Kaiserdom - Hefe Weizen

A wednesday would not be a wednesday without a weissbier blog, would it ?

Light aroma of malt, wheat, yeast and banana from the pour.

HefeWeizen pours cloudy yellow to orange with a dense white head. A light and sweet intake with wheat, yeast and lighter touches of banana and cloves. The finish is dry and wheaty with a light citrus bitterness. This has a very short aftertaste of cloves and citrus. Softly carbonated, the mouthfeel is light and a bit watery.

While this tastes good enough it is a bit too watery for my liking. Easy drinking and all the standard hefeweizen flavours are present but it is all very average. I do factor in that this is sold as a discount ( very cheap) beer here so there is a little value for money with this one. I have no problem with buying or drinking this again. Summing up, an extremely average watery German hefeweizen.

This scored 4/10 on the ' discount weiss, wheat, hvede, wit ?' Beerometer.

Alc : 4.7%
Where to buy CPH : All larger Superbrugsen, Kvickly & Fakta supermarkets.

Refsvindinge - Den Sorte Enke

Firstly a note, updates will be less frequent to nonexistent over the next three weeks as it is time for me to enjoy some summer holidays. Each year I like to ditch the internet, computer, tablet and mobile for a couple of weeks at least and get away from the 'always on' lifestyle that has taken over. I do not get why people feel the need to take a mobile on holiday, like who gives a toss what people are doing back home when you are meant to be enjoying yourself away from it all ?

I admit to doing some homework on this beer 'the black widow' as it says on the bottle 'dark fynen wheat beer' yet when googling it and asking beer geeky friends it pops up as a sweet stout....My own take is if a brewer states what the style is on the bottle then it is not open for discussion and should be judged as such. So without further to do...

Pleasant wafts of roasted malt, licorice, sherbert powder and dark chocolate.

Den Sorte Enke pours very dark brown with a thick and creamy beige head. Sweet intake with aniseed, roasted malt, sweet licorice, chocolate and a light wheaty background with a very light bitter coffee and dry hop note in the finish. Again, licorice and aniseed along with some caramel linger in the aftertaste. This is lowly carbonated with a oily and thin mouthfeel without being cloying or too watery.

After drinking this one I am left none the wiser of what it is meant to be, like a lot of other people I may add. Not enough wheat to be a dunkelweizen but I would not say it was a sweet stout either. I think I would settle with calling this a hybrid. Anyway, it was enjoyable and easy to drink. One bottle is enough for me as the aniseed and sweet licorice get a bit much towards the end overpowering everything else. Not one I would rush out to buy again though I have no problem drinking another if the chance came up. Summing up, quite a weird one that is worth a try and reminds me of a lot of Danish christmas beer with all the licorice and aniseed going on.

This scored 6/10 on the 'neither here nor there' Beerometer.

Alc : 5.7%
Where to buy CPH : Høkeren, Ravnsborggade 13, Kbh N

Amager Bryghus - Summer Fusion

Another one from Amager so soon I hear you ask ? Well yes, I wanted to try this one as it is a low alcohol beer (3.5%) which I can safely drink out in the sun without getting a splitting headache, basically a thirst quencher ! This is styled as a Steam Beer, a bit controversial I refuse the California Common label which in my mind is another make it up as you go along style. The only other one of this style I have tried I can think of having before is Anchor Steam Beer. The label says style : Steam Beer so that is how I am labeling it. Instead of me rambling on I might as well include the label blurb.....

We wanted to prove that we could make a low alcohol beer rich in taste... and we named the outcome "Fusion". As the name indicates it is a true fusion beer due to the fact that our inspiration came from different styles and countries. The yeast is classic German pilsner yeast, which we - against its will, fermented at 71.6°F. This is a technique know from the American styles "California Common" a.k.a. "Steam Beer". Consequently, we were able to combine the crisp freshness from lager beers with a portion of the fruity freshness found in top fermented beers. 

Our choice of malt is somewhat unusual as we selected an English Mild Ale malt adding a dark, roasted character to the beer, as well as a couple of handful of German caramel malt adding sweetness and a soft touch to the beer. 

And it wouldn’t be a true beer from Amager Bryghus, if we hadn’t been generous with the hops. We chose classic American aroma hops such as Centennial, Chinook, and Amarillo - you know, the ones which really massages your taste buds. Additionally, these hops leave behind the most pleasurable, citric-like freshness. 

Are you confused? No reason to be as our Fusion is the answer to the many people who over the years have asked for an American/English/German top and bottom fermented pilsner ale, which has lots of taste but is low on alcohol! 

Fusion was 1st runner up at the Copenhagen Beer Festival 2007 in the competition of brewing a beer at maximum 3.5% alcohol.

Right, let's get on with it...

Light wafts of floral hops, grass and peaches from the pour.

Summer Fusion pours hazy amber orange with a weak creamy coloured white head. A very light intake with grass, hops, some citrus peel and peaches again. This has a dry and grassy bitterness in the finish. Citrus peel and light floral hops linger in the dryish aftertaste. The mouthfeel is light and watery.

Well, it is very light, crisp and a real thirst quencher and a very nice summer ale and a ...but, there is always one but, if you like a bit of malt taste to your ale this one has none. Not that I am bothered as I enjoyed drinking this one sitting in the sun out in the backyard on what is a sweltering hot day. Not one I would bother buying again but I have no problem drinking another if offered. In the same circumstances like weather etc I think I would rather just drink a good cold English Cider to be honest, blasphemy for some no doubt. Summing up, a very light summer ale which I would class a lawnmower beer.

This scored 4.5/10 on the ' I was tired of it by the time I reached the bottom of the bottle ' Beerometer.

Alc : 3.5%
Where to buy CPH : Superbrugsen and bottle shops.

