Mikkeller 'Vanilla Sky' IPA brewed with Vanilla Beans. 7% abv. Light honey color. Hazy. Two fingers of white foamy head. Excellent retention and lace. Nose of vanilla, light malt, floral hops. Sweet bread emerges as the temp rises. 

Front taste of light fruit, bitter citrus rind, vanilla. Aftertaste is bitter citrus hops, botanical, vanilla on the sustain. Light body. Mouthfeel is warm, tangy, pungent, juicy in the aftertaste.

This is a good IPA with a slight variation that I suspect would be missed by occasional beer drinkers. The vanilla aroma and taste is surely there at the start, but as the temp rises it becomes nearly hidden under the bushel of strong citrus hops. 

If you want the promised vanilla, it's yours to smell and taste promptly after the pour. Just know that minutes later the vanilla will be barely distinguishable. Good news is, when the vanilla drops off, you are still left with a decently good category IPA, one with bright juicy bitter citrus flavor. Recommended. 

From the brewery:

"India Pale Ale brewed with vanilla beans. Brewed at D’Proef in Belgium."

[source: mikkeller.dk]

Mikkeller 'Black Hours Stout' Bourbon Barrel Stout. 6% abv. Black color. Finger+ of small-bead mocha head. Excellent retention and superb lace. Nose of dark malt, black coffee. Front taste of bitter herb, mild coffee, cocoa powder. Aftertaste is burnt herb, dank bittersweet dark chocolate. Medium body. Mouthfeel is astringent, medicinal, tangy.

This beer is a surprising disappointment. At one of my local bottle shops, I chose Black Hours out of a selection of other similar beers because:

1) I love barrel-aged brew
2) I love bourbon-infused taste
3) I love Mikkeller

Sadly, this beer was lacking in all three areas. There are no wood notes or bourbon flavor, not in the aroma nor the taste. Forgetting the bourbon barrel for a moment, if I were to judge this beer simply as a category stout, I would still merely rate the overall impression as fair or passing. It's pedestrian as a standard stout, much less a supposedly bourbon-infused barrel-aged one. Mikkeller usually hits home runs, but this beer is a reminder that even the most gifted brewery has its duds.

Black Hours Stout beer was a collaboration between Mikkeller and musician Hamilton Leithauser. If you are a fan of Leithauser, only then would you perhaps want to try this beer, if only to taste something that your favorite musician helped create. If Leithauser truly had a hand in the creation of this beer, I suggest he revisit his recipe and have another go at it. Until then, pass on this one.

From the brewery:

"Bourbon BA dry stout. Brewed at D’Proef in Belgium."

[source: mikkeller.dk]

The excellent head retention and lacing are just about all this beer had going for it.

Mikkeller 'Santa's Little Helper' 2013. 10.9% abv. Barrel aged in cognac casks. Dark brown-black in color. A finger of tan head that falls to a nice collar. Good retention. Excellent lace. Nose is intense with sweet caramel, cognac. Front taste is rich, sweet malt and a very present cognac. Aftertaste is warm sugar, almost butterscotch, that ever-present cognac, with notes of bright hops and long lingering bittersweet notes. Full body. Mouthfeel is sticky, creamy, alcohol.

This is a world-class beer that certainly delivers what it promises. The amazing aroma is followed by a equally impressive taste down to the bottom of the glass. This beer rivals Anderson Valley Bourbon Barrel Stout, another favorite. Strongly recommended.

I was lucky that Beer To The People had a tap serving the 2013 recipe of this seasonal brew toward the end of 2014, and I eagerly look forward to trying the upcoming years.

From the brewery:

"We aim to brew beer that challenge the concept of good beer and move people. We do this by using the best ingredients and work with the most talented and creative minds around the world... make quality beers a serious alternative to wine and champagne when having gourmet food. We fail to calm down. We are always thinking in new ways and ideas, always working on the next project. Sometimes it’s hard for people to keep up… make beer that is watery and tasteless. In our world beer challenges people’s taste buds – whether it’s in a bitter, spicy, sour or fruity manner. We love to explore the existing beer genres by using the best raw material available. The refined product is the aim – not to keep down costs. This leads to very special brews by Mikkeller: Stouts with Vietnamese Kopi Luwak coffee, chipotle chili, lychee fruits – just to name a few… barrel age quality beers on exclusive wine barrels. For instance the Belgian Ale ‘Mielcke and Hurtigkarl’ brewed for the Danish gourmet restaurant by the same name has had the pleasure of being barrel aged on exclusive Chateau d’Yquem barrels… cooperate with other breweries around the world, who inspires us and teach us new ways of doing things. We hate to work with people that don’t give a damn. There are so many wonderful, passionate and honest people in the beer world, why spend time on the rest?"
[source: mikkeller.dk]