Spontanale - Mikkeller ApS

ngeunit1

California

4.28/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Cloudy golden-orange with a finger of frothy white head. Fades normal.

S - Wheat, lemon zest, tart green fruit, funky yeast, sourness, barnyard funk, acidity, funky yeasts.

T - Sourness, tart green fruits, lemon zest, wheat, funky barnyard flavors and yeast, acidity, lactic acid, oak, vanilla.

M - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Smooth with a tart, funky, and sour finish.

D - Very tart and acidic. Nicely balanced and good kick.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2013 05:17:53 | More by ngeunit1

jtladner

District of Columbia

3.5/5  rDev -6.4%

05-18-2013 21:55:06 | More by jtladner

JellyJacket

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%

05-07-2013 00:40:23 | More by JellyJacket

Caudalie

Quebec (Canada)

3/5  rDev -19.8%

05-06-2013 13:28:03 | More by Caudalie

TallSaint

United Kingdom (Scotland)

3.5/5  rDev -6.4%

04-22-2013 00:43:18 | More by TallSaint

DoubleJ

California

3.19/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Mikkeller makes a sour (with the help of De Proef). This one was aged in wine barrels and shows 7.7% ABV. So, on to the beer:

Some large carbonation bubbles are visible and rise through the beer. Its color is a lighter shade of orange with sunlight yellow hues, topped with a small white head with leaves a few dots of itself around. The nose is tame, modestly tart with a splash of white wine.

Not a wild sour by any stretch of the imagination. There is a vague bitterness which hits before the wine, which does have a little sourness. I taste a vague infection, a vague sour fruit note, and a little barnyard stink. Despite its relative high alcohol, the body is closer to being light, and the carbonation is semi-sparkling.

I'm not very excited here. It's okay, but there are so many good options which sell for less than $11.99 for 375ml.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 04:54:04 | More by DoubleJ

kojevergas

California

3.36/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Mikkel is my favourite brewer. Brewed & Bottled at Dr Proef. Imported by the Shelton Bastards. My bottle, which identifies the beer as "Ale Aged in Wine Barrels", displays the ABV as 7.7%. 12.7 fl oz green glass (come on, Mikkel!) bottle with standard pressure cap served into a conical Samuel Smith's pint glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are high.

Served cold, straight from the fridge. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated. Allowed to warm over the course of consumption.

A: Pours a three finger beige colour head of no real cream, poor thin appearance, and above average (~3 minute) retention. Body colour is a hazy yellow-orange. Nontransparent; translucent. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. It isn't much to look at, admittedly. Hopefully it tastes better than it looks.

Sm: Funky with light sourness. Bretts, a bit of lacto. Floral hops. Clean pale malts. An average strength aroma. It's generally good, but leaves a lot to be desired - especially considering the style. No alchol is detectable.

T: Nicely sour, with lacto overlapping with light funky bretts. Pale malts form the body. Floral hops lend a pleasant flavour. It's well balanced but painfully simple - especially considering the style. Crystal malt; it's a bit champagne-esque. Tasty and enjoyable, but wanting. No alcohol comes through. A pretty basic sour, but a good one.

Mf: Smooth, acidic, and wet. Good carbonation. Good presence on the palate. A bit too thick for its lack of flavour depth and diversity. Suits the flavour profile generally well. A bit too fizzy.

Dr: As basic a sour as you'll find, Spontanale would make a great introduction to sours for a newcomer. Otherwise, it's a bit dull. It'll feed your sour fix, but there's nothing unique or special here to justify a repeat purchase - especially considering its pricetag as an import (though remember to blame the Shelton Bastards for that, not Mikkeller). I wouldn't get this again, but it's pretty decent stuff. It won't impress seasoned sour drinkers, but it gets the job done. An early effort from Mikkel; I've had far better sours from him.

B-

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 03:29:03 | More by kojevergas

eric5bellies

Australia

4/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Drank from my Cantillon Geuze glass

A - Pours a cloudy orange colour with a nice foamy white head that retains well

S - Horse blanket and zesty fruits and yeast

T - Up front some nice sour lemon zest notes with a nice green grape flavour that fades into a long sour finish.

M - Light to medium body and light to medium carbonation.

O - I can't see a lot wrong with this beer. It has balnce and sourness that is the equal of a lot of established Lambics. The finish is a little sticky. Maybe a little more carbonation is needed.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 12:28:20 | More by eric5bellies

gtank

4/5  rDev +7%

02-15-2013 02:04:26 | More by gtank

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

375ml bottle, 5.3% ABV. Now without fruit!

This beer pours a cloudy medium golden amber hue, with two fingers of broadly bubbly, foamy off-white head, which leaves a few aspirational mesa cliffs of lace around the glass as it steadily recedes.

