Simcoe Single Hop IPA - Mikkeller ApS

WesWes

New York

3.9/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a cloudy amber color with a thick frothy off-white head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is good. It has a malt forward scent that boasts of pale, crystal, and biscuit malts along with a mild Simcoe hop aroma. The hop character is relatively muted by the malt aroma. The taste is good as well. It has a well balanced flavor that focuses on a complex malt bill that boasts of caramel and biscuit malts. The Simcoe hops are present, but don't dominate like I would hope. It's citrusy with a touch of "cat pee" aroma. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a medium/full bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a tasty brew, but not what I was hoping for. I appreciate the maltiness, but it's hard to concentrate on a single hop character when there is such a rich caramel malt presence.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2011 00:50:10 | More by WesWes

VTHeady

Vermont

3.5/5  rDev -12.9%

06-12-2013 20:20:37 | More by VTHeady

mrfrancis

Kentucky

4/5  rDev -0.5%

06-10-2013 18:49:48 | More by mrfrancis

CHickman

New York

4.41/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Pours a hazy copper brownish color with tons of carbonation bubbles racing up the brew and a huge foamy 2 finger tan head that didn't budge and dissipated really slowly, leaving excellent foamy lacing coating the sides and rings as it went down – spot on for an IPA.

Smells hits hard and fast with grapefruit, pineapple, orange peel, piney hops, light caramel, sweet citrus hops, brown sugar, biscuit and faint booze; the hop aroma is fresh and strong with some mild grains and earthy notes managing to balance it out. Inhaling it after each sip is like taking in fresh hop juice in the glass and it is hophead heaven.

Tastes fresh and juicy, with grapefruit, orange peel, citrus, pineapple and a brown sugary sweetness coating the tongue at first, followed by piney hops, grains, caramel, tea leaf, guava, and a fruit sweetness like candy; the ABV is completely hidden and there is a complexity that seems odd since this is a single hop in use, but it gives off so many fruit flavors that they all seem to blend together. Very tasty, with solid balance and more sweetness than bitterness.

Mouthfeel is smooth with very light and almost fizzy carbonation, a medium chewy body and a slightly bitter finish that is fruity and sweet, trailing off with a hoppy sweetness and some complimentary malt backbone.

Another well balanced and excellent IPA from Mikkeller. It was expensive, but worth it and a beer that I highly recommend trying. It was a shame to get through this so quickly, as this was another wonderful Mikkeller creation. Another display of the mastery of beer making.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2013 04:24:44 | More by CHickman

InfernoBoss

California

4/5  rDev -0.5%

05-22-2013 20:12:59 | More by InfernoBoss

megamass

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -0.5%

05-20-2013 04:46:12 | More by megamass

IPeteA91

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +11.9%

05-12-2013 23:03:53 | More by IPeteA91

kojevergas

California

3.18/5  rDev -20.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

6.9% ABV confirmed. Imported by the Shelton Bastards. 11.2 fl oz brown glass bottle with white standard pressure cap and red no-frills label acquired in a trade from Duff27 (thanks again, buddy!) and served into a Uinta pilsner glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are above average; Mikkel is me favourite brewer but this series hasn't had many winners.

Served cold, straight from the fridge. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a six finger light khaki colour head of good cream and thickness, nice frothy texture, and rather good (~6 minute) retention. Light thin even lacing as the head recedes. Body colour is a respectable vibrant copper; clear and translucent. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Looking pretty solid for an IPA overall. I'm excited to try it. No notable flaws - just room for improvement.

Sm: Caramel, dry resins, pine. A hint of bubblegum. Musty. Floral and tropical. I didn't realize simcoe was so complex. A bit candy-esque. Caramalts and pale malts comprise the unobtrusive body. An interesting aroma, but not ideal for the style. Still, I'm excited to see where this one goes. A mild strength aroma.

T: Bubblegum, candi sugar, caramel, and some floral character. The bubblegum is dominant. Where's the pine from the aroma? The sticky malty sweetness is more interesting than the hop character. It's a pretty simple brew all around, but it is more complex than most of the other beers in this series that I've had. It speaks a lot to simcoe's complexity, but it's definitely not a hop that can lead an IPA. Imbalanced overall. Built decently. It's not bad, but isn't notable.

