This is another of De Molen’s special, one-off festival beers from their Boreft Festival late last year. As usual, the brewers have taken license to experiment, and the result is an interesting – if slightly unexpected – beer.
For fans of tea IPA’s (think Yeastie Boys’ Gunnamatta, or even De Molen’s Dag & Dauw), please don’t think this is an IPA with a hint of tea. This beer is much more about the tea and smoked malts, than it is about highlighting hops.
Bergamot extract and smoked malts take centre stage, with an aroma of wood smoke, leather, smoked ham, lightly toasted tea leaves, sweet malts and a slight grassy, herbal character.
The beer is sweet at first, with caramel malt and a light bitterness. The smoked malt and tea combine to accentuate the smokiness, with any hop character really overpowered by the smoke and tea.
This beer may be a little divisive – as smoked beers can be. For smoky fans though, as well as those partial to an earl grey tea, this beer is a tasty little experiment.
The name translates as 'Scents and Colours'!