V Years - 20K
Brouwerij De Molen

 

Shared by the always generous Bill. Thank you kind sir.

Brewed for rb user fonefan.

The beer is brown with an off white head. Nose brings oak, malt, light butterscotch, a hint of citrus. Flavor brings some caramels and a touch of prickly brettanomyces. ABV hidden quite well. A nice sipper. Very mild on the sour/funk character, but pleasant and easy to drink.

 

Thanks for this rarity, Bill!

Very interesting - Bretted Barolo barrel-aged stout that is somewhat boring, actually. A somewhat peppery black ale with a somewhat light flavor, a light smoke/roast, which finishes with some Brett character. The carbonation is a touch high, and I am very appreciative to have tried this oddity, but nothing to write home about.

 

Picked this up at the beer store at the De Molen Brewery. Dark brown, almost black pour with a touch of mahogany. Nice thick two finger head with excellent retention and unbelievable lacing. Amazingly balanced nose with the roasty caramel malt fighting for supremecy with the citrusy hops. Hints of dark chocolate, espresso, orange peel, grapefruit, pine, fresh picked hops, and a touch of peat. The taste follows suit with the same perfect balance. Citrusy, resiny, piney hops coexisting with smokey, chocolatey, roasted malts. Not sure I've ever had a more perfectly balanced beer. The sweetness of the malt glides into the bitter, resiny hop bite. The mouthfeel is slightly thick and chewy, but smooth as silk, with a tangy, bitter finish. Black IPA's are my favorite style right now, and this is absolutely amazing. This one is right up there with Stone's Sublimely Self Righteous.

Never heard of this beer until I saw it sitting on the shelf at De Bierkoning in Amsterdam. Apparently this one was brewed for FoneFan to cellebrate twenty thousand reviews in 5 years on Ratebeer... Fantastic.

From a bottle into a snifter.
Bottled 6 June 2011

APPEARANCE: Pours a two finger, medium-thicker looking, light tan head with great retention. Dark brown body with no carbonation evident. Head slowly fades to a good foam cap leaving sheets of lacing down the glass. A good full wisp remains until the end and coats the glass with lacing. Looks great.

SMELL: Great nose as well. Dark malts, caramel malts, dark grapes and very hoppy. Lots of citrus fruits with lemon, orange peel and grapefruit notes. Nice malt base and lots of bold, fruity hops. Really good.

TASTE: More great stuff. Dark malts, caramel and dark grapes up front, then the hops show up in full force. Citrus and grassy hops with lots of orange peel, grapefruit and bitterness. Bold and persistent aftertaste is full of bitter hops, grapefruit, and with touch of sweet caramel as balance. Really good stuff.

PALATE: Medium-fuller body with medium carbonation. Very creamy on the palate, goes down smooth and finishes slightly sticky on the palate. No bite. Solid and supportive.

OVERALL: Great beer. It always surprises me how De Molen can put out a boner beer, then put out something world class like this. Beautiful beer with a bold, complex, and interesting nose and palate. Something worth drinking a bunch of while it’s still around. Probably my favorite hoppy offering to come out of De Molen. Great job on this one guys, and congrats on your amazing achievement FoneFan.