Årh Hvad?!

Brewery: Mikkeller

Type: Belgian Pale Ale

Alcohol: 6.8%

Country: Denmark

Oh what! Another Mikkeller beer. Well Årh Hvad means "Oh what" in Danish. You may hear it exclaimed in bars late into the evenings, especially if people are tasting this beer for the first time. I have fond memories of trying to learn to say the letter Å, o I really like saying the name of this beer. When said aloud in Danish these two words also tend to sound like the name of a certain very highly regarded Belgian trappist beer. I am pretty sure this is no coincidence as this is a Belgian style ale, with brettanomyces, a little like that other one. Wether it is an homage to that beer or just a really fun name, lets give it a taste.

Pours a super opaque murky burned amberish orange. (enough adjectives for you?) The head is big, three fingers at least and heading for out of control. Settles fairly quickly leaving some lacing along the way. The smell is where this one shines big. I have it sitting next to my computer as I write this. it has made the whole room smell like sweet fruit, citrus hops and nice funky brett undertone. The smell is really intensely sweet, like a desert. This doesn't really carry over into the taste though. Taste is very dry, slightly vinous. The brett is very evident in the mouthfeel but it is actually relatively reserved in the actual taste. Lot of fruitiness, almost sweet but not quite due to the immense dryness of the beer. Certainly a good deal of hops. Citrus and a bit floral, the hops come in the end and compete a bit with the brett, hiding some of the funk. Not too bitter but you can still feel the hops are there. Like I said a dry beer, with a thin but leaning more towards medium mouth. A pretty tasty brett pale ale. I can recommend it as an easy drinker and maybe someone's introduction to this type of beer. Don't think I could really call it an orval clone as some others have. I like to think of it as a reimagining!