Tag Archives: calvados barrel aged

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij Boon x Mikkeller ApS, Lambic - Gueuze

Boon x Mikkeller Oude Geuze Calvados

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Brewery: Brouwerij Boon x Mikkeller ApS
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6.4%
Style: Lambic – Gueuze
Other Notes: 100% Boon Lambic. Collaboration between Boon and Mikkeller

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Mikkeller Oude Geuze Boon Lambic is a new unique collaboration between Boon and Mikkeller. Blending lambic from one to three years old, this blend is made in the traditional method of spontaneous fermentation in the Senne Valley, Belgium. This special blend has a distinct twist being matured in oak foeders previously used for Calvados. Ideal before a meal or paired with cheese.

My rating: 4-
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.98
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.9

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, with a best before date of 22nd November 2036. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen gueuze glass.
Appearance: A mostly clear golden colour with a two finger white head that had pretty good retention, eventually settling to a thin cap, while leaving some nice lacing.
Aroma: Tart, funky, damp rotting wood, dusty, green apple, lemon.
Taste: Lightly sour, tart, green apple, oak, lemon, tea, with some mild calvados and funky notes.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft to moderate carbonation.
Overall: A good easy drinking Boon x Mikkeller geuze collaboration. I was hoping for the Calvados barrel to be more apparent than it was though as it did seem a bit muted.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, De Struise Brouwers, Stout - Russian Imperial

De Struise Black Damnation XX – Ma Boule

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Brewery: De Struise Brouwers
Country: Belgium
ABV: 13%
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
Other Notes: Bottle 1555/2000, 2012 vintage

Brewer Description: (from bottle) A massive stout from Flanders, matured in Calvados barrel.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.21
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 750ml bottle, number 1555/2000. 2012 vintage, bottled on 26th March 2017. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Black in colour with pretty much no head and no lacing.
Aroma: Roasty malts, calvados, apple peel, chocolate, oak, with notes of dark fruit, plum, prunes.
Taste: Lightly sweet and bitter, roasty, chocolate, caramel, calvados, dark fruit, plum, toasty wood, with a spicy herby note.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: I’m not big on calvados, but I tend to be surprised by how much I enjoy calvados barrel aged imperial stouts. For some reason they just work, and this was no exception with good balanced flavours, and just a very good sipper on a night where temperatures are going down again… strange for an April in Hong Kong.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, Belgium, De Struise Brouwers

De Struise Pannepot Grand Reserva Cask Strength Calvados BA

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Brewery: De Struise Brouwers
Country: Belgium
ABV: 10.1%
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
Other Notes: 27 IBUs. Cask strength limited edition with medium carbonation

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Our barrel room is housing more barrels each year. As our team does not grow as quick as our barrel total, it is needless to say our barrel aged beers are also aging longer. This batch has already 5 years in Calvados barrel aging, and we’re very happy with the outcome. Enjoy!

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.78
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.6

Intro: A 375ml bottle, 2011 vintage, cask strength limited edition, bottled on 25th February 2016. Poured into a De Struise tulip glass.
Appearance: Dark brown in colour, with a thin beige head that disappeared quickly, while leaving only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Dark fruit, plum, grape, calvados, apple, caramel, and slight chocolate notes on the finish.
Taste: Sweet, brown sugar, dark fruit, plum, prunes, raisin, calvados, apple, caramel, and bitter chocolate on the finish.
Mouthfeel: Smooth, creamy, medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: There was close to no carbonation even though it says medium carbonation on the bottle. It’s not bad without the carbonation, but I definitely preferred some. I also preferred the cognac barrel over this calvados barrel that was aged extra long. Not sure if it was aged too long or what, but the cognac barrel added some complexity in the aroma and taste, that I’m not finding here.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Denmark, Mikkeller ApS, Stout - Imperial

Mikkeller George Calvados BA

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Brewery: Mikkeller ApS
Country: Denmark
ABV: 12.12%
Style: American Imperial Stout
Other Notes: Brewed & bottled by Mikkeller at Lervig Aktiebryggeri, Norway

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Imperial Stout aged in calvados barrels.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.06
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.9

Intro: A 330ml bottle with a best before date of 30th October 2023. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Black in colour with no head and no lacing.
Aroma: Sweet dark malt, light roast, chocolate, licorice, wood, nuts, calvados.
Taste: Light sweetness, dark malt, light roast, chocolate, coffee, licorice, molasses, nutty, calvados notes, with a slightly bitter finish.
Mouthfeel: Full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: An enjoyable sipper on a cool night with good aroma and flavours.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Denmark, Mikkeller ApS, Stout - Imperial

Mikkeller George vs. Brian Calvados Barrel Aged

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Brewery: Mikkeller ApS
Country: Denmark
ABV: 15%
Style: American Imperial Stout
Other Notes: Brewed & bottled by Mikkeller at Lervig Aktiebryggeri, Norway

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Imperial Stout, Barrel Aged Calvados. A Mikkeller beer not to be missed.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.36
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.2

Intro: A 330ml bottle with a best before date of 28th May 2024. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Black in colour with no head and no lacing.
Aroma: Roasty dark malts, chocolate, coffee, oak, alcohol, dark fruit, prunes, plum.
Taste: Light roasty dark malts, chocolate, coffee, oak, slight boozy, sweet, molasses, dark dried fruit, prunes, dried berries, and maybe a hint of apples.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: An excellent sipper with largely well hidden alcohol. I think I even preferred this slightly more than the Tequila barrel version as its not as sweet.