Beer Advent Calendar Day 13, 14, 15 and 16- Two Mikkellers, one De Struise and a Kernel in a Pear Tree

Good evening all. I was pretty exhausted last night following an epic weekend of jamming and drinking Iron Maiden wine with an old 'Nam buddy, so I had no desire to review a load of beers in order to catch up with the advent calendar. Fortunately I'm feeling it tonight, so I'm going to review four beers now and do two tomorrow; by which point I should be able to resume normal service from the 19th up to Christmas Day. Tonight's beers are as follows; The Kernel/Brodies' India Pale Ale SCANNERS, De Struise Brouwers' Pannepeut Old Monk's Ale, Mikkeller's Monk's Elixir (Barrel Aged Red Wine Edition with Brett) and Mikkeller's Black (Tequila/Speyside Edition). For the sake of clarity I'm going to use the capsule review style for each beer, so at least you won't have to read as much this time round! Reviews below....

The Kernel/Brodies India Pale Ale SCANNERS

Style: India Pale Ale

ABV: 6.9%

Appearance: Hazy pale golden colour, inch of white head that settles to a thin halo around the inside of the glass.

Aroma: Mango, grapefruit, acetone, caramel/honey sweetness.

Taste: Mango, grapefruit, peach, pine, very light coffee notes, decent amount of bitterness in finish. Sweetness during drinking, none of the flavours have particular dominance.

Mouthfeel: Slightly thick, light carbonation. Lacks that nice tight head and effortless drinking quality of most Kernel offerings.

Verdict: Not as amazing as I was expecting, particularly when considering the hype it's garnered recently, but it's still a decent IPA. Personally I'd rather choose any other Kernel IPA over this one, but it's still worth trying at least once.

De Struise Brouwers Pannepeut Old Monk's Ale

Style: Belgian Strong Ale

ABV: 10.0% ABV

Appearance: Dark brown, thick beige head that settles to a thin film over the surface of the beer.

Aroma: Candy sugar, plasticine, blackcurrant, marzipan, phenols, rich malt, caramel. Nice and luxurious yet well-composed and light, very similar to a Quad.

Taste: Dark candy sugar, yeast extract, fruity tartness, Belgian yeast character (phenols), caramelised sweetness, warming quality from the alcohol. As with the aroma it's very light, has some woody tones and fortified wine. No sense of alcohol during drinking but a nice hit during finish, sense of hops in aftertaste. Very Quad-like.

Mouthfeel: Thick, well-carbonated. Very smooth and interacts with flavours nicely. 

Verdict: Great beer; plenty of flavours on show, wrapped up in a very drinkable package. Definitely recommended.

Mikkeller Monk's Elixir (Barrel Aged Red Wine Edition with Brett)

Style: Quad

ABV: 10.5%

Appearance: Dark brown colour, thick white head that maintains itself well throughout the beer. Some lacing in the early stages.

Aroma: Plenty of brett funk, vinous, almost like a Flanders Red or an Oud Bruin with the lactic acid quality. Some sweetness from the wine, quite hard to discern anything else due to the power of the wine and brett.

Taste: Vinous, loads of brett, candy sugar, tart fruits, yeast extract. Very powerful wine and funk character, a light Quad profile in the background (malt, marzipan, subtle Belgian yeast).

Mouthfeel: Thick, beer is well-carbonated- compliments vinous qualities and funk power.

Verdict: Pretty intense offering- lots of stuff going on but the extraneous additions certainly take dominance. These can be a bit unbalanced and overpowering now again, but despite this the beer is certainly worth trying at least once as there's nothing else quite like it out there.

Mikkeller Black (Tequila/Speyside Edition)

Style: Imperial Stout

ABV: 18.8%

Appearance: Black with a brown tinge, short-lived off-white head that settles to a thin halo around the inside of the glass.

Aroma: Smoky/peaty whisky, plenty of booze, licorice, smoked malt, caramel, brown sugar. Very complex and carried a powerful alcoholic hit, some yeast extract, malt, dark fruits.

Taste: Tequila booze and alcoholic burn, caramel, smoke, alcohol hits along sides of the mouth and creates a harsh tartness/warming quality in chest. Licorice, burnt sugar, yeast extract, chocolate, tequila hits bottom of mouth heavily. Finish is relatively flavourless but alcohol continues on long after drinking.

Mouthfeel: Slightly thick, although volatility of alcohol thins it out slightly, moderately carbonated.

Verdict: Truly a one-of-a-kind beer- tequila barrel-ageing supplies a lot of alcoholic intensity whilst whisky barrel-ageing provides a nice smokiness which mingles with the base beer well whenever it manages to push through. Highly recommended.

Until next time....

Beer Advent Calendar Day 5- Mikkeller George! Barrel Aged (Bourbon Edition)

Good evening all. Day 5 has brought more cold weather to the South West, so the offering behind tonight's cardboard door is rather serendipitous; it's George! Barrel Aged (Bourbon Edition), an Imperial Stout from Mikkeller (Copenhagen, Denmark). This bad boy started off life as regular George! before being put into bourbon barrels for 6 months, and comes in a 25cl bottle so you already know it's going to pack a decent punch. Weighing in at an epic 12.12% ABV, I'm hoping it will help me deal with the cold! Review after the pics....

