Category: beer

December 6th – A Word On Beers X-mas Calendar

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December 6th and this is what was in my two X-mas calendars:

🎄The Great Mikkeller X-mas Calendar🎄

Beer Geek Vanilla Maple Shake by Mikkeller and Lervig – Kind of aggressive maple hits the nose and is mixed with a bit of dark chocolate and a tiny hint of vanilla. Taste is intense maple on top of vanilla, coffee and a tasty smooth imperial stout with a creamy mouthfeel that almost reminds me of milk-foam on a cappuccino. This is a seriously nice beer!

🎄My wife’s homemade X-mas calendar🎄

8th Anniversary Pecan Cookie Stout By Westbrook Brewing Co. – This is a crazy beer from the moment it hits the glass. Aroma is cookies all the way with slightly burnt sugar, pecan, and chocolate. Taste is equally amazing! Chocolate chip cookies with roasted pecans is the first thing that springs to mind. This beer is sufficiently thick and oily without being too much or turning cloyingly sweet. Every adjunct is nicely balanced and makes this beer a pure joy to drink!

It seems that both calendars continue to hit the same beer styles on the same day. Today as well as the other days it’s no pitty. Both beers today are amazing and if I’m forced to choose one over the other I think it must be 8th Anniversary Pecan Cookie Stout. It’s just a tiny bit more smooth and maybe also a tad more balanced than Beer Geek Vanilla Maple Shake. Going to a deserted island and only being able to bring a lifetime supply of stout both would be acceptable choices. Today is the day of Saint Niclas (Santa Claus) and these two beers seem appropriate to celebrate this day.

All through December, I’m opening my two X-mas beer calendars. The two calendars are The Great Mikkeller X-mas Calendar and my wife’s homemade X-mas calendar.

See you tomorrow!

December 5th – A Word On Beers X-mas Calendar

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December 5th and this is what was in my two X-mas calendars:

🎄The Great Mikkeller X-mas Calendar🎄
Organic German Pilsner by Mikkeller – Aroma is bready with a bit of floral hops as expected in a German pilsner. Taste too is what you would expect in a well-executed German pilsner being clean and crisp with a firm bitterness and light floral hops. This beer is what it is supposed to be. A well-brewed lager with evident bitterness. I’m a fan!

🎄My wife’s homemade X-mas calendar🎄
55|Double IPA – Mosaic & Citra by Brew By Numbers – Wow! Hop aroma is instant when the can is opened. Huge Citra and Mosaic punch in the nose – this is what an IPA should smell like! Taste is loads of tropical, stone and citrus fruits with a bit of pine. Mouthfeel is smooth and bitterness a bit above average for hazy double IPAs which makes this a super tasty beer.

Two very different beers today and that makes for a tough choice. Organic German Pilsner is great for the style but it never becomes super exciting. 55|Double IPA – Mosaic & Citra, on the other hand, is a super exciting DIPA. The mix of Citra and Mosaic hops seems to be great no matter what you do to it. This beer packs so much aroma and flavor that it’s enough for a full year’s production of boring macro lagers in Denmark. To be true the Organic German Pilsner doesn’t stand a chance against 55|Double IPA – Mosaic & Citra. It’s a clear (but hazy…) winner today, but don’t be mistaken, Organic German Pilsner is a very nice beer.

All through December, I’m opening my two X-mas beer calendars. The two calendars are The Great Mikkeller X-mas Calendar and my wife’s homemade X-mas calendar.

See you tomorrow!

December 4th – A Word On Beers X-mas Calendar

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December 4th and this is what was in my two X-mas calendars:

🎄The Great Mikkeller X-mas Calendar🎄
Hallo Ich Bin Berliner Weisse Raspberry by Mikkeller
Very evident and kind of sweet raspberries in the nose. It almost smells like sweet raspberry jam. Taste is equally loaded with raspberries and has a nice yoghurt-like acidity to it. This is a super crushable fruited berliner weisse, but to my taste it would have been even better with a mouthfeel that was a bit lighter. Still a tasty beer though.

🎄My wife’s homemade X-mas calendar🎄
North X Northern Bloc – Sorbet Sour by North Brewing Co. – Heavy raspberry and rhubarb aroma. This smells insanely nice! Taste is raspberry and rhubarb galore with a very nicely balanced acidity t back it up. I definitely get that sour sorbet feeling. This is a really tasty and highly drinkable fruited sour. The fruited sours from North Brewing Co. just never let you down!

Today was really close both of these fruited sour beers were very tasty. The North X Northern Bloc – Sorbet Sour from North Brewing Co. was maybe a bit better than the other, but a very close call. The feeling of raspberries and rhubarb was just crazy. With beers of this quality it’s not needed to choose one over the other. It’s just to sit back and enjoy both of them.

All through December, I’m opening my two X-mas beer calendars. The two calendars are The Great Mikkeller X-mas Calendar and my wife’s homemade X-mas calendar.

