The Bruery: Rugbrød (USA: Speciality Grain: 8% ABV)
Visual: Very dark red to black. Large brown bubbled head.
Nose: Malt chocolate. All bran. Wheat. Earthy.
Body: Vinous. Sour grapes. Cherries and raisins. Port. Raspberries. Chocolate milkshake. Sugared shortbread. Fruitcake.
Finish: Madeira cake. Sour red wine. Glacier cherries. Malt chocolate. Choc orange. White grapes. Black cherries.
Conclusion: So I took a few sniffs of the beer after I had just poured it. Not unpleasant I thought to myself. Bit earthy. Bit light malt chocolate. Doesn’t say very much though, which is a bad sign for 8%. So I put on my “Prepared to be disappointed face” and took my first sip.
Holy Buttesticles. Where the hell did that come from? Like, what? Where? How. What? There is a very vinous beer that they hid in here. Malt chocolate and choc orange as a solid base, but that is just a launch pad for sour wine and grapes mixed against port and Madeira, then all mashed up with fruitcake and raisins.
It is just slightly soured, with an almost wine sediment feel at times. The mouth tingling sour grapes style is brought to heel by the solid robust malt when it looks like it is going to get too heavy. All together it is delivered with a very smooth character. The malt base is so easygoing that it almost decries the abv, while the vinous elements happily declare it.
It is kind of ESB styled, but both bigger and smoother. it is a bigger jump from Vintage Ale as Vintage Ale is from ESB, if that makes sense, and even if it doesn’t.
So, of the full package for an excellent beer, all it lacks is the aroma. The rest is delicious, with vinous, malty beery goodness. It is not the very best of the best, but it comes in just a shade below. It lacks the perfect package yes, but seriously, do not let that put you off. One small flaw does not a beer ruin. If you like big vintage ales then this is that and more. Enjoy it.
Background: I googled Rugbrød, apparently it is the name of Danish rye bread. That is my new fact of the day learned. This is my first The Bruery beer, I’ve heard their name come up a few times, and never with negative connotations, so I thought it worth giving them a try. Apparently this can be aged a few years. I can’t see a bottled on date so I have no idea how old it is. That is all.