George! Barrel Aged (Bourbon Edition) (12.12% ABV) pours a jet black colour with a short-lived dark brown head that settles to a thin halo around the inside of the glass. The aroma is amazing, with bourbon, licorice, chocolate, brown sugar, coffee and dark fruits, enveloped by the volatility of the barrel-ageing. The bourbon hits first with the usual woody vanilla notes and the accompanying alcoholic power, and never really relents throughout the course of the beer. The more subtle aromas compete for attention and pop up randomly, with the most common being the chocolate and fruits (mainly blackcurrant, and possibly even a bit of raspberry). The whole olfactory front is very rich, and has the dark candy sugar/marzipan sweetness of a Belgian Quad but with a nice boozy edge; damn good stuff so far! The taste is just as complex, with coffee, chocolate, bourbon, licorice, candy sugar, burley/perique tobacco, caramel and some raspberry. The bourbon is just as powerful as it was in the aroma, but lets up earlier this time and allows the other flavours to make themselves known. The raspberry flavour is surprisingly tart, but this works well with the booze and the roasted malt contributions. The chocolate and coffee are only noticeable through retro-olfaction, which also produces some burnt toast notes in the background. The power of the alcohol effectively cleanses the palette, so once this has subsided the only thing remaining in the finish is the bourbon and some light tartness. Towards the end of drinking, when the carbonation is at its lowest, some yeast extract and fortified wine flavours come through. Although it can be garnered from the alcohol content, this is definitely a beer to be sipped and savoured; saying this, it's still very drinkable and none of the flavours cloy. The mouthfeel is slightly thick and the beer is lightly carbonated, which is perfect for a beer of this strength and intensity. Overall, this is a fantastic beer that benefits immensely from the bourbon barrel-ageing, creating a myriad of balanced flavours in a very drinkable package. Highly recommended, and probably one of the best barrel-aged stouts I've had in a long time. Similar beers include Mikkeller's Black Hole BA Bourbon and Port Brewing's Older Viscosity.

Until next time....

Beer Advent Calendar Day 2- To Øl/Mikkeller Sleep Over Coffee IIPA

Good evening all. It's time for today's advent calendar post, and the first of potentially many Mikkeller beers over the next 25 days. It's Sleep Over Coffee IIPA, a DIPA collaboration between To Øl and Mikkeller (Copenhagen, Denmark) that utilises espresso coffee in the brewing process to create an interesting DIPA/Black IPA hybrid. I'm a big fan of both of these gypsy breweries; virtually all of their output is fantastic, and even the less successful offerings still have some merit to them, so naturally expectations are high for this beer. Review after the pics....

Sleep Over Coffee IIPA (10.5% ABV) pours a cloudy orange colour with a bubbly head that settles to a patchy covering over the surface of the beer; there's also some lacing during the early stages. The aroma is unusual but very interesting, with coffee, grapefruit, mango, resinous pine, a light smokiness and a background smell similar to oily pimento olives. The olive aroma is something I've come across before (Goose Island Pepe Nero immediately comes to mind), but fortunately it's in the background and only becomes apparent once the main aromas pass. The coffee hits immediately and almost masks the influence of the hops, and they only become noticeable after a few inhales with the usual tropical fruits and some piney notes. No real sense of the malt/beer base either; some smoked malt seems to come along every once in a while but this might just be the coffee. Nothing much else to report regarding the aroma, but it's shaping up to be an interesting spin on the DIPA style. The taste delivers much of the same, with coffee, resin, caramel, grapefruit and a nice dose of bitterness during drinking and in the finish. As with the aroma the coffee is the most immediate flavour, but it doesn't let up as readily this time and so impedes the hop flavours until the finish, where some grapefruit and a hint of mango lingers on. Aside from this and the aforementioned coffee there's not much else going on, but this isn't a criticism as it makes a change from the usual DIPAs. There is some sweetness during drinking, and the bitterness can be pretty intense as expected, so it certainly ticks all the usual boxes! The mouthfeel is quite thick and the beer is well-carbonated, which is perfect for the flavours on show. Overall, this is another great collaboration between two Danish brewing titans; the coffee compliments the hop-derived fruits nicely, and the whole experience is a pleasant departure from the usual crop of DIPAs. Definitely recommended; similar beers include Mikkeller Koppi IPA and The Kernel Coffee IPA. 

Until next time....

Mikkeller Black Hole BA Cognac

Good evening all. I've been on a bit of a barrel-aged imperial stout spree recently, starting last night with Nøgne Ø's Imperial Stout Cognac Barrel and continuing tonight with Mikkeller's similar effort, Black Hole BA Cognac. This beer is part of a series of barrel aged versions of Mikkeller's well known Black Hole imperial stout, with the rest of the series including red wine, white wine and even tequila barrel-aged offerings. I've enjoyed all of the interpretations so far, so hopefully this will be just as good as the others. Review after the pic....

