Mikkeller Hop Burn High

Had this before with its cousin Hop Burn Low down the pub, but now for review in bottle format.

This is one of a duo of beers, and another of Mikkeller's education lexicon of beer varietals. In this case, the Hop Burn High is fermented using ale yeast, while the Low uses bottom fermenting lager yeast instead. It's also pushing out 300 IBU, which explains the hop head on the label and his leather-eyed stare of dazed contusion.

It's a nice looking beer and sings of mandarin out of the glass - oddly enough, didn't get that drinking it on tap. There's some sediment here but probably to be expected given the weightiness of hops and malt in this 10% monster. That heaviness does carry through on the mouthfeel which is big bold and heavy. It's kind of oily pine and sticky without delivering quite as much hop character as you might expect - this could be the result of the distance travelled, though it's a relatively young bottle nevertheless.

I found the alcohol in this becomes really apparent as soon as it warms even slightly. Not bad, but you get the feeling if it wasn't Mikkeller it'd be nothing near what it's rated. Hard going at times, this is bold, brave and interesting but ultimately outshone by a distance by other efforts. 6.0