St. Michaelsberg - HefeWeissbier

Well it is Wednesday and if you have been following this blog recently, today calls for a Weissbier. Nothing really much to say about this one although I have had this one before but it was owned by United Beverage and brewed in Denmark by Vejle Byghus though on the can bought today it is now brewed again in Germany. The brand is formally owned by Maisel's.

Light wafts of banana, bubblegum, wheat and yeast from the pour.

HefeWeissbier pours a cloudy orange gold with a creamy white head.  A light sweet intake with fruit, wheat, mild banana, coriander and cloves. The finish is dry and slightly metallic. Quite a pleasant mild wheaty aftertaste with citrus. Lowly carbonated, this one has a very soft and light mouthfeel.

For a beer in the discount price range it is not that bad at all. The banana taste that dominates in a lot of hefe's is much more muted and in the background in this. It is quite crisp and refreshing on a day like today where the 'heatwave' continues. I have no problems buying and drinking another although Netto also have this side by side sometimes with Benedikter, which in my humble opinion is far the better weiss and more value for money. Summing up, a decent average weiss for the money.

This scored a generous 5/10 on ' Weiss, Wheat, Hvede, Wit ?' Beerometer.

Alc : 5.3%
Where to buy CPH : Netto & Føtex

Svaneke Bryghus - Pilsner

Svaneke Bryghus (website in danish) really annoy me ! Most of their beers are just mediocre to above average for me and I always get the feeling they could be so much better if they were not brewed for an exact retail price. A couple of years ago they had a Session Pilsner in their range which, excuse my french was f*****g fantastic, yet it cost a few kroner more which when getting a beer like that I certainly did not mind.

Now it is gone from the range and the only time I think about Svaneke is when christmas comes around as they still make a decent christmas beer or two. So Svaneke, pull the smoked herring out from your asses and re-release the Session Pilsner, please !

On to the beer in question....

Malt, hops and grass in the light aroma from the pour though not a lot going on.

Pilsner pours a cloudy yellow gold with a frothy white head.  Malt, bread, hops and touch of caramel on the lightly sweet intake while it has quite a dry finish with mild bitterness. The aftertaste is smokey malt and fruit. It has a light mouthfeel without being watery.

Well well well, this was a lot better than I expected. Having tried this one before a good while back I wonder if there has been a recipe change. Although it is not mentioned anywhere this is a very German tasting pils. Very easy to drink though I guess the hot weather is helping. I have no problem buying this again or drinking a few on a session. Summing up, a bit of a surprise for no money as it is on offer this week at half price. Decent above average Danish pilsner that I have no gripes over.

This scored 6/10 on the 'I'd still have have a Session Pils, please re-release' Beerometer.

Alc : 4.6%
Where to buy CPH : All larger supermarkets.

Lagunitas - New DogTown Pale Ale

The 'heatwave' continues and my alcohol consumption is right down until I hit the right beer..I just want something light and refreshing, with the emphasis on light. Today I was in the same supermarket that held the American craft beer week a few weeks back and they were practically giving away the rest of the stock so I picked up this and another Lagunitas up for basically the same price as a standard carlsberg after wheeler dealing to buy all their remaining stock, a bit of a bargain in every sense ! :)

After making a total arse of the pour the aroma of peaches, grapefruit, pine, citrus and a touch of caramel hit the nose.

New DogTown Pale Ale pours amber gold with a thick creamy white head that has a long duration. Sweet and light malt on the intake with citrus, pine and hops while the finish is quite hoppy and bitter. Floral hops and a bready malt linger in the aftertaste. This one has a light mouthfeel without being watery.

I played safe on this one and scored even though I probably chilled this one too much. Light, crisp and without sounding like a industrial beer advert, refreshing. Although this is a straight forward pale ale with no surprises it really hit the spot with me. No need to say if I would buy or drink again as I have eight bottles left ! Summing up, a well made and way above average pale ale that I really enjoyed on a hot summer day.

This scored 7.5/10 on the 'need to try this and score again when it is cold and pissing down' Beerometer

Alc : 5.9%
Where to buy CPH : Was bought in Superbrugsen though I have seen it in bottle shops.

yeah, that's a big head !

Widmer Brothers - Rotator IPA Series - Falconer's IPA

Not much in the line of waffle today after a beer-less saturday and I would think it is best just to get on with it on this lazy sunday...Once again another unknown American brewer to me.

Not a huge amount of aroma coming from this apart from malt, caramel and mild hops from the pour.

Falconer's IPA pours an orange dark amber with a creamy off-white head. Sweet and malty on the intake with biscuit, caramel, pine and hops while the short finish is moderately bitter. Lowly carbonated this has smooth and oily mouthfeel. No alcohol shines through.

Quite a heavy malty base on this one for an IPA although very enjoyable and easy to drink. Not one I would rush out to buy another but I would have no problems drinking again if offered. Perhaps due to being a hot summers day I would have liked a bit more crisp and lightness to this. Summing up and disregarding the weather, a very nice IPA which seems very much like a lot of other American one's of this style posted recently with a heavier malty base than I am used to though it makes a good change from some of the hop bombs.

This scored 7.5/10 on the 'should have had a wheat beer instead ?' Beerometer.

Alc : 7%
Where to buy CPH : Høkeren, Ravnsborggade 13, Kbh N

Amager Bryghus - IPA

I was happy to see this one and others from the Amager Bryghus main range in the supermarket today. Perhaps they have increased brewing capacity to do so or it was a beer friendly supermarket franchise manager that got them in especially ? At least the price of a bottle was a good bit lower than bottle shop prices which in some cases are ripping the piss out of people...in my own opinion of course. Anyway, a welcome addition to the beer aisle from a good local brewery.

Not wanting this to be a habit but the the blurb on the label goes...

'Forget about India Pale Ale being an English beer, which should be robust enough to withstand the long sea voyage from England to India. Our version of an IPA is totally inspired by the new interpretations, especially those found on the U.S. west coast. A solid malt base, combined with Simcoe, Amarillo and Cascade hops and then just dry hopped enough to ensure that the hop burn is thorough. It is fruity and fresh, it’s bitter like hell and it is strong enough to give you a little kick if you drink a couple of bottles or three. This is how we make a great IPA at Amager. We don’t have a single doubt that you will enjoy our IPA , because it is a damn good beer. Cheers!'

