De Molen’s Rook & Vuur is a smoked ale with chili peppers and as you can see here, I had to let this one settle down before I could even get the entire bottle poured, let alone start to drink it. This bottle is just 11.2 oz and I had to wait about 5 minutes to keep the foam from fizzing up and over the rim of my 06 over wavy line 13 circled glass which I am currently using for my tastings. But, during and after that whole process, the beer smelled fine, and figured that there was little to no risk of getting sick from drinking it. It smells of nice barley, hints of chocolate, a warm bowl of grape nuts, and a pinch of chili pepper. With the last two reviews having been smoked chili beers, and with a few more in the queue, I’m starting to grow an affinity for these, I even added a spicy heat metric to my chart. Speaking of, this beer rates low (only 2 smokestacks) on the heat metric, an envelope that I’m looking to push in the near future. And 11.2 oz, I wish this bottle was bigger, and the beer a bit thicker, and the smoke, smokier, and the heat, hotter; the 8.2% abv is cool however. This beer is okay. I taste a touch of ash on the tongue. Rook & Vuur is a good beer for those of us who are at a bar alone, staring at our phone, ignoring the tv, sipping from a snifter, and working up the courage to ask out the bartender, because this beer won’t challenge or intimidate you at all. All your muster will remain intact and available at your disposal, or maybe just have another beer. Lots of respect for De Molen, but I’m looking for more in the here and now. Overall smokestack rating = 4 smokestacks.

Here’s a list of their beers… I’m pretty sure they know what they’re doing:

http://brouwerijdemolen.nl/beers