Mad3 Dandelion Root Beer
Mikkeller ApS

330ml bottle. Ahhhh - 'root' beer, in the original literal sense.

This beer pours a hazy medium golden yellow hue, with four fingers of puffy, silken foamy off-white head, which leaves some patchy sea froth lace around the glass as it slowly ebbs away.

It smells of grainy, slightly biscuity pale malt, a mild citrus and more pungent herbal hoppiness, leafy, somewhat floral fresh-cut dandelions, bready yeast, and a faint hint of warming spice. The taste is more of the same - grainy pale malt, citrus and piney herbal hops, earthy yeast, mildly spicy and musty dandelion cuttings, and understated notes of clove and white pepper.

The bubbles are fairly tight, and a bit steely, the body medium-light in weight, and more or less smooth, with a small touch of creaminess. It finishes rather dry, the herbal and floral dandelion character ruling the day.

A decent, pleasantly refreshing herbed-up Belgian pale ale, the mælkebøtte really coming through, giving it a subtly mirror-world grassy edge. Would be thoroughly enjoyable on a gentle summer's patio, rather than after having shoveled a day's worth of snow, but dem's the breaks.