Funky E Star - Sauternes Wine Barrel Aged
Mikkeller ApS

Funky E Star - Sauternes Wine Barrel AgedFunky E Star - Sauternes Wine Barrel Aged
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Mikkeller ApS
 
Denmark
Style:
Belgian Pale Strong Ale
ABV:
9.39%
Score:
88
Avg:
3.95 | pDev: 11.65%
Reviews:
8
Ratings:
35
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Dec 26, 2014
Added:
Dec 29, 2012
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  2
No description / notes.
View: More Beers
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of bluejacket74
Reviewed by bluejacket74 from Ohio

3.84/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
375 ml bottle, it's been in the back of my fridge for probably a year and a half at least, so I have no idea how old this bottle really is. Served in a Prairie Teku, the beer pours a mostly clear reddish/copper color with a half inch off-white head. Head retention is decent, and there isn't much lacing. Aroma is sweet and fruity, it smells like vanilla, oak, caramel, grapes, and some honey. Taste is similar to the aroma, but there's also some stone fruit, earthiness and grainy malt noticeable. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's a bit coating with low/moderate carbonation. I'm sure this brew has changed a lot from compared to when it was fresh, but at this point it's still good. Not really funky, to me it's more sweet tasting. If Mikkeller ever decides to make another batch of this, I'll make a point to try it fresher.
Dec 26, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by DrBier from Pennsylvania

Jul 04, 2014
 
Rated: 4.75 by sammyg832 from Arizona

Jun 27, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by jzlyo from Iowa

May 01, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by Jah_Json from Sweden

Apr 21, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by afsdan from Colorado

Mar 21, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by YobroitsJoe from Maryland

Jan 30, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by tom10101 from Canada (QC)

Dec 31, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by DeanMoriarty from California

Nov 29, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by Lukass from Ohio

Oct 31, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by JAHMUR from Connecticut

Oct 20, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by IPeteA91 from Texas

Oct 07, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by MathNut from Missouri

Sep 19, 2013
 
Rated: 4.75 by GoodOmens from Virginia

Sep 18, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by popery from California

Aug 10, 2013
Photo of biboergosum
Reviewed by biboergosum from Canada (AB)

3.97/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
375ml bottle. I presume that the array of pink fruit-like things on the label are grapes, an ode to the Sauternes barrels that this was aged in?

This beer pours a slightly hazy, medium red brick amber hue, with three fingers of tightly foamy, rather creamy off-white head, which leaves some nice frilly honeycombed lace around the glass as it slowly abates.

It smells of rather sour and tart white grape juice, a further acrid funkiness, pale grainy malt, a touch of caramel/toffee, nutty orchard fruit, vanilla-heavy oak, a bit of candi sugar, a certain earthy dryness, and a hint of metallic booze. The taste is sweet caramel malt, quickly tempered by more tart, concentrated white grape flesh, a moderate musty funk, some soft oaken barrel notes - more vanilla than grainy staves - and further peach apricot stone fruit esters. The ABV is pretty well sublimated here.

The bubbles are quite understated, and just capable of basic structure duties, the body a decent medium weight, and actually fairly smooth, in an airy, frothy sort of way. It finishes well off-dry, the sticky white wine nature, caramel malt, and other lingering fruitiness strong enough in the face of any latchkey funk.

A nicely rendered, pleasant portrayal of white wine barrel aging. The sour beer retains its character, with an extra kick from the inherent musty funk of the Sauternes, while the wood and malt work well to keep the extra funk in check. A subtle, complex offering, one well worthy of slow (chosen, or forced, as it were) contemplation.
Jul 16, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by pwoody11 from Delaware

Jul 07, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by illidurit from California

Jul 05, 2013
 
Rated: 4.75 by Rickythejeweler from Maryland

Jun 23, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by Kirk from England

Jun 22, 2013
Funky E Star - Sauternes Wine Barrel Aged from Mikkeller ApS
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 35 ratings