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

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.