Black Hole BA Cognac (13.1% ABV) pours a jet black colour with a thick beige head that settles to a patchy covering over the surface of the beer. The short-lived head is unsurprising considering the higher alcohol content, and the beer still looks very enticing regardless. The aroma is rich but displays surprising subtlety, with chocolate, caramel, licorice and a fair bit of booze in the background. The alcohol seems to only be noticeable through agitation of the beer, and when the glass is left undisturbed for a while the aromas have the opportunity to combine, creating a yeast extract smell with some dark fruit notes (raisins, fortified wine). If I was in any doubt over the alcohol content on the nose, the taste immediately eradicates this with a big boozy kick during drinking that transitions into a nice alcoholic burn in the finish, which acts as a great platform for the more subtle flavours. These include dark fruits, fortified wine, caramel, licorice and a reappearance of the yeast extract that was so prominent in the aroma. I was also getting some coffee and chocolate during the first couple of sips, but the power of the cognac is such that these soon become too faint to be discerned. The finish retains a lot of the alcoholic presence and delivers some tartness, whilst the aftertaste is characteristically dry with some light grape flavours. The intensity of the cognac can lead to occasional cloying on the palette, but considering the alcohol content it's probably wise to sip this beer so as to counteract both this and the potential for inadvertent drunkenness! The mouthfeel is slightly thick and the beer is moderately carbonated, which compliments the prominent evaporating sensation from the alcohol/barrel-ageing. Overall, this is another impressive variation on the fantastic Black Hole, building upon the base beer yet still letting its qualities come through to create something unique and very memorable.  More intense in comparison to last night's BA cognac imperial stout, and certainly the better of the two. Highly recommended, and another worthy addition to the Black Hole BA series.

Until next time....

Mikkeller Monk's Brew BA Bourbon

Good evening all. Tonight's beer is Monk's Brew BA Bourbon, yet another unconventional Quad from Mikkeller (Copenhagen, Denmark). This is a barrel aged incarnation of Monk's Elixir, itself inspired by the popular Trappist Quads from Rochefort and Westvleteren, and has been aged in bourbon barrels prior to bottling. As with any Mikkeller offering I'm expecting good things, so let's get on with the review after the pic....

Monk's Brew BA Bourbon (10.0% ABV) pours a dark brown colour with a thick off-white head that retains itself well on the surface of the beer. The aroma is pretty epic, with raspberries, blackcurrants, vanilla, bourbon and plenty of booze in the background. The dark fruits from the Quad base combine with the woody bourbon to create a fortified wine/port aroma, whilst the alcohol partially volatilises and acts as a great medium to transport the aromas into the nose. There's also some background sweetness that tries to wrestle with the heavier aromas, being met with occasional success. The taste manages to pack in more dimensions than the aroma, with raspberries, bourbon, caramel, some tartness and a nice dose of yeast extract in the finish. Despite the high alcohol content and the perception of the booze on the nose it's not as noticeable on the palette, giving the flavours plenty of opportunity to come through unimpeded. The Quad base delivers plenty of characteristic dark fruits, accompanied by a slight tartness that's amplified somewhat by the barrel ageing, and the finish is very reminiscent of Marmite (yeast extract) with some dryness and a lingering grape flavour in the background. The taste seems to go through a couple of defined movements, beginning with the fruits and a quick burst of alcohol before transitioning quickly to the yeast extract flavours and the dry finish. The mouthfeel is quite thick and the beer is moderately carbonated, with the tartness increasing this feeling to some extent. Overall, this is a very interesting take on the Quad style that amplifies the usual fruitiness, adds some complimentary flavours courtesy of the barrel ageing, and manages to deliver all of this in a surprisingly drinkable and balanced package. Another great offering from Mikkeller- definitely recommended, but not quite as good as the Monk's Brew BA Raspberry. 

Until next time....

#IPADay Round-Up

Good afternoon all. Friday was International IPA Day (shortened to #IPADay for Twittering purposes), a social-media driven event with the sole purpose of celebrating one of the most popular beer styles of all time, the India Pale Ale. Regardless of their often-disputed history, there's no denying the ubiquitous nature of IPAs and their continuing influence in the brewing world, with various countries constantly adapting previous incarnations to add their own unique twist and, in most cases, create another beer style. In the last few years we've seen waves of new classifications, from Belgian IPAs and Rye IPAs to the confusing yet always satisfying Black IPA, and in addition to this there is the never-ending quest and rite of brewers to lash our palettes with colossal-IBU DIPAs. It seems that everyone has embraced the hop with enthusiasm, hence the reason for devoting an entire day to its most extreme utilisation. I chose three IPAs from three different countries for my IPADay experience, and for clarity's sake I've chosen to resurrect my capsule review system for each of them. The first beer was 2012 Double Black IPA, a Black IPA from Arbor Ales (Bristol, UK). Weighing in at 7.5% ABV and with a suggested theoretical IBU of 2012 I was expecting a bitter beast, so let's see what it was like after the pic....

