Mikkeller Nelson Sauvin Chardonnay

Honestly, this one had me pretty nervous. I had never had any Brut beers before, but I had read a couple of articles about them. We happened to see this sitting on a low shelf and thought its can art stood out. I’m always happy to try something I’ve never had, but I usually have a decent idea of what I’m getting into. I had no idea what to expect when cracking open Nelson Sauvin Brut, aged in Chardonnay Barrels – and while it wasn’t something I think I’d drink a lot of, it was a really complex, interesting beer.

Brewery: Mikkeller (Copenhagen, Denmark)

Rating: 86/100

Comments: This beer gives me a lot to react to. Pours an amber color with light brown head that disappears quickly. This beer is extremely dry. I pick up some of the “popcorn butter” that can be common in oaked Chardonnay and it also has that funky grape some wines can have. It’s moderately carbonated. The aroma is of funky berries – raspberries and strawberries, grapes, and brettanomyces sour. The taste is also funky with white wine flavor, grape, and some malty cracker flavors. This is a very complex beer.