Nelson Sauvin Single Hop IPA - Mikkeller ApS

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Well appreciated IPA. The hop smelled pleasant. The body, though medium yellow was nicely topped by a huge and lasting volume of head in my anti-gravity glass. This beer took the place of a glass of white wine in my meal. Citrus well integrated. If you like hops at all, seek it out. If you like white wine ever at all, seek this out.Creamy mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2010 01:11:08 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.15/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Autumn leaves orange with a great deal of uprushing carbonation that produced a huge crown of beige colored foam after a gentle pour. The head becomes hugely rocky with meltage and is leaving assorted scraps of suds on the sides of the glass.

The aroma is wonderful for anyone who likes the little green cones. Nelson Sauvin hops are so named because they're supposed to smell and taste like 'crushed gooseberries', which is a characteristic of Sauvignon blanc grapes. Actually, the beer does smell white grape-like, and also has juicy pineapple notes that are tremendous.

This IPA is yet another winner from the brewmasters at Mikkeller. They've hit on a winning combination of malt, water and yeast that goes very well with large amounts of various hops. Anyone wondering if this relatively new variety from New Zealand can carry the flavor load need wonder no longer. It ain't Simcoe good, but it's still might tasty.

The toasted-nutty-earthy malts don't intrude too much on the flavor front, which is as it should be. Specifics include a modest amount of caramel-toffee, orange peel, pineapple, white grapes and pine. It's a similar profile to many American hops... with a slightly different twist to keep things interesting.

Too bad the mouthfeel is a minor letdown. The beer is slightly too buzzy early, then feels flattish once the bubbles fade. Any sort of volume or creaminess would have earned the next highest score.

Carbonation issues might have impacted the taste score in a downward direction. Having said that, Nelson Sauvin Single Hop IPA is good stuff from a brewery that impresses much more often than not. Even though they're too expensive, I plan to pick up a single bottle of as many of these brews as Mikkeller decides to release.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2009 16:06:45 | More by BuckeyeNation

womencantsail

California

4/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: The beer pours almost copper in color with a finger or two of off-white head.

S: There is a ton of pineapple aroma to this beer, which is really quite nice. A mild toffee and caramel, but still plenty of hops. Nice grapefruit and other citrus notes along with a bit of tangerine.

T: Like with the aroma, a big time fruitiness is present. Grapefruit, tangerine, and pineapple are the most intense. The malt flavor is subdued compared to the amount of influence it had on the nose. A moderate bitterness as well as some orange peel flavor.

M: Medium in body with a medium level of carbonation.

O: The best of the Single Hop series I've had from Mikkeller, and really not a bad IPA.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2011 21:34:39 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a moderate amber with an off-white head and a decent amount of lacing.

S: Nice citrus and tropical smells, but nothing too overpowering or special.

T: Similar to the nose. Everything is pretty good, although not intense in any way. Not really any popping, which is what I expected in a beer that's to show me how a particular type of hop tastes.

M: Medium bodied and a bit dry. A little bit of an alcohol presence. Not quite as smooth as it should be given the lack of a strong hop presence.

D: Pretty good. Nice and easy, but nothing too special either.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2010 10:46:31 | More by Thorpe429

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4.28/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Let's pit the Nelson Sauvin Single Hop versus the Cascade, Nugget, Warrior, and Simcoe versions.

Appearance: Pours out cloudy, burnt orange body with a full inch of lasting, off-white foam.

Smell: Delicately toasted malts with notes of cookies and grains with a distinct waft of white grapes as well as some lightly earthy, herbal hints. I've always appreciated Nelson Sauvin hops for being so different and unique. It's shame I don't see it used too often.

Taste: Lightly toasted base maltiness with a touch of dry caramel and crumbled cookies, though with only a light, restrained amount of sweetness. The Nelson Sauvin hops serve up a faintly tart, fruity white wine flavor with some milder earthy, fresh herb undertones. Moderate bitterness. Finishes dry, crisp, and with some continued bitterness into the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium-plus carbonation.

Drinkability: I certainly enjoy the concept of a single hop series to really enjoy all the various vibrant nuances and characteristics of the particular hop varieties utilized. While this was previously done by Bison, I had no love for the base beer used, so I quickly abandoned the idea of following that series. I'm diggin' this though!