See you tomorrow!

December 3rd – A Word On Beers X-mas Calendar

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December 3rd and this is what was in my two X-mas calendars:

🎄The Great Mikkeller X-mas Calendar🎄
Henry & Irma Hazy Session IPA by Mikkeller
Initial fruity hops in the nose paired with some bread/wheat. Being a 3.5% ABV hazy session IPA the mouthfeel is a bit thin as I would expect it to be. The flavor is citrus/grapefruit hops, a bit of bread and a rather present bitterness. This is a quite nice session IPA.

🎄My wife’s homemade X-mas calendar🎄
Deep Space Xmas Party by Põhjala (and Kihoskh) – Imperial chocolate porter with a clear coffee aroma on top of some milk chocolate and rye bread. Taste evident coffee, milk chocolate from the cocoa nibs, vanilla beans lend some sweetness and oak is just there to stay until the end. This is a quite nice imperial chocolate porter.
Once again the Põhjala guys deliver a tasty black beer. I actually don’t think I have ever had a porter or stout from their hands that wasn’t tasty!

This was the first day with a clear difference in the level of the two beers. Don’t be mistaken that these are both well-executed beers, but to my taste, Deep Space Xmas Party is just way more interesting than Henry & Irma Hazy Session IPA. Session IPAs are often suffering from being thin and watery and in that light, it’s really no surprise that my favorite today is the Xmas coffee porter from Põhjala.

All through December, I’m opening my two X-mas beer calendars. The two calendars are The Great Mikkeller X-mas Calendar and my wife’s homemade X-mas calendar.

See you tomorrow!

December 2nd – A Word On Beers X-mas Calendar

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December 2nd and this is what was in my two X-mas calendars:

🎄The Great Mikkeller X-mas Calendar🎄
Oude Geuze Goût Américain by Mikkeller
Super fruity and quite acidic oude geuze. Color is nice and Brettanomyces is evident – this beer is a super thirst quencher with a fair complexity. Tasty oude geuze.

🎄My wife’s homemade X-mas calendar🎄
B.A. Maple V.B.M. by Fierce Beer – Massive aroma of chocolate and maple hits the nose instantly paired with a faint vanilla note – Taste is full-blown chocolate and evident bourbon barrel from the 9 months in the dark. The added fenugreek is not something I can pinpoint but the maple syrup is definitely present. Mouthfeel is smooth with a very satisfying feeling of mouth-coating liquid happiness.

These are both great beers but if I’m forced to choose one of the two beers it must be B.A. Maple V.B.M. by Fierce Beer – it’s a super tasty winter night sipper that makes you wanna have more every time you have a sip. I liked both beers a lot and December has begun in a very tasty way. I’m really excited about opening my two beer calendars every morning.

All through December I’m opening my two X-mas beer calendars. The two calendars are The Great Mikkeller X-mas Calendar and my wife’s homemade X-mas calendar.

See you tomorrow!

December 1st – A Word On Beers X-mas Calendar

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December 1st and this is what was in my two X-mas calendars:

🎄The Great Mikkeller X-mas Calendar🎄
It’s Blowing Half A Pelican / Det blæser en halv pelikan by Mikkeller
Nice straight forward NEIPA – smooth and fruity with a bit of a spicy feeling probably from the added rye malt – nice calendar beginning

🎄My wife’s homemade X-mas calendar🎄
Surround Sound DDH DIPA w/Simcoe & Amarillo by Collective Arts – Huge hop aroma hits the nose right away – this beer is loaded with two of my favorite hops. Mouthfeel is smooth with a satisfying bitterness. Loads of Amarillo orange flavors and Simcoe pine flavors makes this a tasty hazy juicy experience

If I have to choose one of the two beers it must be Surround Sound DDH DIPA w/Simcoe & Amarillo by Collective Arts – it’s more juicy and fruity than It’s Blowing Half A Pelican / Det blæser en halv pelikan by Mikkeller. I liked both beers a lot and December is looking very tasty so far.

All through december I’m opening my two X-mas beer calendars. The two calendars are The Great Mikkeller X-mas Calendar and my wife’s homemade X-mas calendar.

See you tomorrow!

Barley wine is life!

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As you may have noticed on my Instagram I have been part of a happening using the hashtag #BarleyWember – in essence drinking barley wine in November.

What is it about those sweet, malted and often barrel aged beers with an ABV through the roof. Some people (craft beer people mostly) say “Barley wine is life!” If you haven’t truely explored these mastodonts you may not have found the pleasure of drinking a beer that can last a full evening.

Where should I begin? When it comes to barley wine there is no easy way in. Personally I find that bourbon barrel aged versions often are easier to drink. This might be because the alcohol from the time in the barrel helps lighten the heavy malt sweetness in these beers. One thing you have to remember is that you have a fair excuse to buy and drink more than one of these beer-giants since you have to try new things at least seven times to be sure if you like it or not.

