Mikkeller Single Hop Simcoe IPA

Mikkeller
Brewed at De Proefbrouwerij
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Copenhagen V, Denmark

Draft at Fa!rBar, Aarhus. Amber colour and hazy. Nice off-white head. Heavy aroma of citrus, grass and herbs. In the behind some aroma of caramel and nuts as well. The taste is heavy bitter and the bitter finish lasts for a very long time.

bellissima birra di color arancio,con una splendita schiuma bianchissima e compatta. all’olfatto leggermente floreale con punte di agrume,ma soprattutto si distingue l’odore della resina. Molto luppolata e decisamente amara ad ogni sorso,ma purtroppo poco persistente,ed è forse anche x questo che non fai in tempo a fare un sorso che il palato già ne chiede un altro!!!!

I may have to re-rate this little cheekster, as I have had it before and this time is undoubtedly differs from the last. Pours out EXTREMELY lively, gushing carbonation (unlike the last time) comes out a straight copper colour with a weird head, started off very thick but now looks like soap suds (once again, not a normal Mikkeller characteristic!) Aroma however, is spot on, loads of lychee to the fore, some rubber/resin and citrus. Flavour is straight up pink grapefruit with some orange and spicy sweetness akin to maple syrup with white pepper. Finish is bordering on saopy but holds back in the floral realm with some nice caramel notes. The only let down here is the palate which is just too sharply carbonated, I think I may have had a funny bottle to be honest, because in appearance and mouth feel this is very different to what I remember, as a result of the bubbles it almost creates a watery element to the beer, as if the flavour and the liquid are almost seperated. I think a re-rate is most likely in order, but at the price it won’t be for a while. All in all great flavour and nose though.

Bottle from TW&CP. Pours murky golden/orange with huge foamy off-white head. Nose is fruity citrus hops. Taste is dry, earthy, piney, citrus hops. Seems to be mellowing out and is currently relatively smooth and creamy with mild carbonation, but still has enough hop flavor to make it work, though I imagine it’s nearing end of life. Not bad. I like the hop flavor on this one.

Bottle courtesy of Blazer06. Poured a cloudy amber with a medium sized off white head. Nose is floral, citrus hops up front as it warmed some caramel malt became more apparent. Medium body with a slightly resinous mouth feel. Flavor is earthy, lots of floral, piney, grassy notes, grapefruit and caramel malty notes are also present. Finish is lightly acidic with lasting bitterness. Probably the best of the single hop series I have tried.

Bottle, back to back with the Nelson Sauvin (fuck, seem to have deleted my rate for that one- great excuse to buy some more). Blood orange, opaque and honeyed with a woolly cream collar receding in patches. Honey and biscuit more evident in the aroma than the NS, along with Neopolitan ice cream; hops like jellied orange, rose, sweat, blackcurrant and liquorice. Soft and full with a tickle of carb. Some lovely toasty choc and hazelnut notes rounding out the grapefruit and bitter orange of The Hop, which is actually pretty mellow and stops well short of quinine, but with the kind of savoury G+T dryness that could get you into trouble. The fullness of the contents of these little 330ml bottles is that of a handpulled cask conditioned beer, which earn them a 5 in my book. Highly rounded brew fusing the best of the US and Europe, if not quite the besotted tribute to The Hop that the NS was/is.

Pours a slightly hazy orange. Thick, creamy off white head. Heads lingers with massive lacing. Tons of sediment! Nose is malt and hops. Slighty doughy yeast. Flavor is rather underwhelming. Obviously all Simcoe all the time. Strong bitter finish leaves a rather potent after taste. Nice on the palate. Carbonation is very smooth and the beer coats well. Single hop IPAs do nothing for me. It’s more a of homebrewer gimmick then a real brewers recipe. This is one dimensional, and couple that with the sediment, very dissapointing.

Amber color with a nice big off white head. Aromas of grapefruit, flowers and herbs. Hoppy flavour with notes of citrus fruit, caramel and grass. Long, dry and bitter finish. Really love this.