Author Archives: Mads Barnkob

Visiting Offley in Porto

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Offley was founded in London in 1737 by William Offley, the company started out as a wine merchant, Offley was soon exporting wines and later began to produce its own Porto Wine.

Joseph James Forrester joined the company in the 1830’s and his entire adult life in Portugal was devoted to the Douro river and Porto Wine. Forrester was the first to chart the Douro River and Valley, an accomplishment that earned him recognition from and entry into various European Geography and Art societies.

Sogrape Vinhos merged with Forrester & Cª., Holder of Offley.

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Offley have very long and what seems to be endless cellars of casked port.

GS6A1764Some of the tunnels have a slightly lower temperature than those under the wooden roofs.

GS6A1765GS6A1766The large vats with 13000 Litre of Tawny port in each.

GS6A1767More casks with Tawny port.

 

Kongebryg – Hefeweizen

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Kongebryg brewery is located at a old military facility in Næstved, Denmark. It is a relatively new brewery and they use a 60 year old English Grundy brew equipment. All their beers are bottle fermented for a natural carbonization.

I bought this unfiltered weissbier from the wine shop Vinens Verden in Odense, Denmark at the price of 7 Euro for a 500ml bottle at 5%.

A thick and very hazy yellow and amber orange colour.

Rough head that quickly disperses into a thin layer.

Aroma is coming off with even parts wheat and fruit.

A lot of CO2 and a good thick fruit taste that becomes sweeter in the after taste.

Overall rating 81 / 100

Kopke Colheita Porto 1984

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Kopke was established in 1638 by Christiano Kopke and his son, Nicolau Kopke. The company was sold to the Bohane family, by the end of the 19th century, who tried to run it from London. The distance and the two World Wars disabled the control of the Company and they decided to sell it. In 1953 the Barros family bought the House of Kopke. In June 2006 it was sold and became a part of the SOGEVINUS Group.

I bought this 750ml bottle at 20% in Rema 1000 supermarket in Odense, Denmark at the price of 25 Euro.

This Kopke Colheita 1984 was bottled in 2014.

Brown colour with glaring stars of red in the tincture when seen against the candle.

Spices, dried fruits and a warm alcohol in the aroma.

A little bite from the tannin, warm and with some oak in the taste. A good dried fruits taste, sweet with raisins in the after taste that lasts a good while.

When first uncorked it is dominated by the alcohol and needs to breathe, no decanting, just needs to sit for half a day in bottle with level under the neck. That really works wonders on this cheap and to the price surprisingly good colheita, it mellows quickly over a few days, so enjoy it 1-2 days after opening.

Overall rating 89 / 100

Indslev bryggeri – Hvid

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Indslev brewery was established in 1897 by Frederik Christian Rasmussen. At some point the brewery was closed down, but in 2005 restored to former glory with brand new production equipment. The re-opening was made possible by Anders Busse Rasmussen, grand grand nephew of Frederik Christian Rasmussen.

I bought this beer in a the super market Kvickly in Odense, Denmark at the price of 3 Euro for a 500ml bottle at 4,4%.

Light yellow in the colour with a white shine to it.

Medium sized head, super fine bubbles on the top and a thin layer stays on the beer.

Fresh fruit in the aroma with a hint of citrus.

Medium CO2 with a spiced flavour of fruit, fresh but also easy to drink.

Overall rating 77 / 100

Hornbeer – Summer

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Hornbeer brewery is a small 3 hecto litre micro brewery located at a farm in the small town of Kirke Hyllinge, Denmark. It was founded in summer of 2008 by brewer Jørgen Fogh Rasmussen and his wife Gunhild. They believe in brewing experimental, exciting beers and stays as far off course from the main stream productions as possible.

I bought this witbier at the wine shop Vinens verden in Odense, Denmark at the price of 5 Euro for a 500 ml bottle at 4,6%

Good looking yellow with a lighter glow in the bottom.

Small head that quickly disperses into absolutely nothing.

Fresh hops, light fruit and some sweet flowers in the aroma.

A good medium CO2 with a freshness from the hops with notes and hints of fruits and flowers, the after taste brings a little bitterness.

