Big Worse (Bourbon Edition) - Mikkeller ApS

BigMcLargeHuge

Arizona

3.9/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Big thanks to Blazer06, over on ratebeer, for the big taste. It pours hazy murky copper with white head. The aroma is bold and boozy and harsh with fruits like apricot, apple and sugary peach mixing with some spicy wood notes and a decent amount of heat at the end of the draw. The taste is smooth rich sweet bold goodness with iced cider, concentrated apricot, a mead sense, slick rich malts, molasses, modest bourbon and muted spicy oak notes. Above this array of flavors is resiny pine hop bitterness. The word "yum" comes to mind.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2011 21:19:01 | More by BigMcLargeHuge

megamass

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +17.8%

05-20-2013 04:25:32 | More by megamass

jkane101

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%

05-19-2013 02:43:22 | More by jkane101

spycow

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

04-27-2013 00:03:06 | More by spycow

david131

Michigan

4/5  rDev +4.7%

02-15-2013 05:26:37 | More by david131

BrkfstOfChmpns

Georgia

4.25/5  rDev +11.3%

11-30-2012 00:22:54 | More by BrkfstOfChmpns

Odysseyalien

New Jersey

3.63/5  rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A bottle purchased at Ales Unlimited in San Francisco.

I had wanted to try a Mikkeller brew, particularly this barleywine, and I can gladly say that I've finally done so.

Labled as an American barleywine, I guess it is though the bottle I had was not overly hoppy as most American barleywines are. There is a hop profile though but it's not overwhelming. Slightly sweet but not as sweet as some barleywine's I've had. Flavors more pronouned as it warms to room temperature -- raisins on the tongue along with maybe some brown sugar. Not my favorite barleywine but not bad. If I had room in my suitcase to drag more of these back to New Jersey, I would do so. This might improve nicely with a year or two in the cellar.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2012 03:19:35 | More by Odysseyalien

t0rin0

California

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

10-29-2012 01:20:57 | More by t0rin0

kawilliams81

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2011 vintage. Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a 8 oz snifter.

A- pours a dark copper with a 1 finger light tan head. Big waves and leopard spotting of lacing all over the glass.

S- sweet caramel, brown sugar, bourbon, vanilla, butter, tobacco.

T- toasted malts, toffee, brown sugar, bourbon, tobacco and leather.

M- full body and medium carbonation. Some syrup and has a slightly dry finish.

O- nice ba Barleywine. Fairly complex with nice bourbon, vanilla, tobacco, etc flavors.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 04:17:36 | More by kawilliams81

Morten

Norway

4.25/5  rDev +11.3%

09-04-2012 16:05:47 | More by Morten

ObiWanKushnobi

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +4.7%

08-20-2012 02:47:22 | More by ObiWanKushnobi

womencantsail

California

3.68/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A reddish amber pour with a small khaki head. Only minimal bourbon aroma, but some wood and vanilla notes are present. Sweet brown sugar and toffee, a little bit of fruit/citrus, and some alcohol. The flavor is a touch hot with bourbon and alcohol notes. A bit of oak and vanilla along with brown sugar, toffee, and caramel. A light citrus quality, mostly grapefruit peel.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 20:45:32 | More by womencantsail

AgentMunky

Alabama

4/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 375mL bottle into a brandy snifter. Uncorked, unlike its non-aged brother.

A: Decent head, murky-opaque dark red-brown.

S: Interesting. Some spice, some depth. Sweet, molasses malt.

T/M: Far better than the normal Big Worse (which was, admittedly, out of date). Loads of grapes, pleasant malt, and thick-sharp bourbon. Less sweet than Big Worse, but only relatively so. Still a damn sweet ale. Soft vanilla and the molasses character noted previously, but just enough carbonation to keep the stickiness at bay.

O: A great barleywine, the bourbon influence in which only shows up on the distant aftertaste and the decreased cloyingness of the base beer. Drinkable, pleasant, and recommended. Thanks Mikkel, for improving your disappointing initial effort.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2012 04:08:27 | More by AgentMunky

Rickythejeweler

Maryland

4.43/5  rDev +16%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Dark garnet, one finger off white creamy head, great lacing.

S - Apples, raisons, toffee, wood, candi sugar, light alcohol fumes.

T - Raisons, caramel, toffee, cocoa, oak, maple syrup, light bourbon, nutty maltiness.

