I'm rapidly becoming a fan of De Molen brewery. So far, I haven't had a single brew of theirs that disappointed. The fact that they're Dutch, and hence share a troubled history with Belgium, combined with the ever-prevailing Belgian prejudice that the Dutch brew shit beers, makes this an all the more impressive feat.
Tonight, I'm having a sip of their Bloed, Zweet & Tranen (gotta love those big fat baroccy names they give their beers).
A deeply dark-brown pour, black until you hold it against the light, with a soft and fluffy beige head. Lots of enthusiasm from the foam, so pourer beware: this beer froths.
The nose is intriguing: you get the smoke up front, but not in a really big-ass chimney way like the Rook&Vuur had. This is a gentler smoke, which is more easily mellowed out by the downy head. Touches of wood, a hint ot of vanilla maybe. The link with whisky is easily made, but this is not the harsh, iodine tang of Laphroaig and related Islay whiskies, but rather the mildly laid-back smoothness of a Lowlander or Speyside. Smoke, yes, but not as peaty as the Rook&Vuur.
The aroma is delicate, which I didn't expect to find in a smoky beer. More than Rook&Vuur, the BZ&T puts a sober but present aroma of smoke in the front, with a lingering, sticky-sweet taste of roast barley in the back. Much more balance between aroma and flavour/taste than the Rook&Vuur, which was all about smoke and peat. Again, I get faint echoes of vanilla around a firm of base of roast barley, with a fleeting whiff of burned caramel. Meaty, perhaps. Dry smoked sausages, or the rafters of the smoke house.
After a few sips, the hops finally pierce through in the nose: a pleasantly harsh, resin-like tang which really works quite well with the smoke. A bit reminiscent of burning pine wood, the scent of a winter bonfire.
According to the label, only Sladek hops were used (both as bittering and aroma hop), and I'm intrigued. I like resin (Retsina, yes please), and a resiny hop adds a little bit of punch to a beer I generally tend to like. Again so here. Sladek, I have my eye on you.
From what I understand of old-style UK ales, this is something resembling (or based on) the Porters of about a century ago, only with a more ABV. The use of smoked malt, combined with the whisky malt, makes this "something else", as most brews by De Molen seem to be, but I like the little wink to the past this one makes.
Overall, this is a truly recommendable brew. It's different alright, but in a good way. It's a smoke beer that doesn't seem to go out of its way to make you burp smoke rings all evening, while still retaining a firm rooting in old-school smoke (a mellow rauchbier or a Porter of yore) and contemporary flirting with whisky flavours. Much more so than the Rook&vuur, this is a brew for anyone with an interest in beer, who'd like to have a brush with "something else".
Although the palate is unusual, it is less of a session beer than Rook&Vuur. In the right season (winter evenings sound about right, or a chilly but clear late-autumn afternoon), I can see myself asking for another one. And perhaps another one unless I'm driving.
Hats off to De Molen.
These guys know how to brew.
Tonight, I'm having a sip of their Bloed, Zweet & Tranen (gotta love those big fat baroccy names they give their beers).
 |
| ...with a nigh-on sacrilegious misuse of a Belgian beer glass |
A deeply dark-brown pour, black until you hold it against the light, with a soft and fluffy beige head. Lots of enthusiasm from the foam, so pourer beware: this beer froths.
The nose is intriguing: you get the smoke up front, but not in a really big-ass chimney way like the Rook&Vuur had. This is a gentler smoke, which is more easily mellowed out by the downy head. Touches of wood, a hint ot of vanilla maybe. The link with whisky is easily made, but this is not the harsh, iodine tang of Laphroaig and related Islay whiskies, but rather the mildly laid-back smoothness of a Lowlander or Speyside. Smoke, yes, but not as peaty as the Rook&Vuur.
The aroma is delicate, which I didn't expect to find in a smoky beer. More than Rook&Vuur, the BZ&T puts a sober but present aroma of smoke in the front, with a lingering, sticky-sweet taste of roast barley in the back. Much more balance between aroma and flavour/taste than the Rook&Vuur, which was all about smoke and peat. Again, I get faint echoes of vanilla around a firm of base of roast barley, with a fleeting whiff of burned caramel. Meaty, perhaps. Dry smoked sausages, or the rafters of the smoke house.
After a few sips, the hops finally pierce through in the nose: a pleasantly harsh, resin-like tang which really works quite well with the smoke. A bit reminiscent of burning pine wood, the scent of a winter bonfire.
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| Only bigger |
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| Seriously, that could be a line from a kick-ass movie |
From what I understand of old-style UK ales, this is something resembling (or based on) the Porters of about a century ago, only with a more ABV. The use of smoked malt, combined with the whisky malt, makes this "something else", as most brews by De Molen seem to be, but I like the little wink to the past this one makes.
Overall, this is a truly recommendable brew. It's different alright, but in a good way. It's a smoke beer that doesn't seem to go out of its way to make you burp smoke rings all evening, while still retaining a firm rooting in old-school smoke (a mellow rauchbier or a Porter of yore) and contemporary flirting with whisky flavours. Much more so than the Rook&vuur, this is a brew for anyone with an interest in beer, who'd like to have a brush with "something else".
Although the palate is unusual, it is less of a session beer than Rook&Vuur. In the right season (winter evenings sound about right, or a chilly but clear late-autumn afternoon), I can see myself asking for another one. And perhaps another one unless I'm driving.
Hats off to De Molen.
These guys know how to brew.
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