Mikkeller Big Worse Barley Wine

Mikkeller
Brewed at De Proefbrouwerij
Style: Barley Wine
Copenhagen V, Denmark

A thin, woody barley wine. A decent sipper but by no means this brewer’s best work and inferior to the very best of the style. Poured caramel-brown with a fat beige cap. The alcohol is prominent in the nose. This almost smelled like a fortified wine - tokay, sherry, etc. Stewed fruits and figs, grape juice, a pinch of white pepper and a floral note. The palate seemed thin for a barley wine packing this much grunt - a minor flaw IMO. In the mouth, it seems quite simple for the style and a little abrupt, with that sharp alcoholic finish. Sweet and sherry-like, with candied fruit and liquid brown sugars to the fore. I found the turpentine-woody notes heavy going. Overall, too thin, too woody. (375ml bottle from Platinum Liquor. BB 2/7/12)

thick rusty brown, no head and very little carb. Aroma stonefruit, malt, oak and some citrussy hop in the background. flavours are sweet malt, dark candisugar, stonefruit, caramel, alcohol. great beer, a little less alcohol and it would be superb.

mostly alcohol on the nose, plus sweet malt, some fruit/berry comes through,grains. flavor is all that plus more alcohol. would probably be really nice to let one age 5 or so years.

Bottle shared by badnewsbeers. Fiery red-brown, sediment-laden body, thin buff clumping head. Nose of hot, burnt caramel, alcohol, and oxidized citrusy, piny hops. Sweet body with caramel and brown sugar, with a cerealy Fruity Pebbles character, tea-like with oxidized, faded citric hops. This tasted past its prime.

Pours a flat amber colour. Very alcohol nose, almost uninviting. Very nice taste though. Has a distinct alcohol flavor but taste is dominantly dried fruit. Raisins shine through the most with slight sourness of dried cherries. Finishes oily. Aging one for later.

Dark copper colour with a minimal beige head that dies fast leaving some bubbles at best. Aroma is very caramell oriented and sweet, almost sirupy with notes of dried fruit. Flavour is rather full, a bit sticky with lots of dried fruit, straightforward and simple with a rather full sticky body. Alcohol was fairly well hidden and provided a nice warming sensation.

Almost flat upon opening, this comes out cloudy, almost opaque brownish garnet tinted. Neglectable head. From the first whiff, it is clear that we’re dealing with a beer that aims at the liquorous genre. A fair fruitiness feels like a berry wine with cherries, blackberries, earth, leaves being the main noticeable culprits. In mouth though, its 12% alcohol comes with a vengeance, annihilating any other flavour in the very hot finish. Drinkability is of course minimal, but even as a sipper, it has more burning intensity than I desire. The initial desserty hints (think nuts and chocolate) gradually make room to raisiny leather as it warms the throat going down. Brash beer which I can’t get into.

Burgundy amber pour with a minimal head. Nice malty aroma with some slight alcohol. Bitterness followed by some sweet flavor is fabulous with very nice warming down the throat. Very nice.