Beer Profile: Mikkeller’s Chipotle Porter

Mikkeller’s Chipolte Porter
Lockchristi-Hufte, Belgium

Some list it as “Texas Ranger”

Profiled by Ken Carman for professorgoodales

90 at BA. 99 at RB. Both well deserved.

I’ll say from the start I have had mixed opinions on this brewer. I’ve had a few that were so problematic they should have tossed the batch; like higher alcohol-ish brews. This is NOT one of “those.” Also, from the start, I gave extra credit. This one was at least 2 years old and I noticed no “cardboard,” or other defects.

Nose: roasted malt and chipotle. The malt bill for this, wow.

Incredible depth to this beer, and that’s ignoring the chipotle burn with gathers steam and continues to assert. Love to see the malt bill on this bugger: incredible complexity, roasted, to caramel, to pale, to a hint of chocolate, maybe some Munich… No hops sensed, but I’m guessing the chipotle covered that. Chipotle flavor has faded, probably due to age.

Obsidian, brackish deep brown and black, with a big, brown, dense pillow head. Excellent presentation.

Soft, slight, carbonation on the palate. yet also sticky sweet with that deep, somewhat roasty, complexity. Maybe the roast faded too, or it could have been more caramel and pale, less darkly roasted malt. Heavy body: very.

Oh, dense, in all senses of the palate: thy name be Mekkeller Chipotle Porter.

A 4. Seek it out.

Welcome to the PGA beer rating system: one beer “Don’t bother.” Two: Eh, if someone gives it to you, drink. Three: very good, go ahead and seek it out, but be aware there is at least one problem. Four: seek it out. Five: pretty much “perfecto.”