M - Full bodied, moderate-low carbonation, slightly dry finish.

O - Another amazing offering from my favorite brewer, Mikkel!

4601011, $14.49, @ Honeygo Wine & Spirits

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2012 21:14:00 | More by Rickythejeweler

Tim460

Maryland

4.43/5  rDev +16%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured a dark copper with off white three finger head.
Smells of bourbon, oak, vanilla, candied sugar.

Beer tastes of candied sugar, oak and malts up front. Bourbon is present in the back end with a nice vanilla taste. I was worried this beer would be too sweet for me but it's very nicely balanced. This is a pretty big beer but goes down surprisingly smooth.

Mouthfeel is about right for a barleywine but I was expecting this to be on the heavier side. Overall this was not cheap (Mikkeller never is), but I'm glad I picked this up as I've had the red wine aged edition last year and wanted to compare the differences.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2012 02:25:37 | More by Tim460

danp14

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +11.3%

05-11-2012 19:02:18 | More by danp14

EfilsGod

4/5  rDev +4.7%

04-16-2012 08:36:51 | More by EfilsGod

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

2.25/5  rDev -41.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

Appearance: There's a slight haze to the amber-brown body that pours out. Small, light beige head.

Smell: Slightly phenolic, somewhat solventy nose with diminutive notes of caramel, toasted grains, and fruit. It certainly has a firm level of harshness and unacceptability.

Taste: A sweetish glug of simple syrup with a slight caramel taste to it. Sprinkling of raisins. Hint of spiciness. A lightly tannic, though significantly harsh bourbon character scuttling the already lacking quality of the base beer and hanging on like grim death through the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Medium-plus carbonation.

Overall: I was never taken by the standard Big Worse and I'd even say the bourbon treatment is even a further hindrance not a benefiting boost.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2012 16:25:53 | More by ChainGangGuy

tclapper

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%

01-09-2012 14:40:38 | More by tclapper

GrindFatherBob

New York

5/5  rDev +30.9%

12-31-2011 03:40:20 | More by GrindFatherBob

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a hazy orange color that appears dark amber, almost brown in the glass with a two finger pillowy, yellowish-beige head that very slowly fades into a lasting ring. Large streaks of lacing left behind.

Earthy, leathery aroma with some sweet malt notes and a subtle barrel character. There is some toasted oak and boozy bourbon but it doesn't overpower the nose, allowing the malt character to come through. I usually never say this, but it could use more barrel. Hints of caramel and toffee along with some dark fruit and alcohol.

Medium bodied with a surprising amount of carbonation for the style. Slightly spicy with a decent barrel character that gives off some dry oak and sweet bourbon flavor without overpowering the base beer. There's still a lot of leathery malt with hints of caramel, toffee, nut and biscuit as well as some fig, date and raisin. Decently balanced with a well masked ABV but is definitely still a sipper. I haven't been a fan of many of Mikkeller's barrel aged beers but this one is pretty good.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2011 06:51:06 | More by corby112

Reagan1984

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +17.8%

12-18-2011 22:20:31 | More by Reagan1984

matthewpaul

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +4.7%

12-13-2011 22:24:59 | More by matthewpaul

Amdy

California

4/5  rDev +4.7%

12-08-2011 08:38:36 | More by Amdy

Daniellobo

District of Columbia

4.1/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Complex and boozy barleywine with a shiny maltier bourbonesque edge.

Presentation: 375 ml green, plastic corked, and caged bottle. Light yellow illustration with a two mugshots of the brewers. Back highlights the the brewing at de Proef. Notes style and 12% Alc. by Vol. Served in a snifter.

A - Hazy amber brown pour with a fair head that displays good retention and surface memory with some lacing.

S - Sweet nose, malty and lightly boozy with a hint of bourbon and vanilla and a resinous hint…

T - Flow follows with a nice malty range, touches of vanilla with a boozy bourbon flow and a light hoppy dash in the finish.

M - Medium body with medium carbonation, rather smooth and a touch creamy. Boozy and warming but while definitely a strong trait of its characters not a flaw in any way .

O - Nice bourbon barrel barleywine, pleasing sipping experience.

Notes: Hmmmm… Coming back to this one after having tried two versions of the Big Worst before (a great one and a not so great one…) this was a much maltier surprise. Maltier than expected with a nice feel and boozy range. Borderline worthy of the repeat...

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2011 02:01:00 | More by Daniellobo