Struise / Mikkeller (Elliot Brew) - De Struise Brouwers

richmof

Belgium

4.1/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a ruby brown into my Brasserie de la Senne tulip. A one finger frothy head with limited retention and some lacing.

On the nose there is malt, spice and earthy hops.

A lot going on on the palate, some caramel and fruits (orange and orange peel dominate for me) but also spice and biscuit malt. Opens up to a gritty, earthy hoppiness that lingers. Nice effervescence and dryness. The long lingering earthiness detracts somewhat from the drinkability.

This is an excellent beer and certainly one of the best Belgians in the imperial IPA style, as you would expect given it is the love child of two of the best brewers in Europe at present (who are not shy of hops). I made the mistake of drinking it in a tasting alongside Viven Imperial IPA and Troubadour Magma though and I might controversially say it came third...still fantastic though.

PS there are two different labels - one when it is sold from Mikkeller and one from Struise. I went to a shop in Brussels, where the one from Mikkeller was 50c more expensive...even though it is the same beer in the bottle!

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2010 11:39:46 | More by richmof

IPeteA91

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +13.9%

05-12-2013 23:08:47 | More by IPeteA91

JeffNev

Nevada

4/5  rDev +1.3%

04-29-2013 02:09:17 | More by JeffNev

jsurfs82

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -5.1%

04-24-2013 00:43:01 | More by jsurfs82

logicerror

California

3/5  rDev -24.1%

04-13-2013 20:07:12 | More by logicerror

cadaugherty

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -17.7%

04-12-2013 03:51:41 | More by cadaugherty

SocalKicks

California

3.75/5  rDev -5.1%

04-07-2013 06:18:31 | More by SocalKicks

bobhits

Kentucky

2.55/5  rDev -35.4%
look: 5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.25

I"m assuming this is the right beer, image on beeradvocate and the bottle vary a bit and this beer is simply not named. Either way double IPA with candi sugar and spices to mix things up and brewed for some ratebeer crap. I mean yeah I mean crap.

Do you like head? Well we have your perfect beer. 3-4 inches of thick white sticky sugary head, lacing that few beers can match and a merky all be it wonderful looking IPA body.

Sugary is right, you can get a sugar high just off the aroma with aprocotes, spices, caramel, and intensely sweet sugar this is an interesting beer.

There's so much sugar here that a beer with 130 ibus only has a lingering hoppy bitterness at the very finish that lingers thanks to the body. Or maybe a beer so hoppy that it remains slightly bitter even with so much malt. Your call. Sharp alcohol and hop notes are hidden under a massive amount of sugar, caramel, fruity esters (perhaps from yeast and not hops, it is hard to tell), and well hop flavors.

Given the head I expected a rich and creamy beer. Instead it is a bit sharp and very acidic. It still is a bit ore refreshing that many 9% beer so mixed feeling here.

I really can't recommended this beer. It isn't bad and it is a HUGE beer so that might work for many, most. Either way I like and I dislike. I'd say a novelty beer that isn't awful and thus worth a shot, but don't expect too much.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 20:32:01 | More by bobhits

comfygoodness

Colorado

4/5  rDev +1.3%

03-19-2013 01:17:20 | More by comfygoodness

Mattias

Sweden

3.5/5  rDev -11.4%

01-25-2013 20:48:28 | More by Mattias

ngeunit1

California

4.16/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Hazy copper-orange with a finger of frothy off-white head. Fades normal.

S - Grapefruit, citrus, pine, and grassy hops, sweet caramel malts, candi sugar, Belgian yeast, and some spices, hint of booze.

T - Grapefruit, tropical, orange, citrus, pine, and grassy hops, some lightly resiny bitterness, sweet caramel and lightly biscuit malts, Belgian yeast, coriander and other spices, hint of booze.

M - Medium-plus bodied with moderate carbonation. Smooth with dry, bitter, and lightly spicy finish.

D - Nice hoppy Belgian DIPA. Good hop profile and balance.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 06:50:17 | More by ngeunit1

jzapp

New York

5/5  rDev +26.6%

01-13-2013 12:52:51 | More by jzapp

westcoastbeerlvr

California

3/5  rDev -24.1%

01-10-2013 21:41:20 | More by westcoastbeerlvr

cancino45

California

4.25/5  rDev +7.6%

01-10-2013 19:14:31 | More by cancino45

CwrwAmByth

United Kingdom (Wales)

4.25/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2011 Vintage. Poured from a 330ml bottle into a Chimay goblet.