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2009 00:25:36 | More by ChainGangGuy

brentk56

North Carolina

4.45/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours a hazy copper color topped by a huge head that leaves plenty of lacing behind

Smell: Classic Nelson Sauvin aromatics, with a vinous white grape and lychee character

Taste: Very light malt treatment here, just enough to provide a platform to deliver the hops; starting out with a spicy lychee character, the vinous notes start to emerge at mid-palate; after the swallow, the hops add a grassy edge to the other elements that lingers into the finish

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with moderate carbonation

Drinkability: Nelson Sauvin is one of my favorite hops and this beer shows them off in all of their complexity

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2011 02:03:00 | More by brentk56

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.85/5  rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle: Poured a clear amber color ale with a medium size foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of bitter hops with medium floral notes and medium caramel malt. Taste is also a good mix between some bitter hops with light earthy notes and subtle floral undertones with a solid caramel malt backbone. Body is about average with good carbonation. Well brewed though not my favorite hops from this series.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2010 02:40:09 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.53/5  rDev -12%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A bright introduction to the fairly unknown Nelson Sauvin hops. Fruity and tawny, the beer takes a distinct wine-like or boozy turn.

Like all other Mikkeller Single Hop Series beer, the beer takes on a deep copper color with greater than normal haze. Great formation and retainage of off white foam and good lacing. A good but hazy look even for an IPA.

Fruity/citrus aromas emmit from the hops, but with a quick and sturdy rebuttal from the biscuity and caramelized malts. The beer takes a distinct wine-like tawny aroma, similar to gin or other fruit-forward alcohols.

Flavors of the malt hit first but with the white grape, juniper, under-rippended berry notion following closely behind. Bitterness seems sharp and seems to amplify the bitterness of the alcohol is quite a boozy fashion. Interestingly, the beer seems to have a more estery fruitiness because of the hops used. Finishes with a cool/minty tawny-tanic flavor.

Creamy and medium fullness early but the alcohols and hop bitterness seems to thin the beer without the classic dry-maltiness and smooth hop bitterness that I've seen in previous Single Hop Mikkellers.

This may be my least favorite beer in the series. Not saying that this hop doesn't work but I think it would pair well with Amarillo or Saaz hops for more roundness in flavor/aroma and for smoother bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2010 01:30:28 | More by BEERchitect

oberon

North Carolina

4.33/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had never heard of the Nelson Sauvin hop until I tried this beer.Poured into a standard pint glass a slight hazed deep orange/amber with a large fluffy two finger head that left broken lace as it settled rather slowly.Love thid big grapefruit rind aromas along with a touch of evergreen,a lighter caramel malt base shows through as well.Again big grapefruit notes on the palate,some tropical-like fruitiness as well,the evergreen/pine is more subdued but noticeable,caramel malt lends some balance.A great single hop beer,I really liked this one.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2010 18:58:51 | More by oberon

WesWes

New York

4/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a cloudy, dark golden color with a thick frothy off-white head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is good. It has a nice citrus/grapefruit hop scent along with a pale and caramel malt aroma. It's bitter, but not overly so. The taste is good as well. It has a well balanced flavor that boasts of pale and crystal malts along with a citrus hop character. It's a mild citrus, but it's present and it melds well with the malts. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a medium bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a good drinking IPA. It's not a hugely bitter brew, but the hop character is well represented.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2011 23:40:43 | More by WesWes

drabmuh

Maryland

4.1/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had 10 of these side by side on draft at Churchkey the other night -- nugget, amarillo, cascade, warrior, simcoe, chinook, eat kent, centennial, tomahawk, and Nelson Sauvin. It was a great experience to get all 10 of them side by side. Thank you Mikkeller for this great experiment in single hop IPAs. My reviews of these 10 beers may seem slightly redundant but they are different.

Beer was orangish and slightly burnt color. There is an overall slight haze to the beer. Carbonation is moderate and there forms a white head of medium to small bubbles that leaves a lot of lacing on the glass.

Never brewed with this hop either...WHOA! STRONG pineapple aroma, tons of fruit in here. Beer is really smooth too, overall bitterness is low, which is kind of a bummer and it has an odd aftertaste. I think this would be a great aroma hop for sure.

Serving type: on-tap

03-26-2010 18:14:34 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

3.95/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to my brother for picking this beer up for me while he was driving through Lafayette, LA.

Pours golden orange with a white head. The aroma is white peaches with some other citrus. The flavor is peaches, medium bitterness with some orange and other citrus characteristics. High carbonation, thin-medium mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2010 17:45:34 | More by Mora2000

metter98

New York

4.05/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A: The beer is hazy yellowish amber in color and has a light to moderate amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a finger high dense beige head that has good retention properties and never completely faded away.
S: There are light to moderate aromas of grapes, grapefruit and tangerine in the nose.
T: The hops contribute fruity flavors of gooseberries, grapefruit and grapes as well as a light to moderate amount of bitterness; these are balanced by the underlying malts so they don't overpower the taste.
M: It feels medium-bodied and crisp on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: The beer is very easy to drink. I would definitely try this again because the flavors from the hops are very unique.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2011 19:36:23 | More by metter98

zeff80

Missouri

4.3/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Poured out a clear, orange/amber color with a small, off-white head of bubbly foam. It left thin patches of lace on the glass.

S - A very potent aroma of grapefruit and pine. It overwhelms any caramel or malt aroma that might be present.

