Mikkeller Jackie Brown

04-Aug-08 (500-ml bottle: Purchased 07-Apr-08 for $9.96 from liquidsolutions.biz) Mikkeller continues to shine, pushing the envelope with wonderfully flavorful brews, and Jackie Brown is no exception. The nose offers strong, roasty malts and coffee, but also a prominent outdoor theme of earth, twigs and leaves along with a rustic suggestion of farms, barns and pastures. The flavor is very roasty for a brown ale, lightly sweet, fairly nutty, with strong dark chocolate and coffee notes in the finish. Hops are dusty and lightly bitter, but the flavor of the hops has significant presence in the finish. Lingering bitterness in the aftertaste from hops and dark-roasted malts. Full-bodied on the palate, almost chewy, it’s much heavier than most brown ales, and the mouthfeel is smooth and velvety. Carbonation is light-medium. Despite the lightly sweet overtone, the beer is very dry and somewhat tannic and chalky on the palate, especially in the finish. Medium brown in color with good clarity. The small, light-tan head builds to no more than half an inch on the pour before settling to a partial film and wide ring. A really wonderful brown ale, without a doubt one of the best I’ve ever tasted.

Bottle. Clear, brown pour. Large, frothy, light tan head. Nutty aroma with roasted malt hints for good measure. Flavor is rich and roasted malt. Not really picking up on the coffee notes. Strong, bitter hop finish. Don’t think I’ve had many Brown Ales, but this one is a treat.

Rating 100!! Only took me about 4 years to get!!! Aroma is pretty good, little chocolaty, good amount of licorice, and some nuttiness. Appearance is spot on, it’s brown, well carbonated and clear. Flavor is solid, I get some nuttiness, a little licorice backed up with a malty backbone. I do get some astringency in the finish which is a shame. The description mentions a good amount of hop bitterness, but I’m not noticing too much hops with this beer. Mouthfeel is alright, body is a little light for what I would expect based on the aroma and taste. Carbonation is good. Again, get a bit of astringency in the finish. Overall, not bad, aroma is great, appearance is spot on, flavor and palate are a bit marred by a bit of astringency. It’s worth trying at least.

Appearance: Pours a dark reddish-brown body with a quickly rising, napkin-requiring, light beige head. Smell: An aromatic blend of chocolate, rich coffee, and oven-toasted nuts with a woody, spicy hop character. Taste: Malts tasting of roasted nuts and unsweetened chocolate with a strong graininess and a distinct coffee flavor. Almost no sweetness present. Spicy hop with an encroaching woodiness and moderate bitterness. A good measure of bitter and roast on the finish. Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium-low carbonation. Drinkability: No thanks. Try as I might, I just simply wasn’t enamored with this one. The in-your-face roasted graininess really starts to grate on the palate after awhile.

Thanks to Bman1114VR for the bottle! Dark brown pour, thick khaki head and decent lace. Toasted malt and a surprisingly hoppy nose. Toasted malts up front, chocolate and hops on the finish. lingering roast flavor. Unique and well balanced.

Big frothy tan head that lasts and lasts. Also leaves a decent lace on its way down the glass. Was a little taken a back by the hops at first but then I remembered it was a Mikkeller brew. Aroma is a little citrus hop and some roasted chocolate malt. Pretty unique and interesting combo. Chocolate flavors on the front palate and then the citrusy hop finish are pretty interesting and unconventional for a brown ale but work well here.

Bottle: Pours a deep ebony mahogany color with a huge puffy tan head that stays put for a while, thick lacing and plenty of carbonation. The nose is roasty with a snap of hops, bitter chocolate and light roasted coffee. More sweet and aromatic than dark and menacing. Ample chocolate malts, minimal patents. The flavor is especially bitter but it balances up the roasty astringency and after the battle is over, you’re left with a light sweet coffee roast note on your palate that’s along. Simply to be enjoyed as is. The finish brings out more bitterness so you’re constantly wanting another drink to stay in the roasty purgatory in between bitterness. Refreshing and thought provoking. I like it, good name.

Bottled(500ml or bigger). –RBESG2008, Grand Tasting.
Dark reddish brown coloured, big pale beige head, light roasted nose with notes of chocolate. Roasted malt, coffee, chocolate and mild hoppy taste with notes of caramel and wood. Strong bitter finish.