Van Kok Red Ale

Brewed by Van Kok
Style: Amber Ale
Herning, Denmark

On tap at Van Kok, Herning, May 2008. Just this one of their beers available when we visited. Reddish amber colour. Thin, off-white head. Quite sharp and bitter. Also some sour fruity notes that hinted at infection. Dry, bitter finish and aftertaste. Drinkable enough but not too exciting.

The color is dark, red amber and the head is creamy. The aroma has notes of flower, fruit and malt, and it’s very inviting. The flavour has a light sweetness, notes of fruit, flower, caramel and a citrussy bitterness. It’s nicely balanced, pleasant and easy to drink.

On tap at the brewpub. A next to clear amber beer with a thick, dense, diminishing beige head leaving nice lacings. Toffee, fruits, roasted malt and a citrusy note in the aroma. There’s a touch of alcohol in the flavor, but mostly toffee and roasted malt. Some citrus and bitterness too. Effervescent, silky and full-bodied. Weak but lasting finish with some bitterness and a fruity sweetness. Sure the best of the three available on tap when I visited. I guess they are trying to go safe and not offend anyone, but that’s maybe also why the regulars seems to go for the Carlsberg Pilsner instead. Push the limits, I say. After a while, people will understand that beer is more than Hof and Classic. (080822)

Draft at the brewpub. A hazy deep red beer with a huge light tan head. The aroma is sweet fruity with light notes of diacethyl and strawberries. The flavor is sweet malty with notes of caramel and straw as well as lighter notes of diacethyl and strawberries. The diacethyl gets stronger as the beer warms.

Draught at Van Kok. Creamy off-white excellent fully lasting head. Dark orange colour. Wonderfull to look at, alas not so good aroma and flavor. Strong burnt plastic notes and phenols are dominating too strongly. Moderate bitter. Average finish. Oily palate.

Amber with a lasting white head. Fruity, grain and butter aroma. Sweet and malty flavour with a little hops in the finish.

Deep red with medium off white head. Sweet aroma with caramel and fruity notes. Sweet flavor with notes of caramel, spices and berries.

From tap at the brewpub. Pours slight cloudy red to deep orange with lacing white head. Spiced and berry fruity aroma. Flavour is sweet and berry fruity note with a mild spice note. Light citric note in the finish, mild lingering fruity note.