Mikkeller - Beer Hop Breakfast

Before I launch into what will hopefully be the first of two or three blogs this week I might as well get all the pre-waffle into this one....Nope, can't think of anything to say after a really crappy monday at work. I've a good idea what I'm going to get from this beer, let's just get on with it...

No wait...shopping for tonights evening meal in the supermarket they had a range of christmas beers out already, a bit early is it not ? I refuse to have a xmas brew at least until the 1st Nov. 2 years ago I did a 100 different xmas beers before xmas challenge thing, last year I did 50 (i was still recovering from an intestine infection, friggin painful btw). This year I will pick and choose very carefully as last years were to be honest, mainly crap due to over use of orange peel in a whole lot of brews. According to pre-blog notes, Delirium - Noel got the biggest nod last year.

Ok, now let's get on with it...

Big citrusy hop and pine aroma along with roasted malt, coffee and chocolate from the pour.

BHB pours black with a creamy brown head. Quite a sweet intake with strong coffee, dark dark chocolate, roasted malt and grapefruit leading to a heavily roasted and hoppy bitter finish. Long lingering aftertaste of strong coffee, dark bitter chocolate again and some floral hops. Low carbonation, medium bodied and has quite a light oily mouthfeel.  Despite the warming presence, no alcohol shines through to disturb any of the flavours.

It says black IPA on the bottle..I dunno why it does not just say extra hopped coffee stout :) I can't remember ever drinking a duffer from Mikkeller, maybe the Tjekket pils was a bit boring, but apart from that I have enjoyed and liked nearly everyone I have drunk, this being no exception. Very tasty and easy to drink despite the highish abv. While not quite reaching the level of the beer geek brews I would have no problem drinking this again. If you can find it it is worth a try.

This scored a solid 8/10 on the ' beer geeks, we're just not for christmas you know' Beerometer.

Alco : 7.5%
Where to buy CPH : Bought at Kihoskh, Sønder Boulevard 53, Kbh V about a month ago.

Mikkeller - Beer Geek Brunch Weasel

With all the Mikkeller posts someone asked me about this one and if I would blog it. Well here we go, much hyped and rated in various places in the top 25 beers in the world. Not that I have much time for ratings sites as I am very skeptical of beer tickers, the numbers game and comments of 'one dimensional' and 'boring' 600 times but hey, if that is how some people get their kicks out of beer then fair play to them.

Onto the beer in question. I can't say I am going in blind as I have had this before pre-blog. Blurb first...

This imperial Oatmeal stout is brewed with one of the world’s most expensive coffees, made from droppings of weasel-like civetcats. The fussy Southeast Asian animals only eat the best and ripest coffee berries.Enzymes in their digestive system help to break down the bean. Workers collect the bean-containing droppings for Civet or Weasel Coffee. The exceedingly rare Civet Coffee has a strong taste and an even stronger aroma.

Big aroma of coffee, heavy roasted malt, chocolate and light hops from the pour.

Brunch Weasel pours pitch black with a creamy light brown head. Heavy dark roasted malt on the sweet intake with strong coffee, bitter dark chocolate and a touch of pine while the finish is quite hoppy and bitter. This has a long lasting aftertaste of malt, coffee and dark chocolate. Softly carbonated, the mouthfeel is smooth and creamy. While you can certainly feel the warming presence of the alcohol it does not shine through to impair the flavour.

For quite a miserable monday..what a start to the week ! Now I am not the greatest fan of coffee in stouts as some can be overpowering and in some cases I'm left wondering if they chucked it in for the sake of it however with this I can only come to the conclusion that the world needs more coffee bean eating weasels ! I really really, no really enjoyed this one and it was a total pleasure to drink. Definitely one you could drink as a treat for yourself. Summing up, if I had only 25 beers to drink before my lights go out this would be one of them. Hunt it down and give it a try.

This scores a perfect 10/10 on the 'did you expect anything lower on this, the 'raters' got it right this time ?' Beerometer.

Alc : 10.9%
Where to buy CPH : Kihoskh, Ølbutikken, Fish & Beer & Høkeren all stock it.

Mikkeller - Sort Gul

With my holiday coming to an end I might as well get back into the swing of things again.This one is styled as a black IPA.....

Light aroma of roasted malt, chocolate, hops and licorice from the pour.

Sort Gul pours black with a thick tan head. Sweet roasted malt on the hoppy intake along with dark bitter chocolate, sharp grapefruit and sweet licorice which leads into a dry and bitter citrusy finish. This leaves a long aftertaste in the mouth of grapefruit, pine and licorice. Lowly carbonated, the mouthfeel is soft and oily though not in a bad way.

