Gypsy brewery Mikkeller is one of the more unique breweries in the world. No real place to call a home they travel around the world (mostly in Europe) brewing at different breweries. They also make some really good beers. One of the neat things they did a year or so ago was create a Single Hop series of beers. 10 different beers brewed exactly the same way with the exception of the hops used. This method allowed one to see the impact hops made on all aspects of a beer. I was lucky enough to try a few of these single hopped beers at a Camp Beer earlier this year. Mikkeller has gone from one end of the spectrum to the other with this beer. They have taken the 10 hops used in their single hop series, and blended them into 1 beer.
The Beer: This American IPA labeled beer weighs in at 6.9% and pours a cloudy orangish copper color with a thick dense head of off white foam. Spicy, citrusy, fruity, earthy nose with a hint of toasted malts. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a good level of carbonation. Resiny, floral, notes of grapefruit and tropical fruits. Marmalade with toasted biscuits comes to mind. Resiny finish. Its an OK beer, but as with the single hop series, I think it highlights why most beers use a blend of hops, and why certain hops blend better with some than others. A mishmash of hops thrown together will be hoppy of course, but many nuances are missing that leaves a good beer feeling muddled. This one gets a B- from me. A good beer worth checking out.
1 comment:
It's been said that Kurt Cobain intentionally misguided his fans with his lyrics, intentionally making slight changes in the verses. Back in high school, a friend of mine explained that Cobain got some kind of odd joy from seeing his fans screw up the lyrics when singing them out loud at his shows. My friend was likely full of it, but when I first heard of Mikkeller 10, that's what came to mind.
Imagine it in the wine world. Sure, there are blends all over the place, but who in their right mind would blend ten types of grapes?
I first tried Mikkeller 10, figuring it would be a novelty beer. Keep in mind, I'm no tasting expert; I've got the palate of a ninth grader. I still buy Fun Dip from convenient stores.
There's always a high expectation with Mikkeller beers, but in my mind, it was a bit dampened due to the fact that I knew there would be no way to discern a hop profile among ten.
I really enjoyed Mikkeller 10, and thought of it as a very well balanced hoppy beer.
Recently picked up a ton of Mikkeller single hop series from Stein's in New Orleans. When we opened them up, they were all skunked. Not just "off", but completely skunked, undrinkable.
I know that Mikkeller's single hop series are an outstanding batch of beers, because I've been lucky enough to try them before.
Obviously, Mikkeller's stouts and porters will stand the test of time, if properly stored. But you've got to wonder- when it comes to the hoppy beers, which should be enjoyed fresh- how do we know we are getting the intended flavor from these beers? Many are coming from overseas. Are they coming to us from a temperature-controlled facility, or are they sitting in a hot warehouse next to a thousand pallets of Amstel Light?
I don't mean to be accusatory to any of the Texas tiers, but it's a question that demands answering from somewhere.
I enjoyed your writeup on Mikkeller 10, and thanks for letting me chime in. Cheers!
Post a Comment