De Molen Cuvée

Brewed by Brouwerij de Molen
Style: American Strong Ale
Bodegraven, Netherlands

Vat at the European Beer Festival, Copenhagen. Served an unclear, dark brown body under a small, beige head. Alcohol-strong nose with roasted malt, fresh and dried fruits. Raisins more than prunes and other dried fruits. Sweet in the mouth with an alcohol warmth. Roasted malt, dried fruits and oak as well. Full-bodied, slightly sticky mouthfeel. Lasting finish with the flavors found initially. A gorgeous beer, but demanding to drink. Demanding in a good way. (080912)

(Bottle #68 at Pikkulintu on 2008-07-11) Dark brown. Hazy. Tan coloured quickly disappearing medium sized head. Fruity and salty nose. Full bodied and quite dry palate with little carbonation. Fruitiness, malts, wine, sweetness, sourness and bitterness in taste. Sour and bitter aftertaste. Very interesting.

From cask at European Beerfestival Copenhagen 2008. Dark brown no head. Nuts, chocolate, cherry, red wine aroma. Port, wood, tobacco, chocolate tastenotes. Medium dry body low carbonation. Cherry and tobacco aftertaste.

(EBF 2008) Dark amber color, small head. Nuttyfruity aroma. Alcohol flavor. Malty and spicy, some oak and vinous notes, but too much alcohol.

A Mes rate: bottle no. 164 thanks to the very generous Menno.
Supped this at home with Sim and HogTownHarry. Now this is a mad one. Almost black brown colour with a thick and creamy tan head that can be added to as you wish with a swill. An initial smell of soap dies quickly once it has had time to breathe and blossoms into something truly stunning. Oak and alcohol are right there at the front but do not at all over power the gorgeousness that is underneath. Damn this is getting better by the minute. Full of leather, vanilla, amazing wooden notes, beautifully floral character from the hops, thick Belgian chocolate, it’s all over the place. So much character. The alcohol is perhaps a little bit harsh but it’s just so adorably done I don’t care. The flavour still has that little hint of something slightly soapy but now it seems to come more from the barrel giving it a crazy wooden tartness. Incredible fruit, sweet almost appley type notes, superb bretty type funk and lashings of liquorice and chocolate. An extremely bitter finish seems to come out of nowhere and is what really makes this quite unique. Superb width in the mouth and coats the whole palate beautifully. I can’t help but feel that this would be even better if it was allowed to sour for a little longer then blended with a 1/3 more of fresh stuff. All the same this is still a masterpiece and I think it still has more to give. Can’t thank you enough for this Menno, it’s fantastic.

Cask at EBF 2008. Dark brown and hazy. Has an off-white head, mostly diminishing. Yeasty aroma, notes of port-wine, sherry, sharp. Pepper. Heavy sweet starting flavor, bitter finish. Warming alcohol.

75 cl corked bottle, nr 137 of 289. Pours an almost black brown with a small tan head and a deep, almost cognac-like sweet and alcoholic aroma, some ripe prunes and roasted nuts can be smelled too. the taste is intense, sweet, vinous , port-like, ripe red fruits, sweet and roasted malts,. A very warming brew with a long finish which is slightly bitter. Great brew!

75 cl bottle at Hopheads´ fourth tasting - in my garage. Bought at Ølkonsortiet, Aalborg. Very dark brown, lovely light brown head. Aroma is vinous and dark dried fruit. Flavor is vinous, oak, dark dried fruit, roasted malt and some sourness. Dry finish. Absolutely lovely!