small head. Aromas and flavours: Belgian yeast, dark fruits, spices and malts.
Aged 2 years. Heavy dark brown pour, no real head to speak of. Nose is a bit restrained but contains some chewy plum and a touch of light herbal Christmas spices. Flavor is dark and plummy, with a bright cheesy malty middle with a wee herbal tone throughout. Not necessarily plummy, just a bit sweet and fruity-malty. A bit booze forward without the necessary depth.
Tap at Beachwood long beach. Clear inky red pour with mocha foam. Nose is somewhat medicinal, baked cherry, prunes, cinnamon dark bread. Taste is bitter, decently roasty, some cocoa, also some dark cherry and Pumpernickel bread. Dry, bitter cocoa finish.
Super old review- fuzzy on details. Just remember incredible balance of Xmas spice, sweetness, malt, and dark fruit. Perfect beer for Xmas. Nice warmth without any boozy burn.
I have tasted this about two years ago, just mentioned I’ve forgot to rate it. Don’t remember exact notes anymore, just remember the feeling that it was wonderful beer.
Bottle thanks to Jan! Pours a hazy deep brown with a brown head that dissipates slowly to the edges. Aroma has sweet dark grains, molasses and toffee with a hint of light spice. Flavor is similar with toffee and sweet dark grains throughout with hints of spice and Belgian candied sugar.
bottle shared by deyholla- thanks!
pours murky brown with no head though some yellow-brown foam around the edge. nose is rich chocolate and raisin. taste is smoooooth milk chocolate with a slight raisin bite- what was once, im sure, heat- this is a smooth yummo brew
750ml served in a St. Bernardus chalice.
A - Pitch black body with a creamy mocha head that retains well. Sticky speckled lacing left behind.
S - Strong and rich dairy chocolate, roasted barley, sweet vanilla coffee, chocolate fruit cake, cherries. Good stuff here.
T - Chocolate hits first, creamy and sweet with some bitter roast behind it, hints of oxidation, some muted cherries, and raisins, also getting some charred wood in the middle. The finish showcases powdery dry yeast with some bitter roast at the very end.
M - Full body but light and very creamy as well, moderate carbonation, no alcohol heat at all.
Haven’t had this fresh but at 1 year this tastes great. Not your typical BSDA but very smooth, creamy bold flavors that have seemed to blend well. Drinks more like a stout.
The way that this beer hides the ABV is very impressive. It’s almost non-existent. Well done.
Serving type: bottle
12-26-2012
Bottle from Frederick Wine Shop. Pours black with a thin khaki head. Some spice notes on the nose. Nice and smooth on the tongue. Hides it’s alcohol extremely well. Very nice.
December 2011. Bottle. Aromas are dark fruit, spice and brown sugar. poured dark brown with a tan head. Flavors of spice, dark malts, yeast and plums. Nice winter warmer.
0,375l bottle. About 1 year old. Pitch black with huge brown head. Aroma: Strong burnt, like sweet liqueur and dark fruits. Taste: Light smoky, dates, hopped and cognac. Full body with long and strong hopping. Average carb. No taste of alcohol at all. Improved at the cellar.
A - Dark brown-black with a finger of frothy khaki head. Fades fairly slowly.
S - Dark caramel malts, dark fruits, Belgian yeast, clove, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, other spices, chocolate, and a bit of booze.
T - Sweety dark caramel malts, raisin and other dark fruits, Belgian yeast, clove, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, other spices, chocolate, a hint of roasted coffee, and a bit of booze.
M - Full bodied, moderate carbonation. Smooth with a sweet, spicy, and warming finish.
D - Nice spiced BSDA. Good overall balance.
1st December 2011
Opaque black beer, big fluffy tan head. Soft smooth palate, semi dry. Smooth lactose dark malt. Light trace of smoke. Nice tangy fruits underneath - orange and a little cherry. Aniseed alcohol in the semi dry finish.
Kaatuu lasiin sysimustana ja runsaalla ruskealla vaahdolla, joka katoaa suht nopeasti. Haju on paahteisen makean mausteinen, anista, appelsiininkuorta ja salmiakkiakin on joukossa. Maku on todella makean sokerinen ja kahvinen, hieman paahteinen, lakritsinen ja vahvasti alkoholin polttama. Kasvien juuret tulevat myös mieleen. Suutuntuma on täyteläinen ja alkoholin polttama. Kokonaisuutena hienon hajuinen olut, jonka mausta en pidä. Haju antoi odottaa huomattavasti parempaa. Huonoin maistamistani pukin pikku apureista.
Black in color with a tan head. Nice dark fruit and licorice aromas to this. A bit of ash, some cocoa powder, roasted malt, chocolate, cola, and a light spiciness. Lightly sweet with a lot of the roasted malt, licorice, and ash characteristics taking center stage. A bit of cola sweetness, chocolate, and dark fruits. Mild spice flavor on the finish.
