De Molen Vuur en Vlam

Origin: Netherlands

Type: IPA

Color: Dark yellow

Alcohol content: 8%

Recommended serving temperature: 7ºC/45ºF

Brewery: Brouwerij de Molen 

Webpage: http://www.brouwerijdemolen.nl/

I have decided to write today about one of my favorite European made American style IPAs, the De Molen Vuur en Vlaam.

I first tried this beer about a year ago and was quickly impressed by how good it was. Mind you, I find De Molen makes some of the best beers I have ever tasted in general, but I find this IPA  to be some of their best work.

The Vuur en Vlaam is a dark yellow and slightly hazy IPA. It has a large amount of long lasting foam with a bubbly or champagny character to it.

Its smell is, for all intents and purposes, the traditional one of an American IPA. It is full of delicious hoppy citrusness but in a very tropical way. The citric smells are more those of a sweet grapefruit than those of a straight off lemon and they come accompanied by other soft and sweet tropical fruit smells like mango and passion fruit which blend in perfectly with the grapefruit.

Even though the grapefruit stays at the forefront, it is softened and sweetened by these tropical fruits and a certain maltiness, giving this beer a sweet and refreshing aroma.

The taste of this beer is similar, although slightly more complex.

Once again, the first thing that springs in your mouth is the grapefruity hoppiness. However, the fruitiness is soon joined by the taste of herbs and pines, and of course the malty sweetness that is already noticeable in the smell.

This is one of the reasons I really like this beer, it is a sort of compendium of what IPAs can taste like: bitter, fruity, herby and piney, and in this particular case it is rounded off with a malty character which balances the whole thing and makes it an absolute pleasure to drink.

These flavors are furthermore intense, possibly due to the appreciable carbonation which may help bring them out in your mouth.

Be that as it may, the truth is that this beer does not need to be served at slightly warmer temperatures like other beers in order for its flavor to be appreciated. I had mine at the recommended serving temperature of 7ºC/45ºF and was blown away by the savoriness of this beer.

This would I am sure work perfectly for example with a nice juicy cheeseburger with pickles, filling your mouth with some pretty penetrating flavors which will make you salivate profusely.

Nevertheless, even without pairing, the impressive body, carbonation and mix of flavors of this beer will make the experience of drinking it a real feast for the senses. Definitely a beer to write home about.