8

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

8.3

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8.5 | Flavor - 8.5 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

Sour ale with Syrah grapes, tasted as a 2020 vintage at Baghaven itself, a lovely industrial place in the northeast of Copenhagen. Lilac, moussy ring, open but thinly retaining around the edge, sustained by enthusiastic small bubbles rising up through a deep, hazy purple robe with beautiful ruby red glow. Aroma of lots of actual Syrah grapes with all their spiciness and juiciness, grape skins, lemon, unsugared fruit yoghurt, cassis, old oak wood, fig leaves, wild blackberries, cooked slough plums, Roosvicée, subtle hint of farmland. Tart onset, lemony but not harshly puckering, with lots of cooked plum and blackcurrant impressions, but of course mostly dominated by a wealth of juicy, fleshy, vinous Syrah grapes; finely tingling carb, full and very vinous mouthfeel. The juiciness of the grapes, almost fully hiding a bready malt core, is soon accompanied by astringent grape skin and grape seed effects, further propelled forward by wood in the end. Lots of lactic acidity (sour yoghurt) too, and some lovely, subtle ‘funky’ Brett notes in the end (wet leather, sweat). The grapes, however, dominate the stage here, even recognizable as Syrah, which is wonderful (because one of my favourite wine grapes); a lovely glow of tawny port-like alcohol warms the finish. This is as vinous and red wine-like as beer gets, obviously – like the most ‘dense’ and grape juice-dominated grape lambics from the Pajottenland. Utterly fruity, bright, warming and comforting – a true gem. Cheers Mikkeller, you guys pulled it off.

8.1

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5

75cl Bottle @ Baghaven. Pours deep red with bubbles on top. Vinous and dry. Grapes and blue fruit. Red fruit. Woody. Long lingering bone dry finish.