Verdeel & Heers

Bretted BA stout from De Molen, bottle bought at De Hopduvel. Creamy, dense, yellowish beige, stable, papery lacing head over a jet black beer, almost entirely opaque. Aroma of bitter chocolate bars, quite strong but not too obtrusive moist peat and peated whisky, walnut liqueur, coffee, wood, Cuban cigars, fig, onsetting Brett effects in the form of the classic ’horseblanket’, old books and leather, adding considerable complexity. Intense onset with a lot of dried fig and dito banana, even some raisiny sweetness, blackcurrant accent and underlying, but quite pronounced roasted barley sourishness, soft carbo, thick, viscous and oily body. A thick, syrupy, ’black’ maltiness ensues, nutty and very toasted, evolving into mouth-filling black coffee roasted bitterness with growing retronasal peat, yet feeling ’natural’ and less iodine-like than is often the case in these peated whisky barrel aged beers; ends with ongoing black chocolate and dito cofee maltiness, lots of explicit whisky-like alcohol, furniture-like woodiness, spicy hops lurking in the background and - interestingly - mild but very unmistakable leathery and old cloth-like Brett effects, which are bound to become stronger with age. I should have bought more bottles and cellar a few of them... In any case another proof of what this brilliant brewery does best, i.e. barrel ageing big, thick, boozy and extremely flavorful stouts. Another Molen masterpiece of international stature.

Bottle sampled at Kompaan courtesy of Mr hangover. Thin ring tan head. Clear black pour. Boozy and peaty aftertaste.