[BEER REVIEW] Bruichladdich + De Molen = A Marriage Made in Heaven 🍺
Time for another bottle from the Dutch micro brewery de Molen. This time a barrel aged Hemel & Aarde. The not so ordinary, ordinary Hemel & Aarde, which is an imperial stout, is exclusive and special enough, but this time it has not only been made from Bruichladdich malt, but has also been matured in old Bruichladdich barrels. Bruichladdich is a distillery located on the Scottish island of Islay, and is known for making some pretty darn smoky whisky.
The normal Hemel & Aarde have a quite pronounced whisky character and smokiness from the malt, but from this barrel aged version I'm expecting an even more powerful smokiness. Hemel & Aarde means Heaven & Earth, if you wondered. Besides the Brucihladdich malt, it has been brewed with munich, cara and brown malt. The hops included are premiant and sladek, both Czech hop varieties. For more information on the brewery, read my review on the Tsarina Esra porter.
Hemel & Aarde, Bruichladdich BA
Origin: Bodegraven, Netherlands
Brewery: Brouwerij De Molen
Style: Imperial Stout
Vintage: 2011
Aging potential in bottle: 25 years
ABV: 12%
IBU: 108
330 ml bottle
Appearance: The beer is dark brown, verging on black. In the glass, it becomes pitch black. It forms a minimal foam. A bit like a flat coca cola.
Nose: The first thing I scent is licorice, smoked wood, freshly tarred boat and a bit of alcohol. There are also some tart notes of figs and plums, and a slight whiff of vanilla. Very intense and quite maritime.
Palate: The first thing that hits me is... blue cheese! Quite the surprise considering the nose. Might be the first time I get this in an imperial stout. I ask my brother to see if I'm only imagining things, or whether my palate is corrupted today, but he agrees. Then lovely burnt caramel and butterscotch, together with molasses, rum-raisins and chocolate. It's surprisingly smooth considering the 108 international bitter units, which is plenty. It might be the buttery mouth feel, as well as the quite high sweetness and thick smoke screen that makes sure of that. The taste is almost as intense as the smell, though a bit more balanced. The licorice from the nose is also there, with a little bit of salt.
Finish: A long finish with warming alcohol and herbal and medicinal notes, together with a smokiness that gradually fades out. Despite some residual sweetness the beer finishes relatively dry.
Conclusion: Impressively smooth and easy to drink considering the 12% in ABV. I can after this bottle once again state that De Molen still delivers some of the best and most interesting beers in Europe, especially of the darker variety. I have never tasted an imperial stout that is as smoky as this, and that simultaneously offers so many other interesting flavors and fragrances. This is the perfect beer for a cold winters night in front of the fireplace. Final score: 4.8 out of 5.
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It sounds spectacular, Thank you for sharing!
I particularly like very dark beers "that I can chew." ;)
Now, if only we could share a glass over the internet? 😄😇😄
It is quite spectacular, and chewable :) Merry Christmas my friend!
Let me know if you're ever in Southern California, my friend... I'll take you to a microbrewery and we can raise a glass or two! ;)>
I like it :-)
Equipment for home brewing is on my wishlist, and this sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing :)