Rare Beer Club Dec 2011: Mikkeller Hoppy Lovin’ Christmas & Brasserie de Bourganels Biere au Nougat

Just thought you’d want an early peek at what the Rare Beer Club will be releasing for Dec 2011:

Mikkeller (Copenhagen, Denmark) –

Hoppy Lovin’ Christmas

Brasserie de Bourganels (Val-les-Bains, France) – Bière au Nougat

More Details here…

Rare Beer Club Selections: December 2011

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Mikkeller (Copenhagen, Denmark) – Hoppy Lovin’ Christmas

Some of the most adventurous brews in the planet come from Scandinavia and this month we’re featuring one brewery that happens to lead the charge in creativity and quality, Mikkeller. This Danish brewer is on the cutting edge, pushing the envelope of creativity. The fact is, Mikkeller is one of the coolest breweries out there and that’s why we’re excited to send you out one of their newest creations about a month before anyone else in the country have access to it. Only 20 cases of this beer are out there in the US beyond the stock that we snatched up for you—it’s very limited and just about no one but you and your Rare Beer Club brethren will have the chance to sample it, so please, be kind, and share with someone deserving this season.

First be warned, this baby is a foamer, so pour carefully. Pours a copper color and is dressed by a thick, creamy off white head. The nose smells strong of hops, including the traditional Pacific Northwest piney, grapefruity hop notes. Some caramel malt notes are in the background, and wafts of juniper and orange peel come to mind. This beer has a brutal level of hoppiness, without being overly bitter. Citrus, grapefruit, evergreen, mint, and raw tea leaves all rush the palate. There is just a perfect amount of ginger to complement the hops, giving an almost ethereal spicy character. Not overly sweet, nor brutally bitter, it just lets you experience the delicious Mikkeller hops explosion that it is. Interesting, bold, yet subtle …what a treat. Only 20 cases of this beer are out there in the US beyond the stock that we snatched up for you, lucky member you.

Brasserie de Bourganels (Val-les-Bains, France) – Bière au Nougat

The south of France possesses a rich and lengthy tradition of agriculture, so it’s not surprising that some of the most beloved products grown there have made their way into the few beers of the area. Chestnuts, almonds, honey, verbena—all are produced in the region and are cherished fruits characterizing the area. In the Ardèche region, brewer Christian Bourganel recognized that “a long tradition had disappeared in the South of France. At the end of the 20th century, I decided to revive it…” Originally brewing at the Castelain brewery, he founded his own Brasserie de Bourganels in 2000.

Bourganel’s Biere au Nougat is quite rare, quite adventurous, and very much unlike anything we’ve ever sampled before. This is the first time it’s hit US soil, and we’re excited to offer such an interesting holiday-oriented beer to our members at this time of year. In addition to being one of the most unusual brews we’ve come across of late, it’s quite well made and has wonderful flavor.

One sniff and you instantly know you’ve got something atypical on your hands. Expect very prominent notes of nougat (in this case, a local French version of chestnut honey and almonds comprises the cream of nougat used), offering a sweet, candy bar-like impression. Also found are notes of fresh, clean grains, with prominent notes of almonds along with honey. Look also for a soft fruitiness not unlike cherries, with a waft of vanilla making an appearance as well. On the palate, while there is a richness to the beer, it drinks quite clean in the finish. Note that as the moderately sweet fruit and almond notes blossom, the flavor of nougat is unmistakable; it is deeply integrated into the beer, not feeling like an extract-y afterthought, but entrenched in the makeup of the beer. The sweetness quickly fades to the background as a minimal hop and grain bitterness rise up to dry things out a bit and refresh the palate for another sip. Late in the finish, expect a minor note not unlike Añejo tequila. No doubt, this beer is unusual, though very nicely done and perfect for sharing with family and friends this holiday season. Cheers!