ABV: 7.5%

IBU: 2012

Appearance: jet black, light brown head that retains itself well on surface of beer.

Aroma: Cocoa powder, caramel, coffee, pine, acetone/alcoholic smell. Very subdued, was expecting more roasted malt character to come through. Some grapefruit in the background but this wasn't immediately apparent.

Taste: Medicinal hop flavours, bitterness sets in and soon overpowers. Roasted malt gradually makes itself known towards the finish with light fruits and some chocolate/coffee hints. Subtle sweetness. Some esters (pear drops), finish isn't too dry but bitterness does linger.

Mouthfeel: decent carbonation, slightly thick.

Verdict: Quite unique, definitely not a beer for all occasions. Despite being lowest ABV percentage, I probably should have had this one last! Worth trying at least once.

After the intense bitterness of that offering I was looking for something with a bit more sweetness to balance out the alpha acids, and luckily I found that quality in the next beer- I Beat yoU, a DIPA from Mikkeller (Copenhagen, Denmark). This bottle had spent a fair bit of time in my cellar prior to opening so the tasting notes give might not be representative of a fresh bottling, but the review can be found after the pic....

ABV: 9.75%

IBU: Unknown

Appearance: Amber/orange colour, slightly opaque, off-white head that settles to a patchy covering over the surface of the beer. Light lacing in early stages.

Aroma: Resinous pine, very herbal/vegetative hop character, caramel richness. Reminiscent of BrewDog's IPA Is Dead Motueka- new world earthy hops but backed up with a more pronounced caramel sweetness. Slight hint of mango, other fruits hard to determine due to overpowering herbal hops.

Taste: Pine, resin, earthy hops, acetone, estery (pear drops), caramel/honey sweetness, some mango, candy gloss, grapefruit. Surprisingly there's not a lot of bitterness, finish isn't too dry and sweetness lingers. Some grape flavours in aftertaste as sweetness diminishes. Slight sense of alcohol on palette, fortunately hop flavours balance this out so it's not too harsh.

Mouthfeel: Well carbonated, thick, compliments flavours nicely. Can cloy every so often, requiring some time between sips to allow palette to recover. 

Verdict: This beer is like an amplified version of Green Gold, another IPA from Mikkeller that I had about 1.5 years ago. I'd like to try a fresher bottle of I Beat yoU to see how significantly the hops have died down, but overall I was impressed with this beer and would get it again. Recommended.

The concluding beer in the triumvirate of IPAs was Hercules Double IPA, a DIPA from Great Divide Brewing Company (Colorado, USA). Again this beer had been in my cellar for a few months, so any tasting notes regarding bitterness and hop character might be inaccurate. Review after the pic....

ABV: 10.0 %

IBU: 85

Appearance: Amber colour, slightly opaque, short-lived white head. Bit of yeast ended up in glass despite careful pouring. Small quantity of lacing in early stages.

Aroma: Piney, sweet, grapefruit, tropical fruits, slightly herbal hop character. Ethanol in background indicative of higher ABV percentage. Some light peach notes.

Taste: Piney, peach, mango, passionfruit, caramel sweetness, grapes come through during dry finish. Slightly alcoholic but not too much bitterness- occasionally a slight bite in back of throat. Sense of pithy fruits. Hop bitterness offset by alcohol content, no real malt character detectable. 

Mouthfeel: Moderately carbonated, slightly thick- compliments higher alcohol content. Alcoholic burn builds on sides of mouth during drinking. 

Verdict: Nice DIPA, relatively well balanced and not overly bitter. Alcohol can become noticeable towards the end of drinking, but fresh offerings might have sufficient hop character to counteract this sensation. Recommended.

And with the end of that beer, my IPADay experience was over. Although I wasn't able to attend any special events or share these beers with friends, I still had a good time and will happily participate again next year.  When that time finally rolls around, it'll be interesting to see just how many new IPA styles will have been created (for example, Farmhouse IPAs seem to be replacing Black IPAs as the "in-thing" right now) and whether the boundaries of IPA brewing will finally be reached.

Until next time....

Mikkeller/Brodie's Big Mofo Stout

Good evening all. I'm back again with another post, and this time it's all about Big Mofo Stout, an Imperial Stout forged out of a collaboration between Brodie's (London, UK) and Mikkeller (Copenhagen, Denmark). Any readers of the blog will know that I'm a huge fan of Mikkeller, but I've only ever sampled one Brodie's beer in my life and I can't even remember what that was (it was at The Rake towards the latter part of the morning though, so maybe I wasn't completely awake!). Let's rectify that with this offering, and you can find the review after the pic....

