Mikkeller Stateside

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

Bottle:   Autumn gold in color, hazy and heavy on the orange accents, large frothy off-white head, with very sticky lacing.   This looks tasty!   Dull hop aroma, moreso a musty barnish gamey smell.   Not bad, but for a second there I smelled cured and salted leg of Lamb.   Hmmmph.   Subtle hops on the tongue, again it is somewhat dull, a little musty, with the malts balancing it out well.   I do get a little bit of a citrus peel twang towards the back.   Finish is clean, a little resiny perhaps.   Lingering stale hops.   Body and mouthfeel are moderate to full.   I am happy that this one isn’t lopsided.   Not as crisp or sharp as I would have thought, almost seems like its aged a bit.   Good brew, more balance than most.   Just could be a bit crisper when it comes to the hops.

Cloudy glowing dirty dark-orange body topped by a small but long-lasting beige head. Large amount of juicy foresty hops swim over some sweet juicy caramel. The malt profile has this rye edge to it. Very well malted full body and I find that the malt profile has a rye edge to it. Some unfocussed fruity flavours in the back with a pleasant yeast presence. Juicy bitterness of medium intensity. Not the most complex IIPA but man is it effective! Not called Stateside for no reason, this beer is very American-inspired indeed. Knowing that Danes drink that beer is the greatest example of the American influence reach next to a Dane fat-ass eating at McDonald’s.

500ml bottle from Barley Wine, Copenhagen. Hazy brown body under a filmy, beige head. Moderate citrusy hops in aroma. The flavour is also filled with citrusy hoppiness and orange peels. Great succulence offset by hints of caramel maltiness. Fresh and rounded bitter ending. Almost superb in taste (14.01.2007).

500ml. Thanks, Maria! This was a dandy. Big floral and fruity nose atop a cloudy dark coppery amber body with thick sudsy white head. Bold attack with lots of caramel malt--come to think of it, there’s a fair amount of caramel and general malty business happening on the nose as well. It’s sweet from all the cereal goodness, and maybe even a little bit outside the expectations of what an IPA is in the States, but it’s delicious, and it finishes with a lovely piney resin that clings in a bitter way. Classic IPA except for the exuberant grain bill--in that sense, it’s a *huge* ESB. Incredibly drinkable and delicious no matter where its home is in the style tables, though.

Aroma is orange/piney hops, hazy pomegranate, small custard head. Taste is milder in the orange content than the nose implied, some good malt here too. Light bodied, nice dance of hops on the tongue. Great! Thanks Mr. Cheese Tasting.

Courtesy of Degarth. Pours a crystal clear copper with white head and sheet lacing. Big aroma with an up front attack of sweet malts and fresh grapefruit hops mixed with orange juice. The taste starts with sweet malts, roasty malts and sweet tasting late addition grapefruit to orange citrus hop flavor. The citrus hop bitterness builds as the taste moves forward with a nice undercurrent of caramelized malty sweetness. Grapefruit, orange rind and orange juice take the experience well into the aftertaste.

Pours amber with a strong white head. Nose of fruity citrus hops, floral and sweet. Lighter carbonation, not as lively on the palate. Good balance, didn’t try to go the kicking bitterness way. A bit thin overall, but still a nice beer. Tastes like a lot of other IPAs in this market at a much lower price so it probably won’t do well here even though it’s well made.

Bottle from Secret Santa. Pours amber with a nice lingering head. Lots of herbal floral hops in the aroma with a touch of caramel malt. Has a very appealing aroma! The flavor is somewhat similar with floral, herbal, and earthy bitterness backed by a touch of malty sweetness. Up front bitterness with a nice light balance. Dry and resiny on the palate. Almost chewy. Damn good stuff! Thanks Slob.