Trækølle
Amager Bryghus

Bottle shared by Baggio. Thanks, Rob.

Hazy mahogany brown with a thin head that doesn't stick around long. The nose is oaky and sweet, with prune, licorice and a bit of cardboard oxidation. The nose doesn't really suggest bourbon barrels, but this may be past its prime at this point. The palate offers more of the same: toffee, oak, strong oxidation in the form of peanuts, sherry and cardboard. Quite a bit of prune, too, and a surprising kick of oak and hops in the finish. This wasn't bad, but I have a feeling it was much better a few years ago.

Rare tick from bosse. Best before September 2010 - whoops, although to be fair it was released in fall 2008. It's a SMaSH barleywine aged in bourbon barrels. Served in a Struise cervoise.

A - Generous tan foam settles to a collar and near-complete cap, and features excellent retention. Semi-transparent red brown color.

S - Red licorice, oak, bourbon, brown sugar, butterscotch, caramel, and some fusels as it warms up. Quite nice, although the alcohol is surprisingly present after nearly three years.

T - Taste is unfortunately not as good, and appears to have gone downhill relative to some of the other reviews. Overly woody, with some cardboard oxidation notes. Light smoke, tobacco and cedar(?), as well as some sweet traditional barleywine flavors mid-palate including caramel apples and toffee. Finish is typical Mikkeller char, wood, and harsh bitterness mingled with alcohol.

M - Medium carbonation that is surprisingly active for the style. Medium bodied, with a dry and tannic texture. Some obvious warmth in the finish.

D - Split a 25cl bottle three ways and that was plenty, as this is a definite sipper. Based on the other reviews this appears to have gone downhill quite precipitously in the last 10 months. Starts out promising, but the finish is pretty unpleasant and off-putting.

Thanks to Alex for this. Poured into a Cantillon Tulip.

Pours a dark murky brown with minimal carbonation and lacing. A nice smell yet strong with hints of butterscotch, strong bourbon, heavy wood, tobacco, and leathery tones. Taste isn't as good as the smell with strong candy sugar, mix of bourbon and almost leathery taste. Bitter on the finish and starting to oxidize slightly. Feels good in the mouth for a 10% beer. Overall a good beer but starting to turn and would recommend opening it soon. Glad I got to try it.

Huge thanks to madsberg, over on ratebeer, for shipping this beauty across the pond. The little bottle pours murky brown - copper with tall off white head. The aroma is sweet malts, prunes, plums, raisins, ripe red apples, spicy wood and a bit of booze at the end of the draw. The taste is yummy goodness with a layer of sweet malts and faint caramel candy followed quickly by spicy hops, some citrus hops notes, pine and then floral hops. Behind all of those flavors is a persistent mild level of smooth oak wood and spice as well as a touch of boozy bourbon.

I poured half of Trækølle into my snifter from a small bottle, waited a few minutes, and poured the rest. The second pour yielded a thick and frothy two finger, beige head. After a minute I watch it recede. LACING...The color of the beer is a reddish amber.After a minute I watch it recede. Lacing is good.

The first thing I smell is bourbon. It's obvious that Kølle spent some time in bourbon barrels. Other aromas are of sweet malt, caramel, dark fruits, and earthy hops.

Initial flavor is of bourbon alcohol and hops. This barleywine still packs a nice level of bitterness. The bitterness is balanced by the malty caramel sweetness of the beer, and the bourbon is omnipresent. The finish tastes of bitter hops and bourbon. The label reads 90 IBUs, and I believe it. Surprisingly, new flavors becomes apparent a minute after I swallow...grapefruit and pine. The bourbon has the last laugh, though, as it lingers past the pine and citrus. I realize that I unceasingly mention bourbon, but it is used quite well in this beer. It exists alongside the other flavors but allows them to play a part in the flavor as well. It doesn't dominate, but it is very apparent.

The body of the beer is medium full and the carbonation is good. The beer leaves a sticky coating on my lips and mouth.

This beer was truly a pleasure to drink. Grab this if you ever have the opportunity.

Finishing Update: I ultimately had to drop the drinkability half a point at the end of the beer because this small bottle mutililated my palate.

A: Nice amberish brown hue with a nice tall tan head. Okay retention with some spotty lace.

S: Aromas of butterscotch, sweet fruits, oak, and fresh bourbon. Mild caramel with lots and lots of malty sweetness.

T: Wonderful malt sweetness. All the candy malts with hints of coconut, and mild oak and light smoke. Apples and pears are there with a wonderful balance between sweet and barrel.

M: On the fuller side of body, sweet, rich, good.

D: It's a sipper but a damn good one. Probably the best barelywine I have had that comes from outside the US.

Bottle sent by Danish shop owner Nymen Syvend. This is their kolle collaboration bourbon casked for 5 months. It is darker with little head compared to the regular kolle. A deeper richer smell and taste than the regular kolle. Smooth even though exactly the same vintage and expirey date. Masterful and lovely.