Running Club

Brewery: Mikkeller

Supplier: Beer52

The final Mikkeller from the Mikkeller box (but I've still got the two other Scandi beers from the box), this being another pale ale. I'm fairly sure that this was brewed for the Mikkeller running clubs around the world, which is exactly what it sounds like, clubs that go running together. I served this chilled.

Appearance: A reasonable bright yellow colour, slightly opaque. The head is a pure white that thins down to only a couple of bubbles.

Aroma: Fresh but funky peach with a little lemon rind.

Flavour: A slight hint of peach on the front, then lots of lemon, running into a little bit of mandarin. 

Body: Quite light, and the fizz is a bit too much; but goes reasonably well with the style.

Aftertaste: This is not as nice as it's a bit like a tangy, watered down orange juice.

Overall: Therefore this gets a rating of 4, a drinkable pale ale, but that's about it.

Price Range: Another from the box of 10 I got for £14 (usually £29), so it works out at £1.40 for a 330ml bottle, about right, but I wouldn't choose it again.

Food Pairings: The tangy, bitter lemon I think would go well with sweet chili/BBQ chicken.

Milk Stout

Brewery: Mikkeller

Supplier: Beer52

Another from the Mikkeller box, obviously you can see from the name this is a milk stout, so it has lactose in it. This one I've seen around a lot, so I presume it is one of their core or more common ones. I served this chilled. 

Appearance: A really deep black, so deep that light doesn't even penetrate. The head is a latte colour, starts off thick but thins quickly leaving a thick lacing. 

Aroma: A mild but lovely mix of sweet vanilla, raspberries and coffee.

Flavour: Chocolate with some sweet raspberry icecream. There is also a slight herbal element in it. There is also a small amount of coffee-like acidity.

Body: Super smooth, with a thin vail of carbonation. 

Aftertaste: Even more sweeness, coupled with a oatmilk like flavour. 

Overall: Therefore this gets a rating of 7, very nice, but it seems to be mainly sweetness with not much complexity.

Price Range: Another from the box of 10 I got for £14 (usually £29), so it works out at £1.40 for a 330ml bottle, a very good price, but not something you want to drink often.

Food Pairings: As it's sweet I think it's more like a dessert beer, personally I would pair it with a trifle, especially one heavy on the fruit.

Henry Jagger

Brewery: Mikkeller

Supplier: Beer52

Another from the Mikkeller box, this is a low alcohol pale ale at only 2.2% ABV. Like all the Mikkeller beers this also has very little info about it. Don't know the significance of the name, and if there's a relation to Mick Jagger. I served this chilled.  

Appearance: Amber, and slightly opaque. The head is a slightly off-white colour and is a medium thickness with quite a substance behind it. 

Aroma: A sour mix of tart oranges and a little hop resin.

Flavour: Really faint, but much like the tart orange note of the nose.

Body: Reasonably refreshing, but surprisingly full bodied, especually for something so low alcohol. Drys out in the back.

Aftertaste: This is where you get a bit more of the hop notes, coupled with a strong cereal note and a little hoppy bitterness.

Overall: Therefore this gets a rating of 5, refreshing and really easy to drink, great for someone driving.

Price Range: Another from the box of 10 I got for £14 (usually £29), so it works out at £1.40 for a 330ml bottle, this is about right, something you could drink a few of easily, especially if you need to keep sober.

Food Pairings: I'm going to say sweet potato fried, the sweetness going well with the dry, bitter back.

Not Just Another Wit

Brewery: Mikkeller

Supplier: Beer52

Another from the Mikkeller box, this is described by them as a hoppy witbier, which to me is a white IPA. I served this chilled.

Appearance: A golden colour, with a pale straw coming out when held to the light; slightly murkey. The head is a thin white head. 

Aroma: A funky note that you get sometime from wheat beers, there is also a slight spicy/chemical note, maybe with a hint of alcohol. 

Flavour: You get a sweet mix of orange peel hops and malt that swirls over the tongue. 

Body: Like the previuos one today, the beer is really smooth, full bodies, and perfectly carbonated.

Aftertaste: Lots of spicy esters with a little bit of that orange hoppy note.

Overall: Therefore this gets a rating of 6, it is what it says on the tin, it's a hoppy wheat beer, with some of that Belgian spice note you sometimes get in wheat beers.

