Sur Munk
Mikkeller ApS

 

 

a quintessential sour ale. i am not sure why BA didn't give this a 90!

This one is a bit old now, and has largely gone to vinegar, although I suspect it was already that kind of Flanders red type sour when it started. Has a base like a dubbel or a quad, maroon to brown in color, not a ton of head, just off white patches on the surface, lots of sediment here too. Smells harshly sour, vinegar dominant, with some oak and residual grain sweetness there too, and the taste matches that. It's absolutely harsh on the avidity, but has a fruity, red wine vinegar flavor, with some brown sugar sweetness in the grain base. Not so much complex as it is intense, time I don't think has done this one many favors unfortunately. The neatly 10% abv is exposed in the thinner body! and drinking even half a bomber of this one was a bit of a task. That said, it's unlike anything else out there, and it respect it for that. Not worth what I paid for it, but I live mikkeller and always buy the ones I have not had. Cool artwork too, but this is past it's prime. Fun little raspberry note on the back end keeps it interesting, but I would not buy this again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A: Orange to red brown. Finger head which sticks around. Good lacing.

S: I can smell the cherries as soon as I pour into a shaker pint. WOW. Apples, paint thinner, and unfresh banana round out a scent profile that can be only explained as a "hauntingly inviting scent."

T: Ummm.... TART! Cherries and apples hit early in the sour. Can come across as entirely too sweet (which I didnt think possible for the style). Takes at least 3-5 sips to get used to and really look into the flavors. There is a consistent alcohol burn that is unwanted for how good the fruit tastes.

M: Sticky and sweet. Medium feel.

O: Looking for something off the wall? This is it. I bopped over to Louisiana's closest gas station where everyone buys liquor (although it is slightly more expensive) and for some reason they have a sizable craft beer selection. This was sitting with three friends that had a considerable age to the bottle. I wish I had picked them all up. Tried on a whim. Not bad at all. Not sessionable... but that is obvious.

 

 

 

Clear red-amber colour with a small, light tan head. Fair head retention.

Nice red currant notes. Cherries. Touches of lactic and acetic. Good balance of fruit and tart. Bits of enteric character but good on the whole. A little red wine.

Tart. Bloody tart. But then there is great fruit character. This is rocking red currants, cherries, berries and rhubarb. Big acetic character but I like that. Fantastic.

Medium body with moderately-high prickly carbonation. Solid.

An excellent beer. Big fruit character with a lot of acid.

 

 

Ruby mahogany with a modest though persistent off-white head. Falls to a raised collar and a slow, steady bead.

Plenty of sour cherry and balsamic, veering slightly into boozy nail-polish remover territory. There's some good nutty undertones and a slight mustiness which work well, and prevent it from becoming one-dimensional.

Flavours are straightforward but tasty. Juicy sweet and sour cherries, marzipan and a mild woodiness. Thankfully the nailpolish remover is completely absent.

Excellent mouthfeel. Lovely tangy acidity and just adeqaute carbonation balance the heft and syrupiness in the body. No hint of booze.

Not a bad wild ale at all. Expected more in the complexity department for 10%, but the simple, approachable flavour profile makes it rather moreish.