Big Worse (Bourbon Edition)
Mikkeller ApS

Big Worse (Bourbon Edition)Big Worse (Bourbon Edition)
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From:
Mikkeller ApS
 
Denmark
Style:
American Barleywine
ABV:
12%
Score:
87
Avg:
3.87 | pDev: 16.02%
Reviews:
31
Ratings:
67
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Mar 03, 2021
Added:
Feb 03, 2011
Wants:
  11
Gots:
  17
Brewed at De Proefbrouwerij.

Aged for 8 months in Bourbon barrels.
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Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by WastingFreetime:
Photo of WastingFreetime
Rated by WastingFreetime from Wisconsin

3.94/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Mar 05, 2016
More User Ratings:
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

3.84/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Review is from January 2019, the bottle at that point was between 5-10 years old, closer to 10 methinks.

Pours dark, almost black, 1/2" beige head. Black barleywine. The aroma is generally what I'm looking for in a stouty bourbon barleywine, some roasted malt, bourbon and oak notes, charred wood, charred barley/malt, toffee. No surprises or deficiencies here.

Taste was much the same as the smell, there was a little bit of earthiness red and brown malt like notes. Leans towards some dark fruit in the taste and mouth feel that wasn't there aroma wise. Hid the alcohol pretty dang good, probably its best attribute. The bourbon impact was middle of the road, at 8 months, its more than twice as much as some, but less than that 1 year sweet spot I tend to prefer for most beers of this nature.

Viscosity thicker than barleywine, but thinner than stout, its a tweener. Not cheap, but also not anywhere near some of the sticker shock I've seen with other Mikkeller beers.
Mar 03, 2021
 
Rated: 3.49 by Sammy from Canada (ON)

Oct 15, 2017
Photo of jlindros
Reviewed by jlindros from Massachusetts

4.27/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Had this for quite some time as well.

Pours a large thick frothy 1/2 finger head that fades semi slowly, nice lacing too, long legs, darker but semi clear sediment laden ruby color.

Nose nice sweet malts, toffee caramel, aged softened toasted biscuity toffee malts, plenty of toasted reddish malt, candy syrup, hints of tree fruits, candied fig, date, etc, a touch of bourbon in the background.

Taste brings sweet candy again, toffee, caramel, a little candy syrup, chewy caramel almost nougat, thick rich date syrup, a little soft aged malt, tree fruits, candied fig paste, etc, a little booze warmth and tingle, mild ester profile, into a smooth rich bourbon juice, a little vanilla, nice candy in general but not super sweet. Finish is a bit boozy, lingering candied fruits, vanilla fig paste, bourbon barrel juice, and a hint of bitterness.

Mouth is fuller bod, thick almost syrupy but smooth chewy, nice carb, some hot booze.

Overall really nice, the age brings soft aged malts, but booze still fairly strong, nice bourbon still, nice malt profile, enjoyable sipper for sure.
Dec 16, 2016
 
Rated: 3.83 by groleau from Canada (QC)

Jul 19, 2015
Photo of pat61
Reviewed by pat61 from Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
From tasting notes L: Deep chestnut with a little haze under a nicely textured, fluffy, multi-sized bubbled 2” foam collar that quickly dissipates down to ¼”.
S: Bourbon, dried fruit and alcohol aromas.
T: Very rich and malty with dark sugar flavors backed by a solid hop finish. Seasoned with dark dried fruit, bourbon and vanilla.
F: Creamy, warming, full body, medium carbonation.
O: A big bold barleywine nicely seasoned with bourbon.
Jun 19, 2015
 
Rated: 3.77 by gratefulbeerhead from Indiana

Mar 16, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by dfhhead25 from Pennsylvania

Mar 03, 2015
 
Rated: 4.25 by olradetbalder from Sweden

Nov 25, 2014
 
Rated: 4.72 by luspher from Virginia

Aug 30, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by Kaizoku from Sweden

Jun 07, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by Boonemobile from Minnesota

Mar 29, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by Jslay013 from Massachusetts

Mar 09, 2014
 
Rated: 4.75 by vinny21bal from Illinois

Jan 24, 2014
Photo of BierJager89
Reviewed by BierJager89 from California

4.35/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
A: Murky orange/brown with a brown head that quickly fades to a ring.

S: Not a ton of bourbon in the nose, but it's there with some dark fruit, citrus, vanilla and alcohol.

T: Taste is fruity with notes of vanilla, caramel, oak, bourbon, and some alcohol, but more burn than flavor.

M: Astringent, but otherwise smooth and full bodied.

O: Really good, worth a try, at least once.
Jan 18, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by zestar from California

Nov 08, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by GRG1313 from California

Oct 26, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by CaptainNomihodai from Illinois

Sep 15, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by jaydoc from Kansas

Sep 01, 2013
 
Rated: 4.5 by megamass from New Jersey

May 20, 2013
Big Worse (Bourbon Edition) from Mikkeller ApS
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 67 ratings