Pours a dark amber colour, with an incredible foamy and long lasting head.

Smells very hoppy, with a hint of yeast.

Tastes very rounded, quite wholesome from the malts making it almost chewy, with a massive hop blast. The fresh version must have been amazing, hop-wise.

Overall an very nice DIPA, could easily give some of the big US ones a run for their money. Thanks to Ruds for giving me this as an extra.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 17:51:25 | More by CwrwAmByth

jchlan109

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +13.9%

12-14-2012 02:11:24 | More by jchlan109

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a deep orange-ish color with a light tan head. In the aroma, sweeter pine like hops. In the taste, starts pine like hops to a an orange citrus hop. A small hop bite and a medium bodied mouthfeel, with a semi dry orange citrus hop in the aftertaste. Nice hop presence all the way through and not boozy, very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 15:56:05 | More by OWSLEY069

safaricook

Netherlands

3.5/5  rDev -11.4%

11-23-2012 09:01:11 | More by safaricook

BS-

5/5  rDev +26.6%

11-20-2012 15:58:51 | More by BS-

jdhilt

New Hampshire

3.9/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a three finger cream head that fades very slowly leaving a good lace. Murky amber color with a ton of yeast left in bottle. Good carbonation and medium bodied. Light hoppy nose and flavor is candi sugar and hops, very balanced even with 216 IBUs. Higher ABV is hidden. Decent double IPA. $7.50 for a 330ml bottle from Tully's Beer and Wine Wells, ME.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2012 23:18:44 | More by jdhilt

barczar

Kentucky

3.95/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy golden color with copper highlights and a creamy, dense one inch cream head that lingers indefinitely.

Aromas of fresh cut grass, pine, citrus, and bready caramel malt dominate. There's almost a sweet character, reminiscent of burnt sugar.

Flavor reveals more citrus undertones, as well as significant bitterness throughout. Grapefruit pith and pine weave into a fairly neutral malt backbone. There's a hint of nuttiness. Earthy hops underlie the profile, accompanying the bitterness nicely. The malt emerges a bit sweet as it warms.

Body is moderate, slightly creamy, with moderate carbonation and a touch of astringency at the finish.

Overall, not your typical american dipa. I didn't pick up a distinctly belgian yeast character, but that likely is adding to the fruity hop character that I blanketed as citrus.

Serving type: on-tap

11-05-2012 02:25:18 | More by barczar

haz77

United Kingdom (England)

4.3/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Lot 16 13 2011

A - Pours a bright red-hued dark amber with a firm, thick off-white head. This retains exceptionally well. Small streamers are visible through the clear liquid. Couldn't ask for much more here.

S - Floral notes, orange rind, pear, banana, grapefruit, brioche, cherry, hay. Quite inviting and has depth and interest, but without much sign of the hop presence on the nose.

T - Start is orange and grapefruit peel, before bready malt emerges along with caramel. Whilst the hops are buried in the nose, they are certainly present in the taste, without overpowering everything else. Aftertaste is piney hops, with elements of tobacco, roasted peanut and orange zest. Hints of the alcohol can be found if you really search for it, but it's fairly expertly masked.

M - Medium mouthfeel with initially spritzy carbonation, becomes more rounded once the bubble fall back. Palate cleansing is dealt with by the hops.

D - Much to like here. Looks good, a subtle and intriguing nose, flavours perfectly balanced and the sublime mouthfeel that I find common to most De Struise beers.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2012 11:56:39 | More by haz77

BuffaloBill12

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +13.9%

10-27-2012 21:41:45 | More by BuffaloBill12

JohnK17

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -11.4%

10-09-2012 19:37:07 | More by JohnK17

Tone

Missouri

4.45/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a hazy, dark amber color. One inch head of an off-white color. Great retention and great lacing. Smells of sweet malt, yeast, citrus hops, wet hop, alcohol, and a hint of spice. Fits the style of an American Double / Imperial IPA. Mouth feel is sharp and clean, with an average carbonation level. There is also a noticeable dryness. Tastes of sweet malt, citrus hops, hint of roasted malt, wet hop, and a hint of cherry. Overall, good appearance, aroma, body, and blend.

Serving type: on-tap

10-08-2012 11:44:52 | More by Tone