Quite a weird tasting beer this one though I did enjoy it. I'm not quite sure of the all the licorice through this which of course is what I personally taste, someone else could taste something totally different. I would drink this again although it is not one I would rush out to buy. Word of warning, I ended up with a huge amont of sediment floating about in the glass after as was not paying attention when pouring, no matter to me as I don't mind however if you like it sediment free, pour carefully. Summing up, a nice enough beer if on the lookout to try something different.

This scored a generous 7/10 on the 'my least favourite Mikkeller in a long time ?' Beerometer.

Alc : 7.3%
Where to buy CPH : Kihoskh, Sønder Boulevard 53, Kbh V

Mikkeller - U Alright ?

Bloody right I am, combined with a lazy sunday and officially now on holiday I can sit back and relax for a couple of weeks. As I wrote previously posts will be less frequent over this period. Back to beer, yet another newish beer from the unstoppable Danish brewer Mikkeller, this time styled as a Belgian Wild Ale....

Big punchbowl fruit aroma from the pour on this with pineapple, citrus, peach, pine, yeast and floral hops.

U Alright pours hazy orange gold with a soapy bubble white head. Light and thin bodied, the intake is dry and with a touch of sweetness along with citrus, peach, pine and a sharp malt taste while the finish is bitter and dry. Floral hops and citrus linger in the dry aftertaste. This has a light and watery mouthfeel.

A whole bunch of flavours appear in this despite the lowish alcohol with the yeasty dryness present from start to finish. Light, refreshing and easy to drink I would have no problem drinking another few of these. Summing up, an excellent summer ale that might be a bit too light bodied for some.

This scored 7.5/10 on the ' by the time you have read this there will be a new one released' Beerometer.

Alc : 4.5%
Where to buy CPH : I was given this one as a gift but I have seen it in Kihoskh, Sønder Boulevard 53  and Ølbutikken, Istedgade 44, both Kbh V.

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.

Mikkeller - Beer Geek Vanilla Shake

The second of a stout double and latest in the 'Beer Geek' range from Mikkeller. I love a good oatmeal stout, I like coffee and vanilla but all three together, will it blend ?...

Nice aroma of dark chocolate along with coffee and vanilla from the pour.

Vanilla Shake pours pitch black with a thick creamy milk chocolate brown head. Very intense flavours in the intake of dark chocolate, malt, strong roasted coffee, dark berries and a subtle sweet vanilla which ends in a mildly bitter finish with warming alcohol. Roasted coffee and dark chocolate are most prominent at the start of the aftertaste then the vanilla creeps in and rounds it off. Very rich mouthfeel to this, almost chewy.

I was surprised by how subtle the vanilla was in this. I was expecting more but it blends in well with the other flavours so no single flavour is dominant. Yet another cracking beer ! Definitely one I would happily sip to while watching repeats of top gear for the 5th time on a sunday night. My only gripe would be I think there is too much alcohol though it is well hidden and certainly hits the spot with me. Another one bottle only, reserved for a special occasion or a treat for myself.

This scored 9.5/10 on the 'damn, now that would make a great nightcap' Beerometer.


Alc : 13%
Where to buy CPH : Kihoskh, Sønder Boulevard 53, Kbh V

Mikkeller - Beer Geek Breakfast

Breaking my 'I don't drink stout in the summer' motto yet again as I picked up a couple of stouts during a little hunt around a couple of bottle shops on friday. I have had this before when it was brewed at Nøgne Ø,  it is now brewed at Lervig.

Wafts of coffee and dark chocolate on the pour.

Beer Geek breakfast pours pitch black with a thick creamy brown head which leaves good lacing all the way down. Roasted malt, coffee, chocolate, licorice and a bit of smoke on the very slightly sweet intake while the finish has a mild pine bitterness. Roasted malt, coffee and hoppy pine linger in the long aftertaste. The mouthfeel is very smooth and creamy with low carbonation. The coffee taste is rounded and not overpowering all the other flavours. I feel it is far less acidic than other coffee stouts I have tried.

An absolute cracking beer and probably one of the best oatmeal stouts I've tried. One of them beers I'd recommend to any stout lover to try. I would have no problem with trading one of my kids for another bottle though it is not at all expensive or hard to get. It is not a beer I could drink more than one, more like one I would drink on a special occasion or as a treat for myself.

The first beer to score 10/10 on the ' all things considered, it don't get much better than this' Beerometer.

Alc : 7.5%
Where to buy CPH : Høkeren  which I've noticed is a good bit cheaper than the other bottle shops on most of their beers. Another win !