Overall rating 83 / 100

Veldensteiner Dunkles Weissbier

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Between Nurnberg and Bayreuth in Germany, the Veldensteiner brewery is located in Neuhaus down to the Pegnitz river. The brewery is named Kaiser Bräu and was founded in 1929. It is a privately owned brewery by the Laus family.

I bought this beer in Johansen wine shop in Odense, Denmark at the price of 6 Euro for a 500 ml bottle at 5,4%.

Good looking dark orange unfiltered beer.

Big head with a fine top over the rough bubbles.

Sweet wheat and fruit in the aroma.

Medium CO2 with a good fruit, a tad of darkness and alcohol shines through along with some caramel notes. After taste is medium long and gives a pleasure of the fruit and darkness.

Overall rating 84 / 100

Veldensteiner Weissbier

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Between Nurnberg and Bayreuth in Germany, the Veldensteiner brewery is located in Neuhaus down to the Pegnitz river. The brewery is named Kaiser Bräu and was founded in 1929. It is a privately owned brewery by the Laus family.

I bought this beer in Johansen wine shop in Odense, Denmark at the price of 6 Euro for a 500 ml bottle at 5,1%.

A good looking yellow / orange unfiltered beer.

A grand big head with a fine top and a thick layer stays on it.

A delicious and balanced sweet fruit in the aroma.

Real good CO2, tempting and powerful and really gives some life to the smooth fruit taste that run all the way out in the after taste.

Overall rating 88 / 100

Witterkerke wit bier

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Adolphe De Brabandere submitted a application to start a brewery in the town of Bavikhove, Belgium in 1894. One of his sons, Joseph De Brabandere made the first brew the same year. Joseph died in 1929 at the age of 54. Josephs son Albert took over the brewery. Albert had two sons, Ignace and Vincent that helped with the family business, Vincent died in 1986 at the age of 32. Ignace was the only one left of the third generation. Today the brewery is ran by the fourth generation and remain a family owned brewery.

I bought this beer at the wine shop H.J. Hansen in Odense, Denmark at the price of 3 Euro for a 250 ml bottle at 5%

Light yellow in the colour and with a good unfiltered look.

Medium head of white fine bubbles, circa 10 mm stay on top of the beer for the drink.

Sweet and flowery aroma with a little fruit to it.

God CO2, light sweet fruit in the taste with a freshness. The taste is little too thin and it can off with a weird artificial after taste of the citrus.

Overall rating 73 / 100

Mikkeller – Not Just Another Wit

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Mikkel started brewing in his kitchen in 2005 and developed some new and innovative beers that quickly gave him international reputation. Later Ørbæk brewery in Denmark helped him brew on license to get a volume to export. Today he brews most of his beer on license at Proef Brouwerij brewery in Belgium.

I bought this beer in a wine shop called H.J. Hansen in Odense, Denmark at the price of 5 Euro for a 330ml bottle at 7,6%.

Semi bright yellow, not that hazy look on this unfiltered beer.

Small head, white and fine bubbles that disappears fast.

Spicy and flowered aroma with a hint of fruit.

Strong CO2, very strong flowered taste with a hefty bitterness. Long after taste. It feels like a fast attack of bitterness that moves straight on to a sweet fruit only to go straight into flower notes. There is no sign in the taste of the high alcohol percentage. Well played.

Overall rating 80 /100

Midtfyns bryghus – Go’jul

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Midtfyns brew house was founded in 2004 in Årslev, Denmark. It is a micro brewery that started out brewing beer on license from Scotland but since 2006 they have used their own recipes and develop their own new beers.

I bought this beer in a local wine shop in Odense, Denmark at the price of 6 Euro for a 500ml bottle at 6,2%

A thick and hazy yellow colour.

Great big head with a fine top and it stays for the full duration with a decent layer.

Lightly fruited and hoppy aroma with hints of citrus.

Heavy CO2 with a lot of taste from a full bodied fruit with sweet notes, goes into a more hoppy bitterness, not much, just enough to make for a good after taste that ends up long after in a flowery hint.

Overall rating 80 / 100