Forêt Du Centre (Medium Toasted)
Mikkeller ApS

Forêt Du Centre (Medium Toasted)Forêt Du Centre (Medium Toasted)
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From:
Mikkeller ApS
 
Denmark
Style:
English Barleywine
ABV:
19.3%
Score:
91
Avg:
4.1 | pDev: 9.51%
Reviews:
15
Ratings:
38
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jun 17, 2021
Added:
Dec 24, 2013
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  10
No description / notes.
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Ratings by schimschim:
Photo of schimschim
Rated by schimschim from Minnesota

4.08/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Jul 14, 2015
More User Ratings:
Photo of StonedTrippin
Reviewed by StonedTrippin from Colorado

3.75/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
it was such a joy to drink all of these in one sitting with the homies, but for most of us, this was hands down the least impressive of the three, something with the wood having a decaying element to it, and all the alcohol, this and the light toast centre were radically more fusel and hot than the others for whatever reason, and the sugar leftover also seemed higher, like bottle conditioning just sort of quit on it somewhere along the way. there are still some cool flavors in here, rich buttery english toffee, old wet oak, light char and nuttiness, and some honey, but its also a little more oxidized than others, slightly sharp to drink, and without the fuller feel even, somehow eroded a bit by all the alcohol, at least thats how it presents itself to me. this is the only bottle of the six we didnt finish, partially because we were whacked, partially because it was the weakest link, but on its own it may have fared better. the yeast is so cool in these, smart to use a champagne type that will ferment higher and help preserve the beer, but it almost seems like it got going to hot and quick or something in this one, all those years ago. still, it was epic to rip through the entire series at once, considering how old they are they actually all beat the odds, especially in the green glass. fun stuff, even if this one wasnt the best of them...
Jun 17, 2021
 
Rated: 4.59 by DruC4 from Michigan

Dec 05, 2019
Photo of bluejacket74
Reviewed by bluejacket74 from Ohio

3.96/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12.7 ounce bottle, guessing this one is about 2 or 3 years old if not older. Served in a snifter, the beer pours a slightly hazy orange/amber color with about an inch off-white head. Head retention is good, and there's a small amount of lacing. Aroma is sweet, the brew smells like caramel, toffee, oak, vanilla and raisins. Taste is similar to the aroma, but there's the addition of some brown sugar, apple and herbal/medicinal flavors too. Kinda boozy, but not as boozy as you'd think a 19.3% ABV brew would be. Mouthfeel/body is medium/full, it's sticky and syrupy with a moderate amount of carbonation. For the most part I liked this brew, although I didn't care for the medicinal flavor (although it did get weaker as the beer warmed). Might have let this one age a bit too long. With that being said, if there's still any bottles of this around it's worth a try.
Aug 30, 2019
Photo of mac31
Reviewed by mac31 from California

3.97/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Sweet, sweet, sweet! Sherry up front, followed by candied orange, and some mellowed our cooked caramel. This beer is intensely sweet. After getting past the sweetness this beer is pretty nuanced and complex. Hops make a minor appearance, lending some very nuanced earthiness to the mix. The body is thin, yet it coats the palate and is smooth and creamy. The body and feel very much kept me coming back for more. Not often do you say that about a beer; impressive. There are some subtle floral notes and hints of chocolate in the finish as well. The barrel aging is what melded all this together and softened up this brew making it easier to drink if you can tolerate/enjoy the sweetness. A touch of spritzy bubbles in the finish as well. Obviously a boozy beer,
yet it was ever-so-slightly warming on the way down. The warmth and alcohol crept up. A dessert beer, no doubt. Share this with a serious beer fan who will appreciate it. Glad I stuck it out past the sweetness.
Oct 13, 2017
 
Rated: 4.08 by alcohline_trip from Pennsylvania

Apr 27, 2017
Photo of wordemupg
Reviewed by wordemupg from Canada (AB)

3.98/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
375ml bottle poured into tulip 9/4/17

A some suspended particles in an otherwise clear amber body, fast falling finger leaves no lace with some legs as expected

S caramel and toffee, still get the apple sauce I've gotten throughout this series, brandy, some booze, and vanilla

T woody and lots of caramel, not far from the nose, booze is stronger then I remember in the others

M thick and enough bubbles to soften it up, hot, numbing, slick inside, sticky on the lips, woody finish

O its a sipper that I'll be nursing for a while, big and boozy but enjoyable

I found this one packing up my house and had completely forgot about it, would've been neat opening them all together I'm hoping they do something like this series again...
Apr 09, 2017
 
Rated: 4.56 by Casey3236 from Pennsylvania

Nov 05, 2016
 
Rated: 4.19 by Vivs85 from New York

Oct 24, 2016
 
Rated: 4.15 by DoubleSimcoe from Pennsylvania

Aug 08, 2016
 
Rated: 4.71 by madelf66 from Pennsylvania

May 23, 2016
Photo of Tone
Reviewed by Tone from Missouri

4.09/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pours a cloudy, brown color. 1/4 inch head of an off-white color. Slight retention and slight lacing. Smells of strong alcohol, strong sweet malt, dark citrus, slight yeast, hint of hops, strong caramel malt, hint of roasted malt, and slight raisin. Fits the style of an English Barleywine. Mouth feel is sharp and clean, with an average carbonation level. Tastes of strong alcohol, strong sweet malt, slight hops, dark citrus, slight yeast, hint of roasted malt, slight caramel malt, and slight raisin. Overall, even though the ABV is tremendous, the blend is amazing, ggood body, blend, and aroma.
Mar 29, 2016
Photo of StraightNoChaser
Reviewed by StraightNoChaser from Georgia

