Mikkeller Draft Bear

Mikkeller
Brewed at De Proefbrouwerij
Style: European Strong Lager
Copenhagen V, Denmark

Once you use amber malts and American hops it is outrageous to pretend this is a pilsner. It’s like trying to pass an Imperial Stout off as a superior pilsner. That said, this is delightful, sort of midway between a double and a triple American IPA, somewhere between Founders’ Double Trouble and Devil Dancer for bitterness and safely below their Devil Dancer for alcohol. Rich amber, not a pils. Cascade and Amarillo, with heavy notes of citrus and pine, not a pils. Great creamy mouth. Beautiful hazy gold with a huge foamy head, almost like a big Belgian. Just delightful. And a bonus point for pulling this off at 8% alcohol, also not a pils. Or a stout. But if I had thought I was buying a pils I would be truly angry.

Yeah yeah yeah. I’m rating a beer. From a 750. Beer is light-to-medium orange-amber colored. Head is initially very large, light beige/white, frothy/creamy. Mostly lasts as a thick, creamy skim. Bare tree branches of lacing cling low in the snifter. Lazy pin-prick bubbles trail a bee-line to the surface. Aroma is straightforward; pleasing. Malty with moderate notes of toasted bread, lighter undertones of toasted cereal, caramel cookie; Hop aroma is moderate/heavy pine resin, trace of strawberry; Yeast is present as just the faintest trace of sweat; Miscellaneous trace of white pepper. The flavor is moderately bitter in a lean/dry way, just a trace of sweetness to an otherwise lightly bitter/dry and long finish. Hint of astringency accompany piny retronasal aromas. Aftertaste left is sticky and resinous. The body is medium, the texture is watery/creamy and the carbonation is moderate. Bit piny to be a session beer for me and wouldn’t fill the bill if I were craving a straight up pils, but all-in-all it’s a fairly engaging variation.

A hazy yellow/golden colored beer, with a thick foamy white head. The aroma of bitterhops with fruits like citrus. The taste of bitter American hops with fruity sweet in a pleasant way. well balanced. The aftertaste is sweet with a lot of bitterness.

Rating 600! 750ml plastic-corked bottle. Thick, murky orange color with a big, foamy head. The aroma is sweet, with some Belgian yeast tang. The taste is sweet and malty, with a smooth thickness to it. Decent hop presence for a Belgian, very earthy. Really captures a lot of styles at once. Fruity Belgian yeast nuances, solid hop character, an almost bock-like smoothness in mouthfeel. Excellent beer, would love to have it fresh.

Bottle. Pours a hazy orangish amber with huge rocky three-finger white puffy head that lingers for ages and leaves huge clumps of lacing on the way down. Aroma is big on hoppy lemon grass up front, but not overpoweringly hoppy with heavy bready malt smells in the background. Taste is similar to the smell with some citrus hops up front, mainly grapefruit tones. This gives way to the sweets malts and some spices before the grassy notes come back with a crisp, clean, and slightly bitter finish. Mouthfeel is medium-bodied and slightly astringent with good carbonation. This is a great example of a strong lager/pilsner.

Bottle shared by Springslicker. Poured amber with a creamy off-white head that is lasting and left good lace. Nice hop malt mix in the aroma with honey and citrus mainly picked out. Sweet malt flavor with a light hop and spice backing. Medium body, crisp.

Bottled at SOPP, Helsinki. Hazy yellow, orange, with a big fluffy white head. Bready. Orangey aroma. Hides the alcohol well. Taste balanced, bitter and fruity.

Bottle shared by myself at hellbilly’s holiday tasting. Hazy gold color pour with a small lasting head. Aroma of citrus and floral hops, light sweet malt and yeast. Flavor is malty and fruity with a decent hop bite on the finish. Pretty nice brew.