There you have it, will it blend ?...

Very nice wafts of peach syrup, malt, grapefruit and hops from the pour.

IPA pours a cloudy deep dark amber with a creamy off-white head. Roasted malt, bitter bitter hops, grapefruit and pine on the intake while the finish is very dry and spicy almost down to the pit of the stomach, hop burps anyone ? Grapefruit and some floral hops linger in the long dark bitter aftertaste. Quite an oily mouthfeel on this one without being too cloying. Despite the highish ABV no alcohol shines through.

Now and again you find a gem of a beer in the supermarket aisles that put a smile on your face. The last time around it was the American craft promo which was a total bonus as far as I was concerned. This time it is one very much closer to home and extremely fresh ale to boot. As much as I like this it is not one I could drink a lot of, the hoppy bitterness would get too much in the long run. I have no problem with buying or drinking another...which I already have by the time you read this. :) Summary, extremely, with capital letters, decent way above average IPA that might be a bit of a bitter hop bomb for some.

This scored 7.5/10 on the 'don't try kissing the wife after burping this, she will not be happy' Beerometer.

Alc : 7%
Where to buy CPH : Superbrugsen

Kissmeyer - PilNZer

Brewed by the former brewmaster of Nørrebro Bryghus who went it alone in 2010. The blurb on the back label says...

'Crisp, dry, full bodied German style pilsner gently dry hopped with New Zealand aroma hops for an extra fruity, aromatic and exotic hoppy flavour and taste. A smooth drinking session beer with character.'

With a blurb like that this has a lot to live up to, time to get on with it...

Has a light malty aroma on the pour with honey, grass and citrus.

PilNZer pours clear light yellow gold with a white head. Malt, lemon and grassy on the sweet and fruity intake while the finish is dry and hoppy with a mild bitterness. Has a nice aftertaste of hops and what I can only describe as light herbs and honey lockets. Smooth and light mouthfeel to this without being watery.

I quite like this, it is a bit different from the norm with a good malt and hoppy flavour. I don't know about the crisp bit in the blurb but the rest is as it says. I would have no problem buying or drinking another. Very easy drinking and perhaps a pilsner for industrial lager heads to try something just a little bit different. Summing up, a pretty decent pilsner that you can session on.

This scored 6.5/10 on the 'what is the true definition of a heatwave ?' Beerometer.

Alc : 5%

Where to buy CPH : Superbrugsen

Lervig - White Dog

Unrelated drivel to this beer...

Until monday I never knew there was a nordic beer bottle shop 200m away from where I live. I have passed it nearly everyday since it opened a year ago. All the nordic flags outside gave me the impression that it was a nordic crafts shop aimed at tourists. Well, so close to the center of Copenhagen I never gave it a second glance...or actually bothered to look in the window, shame on me ! I peered in the window the other day and a line up of Nøgne Ø, Ægir and Haandbryggeriet was on show. So, a shop I look forward to visiting soon..probably when I get paid again judging by their prices.

On to the second wheat beer today with this one is styled as a Belgian Wit.

Light waft of citrus/lemon, coriander and black pepper from the pour.

White Dog pours cloudy pale yellow with a white head. A honey sweetness on the intake with yeast, wheat and spices while the black pepper finish has a low acidic and zesty bitterness about it. Nice sourish aftertaste with coriander and lemon. Soft carbonation with a watery mouthfeel.

When drinking Belgian styled Wit I cannot help but compare it to the available everywhere Hoegaarden and this is pretty much what it tastes like with a bit more black pepper. I enjoyed this one and would have no problem buying or drinking another. Summing up, a decent enough summer Wit that goes down very easily...the sun beating down helps.

This scored a generous 6/10 on the 'Weiss, Wheat, Hvede, Wit ?' Beerometer.

Alc : 4.7%
Where to buy CPH : Irma

Braumanufaktur - Weizen

Weiss Wednesday strikes again....This time around back to Braumanufaktur who have featured before on this blog.  I have tasted their Potsdamer Weiss before which I thought was pretty tasty, let's see how this one gets on....

Wafts of yeast, wheat and banana from the pour.

Wiezen pours cloudy orange to yellow with a white head.  Sweet intake of banana, fruit, yeast and spice while the finish is dry and tart/peppery, next to no bitterness. Light cloves and yeast linger in the short aftertaste. The mouthfeel is light and a bit watery.

Everything you expect in a hefeweizen is here with no surprises going on. Perhaps a bit too watery for my liking although it is decent enough. I prefer their Potsdamer Weiss so not one I would bother buying again. Summing up, this was all a bit lackluster and ended up a notch above average.

This scored 5.5/10 on the 'Weiss, Wheat, Hvede, Wit ?' beerometer.

Alc : 4.8%
Where to buy CPH : Kihoskh, Sønder Boulevard 53, Kbh V

Vejle Bryghus - Pilsner

This blog started off with three beers brewed at Vejle Bryghus so it is time to revisit with one of their own labelled brews. I quite like their porter so let's see what their pilsner is like.....

A light floral aroma along with hops, malt and grass on the pour.

Pilsner pours unfiltered cloudy orange gold with an off-white head. Sweet malt, bread, grass and floral hops on the intake while the finish is dry with a light bitterness. Not much in the aftertaste apart from some more hops and caramel malt. Softly carbonated, this has a light mouthfeel without being too watery.

Not a whole lot going on with this Czech style pilsner. Well, a total taste bomb if you were to compare it to the Tooheys New which I recently posted and sits in the memory for all the wrong reasons. A decent enough pilsner with no surprises. I would have no problem drinking this again.  It is not one I would rush out to buy again though I would probably pick one up if choice was limited. Summing up, an average pilsner that offers a bit more than standard multi-nationals.