If you fall in the pot and love barley wine almost as much as life itself you have to explore the style and find out the difference between English and American versions. To help a little the English barley wines are often more malted and sometimes almost cloyingly sweet than the American ones. The American barley wines can sometimes be dry hopped and destined for consumption fresh. Most barley wines are well suited for ageing and when you buy one be sure to buy an extra to store for a year or three to experience they full potential of this nectar of gods. In time you’ll come to understanding of the wise words: Barley wine is life!

See you!

Beer and friends

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How and with who do you like to enjoy your beers? When does a beer taste the best?

A Danish brewery once had a slogan that said something like: “When does our beer taste the best? Every time!” I do not agree with that simply because it’s not the case. I like to enjoy many different beers and sometimes a beer is just not tasty. I try to spend my beer money on tasty beers, but before you have a sip or two it’s impossible to know if a beer is great. Some breweries are more hit than miss when it comes to the qualities of their beers. If I have too many less than decent beers from a specific brewery I tend to focus elsewhere the next time I throw some of my money at beer.

What about drinking beer with friends, does it make the experience of a beer different than drinking the beer on your own? If you ask me beer is a social thing and they are always better when drinking them with friends. Great company makes everything better and drinking beer is no exception. Being in the best company can sometimes make you forget about the beer you drink.

Is it then better to drink craft beer on your own? Again, beer is a social thing should always be enjoyed in the company of people you like to spend time with.

For me the best beer related experiences have been in company of good friends. Does great company make bad beers better then? No, but sometimes you don’t think that much about the beer if you are enjoying good times. What about great beers then? Great beers are maybe experienced as being even better when enjoyed in great company. This may be a side effect of hyping great beers in the company of fellow craft beer lovers.

No matter the quality of the beer, always drink with someone you like to spend time with. Beer is meant for enjoyment, not for forgetting the rest of the world.

Now I’ll go plan my next tasting session with some craft beer drinking friends. I’m sure it will be great.

See you!

Proper glassware – money well spent?

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Does beer need a special glass? Can’t I just drink it out of the bottle or the can? Why be a nerd about your beer glasses?

If you spend a fair amount of money on a beer you want to give yourself the best possible experince when drinking it. To do that you need to pay attention to your glassware. Not all beers are treated fair by pouring them in a tumbler. A lager needs a tall slim glass. The belgian ales requires a chalice and the lambics have their own glass too. In fact most beer styles have their own glass today. IPAs have a glass that ensures that aromas are catapulted into your nose. Porters and stout have a glas that makes it easy to pour them without creating a large head and when drinking them the glass ensures that the heat from your hand is transferred to the beer to warm it and release some of the aromas of roasted malt, coffee and chocolate.

If you like strong ales, barrel aged imperial stouts and barley wines you need a snifter to use when you sit back and enjoy these beers over a period of time.

If you only want to invest in one glass to use for all your beers I would recommend the Teku glass. The Teku glass has a long stem and is much like a wine glass. The benefits of the Teku glass is that it carries aroma extemely well, as it has a shape that in many ways resembles a whisky tasting glass, just bigger.

If you don’t want to invest in proper glassware for your beers, my advice is to use a red wine glass. The wine glass is designed to carry the aroma into your nose and in many ways it’s like the Teku glass.

If you want to invest in a few glasses for your beer (they deserve it!) my best advice is to go for a Teku glass, an IPA glass, a tumbler and a snifter of some kind.

When you have invested in new glassware be sure to rinse them properly. Use clean water, dish soap and a soft cloth.

Most importantly: Enjoy your beer!

See you!

Can bottles win?

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Being a craft beer drinker has surely made you drink a beer or two from both cans and bottles. Does it matter to you if it’s one or the other or is it just a container to bring beer to your glass? If forced which one of the two would you chose?

Many a bar and restaurent should consider to carry beer in cans instead of some stale beer in long over due kegs. A fridge with cold canned beer is way better than the keg solution if beers are not moved out quickly. The can has many advantages compared to a bottle. The canned beer is not affected by sunlight and no oxygen can get to the beer. The bottled beer on the other hand is exposed to sunlight given that the bottle is clear in some way. Oxygen can also be a problem given that the seal under the cap is slightly air-permeable meaning that oxygen can affect the beer and eventually make it bad. If it’s and IPA there is no doubt whatsoever that the can is by far the better choice.

In Denmark for some reason bottles are considered to be a better container than cans by most people. They seem to think that cans are only for cheap macro lagers sold by the crate for next to nothing preferably with a discount. Modern beer is best suited for cans compared to bottles for long term storage and it would be a nice change if restaurent would open their eyes and notice the benefits of canned beer instead of way too old kegged beer or skunked bottles.

I have my fingers crossed an hope for better beer when I’m out for dinner in the future.

See you!