Mf: Smooth and wet. Pretty good thickness. Slightly undercarbonated; it works here. Suits the flavour profile well. Not all that creamy. Pretty soft.

Dr: Drinkable but largely forgettable. An interesting experiment, but not a beer I'd get again. Convinces me simcoe is a solid background hop, but it can't dominate the hop profile of a successful IPA. Hides its ABV well.

C+

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 00:30:20 | More by kojevergas

jklecko2

Missouri

4/5  rDev -0.5%

05-06-2013 19:18:26 | More by jklecko2

Howler89

Colorado

3.88/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

I wish I could review more beers. Studying the law has put me in a position where I can drink beer or write about it, but not both. I need to shout out StonedTrippin for an amazing sunday real quick. He made the best rack of ribs I ever tasted and even let me carry some things and juice some apples for the apple juice hot tubs we created for stage 3 of 4 of the all day smoke sesh that went down. It was elite dog. Your the man. I encourage anyone and everyone to check his reviews for valuable education on any of 1680 beers currently reviewed at his page.

Now on to more pressing matters. Mikkeller has created some of the finest beer to ever grace my palate, and thus, I was disappointed to realize that this beer had been sitting on the shelf at littles for months and I hadn't tried it. It pours into a tulip glass a foggy apple juice color with a stiff white head. The smell of this beer seems to give away the entire experience. The hops are very fresh. Far from a hop bomb, reminding me more a tropical island getaway, coconuts, pears, and oranges. The taste is very much the same. Fruity with mild to medium bitter right up front. Doesn't linger for long but unique none the less. The Simcoe Hop must have more subtle intentions when it comes to my heart, but I always have gone for the mystery girl anyways so it is what it is. The brew is nice and weighty in the mouth. A respectable beer, and another success among many for MIkkeller.

Solid B unless you are looking for something more classic, then a B-.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2013 05:04:18 | More by Howler89

Kenai4

Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%

04-22-2013 12:09:37 | More by Kenai4

mishtif

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -6.7%

03-19-2013 13:40:12 | More by mishtif

BuddyE

Louisiana

3.5/5  rDev -12.9%

03-19-2013 03:53:23 | More by BuddyE

JohnQVD

New York

3.3/5  rDev -17.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Pours with a thick, foamy head and active carbonation. The head never quite dissipates, but does thin out to about a third of an inch. It has kind of a murky, light rust color, much like the citra but a little clearer. Clean smelling, and mildly creamy. Taste is flowery and bitter with a lightest bitter aftertaste. Mouthfeel is very light, and very lightly carbonated. The malt is not as pronounced as the citra, which is surprising because I think this bottle is pretty old. This is pretty decent, but would probably be better if it was fresh.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 17:44:26 | More by JohnQVD

saeh

France

3.75/5  rDev -6.7%

03-16-2013 18:20:12 | More by saeh

sendbeer

Georgia

4/5  rDev -0.5%

03-04-2013 16:56:21 | More by sendbeer

deac83

Texas

4/5  rDev -0.5%

03-02-2013 04:29:33 | More by deac83

IanSpindler

Alberta (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%

02-26-2013 22:02:50 | More by IanSpindler

JavierGC

Spain

3.75/5  rDev -6.7%

02-16-2013 17:46:38 | More by JavierGC

tswater

Colorado

4/5  rDev -0.5%

02-08-2013 23:19:02 | More by tswater

KillaB

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -12.9%

01-29-2013 05:55:11 | More by KillaB

Sunnanek

Sweden

4/5  rDev -0.5%

01-26-2013 20:00:59 | More by Sunnanek

bluetrevian

Florida

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%

01-25-2013 01:24:31 | More by bluetrevian

spycow

Illinois

4/5  rDev -0.5%

01-12-2013 20:12:13 | More by spycow

virinow

New York

4/5  rDev -0.5%

01-12-2013 12:19:07 | More by virinow