T - Good bubblegum and grapefruit flavors from the hops. Also, quite bitter with mild caramel sweetness.

M - It was crisp and sharp with a fairly dry finish. A medium-bodied ale that drinks easy despite its ABV.

D - This was a treat to try on tap. I've had a few Mikkeller single hop beers from a bottle but trying this fresh on tap was quite delicious.

Serving type: on-tap

05-21-2010 20:51:09 | More by zeff80

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -12%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This beer poured out as a golden orange color with a generous amount of head. The lacing is pretty sticky so it holds pretty well to the glass. The smell of the beer is hoppy, it's also got a good aroma of malts in there too. The taste of the beer reminded me of a Belgian IPA, it's was earthy but still had a very lively taste. Interesting flavor for sure. The mouthfeel was pretty good. Overall I thought that this one was interesting. All of these are worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2011 03:13:48 | More by Knapp85

Halcyondays

California

4.13/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

11.2 oz. bottle, I haven't really heard a lot about this hop varietal except is was from New Zealand and its flavours were comparable to New Zealand style Sauvignon Blanc which I love, plus I liked the name of the hop so I picked it up,

A: Pours a slightly hazy dark amber with a solid 2 finger frothy off-white head. Very good retention, solid lace.

S: Citrus, more tangerine than grapefruit with a significant amount of amber malt. Medium intensity.

T: Heavy bitter melon initially, but the hops become more complex through the mid-palate - pink grapefruit, mango, cantaloupe rind. I can see the comparison with New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc though it's not as direct as I thought it would be. Nice grassy, earthy finish with an undertone of caramel malt throughout. Almost a wet hop floral sweetness in the flavour.

M: Overcarbonated initally, but once I coaxed it out it was really quite fine. On the lighter bodied side for an IPA, fluffy feel to the carbonation. Long aftertaste, 40 minutes later I can still feel remnants of the hop flavour.

D: I liked this effort a lot from Mikkeller, even at $5.99 a bottle I think it's worth a buy to learn about a new hop and simply to drink a fantastic IPA.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2009 20:23:54 | More by Halcyondays

Gavage

New Jersey

4.13/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: clear dark ornage in color with a thick and fluffy 3" head that lingers around a long time. Moderate lace develops.

Smell: caramel and a moderate bitterness is easy to pull from the glass.

Taste: caramel, green grapes, pineapple, a hint of earthiness, and a biting bitterness are the most noticeable flavor components.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied beer. Very crisp to start, less crisp and a bit dry at the finish. Very long aftertaste as the bitterness lingers on the tongue.

Drinkability: another easy drinking IPA. Bitterness is a bit stronger with this hop variety.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2010 13:41:01 | More by Gavage

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

330ml bottle. I like the use of hop country of origin flags on the otherwise consistent labels of these single varietal offerings.

This beer pours a hazy medium golden amber hue, with three solid fingers of firm, foamy pale beige head, which leaves some Roman columns of lace around the glass as it lazily recedes.

It smells of sweet, tangy fruit - pineapple, kiwi, and papaya the prime notes, with a meaty graininess, and a wee (sorry) bit of dank, earthy uric acidity. The taste is nice and bitter - the nondescript citrus peel, a bit of forest floor pine needle - with more tropical fruit, and some musty herbal character, over a decent bready caramel malt, tinged with toffee. Cat pee evocations are mostly burnt off, I guess.

The carbonation is moderate, a bit airy, and generally clean, the body showing a challenged medium weight, the subtle prickliness more imagined than real, rendering it above all else, smooth. It finishes a fair bit off-dry, the exotic (sort of) zingy fruitiness dancing a slow jig with the lingering herbal notes, the supportive grainy malt remaining mostly unappreciated.

Another lovely example of what a tight focus can do for flavour determination - all those Marlborough Sauv Blancs I've enjoyed over the years reborn in this beer - terroir tying it all together - nice.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2012 02:53:21 | More by biboergosum

mdfb79

New York

3.78/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from an 11.2 oz. bottle into my Duvel tulip.

a - Pours a deep brown with hints of orange with 2 fingers of white head. Nice lacing and retention, and little carbonation evident.

s - Smells of citrus hops and some sweet fruity malts.

t - Tastes of wine, citrus, and hops. Has more bitterness than I was expecting. A very interesting combination.

m - Medium body and light carbonation.

d - An interesting and enjoyable IPA. The wine taste from the sauvin combined with the citrus makes the taste very interesting. Worth checking out and I'd try again.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2010 01:02:33 | More by mdfb79

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev -2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Had on tap @ Armsby Abbey.

A: Big fluffy Belgian style pillowy head overflowing the top and sides of the glass, which fades slowly over the very hazy and cloudy woody brown with a little reddish orange color.