This scored 3.5/10 on the 'be as well buying a pilsner urquell' Beerometer.

Alc : 4.6%
Where to buy CPH : Fakta

Fort Collins - Red Banshee

Yet another unknown American brewery for me and the first of two from Fort Collins, the other being Rocky Mountain IPA which I will get around to sometime soon...

Wafts of roasted malt, caramel and digestive biscuits ! on the pour from this.

Red Banshee pours a clear deep amber to ruby red with a creamy off-white head. Burnt malt, nuts, caramel and prunes in the intake while the finish is hoppy and light bitter. Prunes, malt and brown sugar are left lingering in the not very pleasant aftertaste. Low carbonation with quite a thin mouthfeel but not watery.

I'm left unsure if I like this one as I hate prunes with a vengeance, evil horrible tasting little things..if it is actually prunes but that is what I am getting. You of course could taste something completely different ! Aside from that I did not get a whole lot of enjoyment out of this one as I thought it was pretty mediocre. Not one I will be buying or drinking again. Summing up, no highlights and a shrug of the shoulders after finishing it means for me it is average.

This scored a generous 5/10 on the 'bad memories of prunes and school dinners' Beerometer.

Alc : 5.3%
Where to buy CPH : Superbrugsen if the have any left, otherwise possibly a bottle shop.

Tooheys - New

Having tried Tooheys Old a good while back which I thought was pretty decent I spotted this in the corner shop today and thought I would give it a go for a change. Apart from that, xxxx and the utter utter crap Fosters I can't think of any other Australian beer that has passed my lips. Either I am not paying attention if any better beer is available or it is just not exported/imported. On to the beer in question...

Nothing much going on apart from a light waft of malt and grass on the pour.

Tooheys New pours clear gold with a white head. Malty on the intake with light flavours of caramel, bread, grass and hops while the finish is mildly bitter and hoppy. Next to nothing in the metallic aftertaste. Light and watery mouthfeel.

Helloooo taste ???. Very inoffensive, but it is that light in flavour you would think if they put a bit more of everything in it would end up a decent brew. As it is, it is total sh...rug of the shoulder stuff that you wonder why someone has went to the trouble of importing it. Keep on sending your excellent beef Australia, maybe send some Murrays beer which I keep on hearing about instead ? Not one I will be buying or drinking again. Summing up on a positive, there is enough better lager here for a lot less money so why bother with this ?

This scored a generous 2.5/10 on the 'there is not enough flavour in it to be drainpour' Beerometer.

Alc : 4.6%
Where to avoid CPH : Kihoskh and Fish & Beer.

Mikkeller - Citrus Dream

It has been absolutely scorching outside today. That calls for a...light and refreshing beer, hopefully.

Aromas of citrus, pine and peach from the pour.

Citrus Dream pours a clear yellow gold with a white head. Very fruity on the intake with orange and lemon peel, malt, light floral hops and pine while the finish is dry and mildly bitter. A peachy syrup with orange and lemon zest are left lingering in the long aftertaste. This has a thin and light mouthfeel without being watery.

Well I wanted a light and refreshing beer and that is what I got. It is as it says on the bottle, a pilsner with orange and lemon peel. Very easy drinking and I would have no problem with buying or drinking a few as a session beer. My only personal gripe with this is that probably after 3 bottles I would be tired of the taste. Summing up, nice and light tasty pilsner that went down a treat on a hot summers day.

This scored 7/10 on the ' blindfolded I would not have guessed this was a pilsner ' Beerometer.

Alc : 5%
Where to buy CPH : Kihoskh, Ølbutikken or the Mikkeller & Friends bottle shop.

Maisel & Friends - Stefan's Indian Ale

After a long stressing week at work what is better than kicking the weekend off with a big bottle of beer ? In this case and after looking through all my past notes this is my first German IPA.

I am no stranger to Maisels Weisse which this brewery is famous for and Maisel & Friends  is not a new one for me as I have tried Jeffs Bavarian Ale before in a 10cl sample glass, not enough for me to form a true impression so I won't comment further apart from I noted ' must try full bottle sometime '. The chocolate bock is also something I hope to get my mitts on in the near future. Anyway, on to the beer in question.....

As you would expect with Maisel this is brewed with wheat which I forgot on the initial pour and ended up with a 8 fingered head which in the time it took to settle I managed to paint our whole apartment, twice... So, if you do try this one, pour it gently. I could have of course looked closer at the label as it has a bloody graphic of wheat on it behind the printed alcohol %, doh !

Not huge aromas when opening this but on the pour faint distinctive wafts of yeast, citrus, apricot, chewy banana sweets ! and hops.

Stefan's Indian Ale pours hazy orange with a frothy white head. Moderately sweet and fruity on the intake with malt, orange peel, pine and peach. The finish is dry and mildly bitter. Quite a short and sweet fruity aftertaste with honey, pine and apricot. Brewed with wheat and having low carbonation the mouthfeel is light, smooth and creamy. Although you can feel the alcohol it does not shine through.

As much as I enjoy all the American ales I have blogged about recently this one makes a nice refreshing change from the little hop bombs. I was really getting into this one by the end of the 75cl bottle as it warmed and the honey background became more apparent in the aftertaste. I have no problem with buying or drinking this again, preferably sharing a bottle although I did enjoy all the temperature and flavour changes that you have with the bigger bottle.

This scored a respectable 7.5/10 on the ' Honey, I've only drunk one beer but here is my car keys' Beerometer.

Alc : 7.3%
Where to buy CPH : Høkeren, Ravnsborggade 13, Kbh N

Ballast Point - Big Eye IPA

Yet another from last weeks supermarket raid...it was a big raid ! ;) No time for filler ...

This is starting to be repetitive but Ballast Point is yet another brewery from which I have not tried any of their brews before.

