Beerfection

Tag: Microbrasserie Hopfenstark

  • Captain Swing | Microbrasserie Hopfenstark

    Captain Swing | Microbrasserie Hopfenstark

    Score: 94/100 – Outstanding

    From a 473ml can served warm at 18 degrees Celsius into a TeKu glass. Canned on 15 11 2022 – making this two months old.

    I picked up the can recently from a local specialty store after having originally grabbed one sometime early December 2022 in order to write about this beer. The details are blurry, but I ended up enjoying Captain Swing without deeply assessing it. A handful of weeks later, I knew I had to say something… because it stands out.

    Appearance 6/6

    The beer pours a clear copper with 5cm of moderately dense, frothy, tan head which dissipates into a craggy cap within 3+ minutes. Good lacing and head retention. A great looking brew.

    Aroma 22/24

    Strong intensity with good balance. The aroma is malty, perfumy, and enticing.

    Pleasant floral tones and perfumy alcohol provide a counterpoint to significant earthy-woody hops. Deep malt character of bread crust, biscuit, caramel, and mild nuts forms the center while gentle dried fruit, butterscotch, and orange marmalade add colour. There’s a pleasant tea-like quality and barely any perceptible oxidation. At times, the alcohol can have a slightly solventy note.

    The dry nose is strong and pleasant with notes of toasted bread, mild hay, low woody-earthy hops, and a touch of butterscotch.

    Flavour 38/40

    Follows the aroma with strong intensity, great balance, and assertive perceived bitterness.

    The strong palate opens up floral and tea-like with notable caramel-sweetness and boozy dried fruit making way for a toasty-bready center also loaded with floral tones, perfumy alcohol, mild herbs, firm woodiness, caramel, and mild citrus.

    The long finish is strong and balanced with notes of dried fruit, toasted bread, orange marmalade, caramel, herbaceous-woody hops, earth, and alcohol.

    Mouthfeel 10/10

    Medium-full body with low carbonation. The mouthfeel is smooth, mouth-coating, and round with noticeable alcohol warming and a medium-sweet finish. No astringency or harshness on the palate even though the impact is heavy.

    Overall 18/20

    Microbrasserie Hopfenstark’s Captain Swing is an outstanding barleywine.

    Great appearance sets the stage for an incredibly English aroma with significant hop-contribution. The flavour follows with loads of character and smashing balance while the mouthfeel compliments sippability with smooth yet heavy texture.

    Overall, Hopfenstark’s Captain Swing is a beer worth seeking out. It’s loaded with character, balance, and perspective. I’m only missing a certain wow-factor which would truly place it in the top 1%. If you find a can, don’t hesitate picking it up. Barleywine is life.

    OMG, read another breview!
  • Kamarad Friedrich | Microbrasserie Hopfenstark

    Kamarad Friedrich | Microbrasserie Hopfenstark

    Score: 97/100 – World-Class

    From a 355ml can served warm at 18 degrees Celsius into a TeKu glass. Canned on 26/01/2021 – making this 8 months old.

    I picked up this can about a month back from a local specialty store. While picking up a bottle of Albion’s 1848 RIS, the clerk insisted I try this as well. Sure, twist my rubber arm. What I didn’t realize is how old the can was.

    First official Hopfenstark breview so hard to say where my expectations are if we discount what other people say about this beer.

    Appearance 6/6

    The beer pours an opaque black (oil-like) with 3.5cm of moussy, creamy, dark brown head which dissipates into a partial film within 3+ minutes. Great lacing with good head retention. A great looking imperial stout.

    Aroma 23/24

    Strong intensity with sharp-ish balance. The aroma is deep and dark malt-focused with considerable complexity.

    Rich dark malt notes of burnt sugar, black licorice, chocolate, and coffee are accompanied by perfumy alcohol and moderate woody hops. Dark fruit esters at the back with pruny, scorched dried fruit characteristics. A wisp of smoke and low dark caramel. Restrained oxidation with mild leathery, meaty tones.

    The dry nose is rich with notes of caramel, roasty coffee, soy sauce, and mild leather.

    Flavour 39/40

    Follows the aroma with strong intensity, good balance, and aggressive perceived bitterness.

    The extreme palate opens up with notes of black licorice, burnt sugar/dark caramel, woody hops, and a splash of alcohol. The center is robust and exciting with the initial sweetness subsiding while black licorice, woodsy tones (pine + tobacco), alcohol, earthy coffee, wood char, and dark fruit contend for attention.

    The long finish is strong and bitter with notes of black licorice, burnt sugar, woody hops, prunes, burnt toast, alcohol, and a wisp of smoke.

    Mouthfeel 10/10

    Medium-full body with low carbonation. The mouthfeel is heavy, somewhat oily, and mouth-coating with noticeable alcohol warming and a medium-sweet finish. Very low astringency with no actual harshness on the palate even though the impact is heavy.

    Overall 19/20

    Hopfenstark’s Kamarad Friedrich is a world-class Russian imperial stout.

    Enticing appearance; top-notch looks for the style. The aroma lives up to any hype and delivers a delightfully deep look at dark malts, woody hops, and restrained oxidation. Based on the aroma alone, I’d never think this was canned back in January (being in September now). Seamlessly, the flavour follows delivering an outstanding punch in the mouth featuring a marriage of ingredients which is peppered with age. The mouthfeel has a heavy impact on the palate, but it doesn’t cross over to harsh effectively steering clear of any acrid qualities.

    I’m impressed. Hopfenstark’s Kamarad Friedrich delivers everything I look for in a classic Russian imperial stout: an unpretentious sipper with significant weight and character. On top of that, it has stood the test of time by showing only mild oxidation which adds a pleasant layer to the overall drinking experience. Wow.

    Seems to me like Hopfenstark deserves more space in the upcoming breview schedule. Highly recommended and a must-try for the style fans.

    OMG, read another breview!