To Øl Jule Mælk

Now then my next beer is a bit of a hybrid, the concept and recipe is from Denmark but the brewing is in Belgium and so for that reason I've included it in my blog - plus this monster deserves to be shared.

What we have is the absolutely bonkers Jule Maelk from Copenhagen brewers To Ol a mammoth Imperial Milk Stout brewed for the festive period that weighs in at a colossal 15% ABV, the brainchild of Mikkeller students Tobias Emil Jensen and Tore Gynther - the beer itself is brewed by Dirk Naudts and gang at De Proefbrouwerij in Belgium.

Now I've had more than my fair share of high ABV beers but this is one of the most extreme - if you don't like sweet beers then stay well clear.

Jule Maelk pours like used engine oil, this is one very viscous beer and despite its formidably high ABV even gentle pouring produces a dense 3 finger, thick coffee coloured head that slowly, slowly fades.

An intense dark berry aroma (like forest fruits jam) coupled with raisins, dark chocolate, molasses, vanilla, coffee and a hint of sherry like booziness on the finish...WOW, what an aroma.

Taste can only follow with brown sugar, caramel, chocolate, roasted malts, dense stewed fruits and bitter coffee on the finish. It's in the taste that the sweetness really comes to the front making the mouthfeel almost syrupy.

No doubt a beer that could divide opinions, some could easily find the sweetness far too cloying and indeed it pushed my sweet loving taste-buds to the extreme....but take time and savour this dessert in a glass.


http://to-ol.dk/home/

      

  

Smiske Kriek

Well it's been a very long absence but I'm back......and for good this time.

Many (many) Belgian beers have been sampled, Countries visited and some very special memories made.
So where (how) do I kick start my blog, well seeing we recently Bruges (for the 10th time) for the annual beer festival, that seems the obvious choice.

Now then, one thing you can do whilst in my most favourite city is indulge, beers that you may cherish back home (because they are hard to come by in the UK) can be bought with relative ease.

One such bottle for me was the limited beer from Smiske....namely Johans seasonal offering Kriek.

Now then fruit beers aren't normally my first (or indeed second) choice from a beer menu BUT seeing as this was from one of my very favourite breweries, using his outstanding Winter beer as the base then it was a must try....oh and it weighs in at 12% ABV.

Smiske Kriek pours a dark brown with a deep red hue and is topped pale pink dense bubbly head that quickly collapses to a craggy covering.

Aroma...CHERRIES - bucket loads of cherries, Johan certainly didn't skimp when using local Noorderkrieken. You also get a tartness and hints of tannins, almost as if the beer had been barrel aged. There's also marzipan and touches of cocoa.....it really is Black Forest gateau in a glass.

Taste is...yes cherries, this time like cherry jam coupled with boozy amaretto along with a light sourness on the finish, think cherry yoghurt - sweet and sour in perfect balance.

Despite its mighty 12% (the strongest Kriek in Belgium) this is one dangerously drinkable beer, in-fact whilst sampling in 't Brugs Beertje both me and Daisy came up with a new name...Killer Kriek.