375ml bottle, best before 31/08/17. Aged for a year. Pours pitch black with one finger of creamy, mocha-colored head. Lovely roasty aroma has cocoa, caramel and light spiciness. Taste has roasted malt, dark chocolate, a faint spicy note, syrup/brown sugar and salty liquorice in the end. Faint smoke in the aftertaste. Mouthfeel is smooth and creamy with medium carbonation. Full-bodied. Quite an enjoyable sipper, not too sweet.
375ml bottle (shared by FatPhil, thanks). Very beautiful black color. Nice creamy brown head, stays. Nice roast, malty, chocolate in aroma. Creamy texture, smooth and silky. Roasted malts, dark chocolate dominate the flavor. Well balanced beer.
Dark brown with a light brown head that leaves a lot of lacing. Aroma is brown sugar, dates, caramel, fig, raisins, Belgian candi sugar. Medium bodied, slightly sweet palate, sweet lingering finish. Taste is caramel, brown sugar, coffee, dates, hint of liquorice. Awesome.
375ml bottle (Alko Arkadia, Helsinki) - cellared for a year
Pours almost black, with a large tight tan head. Aroma is a nice coffee-like roast, a little stale. Extremely burnt taste, but not quite ashy - riding that line. Pleasantly sweet, but not sugary. Full palate, smooth, but with pleasant carbonation. Gently spiced, but with nothing apart from a litle but of clovelike numbingness (which is probably burnt roast and hops rather than clove), nothing really stands out. Finish is sweet, burnt and salty butter. Very nice sipper.
.35l bottle @ Alko 2011
Bottle kept in the closet over a year.
Pours deep brown red with low tan head. Aroma is roasted malts, spices, dark fruits, coffee.
Flavor is alcohol, roasted malts (almost burned), dark coffee and some chocolate and spices. Dry and a bit fizzy. Swell!
Rerate 6/july/2016 Hanniku’s cave vol.2.0. Tnx Sampo.
Pours black with low tan head. Aroma is toothpaste, dark malts, mint, roasted malts, spices, coffee, chocolate, liquorice, anis. Round aroma. Flavor is x-mas spices, dark malts, anis, chocolate, coffee, warming alcohol, etc.. Round. Soft. Easy. Still swell!
Shared bottle (75cl) on Xmas Day with Christmas pudding. Opaque very dark brown pour with a thick creamy beige head and particles at the bottom. Aroma is burnt brown sugar, dried fruits (cherries mainly), alcohol and soft spicy hops (subtle liquorice). Taste is sweet and vinous with an alcoholic presence and soft spicy hop bitterness. Palate is full bodied with a sticky rich texture but it is not too sickly sweet and surprisingly drinkable given the ABV.
Rating from 2011. Not my favorite of the bunch. Bit dry and fizzy with aggressive spicing. Think it’s the first time I’ve opened one of these the year of though.
75 cl bottle @ home. Pours black with a tan head that leaves some lacing. Aroma is dark fruit, chocolate, orange peel, vanilla, and a little spice. Flavour is dark fruits, subtle spices, orange peel, roasted malt, and liquorice – with a slightly bitter finish. ABV is pretty well hidden.
Pours deep black into a snifter. Mocha head with medium retention recedes leaving spider lacing. Dark chocolate, raisins, vanilla and roasted nut aromas. Medium bodied with dark chocolate covered pit fruit upfront turning dusty and hot in the lasting espresso finish.
On tap. Almost black pour with small tan head. Aroma of malts, caramel, cinnamon, fruits and chocolate. Taste of malts, spices, toffee, licorice and a hint of chocolate. Full bodied and creamy mouthfeel. Slight hop bitterness on the finish. Very enjoyable beer.
75cl bottle thanks to onkelgobber. Pours opaque black with a slim but attractive head. The nose has nuts and praline. The taste has more hazelnuts, toffee, some spice, ginger cake. The palate is full bodied, with a lovely long texture that leans into the finish. Overall, absolutely gorgeous.
Bottle 37,5 cl, BBE 31.08.2017. Pours dark brown with a thick creamy darkly tanned head. Huge amounts of lacing on the glass. Spices, dark chocolate, coffee and some dark dried fruits in aroma. Taste is dominated quite strongly with coffee at first. Malts and chocolate too in flavor and some hoppy herbal dryness in finish as well. Smooth, but a bit of the alcohol is pushing through. Somewhat earthy and spicy in aftertaste.
Tap. Pours dark brown with a nice brown head. Nose of raisins and roasted malt. Sweet flavour with malt and notes of cocoa, nutmeg and brown sugar. Medium to full bodied. Has a slightly bitter finish . A very nice christmas brew