Big Mofo Stout (10.5% ABV) pours a jet black colour with a thick beige head that gradually settles over the course of the beer. The aroma is surprisingly hoppy and very reminiscent of a black IPA, with grapefruit, coffee, chocolate and roasted malt. The hops are very prominent on the nose with the citrus fruits, whilst the roasted malt and accompanying aromas play more of a supporting role. As proved with the black IPA style, the hops and roasted malt work together very well, and both are as powerful as each other in this case so it caters to both IPA and stout fans nicely. The taste also delivers a satisfying hop kick, with resinous pine, chocolate, coffee, licorice and yeast extract flavours bombarding the tongue, followed by a noticeable bitterness from the hops in the finish and an aftertaste similar to lactose (milk stout). The finish is also quite dry as a result of the roasted malt, and the hops impart a grape taste that lingers after drinking. I certainly wasn't expecting this beer to be so hoppy, but it's understandable when considering this is the product of two forward-thinking breweries who both aren't afraid to experiment and modify familiar styles. The alcohol content is also quite noticeable at first, but further sips brings this perception down considerably until it's barely noticeable. The mouthfeel is on the thick side and the beer is well carbonated, which compliments the hop character very nicely. Overall, whilst I'd consider this to be more of an Imperial Black IPA than an Imperial Stout, the most important thing that matters is that it's a very good beer with plenty of interesting flavours that are balanced exceptionally. Definitely worth trying at least once, and I'll be on the look out for it again in the future.

Until next time....

Mikkeller Tiger Baby: Open Windows Open Hills

Good evening all. Tonight's beer is Tiger Baby: Open Windows Open Hills, an American Pale Ale from Mikkeller (Copenhagen, Denmark). This beer was brewed to celebrate the release of the band Tiger Baby's third album "Open Windows Open Hills", and amplifies the usual fruity flavours one would associate with hops by including mango and passion fruit in the brewing process. Sounds like an interesting beer, so let's see what it's all about after the pic....

Tiger Baby: Open Windows Open Hills (5.0% ABV) pours a hazy amber colour with a white head that retains itself well on the surface of the beer. The aroma is sweet and hoppy, with grapefruit, caramel, resinous pine and some earthy/herbal hop notes. The resin and earthy aromas are the most predominant, with the grapefruit lurking in the background supporting everything. There are also some generic tropical fruit aromas that vary in intensity throughout the course of the beer. The sweetness envelopes the hop aromas nicely, acting as a vessel of sorts to transport them to the nose. So far this is a pretty classic American Pale Ale, albeit with a slightly more pronounced hop presence. The taste is very similar to the nose, with grapefruit, pine and some caramelised sweetness. In addition to these there are some light orange and lemon citrus notes, and the finish is almost creamy and certainly not bitter. However, this might not be the case with fresh bottles as I've had this one in my cellar for over 6 months, and no doubt the hop character has died down quite significantly. There is some dryness in the finish though, and the aftertaste is rife with tropical fruits, most likely from the fruit additions as opposed to the hop-derived fruit flavours. The mouthfeel is quite light and the beer is moderately carbonated- personally I would've preferred a bit more carbonation to support the hop flavours. Overall, this is a decent beer with a good dichotomy between the piney/fruity hops and the malty sweetness, offset well by the fruits added during brewing. I'd like to try this fresh to see how much the hops have diminished, but even as it is it's still worth trying. Recommended.

Until next time....

Mikkeller Monk's Brew BA Raspberry

Good evening all. Tonight's beer is Monk's Brew BA Raspberry, a rather unconventional Quad from  everyone's favourite gypsy brewer, Mikkeller (Copenhagen, Denmark). This beer is a barrel aged version of Monk's Elixir, Mikkel's attempt at replicating the Trappist Quads of Westvleteren and Rochefort, and has been brewed with raspberries before being aged in red and white wine barrels. Typically understated as usual, but I'm very interested in seeing how all of these new flavours combine with the fruity, spicy contributions from the Quad base. Review after the pic....

Monk's Brew BA Raspberry (10.0% ABV) pours a dark brown colour with a thick beige head that settles to a patchy covering over the surface of the beer. Words can't do the aroma justice- it's simply incredible, with plenty of raspberries bursting forth from the glass, accompanied by a lot of red wine, dark fruits and some bready candy sugar notes in the background. Once the nose has become accustomed to the power of the raspberries, they seem to combine with the red wine to create an aroma very similar to fortified wine, with the candy sugar coming through more as this occurs. No sense of the white wine though, but it's not surprising when considering the aromas it has to compete with! The taste is just as interesting as the aroma, delivering a lot of port, some tartness from the raspberries, dark fruits, vinous notes and some candy sugar in the finish. The raspberries and red wine no longer seem to be a separate entity on the palette, instead instantly creating the fortified wine flavour that was present in the aroma. They do separate somewhat in the finish, but the port still remains the predominant flavour. During drinking the raspberries provide a surprisingly tart sensation which puckers the sides of the mouth, but this is pleasant and certainly isn't as severe as the sourness you can get from gueuze or lambic beers. The finish is dry and smooth, and allows more of the beer base to come through, with yeast extract, candy sugar and possibly even a hint of the white wine barrel ageing present. Despite this being described as a Belgian Ale, the sheer complexity of the beer and the different flavour profiles on show means I can't detect any phenols or spiciness from the yeast, but then this isn't your average Quad by any means so it's understandable. The mouthfeel is quite light and the beer is moderately carbonated, which is fairly characteristic of this style and still compliments the experience despite the plethora of senses and flavours on display. The alcohol is also well hidden, so be warned! Overall, this is a very impressive beer from a brewery that never fails to impress. It's built upon the slightly-interesting Monk's Elixir marvelously with the double barrel ageing and the raspberries, creating a unique beer that maintains that fine balance between complexity and drinkability. Highly recommended, don't hesitate to get a bottle if you have the opportunity.