Price Range: Another from the box of 10 I got for £14 (usually £29), so it works out at £1.40 for a 330ml bottle, A decent price and I would recommend it to anyone who likes Belgian style beers.

Food Pairings: I think the strong flavours from this beer needs something strong to penetrate, so I would go with something like a charcuterie board with rye bread and pickles (on that note a Rubens sandwich would also be very good with it).

I Wish Gluten Free IPA

Brewery: Mikkeller

Supplier: Beer52

Another from the Mikkeller box, and this is their Gluten Free IPA - and self-proclaimed worlds first gluten free beer (though I'm a bit dubious about that). Apart from that, there isn't much else about it. I served this chilled. 

Appearance: A burnt gold colour turning a deep amber when held to the light. The head is a reasonably thick off white that starts to thin quick, but maintains a reasonable amount. 

Aroma: Sweet and spicy hop resin notes, airing more on the spicy side. It's subtle, but very nice. 

Flavour: Not h huge amount, but there is initially a mint-like freshness from the bitterness of the hops.

Body: Really full bodied and exceptionally smooth. The carbonation is just right.

Aftertaste: You get some malt from the with a slight lemon tang from the hops.

Overall: Therefore this gets a rating of 7, it mainly get the score from the exceptional body that transforms this drinkable IPA.

Price Range: Another from the box of 10 I got for £14 (usually £29), so it works out at £1.40 for a 330ml bottle, a fantastic price for a really refreshing and drinkable beer.

Food Pairings: It's quite full bodied so it would go better with something simple. I would suggest stir-fried rice, with some soy sauce the saltiness would complement it well.

Drink'in Berliner

Brewery: Mikkeller

Supplier: Beer52

Another from the Mikkeller box, and this time it's one of their sour beers, namely a Berliner Weisse. Again, not much is said about this brew, but it seems to be the base of a lot of different variations. I served this chilled.

Appearance: Crystal clear with a weak white gold colouring. The head is a really thick
pure white and almost meringue-like consistancy. 

Aroma: Like a standard pale ale but with a little bit of vinegar in the back. 

Flavour: The head is quite bitter with a waxy twang but the actual beer is much less sharp in flavour with a thin sweet malt followed by lemon rind and a nice subtle cider vinegar. 

Body: Very light with a some weight right at the back. 

Aftertaste: The sharp vinegar not is a bit more prominant in the afternote, but not overly so. 

Overall: Therefore this gets a rating of 4, unusual but a little too much like vinegar, unlike other Berliner Weisse' which have more of a sour note.

Price Range: Another from the box of 10 I got for £14 (usually £29), so it works out at £1.40 for a 330ml bottle, it's a decent price as it's a bit unusual, but I probably wouldn't get it again as it's not the best.

Food Pairings: I think the vinegar notes would go well with a vinegarette on a light salad.

Stick In The Ear

Brewery: Mikkeller

Supplier: Beer52

Another offer from Beer52; this was their Mikkeller box which had mostly Mikkeller beer plus a couple of other Scandi ones, so expect to see these up coming. Just a recap, Mikkeller is a legendary brewery and this is one of their many IPAs, a West Coast style IPA.  But apart from that, they don't say anything else about it, so I'll get to drinking it. I served this chilled.

Appearance: A dark gold with a little amber, slightly merky. The heead is a slightly off white, thick at first but thins quickly to a thin layer of large bubbles.

Aroma: Sweet resin, with a little bit of candied pineapple. 

Flavour: A hint of the hop resin from the nose in the front, followed by that flour like note with a little of the herbal hop notes. You get a hint of malt when it flows over your tounge. 

Body: Quite thick for an IPA, not really as refreshing as it should be. 

Aftertaste: A lingering of the matly notes followed by a really dry herbal note.

Overall: Therefore this gets a rating of 6, a nice IPA, but nothing much and has a mediocre aftertaste. Not what I would expect from Mikkeller.

Price Range: This time I got a box of 10 I got for £14 (usually £29), so it works out at £1.40 for a 330ml bottle,this is a decent price but I wouldn't go for it often even if you could get it for this price regularly.

Food Pairings: A salty meat to go with the bitter hop notes. Maybe something like jerked meat.