Jopen Hoppenbier

A unique combination of hoppiness and refereshing maltiness. More of this please.

Draught - Cambridge BF. Aorange coloured beer with a lovely white head and a sweet and spicy aroma with maybe a touch of vanilla. The taste is spicy, peppery and fruity with nice alcohol yeasty notes. A very tasty beer with a long mouthfeel.

from crackedkettle.com - cloudy dark-orange colour with a little irregular foam; aroma of orange peel, nutmeg and cloves; notes of hay; medium-bodied, solid sourness, very dry aftertaste of bitter oranges - very good and refreshing

Since this is still brewed by the Jopen Microbrewery in the Netherlands, I think it needs to be re-listed under it’s own name and not that of Van Steenberge (http://www.jopen.nl/). Based on a recipe for what is thought to be the first beer brewed in Haarlem to use hops. Tasted from the bottle and poured into a chalice at just below room temperature. Immense head grew from the pour to fill a good half of the glass and rise a further ½" out the brim. Dense and creamy beige, it retained well for the length and left a web of lace. Very fine streams of bubbles worked there way through the dull and murky, tawny gold body. Light notes of cola soda form a base under the gooey vanilla, ginger root and fruity melonous nose. Cinnamon spice comes in late as do hints of earthy, musty hops. Juicy fruits in the mouth. Quite a lip smacking mix of melonous fruits, toffee, creamy oats and vanilla. Very soft on the tongue, smooth with the consistency of a spicy liqueur, this was a delicious drop. Had notes of sweet and spicy sherry in the back giving it a lovely depth and warmth that followed through into the long and creamy, smooth finish that had a nutty edge. Quite mellowing for a beer of modest strength, the flavours were amplified when held on the tongue before letting it slide down the throat. Nicely made, smooth and tasty. (30cL, 6.8% ABV, brewed by Jopen BV, Haarlem, the Netherlands, BB 16/11/06)

I like this beer! Great mix of fruit/spice in the start, and fine balanced bitternes in the finish.