Until next time....

Mikkeller Spontankoppi

Good evening all. It's been a while since I did a beer review, and after a quick recce of my cellar I found something quite interesting that deserved the full treatment. It's Spontankoppi, a Lambic from the gypsy brewing supremo Mikkeller (Copenhagen, Denmark). Not content with conquering the world of fruit Lambics with his "Spontan" range, Mikkel decided to brew a new addition to the series, with the unconventional inclusion of coffee. The first time I heard about this beer I was immediately interested in trying it, so seeing it on offer at the fantastic Beers of Europe almost justified the impulse order that I ended up putting through. Will it be another successful experiment from this master brewer, or will it be too "out there" for once? Review after the pic....

Spontankoppi (5.3% ABV) pours a dark golden colour with a short-lived white head that dissipates to nothing in the glass. The aroma is characteristically sour, with effervescing tartness, cooking apples, some honey sweetness and an awareness of the coffee in the background. As with most sour beers there is no distinctive aroma, just the perception of funk and the results of spontaneous fermentation, but on the nose it has quite a lot in common with cider. The taste is pretty amazing and also quite startling, with the coffee becoming much more noticeable in comparison to the aroma, accompanied by the tartness, some sweetness and a light hop character in the aftertaste. The coffee hits the taste buds immediately but isn't too piquant, with the yeast tartness gradually permeating through to act as a counterbalance. Towards the end of the beer, the flavours combine to create a funkiness with a slight coffee piquancy, but somehow this still works and is a welcome shift from the beginning when the flavours are almost separate entities. The sourness doesn't linger in the finish, but there is some light hoppiness and an aftertaste of cooking apples. The mouthfeel is quite light and airy and the beer is moderately carbonated. As with most sour beers, the perception of mouthfeel comes more from the feeling of the sourness effervescing on the palette as opposed to explicit carbonation. Overall, whilst I can't see this taking off as a legitimate beer style, it's certainly a very interesting offering that shouldn't be dismissed as a novelty. The coffee isn't too sharp and compliments the sourness very well, with neither taking precedence over the entire course of the beer. Definitely recommended, give it a go and be pleasantly surprised.

Until next time....

Mikkeller Nelson Sauvignon

Good evening all. I first tried the subject of this post on draft during a Meet The Brewer event at the Cask Pub and Kitchen in Pimlico, and on the first sip I decided it was the best beer that I'd ever had and pledged that I would try it again at the closest opportunity. After almost a year, I finally decided to purchase a bottle, and on this, the penultimate evening of my Easter break, I felt it was the right time to pop the cork and see if it's as brilliant as I remember. That beer is Nelson Sauvignon, a Bière de Champagne from Mikkeller. This bad boy has been brewed with an ale yeast and brettanomyces before being aged in Austrian white wine casks for three months. Quite an epic journey from inception to bottle! Review after the pic....

Nelson Sauvignon (9.0% ABV) pours a slightly cloudy amber colour with an incredible white head that settles to a thick halo around the inside of the glass. There's tonnes of lacing present, this beer looks fantastic! The aroma is stunning, with an incredible vinous quality, citrus fruits, some tartness and a pleasing sweetness in the background. The vinous edge hits the olfactories right from the word go, never really relenting over the course of the beer, and the fruity hops combine with this distinctive aspect to create a wonderfully sweet, fruity and dry  aroma. The brett addition is surprisingly noticeable, delivering a slight tartness to the aroma that works very well in this context. Absolutely incredible, and that's just the nose! The taste is equally as stunning, with dry white wine, effervescing tartness, citrus fruits, piney hop flavours and a noticeable sweetness. Most beers suffer the same fate of having the aroma delivering a host of powerful senses to the nose, but when it comes time to tasting they're lacking in flavour. However, this tastes almost exactly like it smells and the aromas have been amplified significantly on the palette. The vinous quality is slightly piquant and creates a dryness in the finish, with the tartness from the brett creating a sourness in the mouth that offsets the piquancy. The sweetness still remains in the background, and the fruity qualities of the hops are only slightly apparent in comparison to the heavier puckering flavours, but together they provide an excellent base and don't compete with the stars of the show. The mouthfeel is slightly on the thick side, and the beer is very well carbonated which compliments the dry sweetness and the fruitiness perfectly. Overall, I don't think this review has done this beer enough justice- every time I've had the opportunity to try this beer, I've been more than impressed with it and tonight's tasting is no exception. It's dry, vinous, sweet, fruity and slightly tart, and when all of these components come together like they have in this offering, it's the closest to perfection a beer can ever get. I'm sure I'll change my opinion in the future, but at the time of writing it's still the best beer I've ever had and is totally worth the money. 

