Mareklop Oak

[Viv]

MAREKLOP OAK 

This is the Quadruple aged on oak chips, from Django Marecaux, with an ABV of
12.0%. New brew for me.

Pours a very deep dark ruby burgundy with a huge rocky frothy bubbly creamy head.
Good lacing.

Sweet and bitter aroma of hops, malts, phenols, spices, coffee and chocolate.

It's thin to medium bodied, and nicely carbonated. Delicious rich, creamy, smooth,
luxurious taste and texture, sweet malty with cocoa powder, dark chocolate, mocha,
coffee, malts, burnt malts, raisins, dates and background spices. Perfectly
balanced, complex, and layered, with great depth of flavour. But the most striking
thing is there is no sign yet of the oak aging; it simply tastes like the
quadruple brew! However, as it warms the oak starts making an appearance and it
thins, and becomes more dry and bitter with some phenols, oak, pine, and some
spirit-like alcohol. In this case, which I find to be the norm in the vast
majority of cases, there is no improvement from the base beer, which is wonderful
enough, from the oak aging process; however the range of flavours are extended.

Cheers!


Viv     

[John B]

Viv, I really enjoy reading your tasting impressions. As is the case with many of your reviews, this Mareklop is a beer I am sure I would have never otherwise ever heard of. It's likely that I'll never come across this one, but if I am ever lucky enough to travel to its origin or somewhere where I can purchase it then I'll be sure to give it a try. Thank you as always Viv for your photographs and detailed tasting notes.

Cheers! - John

[Trappist]

Great beer tasting moment Viv.
Personally, I love the Mareklop beers alot! Greatly brewed by brewmaster Django Marécaux at bry 't Hofbrouwerijke.
Thanks for sharing Viv 
Cheers,
Filip

[Viv]

Hi Filip and John,

Thanks for your kind comments about my tasting notes.

It's great to be tasting a few new ones again, although I am still working
through, albeit quite slowly, a huge backlog and am using the "best before"
date to try to ensure I am tasting them as fresh as possible although that
it difficult when I have over 280 bottles!

I am sure that one day John you will be able to taste these lovely brews
at brewery source or in the many bars in Belgium.

And I do hope that my notes encourage others to try beers that they may
be reluctant to try, or have difficulty sourcing because they are definitely
worth the effort.

Cheers! 



Viv