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Author Topic: I LOVE MIKKELLER  (Read 2485 times)

Offline phillamb168

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I LOVE MIKKELLER
« on: December 28, 2010, 04:58:47 am »
I take zee mikkeller, and I smooch eet like thees:  :-* :-* :-* :-*

For the last two weeks I've been sampling the stuff I brought back from Belgium, and Mikkeller is always a standout. I've had the Texas Mikkeller Barrel Aged, which had a wonderfully complex smokey note from the chipotles it's aged with. Then there was the "1000" IBU hop atom bomb which was also barrel-aged and easily, EASILY the best beer I've ever had. After that we tried the Beer Geek Breakfast and Beer Geek Brunch, also barrel aged and dark dark dark dark, both of which tasted more or less like a strong chicory coffee with a dash of bourbon. Lastly, we had the '09 Santa's Little Helper, which easily bested the L’Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien ( http://www.brasseriebfm.ch/fr/products#5) that we had - too many bugs in it for it to be a real Christmas beer to me.

I also tried the Brew Dog/Mikkeller "Devine Rebel" which was very, very good. Both of those breweries are doing some wonderful stuff, and it brings a tear to me eye to see American-style cutting-edge brewing making a name for itself on the continent.

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Offline MDixon

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Re: I LOVE MIKKELLER
« Reply #1 on: December 28, 2010, 05:28:41 am »
You do realize that their are a "virtual" brewery. They are basically contract brewed (they are involved in the process as I understand it) by various breweries. I've enjoyed most of their brews, but many are overpriced. The single hop series really didn't thrill me much. Most, if not all, of their stuff is available in the US.
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Offline phillamb168

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Re: I LOVE MIKKELLER
« Reply #2 on: December 28, 2010, 05:39:57 am »
You do realize that their are a "virtual" brewery. They are basically contract brewed (they are involved in the process as I understand it) by various breweries. I've enjoyed most of their brews, but many are overpriced. The single hop series really didn't thrill me much. Most, if not all, of their stuff is available in the US.

Yup, but that's ok. Were I to start a brewery, it, too, would be 'virtual,' most likely. They make great beers, and that's enough for me. You have to remember that when it comes to American beers, the selection here is limited to Bud, the occasional High Life (I know, right?), Sam Adams Lager, and three Anchor brewing offerings. Dogfish Head, Russian River, Alaskan Brewing, Brooklyn Brewery, all of those are basically impossible to find. Borough Market in London has a great selection of American craft ales but that's a 2.5h Eurostar trip away.
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Offline phillamb168

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Re: I LOVE MIKKELLER
« Reply #3 on: December 28, 2010, 05:42:11 am »
You do realize that their are a "virtual" brewery. They are basically contract brewed (they are involved in the process as I understand it) by various breweries. I've enjoyed most of their brews, but many are overpriced. The single hop series really didn't thrill me much. Most, if not all, of their stuff is available in the US.

Also I want to say that while the Single Hop is not a blow-you-away beer, it's an excellent educational tool for what different varieties of hops can bring to the table. My wife just thought hops were hops before she tried a flight of the single hop. She and I both now have a favorite hop (Centennial) thanks to that series.
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Offline tumarkin

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Re: I LOVE MIKKELLER
« Reply #4 on: December 28, 2010, 06:11:35 am »
You do realize that their are a "virtual" brewery. They are basically contract brewed (they are involved in the process as I understand it) by various breweries. I've enjoyed most of their brews, but many are overpriced. The single hop series really didn't thrill me much. Most, if not all, of their stuff is available in the US.

sort of, virtual in the sense that they (now, just one of them - started out as two homebrewers, now just one) don't have a brewery of their own. but they don't contract brew. they brew themselves at other breweries in both europe & us. great beers. the other scandinavian brewery that you should also get familiar with (if you're not already) is Nogne O. both Mikeller & Nogne O put out consistently high quality and adventurous brews.
Mark Tumarkin
Hogtown Brewers
Gainesville, FL

Offline tumarkin

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Re: I LOVE MIKKELLER
« Reply #5 on: December 28, 2010, 06:14:32 am »

Also I want to say that while the Single Hop is not a blow-you-away beer, it's an excellent educational tool for what different varieties of hops can bring to the table. My wife just thought hops were hops before she tried a flight of the single hop. She and I both now have a favorite hop (Centennial) thanks to that series.

my favorite single hop beer is Bell's Two Hearted Ale, truly a showcase for Centennial
Mark Tumarkin
Hogtown Brewers
Gainesville, FL

Offline MDixon

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Re: I LOVE MIKKELLER
« Reply #6 on: December 28, 2010, 06:36:22 am »
Perhaps the definition I am going by should be stated. If you don't own the brewery and you don't brew on the equipment by yourself (without assistance), it is in my mind a contract brew. I'll bet they don't stick around and completely manage the fermentation and all aspects of the bottling process. Although they have done enough brews at DeProef they may be able to.