Until next time....

Mikkeller 19

Good evening all. Last year Mikkeller produced a series of 19 single hop IPAs, giving drinkers an opportunity to gauge how different hop types impart certain characteristics on a beer. These were released in bottles and on draft in various places, with one night at the Mikkeller Bar devoted to presenting all of the beers, during which votes were cast on the public's favourite and the results used to calculate the percentages of the hops that were used in the following beer- 19, an IPA brewed with a whopping 19 hop varieties. I've had this on draft twice before, but when I saw a bottle at Craft Beer Co I knew I had to purchase it and give it a proper review, which you can find after the pic....

19 (6.8% ABV) pours an amber/dark gold colour with a thick white head that settles to a thin halo around the inside of the glass. Looks like a typical high-ABV IPA, great stuff so far. The aroma is pretty amazing, with resinous/piney hops, citrus fruits, a slightly vinous quality and a light sweetness in the background. Despite the large number of hops used, the different aromas are surprisingly detectable and the hops are very fresh and oily. Tasting the beer brings up a similar response, with strong resinous hops, tropical fruits, malt, bittering hops, grass, some oily freshness and a bitter bite in the finish, accompanied by some cripsness from the bittering hops. There's a grape aftertaste and the finish is slightly dry. The mouthfeel is quite thick, with decent levels of carbonation. Overall, this is a surprisingly well-balanced IPA that demonstrates how, in the hands of skilled brewers, a large variety and number of hops can be blended together to create a distinctly unique experience that doesn't overpower the senses with a particular flavour or aroma. If you can get a bottle of this, or better yet try it on draft, don't waste the opportunity. It's also relatively easy to find bottles of the individual single hop IPAs at places like Cask Pub & Kitchen, and I would highly recommend getting as many as you can as they were all great learning experiences. 

Until next time....

Mikkeller Burger & Bun L.A. Lager

Good afternoon all. It's been a gloriously sunny day here in Guildford, but I haven't been able to enjoy any of it as I've been relegated to my desk trying to get through the introduction to my final year dissertation. Yesterday was quite the busy day in regards to beer- mainly because it was so dull in every other context- so expect a few reviews in quick succession over the rest of the day. The first beer was Burger & Bun L.A. Lager from Mikkeller, a beer that I picked up almost a year ago from The Bottle Shop (http://www.bottle-shop.co.uk/). It's been catching my eye ever since I bought it, and I finally gave in and got out the bottle opener. Review after the pic....

Burger & Bun L.A. Lager (5.0% ABV) pours an amber colour with a decent white head. There's some early lacing and the beer itself is slightly opaque. The aroma is much hoppier than I was expecting, with grapefruit, citrus, malt, honey and a floral character. Every so often the sweetness manifests itself as a caramelised, burnt sugar aroma, which works well with the tropical fruits from the hops. The taste consists of malt, light citrus fruits, bittering hops and a vinous quality. The finish is crisp with a very light bitterness and a fruity aftertaste. The mouthfeel is well carbonated and surprisingly thick. Overall, a very nice lager with plenty of fruity hop flavours and aromas. I would say it's closer to a pale ale with the extra hops, but the well-rounded crispness and light bitterness in the finish justifies the name. Well, that and the weeks of cold storage! Definitely recommended if you're in the market for a refreshing lager with a difference.

Until next time....

Mikkeller Citra Single Hop IPA

Good evening all. Apologies for the fairly lackluster review this evening- it's been a less than ideal week so I'm not completely committed to hop-related prose at the moment. The show must go on though, so let's delve into the cellar and pick something interesting. It seems it's time for another single hop IPA from the gypsy brewing supremo Mikkeller- in particular, an offering centered on a hop type that garnered a lot of attention for its tropical fruit flavours and dual-purpose nature when it was released in 2008. The hop in question is Citra, and you can expect the review after the pic....

Citra Single Hop IPA (6.9% ABV) pours an amber colour with a white head that retains itself well during drinking. The aroma is resinous and piney, with some floral character and a background sweetness. These are all quite subtle though, and don't become pronounced as the beer warms up. The taste is composed of citrus fruits, malt, flowers, caramelised sugar and a grassy character, with a subdued bitterness in the finish and a candy floss aftertaste. The mouthfeel is quite thick and well carbonated. Overall, a solid single hop IPA that demonstrates the versatility of Citra very well. It can impart a surprising amount of citrus/tropical fruits with a pleasing yet noticeable bitterness, and produces a very decent IPA on its own. I wouldn't get this beer again but it is worth trying once, even if the only purpose is to increase your understanding of what different hop types can contribute to a beer.

