De Molen Rook & Leer (Smoke & Leather)

Brewed by Brouwerij de Molen
Style: Imperial/Strong Porter
Bodegraven, Netherlands

Serve in Shaker, Snifter

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Draft at Monk’s Cafe in Philadelphia, PA. Pours pitch black and opaque with a two finger light beige head that slowly fades into a lasting ring. Sporadic lacing. Funky, smokey aroma with a really odd combo of funk, smoked malt and barrel notes.  Toasted oak and vanilla with funky brett and subtle acetic acid along with peated whiskey.  Really complex and weird but the malt profile is still evident. Medium bodied with a combination of vinous fruit, acetic funk and smoked malt.  Lots of sweet dark fruit and whiskey barrel presence with spicy, boozy sweetness but it never becomes too hot.  Crazy complex but more sweet than expected with vinous fruit, whiskey and subtle smokiness underneath.  Decent peat but the sour/funky rodenbach and yeast notes are prominent.  Really weird but tasty.  No heat and the  sweetness balances out the whiskey and smoke making it easy to drink.

Draft at Monk’s with Vinny. Pours pitch black body with no head. Aroma is whiskey, peat, prune, soft chocolate and a touch of indoor swimming pool. Mouthfeel is medium to thick with notes of wood, peat, smoke, light spice, light chocolate, delicate sour undertones, vinous and very faint roast. I think Menno said this beer will need another year of age but this barrel tasted great.

Tap at Monks Cafe. Jet black pour with a monster brown red head. Almost wine like in it’s consistency and aroma/flavor elements. Somewhat sour. Very good.

On tap at Monks. This is Tom’s beer that he made at De Molen. It apparently needs another year but I thought it was great in its current state. Pours pitch black, thin beige head and not much lacing. Aromas of whiskey, dark fruit, peat, prunes, cocoa. Taste is sour peat, roasty malt, spice, so complex and layered from the sour wood barrels.

Pitch black body, faintest bit of a tan head. No lacing. Aroma is silky dark fruits, clean scotch, vinous notes and a faint smoke. Flavor opens up with a velvety lightly tart malt presence. The rodenbach yeast gives this a decidedly oerbier like quality. Smoke comes through in the delicate finish. Medium bodied. Lightly carbonated. Delicious (even though i got none of the brett that was advertised).