Review - Harpoon Brewery's 100 Barrel Series: Refsvindinge Private Stock
"For the next 100 Barrel Series beer, Harpoon’s brewmaster, Al Marzi, worked with John from the Refsvindinge Brewery to recreate a style they enjoyed while on the trip years ago. They worked together via email and, again, John’s daughter Lene was asked to do all the email translation. The result, which was brewed by Brett Simmons at our Windsor, VT brewery, is the Refsvindinge Private Stock – a Danish Farmhouse Ale." -- Harpoon Brewery
Upon opening our bottle of Refsvindinge, we were greeted by a blast of CO2 escaping from the bottle. Into a red wine goblet, it pours a dark amber color into a clear body, capped by an average-sized, fizzy off-white head. The quickly diminishing head leaves nice rings of lacing behind. Aromas, while notable, were very subtle here, with hints of soap, alcohol, light sweet cereal malts, and a faint medicinal scent. The taste is at first lightly sweet, and as it moves to the back of our palates, we're hit with a light bitter, almost sour finish which leaves a long lasting impression on the mouth. Light to medium bodied, it has a smooth and creamy texture with soft carbonation, and provides an alcohol tinge in its wake. After our palates have dried out a bit, the texture shifts to a faint dryness. The body appears clear and still, reminiscent of a spirit.
Reviewed on March 12th, 2007.