Mikkeller Kihoskh - Cream Ale

Another in the series of Kihoskh's own brew. This was not in stock the last time I was in but I popped in today and picked this up and a few others. Bit chaotic in that corner shop today though I did have a smile on my face at two ladies who looked like they knew exactly what they were going for, in this case a few bottles from  Evil Twin and To Øl, respect to them ! Male chauvinist, who me ?

I've had this one before quite a few times over the last year or so...

Wafts of orange, lemon peel, peach and hops hit the nose on the pour.

Cream Ale pours a hazy golden orange with a medium white head. Lots of citrus fruit on the intake, well it does say 'with orange and lemon peel' on the label, along with a faint malt background and a moderate bitter finish. Pine and grapefruit dominate the quite long aftertaste.

Another fine summer beer, for me anyway. As said I've had this a few times now so obviously no problems buying again. I do have a gripe though...what makes this a cream ale ? Answers on a postcard please !

This scored 7/10 on my 'thank f... it's not a wheat' Beerometer.

Alc : 5%
Where to buy CPH : Kihoskh, Sønder Boulevard 53, Kbh V

Mikkeller - Åarh Hvad ?

Another Mikkeller from fridays trip to Kihoskh, though not a 'brewed for', just Mikkeller.

It seems like there is a new Mikkeller beer out each week, well there is and a bit more according to the local beer news site. Last year Mikkeller released 91 new beers, 87 made their way to the Danish market which is an incredible amount.

Årrh Hvad ?, eng: pronounced like Orrr -val(very soft l) -putting it together sounds like Orval, is a Belgian Pale Ale. So is it a clone of Orval ? Pours cloudy amber and with a soapy off-white head. Lively in the glass when poured. I get pine, caramel, orange peel and sour gooseberry on the intake while the finish is dry and tangy with a warming from the alcohol which lingers in the mouth a good while.

I'm very moody when it comes to Belgian ales, either I love them or they can become overpowering and too much very quickly. I did enjoy this one but doubt I would bother buying another though I would not say no if offered one. This scored 7.5/10 on my lazy sunday beerometer.

Alc : 6.8%
Where to buy : Kihoskh, Sønder Boulevard 53, Kbh V

MIkkeller Kihoskh - IPALOT

The latest offering in the range brewed for Kihoskh.

A lot of florals, mango and hops coming off when uncapping. Pours cloudy orange gold with a thin lasting white head though I got taken by surprise by the amount of carbonation when pouring, have I mentioned before my concentration level is around zero ?

 On the intake I get, you know dried mango and the syrup like taste you get off it when chewing, well that's it and floral hops while in the aftertaste quite a medium to heavy bitterness with a citrus background. No alcohol shines through.

A cracking IPA which once again with this 'brewed for' range and considering how cheap it is it's a lot of quality for the price...like ordering a rump steak and getting brought a chateaubriand by mistake, a steal.

This scored 8/10 on my beerometer.

Alc : 6.3%
Where to buy : Kihoskh, Sønder Boulevard 53, KBH V

Mikkeller Kihoskh - IPA

I think I should give a demographic of where I stay as it is a bit of a hotbed in Copenhagen in relation to the availability of good and great beer. Within a 500m radius I have the Mikkeller Bar, his brothers beer shop Ølbutikken, the already mentioned Kihoskh and Fermentoren Bar,  not the worst place to stay :)

On to the beer, another of Mikkellers brewed for Kihoskh selection. IPA pours hazy amber with a fluffy off-white head. Lots of floral hops and citrus on the intake and finishing sharp with grapefruit, herbs and pine. No alcohol shines through. Decent and above average as you would expect IPA that scores 7.5/10 on the beerometer.

Alc : 6%
Where to buy : Kihoskh, Sønder Boulevard 53, KBH V

Mikkeller Kihoskh - Døszt?

Døszt, english pronounced 'Doo -sht'..The sound made when thowing/landing a punch kung fu movie soundtrack style.

This beer is a Premium Lager that actually is Premium. It's quite shocking to think that I can choose to buy a bottle of this for 22 Danish Kroner or buy a so-called 'Premium' Euro industrial lager for just a couple of kroner less.

Brewed for my local corner shop Kihoskh, which have had eight others brewed for them over the past few years. It's one I always pick up when in there and was my favourite summer beer last year.

Big aroma from the bottle once uncapped of a big bowl of oranges and lemons and tropical fruits. Pours hazy golden with a lasting creamy head. A lot of pine, citrus and tropical fruit, I'd say mostly pineapple on the intake while leaving a dry mildly bitter aftertaste with citrus and hops that leaves your mouth running.

A belter of a beer considering the price though not really surprising as every Mikkeller beer I've had has been a cut above. This one reached 8/10 on the beerometer.

Alc : 5%
Where to buy : Kihoskh, Sønder Boulevard 53, KBH V