Wafts of tropical fruit, pine, peach and grapefruit from the pour.

Big Eye IPA pours hazy amber gold with a creamy off-white head. The taste is fruity with pine, caramel, citrus, a little malt and lot and lots of hops on the sweetish intake and ending with a dry and bitter finish. Citrus and more hops linger in the long bitter aftertaste. Lowly carbonated, the mouthfeel is creamy. No alcohol shining though.

A lot lesser malt profile than the Deschutes and Tommyknocker which I've blogged recently and are still fresh in the memory. Full on with flavour without being too hop bomb heavy it is bordering on refreshing but perhaps not light enough. Yet another that I did not realize the ABV of until finished, so not a session ale. I would have no problem with buying or drinking this again. All in all, very decent IPA for a low price when bought, bargain !

This scored 7.5/10 on the 'you know you have been drinking too much of a style when it all becomes a bit too much alike' Beerometer.

Alc : 7 %
Where to buy CPH : Superbrugsen if still in stock, otherwise the best bet is a bottle shop.

Brew Cat x 2(Ørbæk) - Golden Ale & IPA

Brewed by Ørbæk who seem to specialize in brewing organic shrug of the shoulder* and forget everyday Danish beer, this time with plagiarism at its worst and brewed for Netto ! That in itself is enough to set the alarm bells ringing. I wonder if the names Brew Hound, Brew Puppy or Brew Mongrel are already taken ?

There is a third bottle, Dark Ale, which I did not pick up as I have tasted it before. So, a brewer known for dull beer and brewed for netto for a set discount price, this can only go wrong, can't it ? Well the cheap quickly put together graphics on the bottle and the blurb 'old english brewing tradition' do not set my hopes up....

Golden Ale

Very weak waft of floral hops on the pour.

Golden ale pours cloudy gold with a white head. Fruity on the sweetish intake with floral hops, a light citrus and malt. Not much going on in the finish apart from some mild bitter hops. Quite a nice sweet aftertaste with coriander and camomile. A thin mouthfeel to this one but not over watery.

This was a lot better than expected although I had thoughts of drainpour to just drinkable before opening so this I guess ends up as mind numbingly average. I can't complain about the price anyway. Easy drinking simple summer like ale that is totally inoffensive. Not one I'd buy again though I would have no problems drinking it again if offered a bottle.

This scored 3/10 on the ' oh, yet another average organic' Beerometer

Alc : 4.5%

Where to buy CPH : Netto

IPA

Not enough aroma off this on the pour to warrant a mention.

IPA pours a hazy yellow with a frothy white head.  Sweet grassy intake with hops and butterscotch with a dry and mild bitter finish.  Quite a dull hoppy aftertaste. Although watery it leaves quite an oily feeling left in the mouth.

I am not sure where the IPA is in this IPA. It is dull and totally lifeless. Our old friend diacetyl makes a come back with this and that buttery taste clings to the roof of my mouth, implants and all.. It is not one I will be buying or drinking again. Summing up, I thought this was bloody awful.

Yet again another shrug of the shoulder brew from Ørbæk. *I did forget that they do brew some decent beer, Fynsk Forår is quite tasty and worth trying.

This scored a generous 2/10 on the 'only because it is as hot as hell today otherwise it would be drainpour' Beerometer. 

Alc : 4.5%

Where to buy CPH : Netto

Deschutes - Inversion IPA

Not really in the mood of a weisse double-bill tonight I thought it was time to try yet another American brewery I have not met before from last weeks supermarket raid.

The bottle blurb from Deschutes on this promises a lot....' We worship the flower. The hop flower, that is. We know you do too. Inversion is our tribute to that flower, with plenty of balance, finesse and personality to feed the hop lover in all us'.

Ok, I guess this will be a light hop bomb ? Let's see.

Sweet floral hoppy aroma on the pour with grapefruit, peaches and pine.

Inversion IPA pours a clear coppery amber with a frothy white head. Sweet malt, caramel, pine, citrus and bitter hops on the intake while the finish is bitter and dry. It has a dark hoppy aftertaste with grapefruit and orange/lemon peel which lingers a good while. Lowly carbonated, the mouthfeel is quite oily but not in a bad way.

Very nice ale which I really enjoyed. Another IPA I would not describe as refreshing because for me there is an unknown dark background or should I say heaviness in the flavour ? I think I maybe need another bottle to help me explain what I mean better. :)  This is one I will look out for to buy and try again. Summing up, for the price I paid it is a bit of a steal. Way above average quality IPA.

This scored 8.5/10 on the ' it could go to 9 after another bottle' Beerometer.

Alc : 6.8%
Where to buy CPH : Superbrugsen until out of stock, probably best bet is a bottle shop afterwards.

Put a head on it !

Schneider Weisse - Original

Todays first Weisse was going to be a toss up between this and Weihenstephaner but of course the shop I normally buy it from was out of stock, so poor me will have to settle for this. I have drunk this many many many times before, ok a lot ! With last weeks excellent Andechser still fresh in my memory let's see how this stacks up....

Big aroma of wheat, banana and spices from the pour.

Original pours dark muddy brown with a thick off-white head. Sweet intake with wheat, some pepper and spice, banana and a touch of citrus. Quite a dry fruity acidic and bitter finish while wheat, citrus and light hops linger in the aftertaste. Smooth enough mouthfeel with peppery pricking sensation ?

One of the darkest hefeweizens I've seen. It is a pretty ugly looking beer but it certainly makes it up in taste. I think it is one of the more complex weizens as for me the flavours keep changing. I think this one and the others mentioned in this post are probably my favourite wheat beers..add the unblogged but coming hopefully soon Ayinger BrauWeisse and you can't go wrong..in my opinion of course.

This scored a familiar 9/10 on the 'weizen, wheat, hvede, wit ? ' Beerometer.