Until next time....

Mikkeller Sorachi Ace Single Hop IPA

Good evening all. I had this beer last night after purchasing it from Beers of Europe (http://www.beersofeurope.co.uk/) about a month ago, and at the time I was surprised to discover Mikkeller had produced a single hop IPA utilising this particular hop. As I've mentioned before, last year I managed to purchase 14 out of the 19 single hop IPAs that Mikkeller produced, and each beer provided an incredibly useful insight into how certain hop types contribute to the flavour and aroma of a drink. However, I didn't know at the time that one of the five I missed out on was made using Sorachi Ace, a Japanese hop type that came out around 2007-08 that I happen to be quite a fan of. A couple of days after visiting the website, I had a bottle of it in my hands, along with a bottle of the Citra Single Hop IPA as I missed out on that one too! I was looking forward to this one so much that I couldn't resist making it my mid-week beer. Review after the pic....

Sorachi Ace Single Hop IPA (6.9% ABV) pours a hazy dark amber colour with a thick white head that settles to a thin coating over the surface of the beer. The aroma consists of resinous and citrus hops, bubblegum, caramelised sweetness, a hint of lemon and some background funk. The overall combination is very reminiscent of a saison, with plenty of musty, earthy tones and some fruity esters. The taste brings out more of these esters, with malt, bubblegum, citrus fruits, piney notes and some grassy flavours. The finish is only slightly bitter, with a grape-like aftertaste. It's actually more tart/sour than bitter, but not as excessive as a lambic or a wild ale. The mouthfeel is quite thick with a decent amount of carbonation. Overall, this beer is a very good showcase of the Sorachi Ace hop type. Reading further into Sorachi Ace, it seems that it's famed for its lemony aroma and flavour, but I was only picking up very subtle hints of this every so often. For me, this hop is all about pine flavours and subdued earthy funkiness. A very interesting beer- I probably wouldn't get it again but it's definitely worth a try. 

Until next time....

Mikkeller/BrewDog I Hardcore You

Good evening all. Tonight's beer is I Hardcore You, a collaboration between Mikkeller and BrewDog with a difference- it's a blend of each brewery's flagship DIPA, namely Mikkeller's I Beat You and BrewDog's Hardcore IPA. In a move that you'd expect from such big names in the craft beer world, they've gone one step further by adding two extra dry hopping stages to amplify the beer even further. Since hearing about this beer a year ago I've been desperate to try it, so getting hold of a few bottles at the start of the week made me incredibly happy indeed! In regards to the individual beers from which this one was made, I've enjoyed Hardcore IPA many times before, but the closest I've got to I Beat You is a bottle currently residing in my cellar that I've yet to open. I'm thinking there may be grounds for a three beer taste test in the future, but before I entertain those thoughts it's time for the review. Which, as always, is after the pic....

I Hardcore You (9.5% ABV) pours a dark amber colour (verging on ruby) with a thick white head that dissipates gradually to a patchy covering on the surface of the beer. The aroma is full of resinous and citrus hops, with a candy sugar sweetness and a slightly vinous quality that is reminiscent of previous Mikkeller barrel-aged offerings. Hop lovers rejoice, you'll already know by this point that you're in for something spectacular! The taste is packed full of sticky piney hops, with some malt character present and a sweet caramelised aftertaste. The finish is, unsurprisingly, rather bitter and dry, and there is a flavour reminiscent of tonic water in the background. I'd describe the bitterness as biting slightly during drinking, then becoming more puckering in the finish. The mouthfeel is quite light and moderately carbonated. Overall, this is a wonderful collaboration from two of my favourite breweries, the result of which is a formidable yet balanced hop bomb with a sweet edge that offsets the bitterness nicely. It might have taken me a while to try this beer, but it was so worth it. Very highly recommended!

Until next time....

Mikkeller Black Hole BA White Wine

Good afternoon all. Last night I promised a review of something special to commemorate the exam conquering, and I always try and deliver when it comes to beer! So without further do, a review of Black Hole Barrel Aged White Wine from the gypsy brewing supremo Mikkeller. Review after the pic....

Black Hole BA White Wine (13.1% ABV) pours a dark red colour (appears black in the glass) with a thick chestnut brown head that retains itself well throughout drinking. The aroma is incredibly vinous and boozy, with almost no sense of any roasted malt or other typical imperial stout aromas. The taste is amazing- very vinous, dark fruits, licorice, chocolate, coffee and some candy sugar sweetness. The finish is dry with a tart piquancy and some nuttiness. The mouthfeel is thick and generously carbonated, and the beer itself is very creamy and drinkable despite the high ABV percentage. This beer renews a thought I always have when I try BA beers- you can't go wrong ageing a beer in a wine barrel. I'm sure there are dire examples that I've yet to try but so far, particularly with Mikkeller's offerings, I've always been thoroughly impressed. This builds upon Black Hole marvelously, and I wouldn't hesitate in buying it again if I had the opportunity. Highly recommended!

Until next time....