Nothing wrong with a contract scenario at all, but in my mind when I look at the back of the label and it says DeProef I think they brewed it for the "brewer" listed on the front of the label. Sure it is the recipe and creation of the "brewer", but one couldn't take that same recipe down the road and have it come out the same. A couple of good examples of that come to mind, but it might threadjack to go into that discussion.

 - -

phil - didn't realize you were in the UK. It's sometimes amazing the selection we enjoy nowadays. Our local grocery store just had the weekly ad featuring Chimay as one of the beers on sale. I can recall a few years back when it would require a 3 hour drive just to buy it (and any beer above 6%) and now it is available down the street.

- -

FWIW - I couldn't remember where M is based out of so I looked it up, Denmark.
« Last Edit: December 28, 2010, 06:40:12 am by MDixon »
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Offline phillamb168

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Re: I LOVE MIKKELLER
« Reply #7 on: December 28, 2010, 06:49:57 am »
phil - didn't realize you were in the UK. It's sometimes amazing the selection we enjoy nowadays. Our local grocery store just had the weekly ad featuring Chimay as one of the beers on sale. I can recall a few years back when it would require a 3 hour drive just to buy it (and any beer above 6%) and now it is available down the street.

I'm not - "WE COME FROM FRANCE" - (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dD-vAWecEus) but as it is often (but not always) fairly cheap to take the Eurostar to St Pancras I'm there probably once every three months or so.

Paris has three good beer shops, but (as you'd expect) they focus almost entirely on Belgium and French beer. It's not a bad thing, there are some very interesting beers coming out of Belgium and France, too (Brasserie de la Senne is a great one) but the truly adventurous stuff is super hard to find.

That being said, those of you in the US would probably be super jealous to see that Orval, Kwak, etc - some really great belgians - are available EVERYWHERE, even in the crappiest of grocery stores, and that they are super cheap. I think Orval is 3 euros a bottle? Or maybe it's 2.50? I bought a Kwak 4-pack for 10 euros on discount the other day, it included that silly glass with the wood handle.
« Last Edit: December 28, 2010, 06:54:01 am by phillamb168 »
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Offline MDixon

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Re: I LOVE MIKKELLER
« Reply #8 on: December 28, 2010, 07:41:25 am »
Ahh yes, Taras Boulba...one of the few bottled beers I brought back when I visited Belgium. Of course we have it at our local bottle shop nowadays.
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narvin

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Re: I LOVE MIKKELLER
« Reply #9 on: December 28, 2010, 09:08:49 am »
Mikkeller beers are always interesting due to his passion for experimentation.  When it comes down to what I think tastes good, though, I'm personally a little tired of "American style cutting edge brewing" when it means a kitchen sink beer with way too much alcohol, herbs, or spices. The Belgian beers I've loved were always fantastic due to balance, even when talking about a 10% beer. 

I'm hoping that this is just a phase that many new brewers are going through, much like a new beer geek who is obsessed with hop bombs.

Offline phillamb168

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Re: I LOVE MIKKELLER
« Reply #10 on: December 28, 2010, 09:25:04 am »
Mikkeller beers are always interesting due to his passion for experimentation.  When it comes down to what I think tastes good, though, I'm personally a little tired of "American style cutting edge brewing" when it means a kitchen sink beer with way too much alcohol, herbs, or spices. The Belgian beers I've loved were always fantastic due to balance, even when talking about a 10% beer. 

I'm hoping that this is just a phase that many new brewers are going through, much like a new beer geek who is obsessed with hop bombs.

I dunno, I think those beers have their place. For Christmas Day, I had my bottle of Westvleteren 12. I liked it, it was an excellent beer, but my tastes go more for things that really punch you in the face, as long as they're well-executed.

In my opinion it's not a matter of being a noob, but rather individual taste. Some people prefer boeuf bourguignon, some people prefer hot wings, some people prefer ceviche.
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