Beer review : HELLO SAILOR by ØRBÆK BRYGGERI

Today I am reviewing another danish beer, more specifically the belgian style Hello Sailor from Ørbæk. The label mentions the schooner Fiona from Nyborg own by Nyborg destillery. As this is considered a ships-beer, they obviosly want to connect with the maritime aspects of it and Nyborg is just a 30 min drive away from the brewery in Ørbæk.

"This is brewed in the tradition of the belgian double, which has been brewed since the middle ages"... it says on the label. They have also used organic hops, cane sugar and malt, so apart from the water and the yeast, this is an organic beer. They recommend drinking at 7-9 degrees C, so I will heed that advise and only let the bottle temperate for a little while after leaving the fridge.

The Eye:
It pours with a sizeable two finger, light golden brown head. The colour is a hazy chestnut-like brown.

The Nose:
A good swirl and the nose reveals a strong scent of wet grass, that I did not like at first, but it seemed to work a little better as it warmed a bit. There are clear notes of sweet, ripe banana and malt. There are also notes of alcohol, vinegar and some pepper.

The Tongue:
Quite sweet and malty caramel and ripe bananas. Fairly strong cardemom, ginger and clove spices. It has a well rounded taste, that does not stick out in any particular direction. The sweetness is finely tuned with the acidity of the hops and it adds a fairly insisting, peppery bitterness on the backend. Medium size body and carbonation.

The Verdict:
The immediate notes of wet grass turned me off a bit. Maybe I just have to get used to it, because the rest of the beer is pretty good. It feels generally light and easy, but under the surface there is an array of well balanced notes ranging from sweet bananas to pepper. This makes it a beer you wnat to taste and engage with. It has no real flaws except the wet grass and a body that could be bigger. I like this kind of beer a lot. I will definately try it again - very recommended

Rating: 4.25 / 5.00

Ørbæk Bryggeri
(Apparently this beer has gone out of production, judging from the assortment listed online)