Alc : 5.4%
Where to buy CPH : Føtex

Williams Brothers(Heather Ales) - Alba

The last bottle in a historical ales of Scotland gift pack that I had, this is a Scots Pine Ale. After tasting quite a few of the other Williams Brothers range now I would recommend to anyone that has not encountered them before to give them a try, they are well worth looking out for....

A light sweet waft of fruit, hops and citrus from the pour.

Alba pours clear amber red with an off-white head. Very sweet on the intake with roasted malt, pine, caramel and light fruits while the finish is spicy with alcohol warming through. This has a long peppery spiced aftertaste with caramel and honey in the background. Quite a silky smooth mouthfeel due to the low carbonation. The alcohol, while you can feel it does not overtake the flavours.

At first I thought this was too sweet for me but after a few chugs it balanced a lot more out. I ended up quite happy drinking this as more flavours came out as it warmed in the end to room temperature. My lesson to mainly myself here is, let this one warm up a bit if you have chilled it. They do recommend room temperature on the label blurb...which depending where you are in the world and what time of year it is means absolutely zilch. In the end I enjoyed this one and would have no problem buying or drinking again...one a night is enough. My little personal gripe with this, not enough pine, I'd like more.

This scored a braw 8.5/10 on the 'Slainte mhor agad !' Beerometer.

Alc : 7.5%
Where to buy CPH : Last seen in Fish & Beer a month or so back.

Coronado - Islander IPA

Why is it when you are on a weeks holiday that the weather is crap ? Yet once you park your arse back at work the sun appears again. Not that I'm bothered as I work outside doing green fingered things but bloody irritating when the kids are off and they want to go somewhere. What this has to do with todays beer I've no idea but let's get on with it....

Another new American brewery for me that I have never had the pleasure of trying any of their beer before.

Nice big hoppy aroma with pineapple, lemon zest, grapefruit and pine from the pour.

Islander IPA pours a clear orange gold with a thick and creamy white head. Sweet caramel malt,  peaches, grapefruit,  pine and grass on the intake while the finish is dry and very hoppy bitter. Grapefruit and orange peel linger on the hoppy aftertaste. Low carbonation with a light creamy mouthfeel. No alcohol shines through.

A bit of a hop bomb light this one, meaning there is a whole lot of hoppy bitterness in it although it certainly did not distract how much I enjoyed drinking it. Easy to drink and no complaints here. I never even noticed the abv until after I finished so not one to session on. I have no problem with buying or drinking this again as summing up, a very good quality IPA.

This scored 8/10 on the ' everybody remembers vanilla ice ice baby, but what about that other one hit wonder Snow with informer...nobody understood a word though they pretended they did.' Beerometer.

Alc : 7%
Where to buy CPH : Superbrugsen had it last week as a one-off, might be available from a bottle shop.

Greene King - Wexford Irish Creme Ale

You get quite a lot Greene King beers or should I say Greene King owned, Belhaven for one, in the supermarket aisles here nowadays. I used to buy the Abbot Ale pre-craft danish beer revolution quite a lot as it was a refreshing change from the norm, not that the beer itself is any great shakes. This widget canned Wexford that is nowhere to be seen on their website popped up here a couple of years ago and I've been meaning to try it but passed every time until now....

No real aroma worth mentioning due to the nitro pour and head apart from a bit of wet carboard.

Wexford pours clear copper with an thick off-white nitro head. Toffee, malt and faint hops on the sweet intake while the finish is moderately bitter and dry. It has a slight hoppy aftertaste with a burnt caramel in the background. Smooth and creamy mouthfeel as you would expect from a nitro widget can.

This was better than I expected though it is still a very average easy drinking ale. There is not a huge lot going on with this and by the bottom of the glass the word 'bland' popped up in my head. As you might guess, this is not one I will be buying or drinking again. If I wanted something similar like this I think I would rather go for a Kilkenny which is more widely available here in pubs and supermarkets.


This scored a generous 3/10 on the 'at least it's not Caffreys' Beerometer.

Alc : 5%
Where to buy CPH : Larger Superbrugsen & Kvickly supermarkets.

Tommyknocker - Pick Axe IPA

The first from a series of beer I picked up from the local supermarket  last week when they had a whole bunch of American craft beers in.... Not a brewery I've tried any from before so looking at their website I do like the fact they list what hops that are used in each beer, which is something I wish more breweries would do.

Big aromas from the bottle and pour of grapefruit, pine and hops.

Pick Axe pours cloudy amber with a creamy off-white head. Malt, citrus peel and floral on the sweetish intake while the long finish is bitter. Caramel and malt linger in quite a dark metallic hoppy aftertaste. It has a nice enough light mouthfeel without being watery. No alcohol shines through.

Very malty for an IPA though not a huge distraction, it is more of a nice surprise. It is not an ale I would call refreshing despite being light, mainly due to all the maltiness it became more of a light sipping ale. I quite enjoyed this without being totally bowled over by it. Not one I will be running out to buy but I would have no problems drinking this again if the offer came up. All in all, a decent IPA that is a good bit above average.

This scored 7/10 on the ' I want to go out, don't know if I can, 'cause I'm so afraid of the Tommyknocker man'.. Beerometer.

Alc : 6.2%
Where to buy CPH : Superbrugsen, though no doubt some bottle shops will carry it.

Williams Brothers(Heather Ales) - Fraoch

I've been keeping this one back for a while. I don't know why as I thought the Ebulum was extremely good, perhaps because of a Scottish overdose after finishing all the Cairgorm range. After tasting a few of their other brews the past weekend when out I think it is time to give this heather ale a go....

Sweet malt and ginger spice waft from this on the pour.

Fraoch pours clear amber gold with a creamy white head which leaves good lacing all the way down.  Sweet on the intake with mild ginger, floral from the heather, honey and malt. The finish is crisp and slightly bitter with a sharpness from the ginger. Honey, malt and heather linger in a very pleasant aftertaste. Lowly carbonated, there is a smooth mouthfeel to this.

I quite like this. It is light, refreshing and very easy to drink. You would not go far wrong if drinking this as a summer ale. While there is nothing earth shattering about it I would have no problem drinking this on a session on or buying again. No gripes on this one, I must be in a good mood.

This scored 6/10 on the 'Heather, remember the boots I made for you ?' Beerometer.

Alc : 5%
Where to buy CPH : Last seen available in Fish & Beer a month ago.

Shorts - Good Humans

Normally when I try a beer from a brewer that I have not encountered before I like to go in blind, open minded to put it another way. However with this bottle I needed to look up what this beer was as there is no ABV or best before date on the bottle which makes it pretty much illegal to sell here..so firstly I have to trust the bottle shop that this is in date and secondly the brewer..If you are going to put Passion - Humility - Wisdom on the label, how about bothering to also state the ABV ?

A burnt toast aroma on the pour along with toffee and roasted malt.

Good Humans pours a dark murky amber brown with an off-white head. Roasted malt, caramel, piney hops and hazelnuts in the intake while the finish is dry, mildly bitter hoppy and has a warming alcohol. Very nice long aftertaste of toffee and hazelnuts. The mouthfeel is almost chewy. Alcohol does shine through on this but not enough to detract the flavours or the beer in general.

Not the best looking beer once poured but certainly makes up for the lack of looks with taste. Although drinking this 'off-season' I really enjoyed this one. I would have no problem buying or drinking this again, preferably in the darker months sitting by the side of a roaring fire while contemplating no doubt why my football team is doing so crap. Summing up, a very ugly looking beer which after drinking a few you would have no shame to take home to your parents.

This scored a very respectable 8/10 on the 'it would have been 9 if it was not for the ABV bollocks' Beerometer.

Alc : 8%..which they also do not state on their website, lazy humans.

Where to buy CPH : Høkeren, Ravnsborggade 13, Kbh N

Everards - Original

I have no idea how this ale is perceived in its home UK market but here in Denmark it is in the discount range of coop owned supermarkets and always on offer for as low as 5 DKR a can along with oranjeboom, haacht primus, marstons oyster stout !(an absolute steal) and three from Kaiserdom. Some of which will come in later posts, probably when I'm broke and have declared myself bankrupt... So, pure speculation and guessing, I reckon this is the biggest selling English ale in Denmark.

For the price alone I have set my expectations low, very low since I noticed it says 'premium' on the can which alerts my spidey senses.....


Light waft of caramel, fruit and hops on the pour.

Everards Original pours clear coppery amber with an off-white head. Sweet on the intake with malt, caramel and muted floral hops. The finish is metallic and mildly bitter. This has what I can only describe as a metallic toffee in the aftertaste which is not as unpleasant as it sounds. Light mouthfeel which is a bit watery.

I'm left surprised by this. It is not bad as feared and I've certainly had a lot worse. The ingredients list hop extract, I'm left wondering if that is what the metallic like taste is ? Answers on a postcard please !
It is not one I'd run down to the supermarket after yet I've no problem buying or drinking this again...It is average, but what do you expect at the price ? Well I could mention Marstons Oyster Stout but that is for a later date.

This scores 3.5/10 on the ' I seen a 40ish year old hipster with a brown leather old school satchel earlier today and I'm still laughing to myself' Beerometer.


Alc : 4.7%
Where to buy CPH : All larger coop owned supermarkets.

Alesmith - Alesmith X

A happy fourth of july to any American readers ! Today, as a good enough excuse as any for me I am holding a little American beer tasting session tonight with a couple of friends. Along with pulled pork, ribs and wings on the menu...I feel American already, how do I win a green card ?

This one comes recommended to me by an American who raves and raves over this and Alesmith Speedway Stout which I have not had the pleasure of trying yet. It would be rude not to try it before tonight as a pre-bash warm up...

Wafts of grapefruit, peaches and hops from the pour.

Alesmith X pours a hazy yellow gold with a fluffy white head. Citrus, pine, lemon peel, floral hops and peach syrup in the background on the intake ending in a light bitter finish. Grapefruit, lemon and pale malt linger in the aftertaste. Nice light mouthfeel without being watery.

Very nice tasting pale ale to start the day on. Easy to drink and here is that word again...refreshing. I would have no problems buying this again(overpriced) or drinking this on a session. My only gripes are there are many comparable or better craft pale ales available this side of the pond for a lot less money so I am not so sure this has that extra going for it despite the high score below as there is no wow factor for me to make it stand out.

This scored 8.5/10 on the 'is that speech in the movie 'independence day' the most cringeworthy ever ?' Beerometer.

Alc : 5.25%
Where to buy CPH : Høkeren, Ravnsborggade 13, Kbh N....also seen in Kihoskh.

Randers Bryghus - Hvede

Following on from the Andechs I was thinking of pulling out another from one of the renowned German weiss brewers but changed my mind. So, how about a Danish one instead...This one says on the label that the brew is inspired from German Weiss, let's see.

Faint wafts of yeast,cloves and citrus from the pour.

Hvede pours cloudy orange with a quick collapsing fluffy white head. The intake is moderately sweet with wheat, cloves, lemon and banana very much in the background while it finishes lightly bitter and dry. Has a short sweetish aftertaste with citrus and cloves. Good mouthfeel but too much carbonation for my liking.

A middle of the road wheat and extremely average. I would not even say it was refreshing. With this on the supermarket shelf right next to a Schneider Original for the same price there is only going to be one outcome which would end up in my basket. Perhaps a bit unfair as there is in fact nothing wrong with this beer though it does nothing to get my juices going. So, not one I would bother buying or drinking again.

This scored 3/10 on the 'at least their Vienna is a lot better' Beerometer.

Alc : 5.6%
Where to buy CPH : Superbrugsen and Kvickly.

Klosterbrauerei Andechs - Andechser Weissbier Hell

Also known as Weissbier Hefetrüb in some markets. Not my first encounter with Andechs having sampled nearly all their range before while down in Germany...

