Mikkeller Big Bad Barley Wine

Formerly brewed at Mikkeller
Style: Barley Wine
Copenhagen V, Denmark

LCRBM. Hazy dark orange. Sweet aroma, spices. Fruity, oranges (marmelade?) and then indeed, lovely big hopattack. Lingers very long, great beer.

Bottled, 11%, sampled at LC-RBM. Aroma is very herbal with sweet fruits. Cloudy, brown color, beige head, good lace. Easy start, sweet, herbal and then you swallow. Kaboum! Bitterness and hops hops hops exploding and burning in your throat. Unblanced but what a surprise drinking this beer.

Hazy brown to amber; small yellowish head. Great dry American hopsnose, grapey, super like the best I²PA’s. Sweet, cake-y first impression going on to dry hoppy, light-bitter taste, great balance. Very full-bodied, but it appears lighter by the dryness/hoppiness. Ends smooth-velvety. Great BW, though it is as much Double IPA as Barley Wine.

Bottle at the RBG Low Countries 2005 tasting session
Creamy, off-white head, which diminishes mostly. Muddy, deep amber body. Intense aroma of flowers, liquor and alcohol, maybe a little bit too intense. Lightly sweet, moderately bitter initial flavour. Lightly sweet, heavily bitter, long finish. Fully bodied, soft carbonation. The finish is quite weird in contrast to the initial flavour. The initial flavour is good, but then suddenly a flavour-bomb explodes and attacks your tastebuds. Nice and very interesting.

Fresh, clean, hoppy aroma is vibrant with orange blossoms. Hazy burnished copper coloured body with dense, fine-bubbled, off-white head that lasts well. Strong orange, floral hops with thick, chewy malt character and a pleasantly roasty finish. Medium-full body is quite sticky in the mouth despite moderate carbonation. Sampled on tap at RBESG 2005.

50 cl bottle. GREAT beer! Aroma is near-perfect with a very intense nose. Appearance couldn’t be better - nice and dark with fantastic foam. Flavor is just right up my alley, nice and hoppy with a marvellous sweetness. Mouthfeel nice and comfortable as well. Overall, the best barley wine I’ve tasted, and definitely one of my top 10 beers. I absolutely LOVE it!!!

RBESG 2005, Murky brown colour with a dense off white head. Malty aroma with a nice dark fruit sweetness and hints of some hoppyness. Light roasted malty flavor with hints of chocolate and earth. Hoppy dry finish.

50 cl bottle. Served in Nørrebro Bryghus ale glass. Hazy amber. Big, off-white head. The aroma is powerfully citrusy and resiny w/ underlying sweetness. The flavor is big and in-your-face, brimming w/ citrusy hop freshness and sweet malt goodness. Impressively balanced. Mouthfeel is full and pleasant, and drinkability is good. A really enjoyable and thoroughly well-made barleywine.