It smells of grainy pale malt, sour lemon, sharply lactic funk, a more understated tart apple/pear fruitiness, and some softly musty woodiness. The taste is sour, tart apple 'fruit' essence, a doddering pale grainy maltiness, some middling aged, thought still sassy lemon, a fading fast earthy funkiness, some lingering oakey mustiness, and an herbal, grassy character.

The bubbles are a tad peppy, and strong enough to keep things alive, the body a stolid medium weight, and generally smooth amongst the piddling acid and hop challengers. It finishes just on the off-dry side, the inherent fruitiness of the malt somehow keeping up airs, in the face of the lingering sour, musky, yet still neutered funk.

An actually approachable gueuze, in that the acidic nature isn't quite tooth-scrapingly tart, as the fruitiness is weirdly achieved sans guest fruit adjunct. The wood goes far here, at least in the subjugation of the funk, making for an overall pleasant walk in the park for the style. Worthy, and agreeably drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 05:40:33 | More by biboergosum

neckbracesub

Indiana

3.5/5  rDev -6.4%

01-27-2013 13:28:48 | More by neckbracesub

JAHMUR

Connecticut

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%

01-23-2013 02:42:47 | More by JAHMUR

Archemedies

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%

10-31-2012 01:27:13 | More by Archemedies

t0rin0

California

2.75/5  rDev -26.5%

10-29-2012 01:51:50 | More by t0rin0

MrRockstar

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -19.8%

10-22-2012 22:58:36 | More by MrRockstar

mltobin

Connecticut

4.08/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served on-tap at Mikkeller bar - Copenhagen.

Appearance is a very nice looking golden tone with a short off-white head atop. Its` nose contains apples, black pepper, wood and lemon. An interesting aroma, but nothing crazier than some others from the style. It has a taste of grapes, sour qualities, hay and funk. Mouthfeel is light, a very dry finish which leaves you craving some water, but I dig it. This is a well done gueuze and from what I understand, the first "true gueuze" that Mikkeller has produced. It is well done and for those who I have a chance to try it, do so !

Serving type: on-tap

10-19-2012 00:41:54 | More by mltobin

fpreh1957

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -19.8%

09-28-2012 19:10:24 | More by fpreh1957

BeerTruck

Portugal

3.5/5  rDev -6.4%

09-27-2012 20:38:01 | More by BeerTruck

Daniellobo

District of Columbia

4/5  rDev +7%

09-12-2012 01:28:00 | More by Daniellobo

madtrixter787

Virginia

4.05/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Got some bottles of this and the Framboos in at the shop today. Poured into DFH tulip.

Nice hazy light orange with a decent head that lingers. Wonderful smell, definitely know its a geuze. Thought the carbonation would have been a little better based on the pour, but it helps out the smooth initial taste and mouthfeel. The sour comes in at the end and is in no way overwhelming, just a nice finish. Not a bad first effort for a geuze, as it is in no way an easy style to pull off. Hope the Framboos is just as good!

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2012 02:23:50 | More by madtrixter787

PeterIngemi

Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12.7oz bottle into a duvel glass

A: pours a nice hazy straw golden with a touch of orange, nice finge of fluffy white head after a gentle pour that dissapates into a film. A few spots if lacing.... Nice looking beer.

S: light sour lemony funk with some heavier musky oak notes.... Some nice sour green apple/pear notes in there as well... also some grassy/straw like notes in there as well.

T: the sourness is dialed up a bit from the nose, particularly up front there is a nice tart lemonyness, that eventually turns to notes of greens our green apple/pear.... In the middle a musky oakyness comes on strong as well, along with a grassy/straw like herbalness. The only negative thing I have to say is that the musky oak seems to overwhelm a touch, I wish that was dialed back and the sour notes were more of the focal point.

M: light medium body with a medium carbonation, dry on the finish with a bit if a bitter musky oak aftertaste that I feel detracts from the brew overall.

O: a good gueze, although I wish it was a bit more sour and the oak notes weren't so up front, could have been a little bit more well balanced, but then I hold mikkeller to a higher standard then most I suppose.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2012 02:36:23 | More by PeterIngemi

drewone

California

4/5  rDev +7%

08-13-2012 20:06:47 | More by drewone

womencantsail

California

3.48/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

The pour is a hazy golden color with a white head. Moderately funky with lots of dirt, mushroom, must, and grass. A light pepper aroma in the background. Lemon and lemon zest provide a light tartness. The flavor is a bit more oak forward, though still rather funky. Mildly tart, some grass, and moderate funk. Has a bit of a young homebrew sour flavor.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 20:56:00 | More by womencantsail

JamFuel

Sweden

4/5  rDev +7%

08-07-2012 16:29:15 | More by JamFuel

samEBC

Belgium

4/5  rDev +7%

07-01-2012 17:10:21 | More by samEBC