Someone asked me about how do I judge a hefeweizen if it is a good one or not ? Also, when truth be told they can become a bit samey with the same basic flavours....

Well, this might be bullshit to some but I look down the glass when it is up to the mouth with a pretty full glass, if there is a tiny thin water ring on the edge of the beer then it is normally a cheaply made weiss, that applies to other beer styles as well. You will get this with most weissbiers at the end of the glass, even this one so judge it at least half-full.  It should be full bodied and the flavours should combine together with nothing over dominant.  It should not be watery or harsh in the mouthfeel.. If it is there is not enough wheat in it, which again means cheaply made.

That is my simple own take on it and works for me in most cases though the saying 'opinions are like arseholes....' springs to mind.

Wafts of banana, cloves, yeast and a light citrus on the pour.

Weissbier Hell pours hazy orange with a fluffy white head. Wheat, yeast, citrus, spice and a mild banana on the moderately sweet intake with faint floral hops in the fruity finish. Yeast, cloves and lemon linger in the aftertaste. Silky smooth mouthfeel due to the low carbonation.

This is one of the top class hefeweizens in my book. There is nothing to make you look into space as if it is the second coming of the stone roses but it does the job. Refreshing and easy to drink. I've no problem with buying or drinking another. I also have no gripes that I can think of...what the helles ?

This scored 9/10 on the 'weizen, wheat, hvede, wit ? ' Beerometer.

Alc : 5.5%
Where to buy CPH : Høkeren, Ravnsborggade 13, Kbh N..Also seen in other bottle shops at different times.

Porterhouse - An Brainblásta

I'm having a week off from work this week, so today I went on a little hunt down to the local supermarket as they have a lot of American craft beer in as a nod to the fourth of july. I managed to pick up eleven different ones I have not tried before. All of which will no doubt appear in future posts after I get some old stock out the way....

After being impressed with this brewers Celebration Stout  I spotted this one hidden at the back of a beer cooler in the local corner shop(again).

I do like the blurb on this which includes "Not just for students. Once 'stuffed' savour the flavour of a glass as a digestif..true aroma therapy". I dunno about the being stuffed part as lunch was a distant memory...

Light waft of sweet malt and dark fruits.

An Brainblásta pours clear ruby red with a creamy off-white head with low carbonation. Roasted malt, caramel, some spice and floral hops on the intake while the finish is sour and lightly bitter. Bitter metallic aftertaste with prunes and figs. This has quite a light and creamy mouthfeel.

I was expecting more and feel slightly let down by this. I thought the aftertaste was a bit unpleasant and the alcohol shone a bit too much through for my liking. While it was a decent enough strong ale there was no wow or 'bejeezus, that tastes good' factor, so not one I would buy or try again. In saying that, I feel this is definitely one of them beers that are for the winter months.

This scored a generous 6/10 on the 'Tha mi ag larraidh briosgaid !' Beerometer.

Alc : 7%
Where to buy CPH : Kihoskh, Sønder Boulevard 53, Kbh V

Refsvindinge - Prima Landøl

Taking a break from American imports it is time to look at another 'everyday' Danish beer.

Refsvindinge could be called a starting point for craft beer drinkers in Denmark, specifically Ale 16 is the beer that many Danes started their voyage away from the monopolies of the big brewers. It was the first Danish ale I ever tried which back then was a revelation to me and opened my eyes.

Quite similar to Newcastle brown ale and a lot of others I think the quality of it has gone down over the years, perhaps in line with all the E-numbers, whatever else they are adding nowadays and probably using lesser quality ingredients ? It certainly does not taste the same as 'back in the day' though that may be due to the fact that there is a huge choice of better beer out there now.

On to the beer this post is about...This is a smoked pils !

What a great smell. Wafts of bonfire smoke, malt and burnt caramel from the pour.

Prima Landøl pours clear dark gold with a small white head that quickly dissipates. Smoke, malt, caramel and a hint of hops on the intake while it ends with a light bitter smokey finish. Next to nothing in the short aftertaste apart from more smoked malt.  It has a watery and light mouthfeel.

I would have enjoyed this a whole lot more if it was not for being so watery. Nice tasting Danish 'rauchbier' that is a lot more subtle than the German counterparts. Apart from being too watery I have no complaints. I would have no problem buying or drinking this again but I would choose Krenkerup Rauch over this as a Danish alternative, which is very similar and more widely available.

This scored 3.5/10 on the 'smoooooookkkiing' Beerometer.

Alc : 4.6%
Where to buy CPH : Høkeren, Ravnsborggade 13, Kbh N.

Green Flash - Grand Cru

Moving into dangerous territory with me for the last part in a American quadruple of posts. This one being styled a Belgian Strong Ale. If you have read this blog before then you will have read that I am very indifferent, or perhaps the correct word being moody concerning Belgian Ales, one minute the worlds best beer and the next totally turned off.

On to Green Flash Grand Cru..I have had the pleasure of trying a few of their range before from generous friends which have mostly ended up in the positive scale with me. Will this one ?

Wafts of roast malt, dark fruits and yeast from the pour.

Green Flash pours dark ruby brown with a thick and creamy beige head. Roasted malt, caramel, figs, prunes and dark berries on the sweet intake while the finish is bitter dark chocolate, yeast and with warming alcohol. Dark berries, figs and dates linger in a quite fruity aftertaste. While you feel the alcohol from this it is not overpowering and taking away anything from the flavours. Silky and creamy mouthfeel.

This one was a grower on me as I was not getting along with it on the initial few sips. I ended up really enjoying this although it ended one of the 'I've tried it, now move on' type ales for me. So, while this is not one I will be buying again I would not say no to a glass if offered.

This scored 8.5/10 on the 'been there, done it' Beerometer.

Alc : 9.1%
Where to buy CPH :  Høkeren, Ravnsborggade 13, Kbh N