N: Lots of fresh hop aroma, despite being all NS hops, it still adds some depth with some spicy and musty fresh hops, some chewy hop aspects, a little citrus, and all that with a light sweet malt backbone.

T: Fluffy with a nice light malt taste, almost like Belgian pale malts which brings a touch of sweetness. More chewy hop flavors with a hint of nougat, spicy hop characteristics, with some fresh musty astringent hop bitterness and some orange peel and citrus. Somewhat bitter overall. There's also a slight juicy flavor.

M: Medium body with decent carbonation.

F: Somewhat bitter still, nothing overpowering which is good for just a single IPA. Gets a little astringent with more of that musty hop resin taste here as well but its manageable. Lingering bitterness with more chewy and slight citrusy hop flavors also lingering. Somewhat dry too which accentuates the bitter profile a bit. Tasty beer, but as there are so many good IPAs out there it doesn't stand out much as great, but good nonetheless.

Serving type: on-tap

05-13-2010 18:30:10 | More by jlindros

ppoitras

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

11.2oz bottle purchased as a single at Julio's, Westboro, MA. Cap date is 11/03/11, best by date?

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed a 2 3/4" beige head over the slightly cloudy copper brew. Pillowy head fades ever-so slowly, with tons of chunky lacing. Aroma is pungeant earthy floral pine. Taste is sweet upfront, with the potent pine and florals coming on in the middle, and driving through the close. Mouthfeel is okay, a little prickly, and drinkability is the same. This hops also doesn't seem to work for me flying solo.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2009 18:09:56 | More by ppoitras

Bighuge

Minnesota

4.3/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Been looking forward to trying a single hop Nelson Sauvin IPA since I heard it was used in Hopslam (not sure if this is true or not though). Nelson Sauvin is a New Zealand hop that has intrigued me for a year or so now. I knew Sly Fox made a Nelson Sauvin IPA and so does this Denmark brewery, Mikeller. Now where could I find these beers? Not around here. Oh wait. Of course. Discount liquor in Milwaukee.

Looks the part. Quite clear and deep copper in tone. Nice big frothy white head. Lacing is quite full. I really like this aroma. It's not particularly "bright", but this is more along the lines of oily, resiny, pungent and thick with shades of Mary Jane. Flavor is grimy hops up front but they turn a little tropical as well. I get lingering ghostly nuances of pineapple and tangerine. Bitterness is very clean and enjoyable. Hops impart a nice resiny feel to the beer but also some interesting hop flavors, including orange. It's really hard to compare this hop to another, but I'd say the closest thing is probably Columbus with its pungency. Carbonation is just a titch too high. Otherwise, this is very enjoyable.

I'd love to see what Mike Hoops could do with this hop.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2009 05:50:13 | More by Bighuge

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.78/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 2

Good ruby light brown appearance. Thick lacing and head. Aroma was phenomenal, big bursts of citrus, mango, orange and pine/apple. Just amazing.

The taste was much less citrus/pine than the aroma. But nonetheless, good. Some tangerine was apparent, along with the pepper I attribute to the Nelson hop, not actual pepper nor rye.

A dry mouthfeel. Very much enjoyed. Price hurts though, I mean, $30 a 6 pack?

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2010 20:19:10 | More by Beerandraiderfan

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

3.88/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Max's today.

The beer pours a clear, amber orange color with OK head retention and lacing. Don't get a whole lot on the nose, but what I get is attractive. The beer is very citrusy, with orange and grapefruit overtones. The flavor profile replicates the nose, though I get considerably more flavor then I was expecting. The beer has a moderately malty, sweet mid palate, but then finishes with a pretty long, dry, bitter finish. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, and the beer finishes well. Drinkability is pretty good, with the alcohol barely noticeable.

Very nice, very solid IPA from these guys.

Serving type: on-tap

04-23-2010 22:00:32 | More by johnmichaelsen

lacqueredmouse

Australia

4/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a slightly hazed deep amber colour, with a very thick head of yellowish foam. Just the delicious look of a pleasant IPA. Head gets a little rocky after a while, but the lacing is pretty good.

Nice tropical hops on the nose, with a slight honey sweetness as well. Missing some of the more classic Nelson Sauvin characters to my mind. Very little capsicum and gooseberry - the notes which scream out NZ Sav Blanc. It smells rather like a muted Cascadian West Coast IPA.

Smooth entry, a round malt coating preparing the palate before the hops make their presence felt. Full fruity characters, finally a hint of passionfruit, with a robust, but not particularly strong bitterness on the back. The palate is better by far than the nose, and the balance is excellent, meaning it is exceptionally drinkable.

A shame in my mind that it doesn't really showcase the hop variety to the full. I've had other beer I feel do this for Nelson Sauvin better, and don't market themselves like this. But it is undoubtedly a very drinkable brew, and a pretty delicious IPA.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2010 10:33:05 | More by lacqueredmouse