4.63/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75
appearance: Hazy bronze, much like the De Troncais medium toasted. Impressive off white head on the pour that recedes to a ring and some film.
smell: Like the other variants, a big decadent nose. Full of dark fruit, and toffee.
taste: Big and decadent like the nose. Dark fruit, bread, sweet. Like a fine Port.
overall: Dangerously drinkable. Believe it or not, the alcohol is incredibly well hidden. Loving this series.
Feb 28, 2016
 
Rated: 2.99 by Jcarriglio from Florida

Nov 30, 2015
 
Rated: 4.37 by DangerDawg from Ohio

Oct 24, 2015
Photo of Odysseyalien
Reviewed by Odysseyalien from New Jersey

4.49/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Bottle.

Plums and dried fruit on the nose. Same for taste. Sweet...but not as cloyingly sweet as some English barley wines. Makes a head of about an inch and a half poured into my snifter. A beautiful sight!

Reaction to my first sip was "sweet" and I wasn't sure I was gonna like it. However the second sip started to pull me in. After it had warmed just a bit, there was no turning back. Really delicious effort from Mikkeller. I would love to find this on tap sometime. Hope I can get another bottle or two. I had Firestone Walker Helldorado for the first time yesterday and thought it would be a while before I tasted anything that good again. I was wrong. This beer from Mikkeller is a hair's breath from being as good as Helldorado. A damn yummy barley wine!
Sep 28, 2015
Photo of biboergosum
Reviewed by biboergosum from Canada (AB)

3.75/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
375ml, inverted tulip shaped bottle. I suppose I should really go and look up what the designed differences amongst these 'Forêt du...' offerings are.

This beer pours a murky, fine sediment-strewn, dark tarnished golden amber colour, with one skinny-ass finger of mostly just broadly bubbly dirty white head, which leaves a bit of scattered microbial lace around the glass as things oh so slowly abate.

It smells of phenolic and yeasty alcohol, sharp and yet muddled drupe and pome fruit liqueurs, musty caramel malt, biscuity toffee, thin brown sugar, mild old-world oak (laid-back vanilla and grainy wood), and very faint earthy, leafy, and dead grassy hops. The taste is very sweet caramel/toffee malt, a musty under-your-parents'-basement stairs dustiness, concentrated apple, pear, and white plum, honeyed and/or caramelized sugar, subtle herbal tea floral notes, and a receding generic oakiness.

The bubbles are pretty understated in their meek and pithy frothiness, the body a solid medium-heavy weight for the given style, and actually quite smooth, once you re-orient your brain to think of supping a liqueur, and not quaffing a beer. It finishes sweet, musty, boozy, and fruity - all things to all fans of English Barleywines, I would imagine.

Another initially hot and hard to love, but eventually settling iteration of this series of difficult to differentiate barrel-aged barleywines (who would do all of these in a side-by-side? Right, someone, I'm sure, but not me). Big, brash, and warming - you can bet your bottom, middle, and apparently top dollar on that.
Sep 25, 2015
Photo of mfnmbvp
Reviewed by mfnmbvp from Illinois

4/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12.7 fl oz bottle, no bottled on date present, but listed as retired here on BeerAdvocate. My fourth of the MIkkeller French Oak Barrel Series barleywines.

Poured into a clear balloon snifter.

A - Pours a burnt caramel orange with some moderate chunks of yeast sediment lurking at the bottom of the bottle. A finger or so of frothy bubbly off-white head. Leaves lots of good sticky lacing behind.

S - Big aromas of caramel, booze / alcohol fumes, toffee, mustiness, & oak wood. The barrel aging is very apparent, and at times almost gives off a whiskey / bourbon booze aroma.

T - Taste follows the nose, much the same as the others; sweetened caramel, alcohol warmth, toffee, vanilla, brown sugar.

M - Smooth & creamy. Thick, heavy, & full-bodied. Very sweet and with lots of alcohol warmth, but it doesn't feel nearly as boozy as it actually is.

Overall, another excellent oak-aged barleywine in this series from Mikkeller. Although again, it is not very distinct from the others in this series.

Mikkeller Forêt Du Centre (Medium Toasted) -----4/5.
Sep 01, 2015
Photo of Robomunky
Reviewed by Robomunky from Washington

4.17/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
My second Foret. This one isn't quite as sweet as the lightly toasted version. Still lots of oak and apricot. A little bit of spice in this one. Cinnamon? Very pleased and looking forward to the rest.
Aug 07, 2015
 
Rated: 4.58 by deonreds from New York

Aug 06, 2015
Forêt Du Centre (Medium Toasted) from Mikkeller ApS
Beer rating: 91 out of 100 with 38 ratings