The Beer Advent Calendar 2012 - December 13th

Today sucked a little bit.  Let me tell you about it.
I was supposed to be playing squash, but they were all booked up until 3pm.  It would have been booked sooner if they could answer the phone.  I haven't done much exercise lately and it's starting to have an effect.
Why don't I just go to the gym? Well - see part two just below...
As I drove to the shop this afternoon, I noticed the brakes on my car were a little spongy - the pedal depressing far further into the footwell than is normal.  Turns out either one of the hoses or cylinders for the rear right wheel has broken.  When I press the pedal it piddles out fluid.  It was if nothing else a fun drive to my parents house using only the handbrake.  Sadly I am now car-less for a spell.

Todays beer however, is not disappointing.  It is both tasty and very amusing.

Brasserie de la Senne - Taras Boulba
Firstly, this beer has the best label on it.

I did some research into what on earth it is.  According to the internet...
A young Flemish man has gone and married a French-speaking Wallonian girl (Wallonia is a region of Belgium), and his father, Taras Boulba, is very angry.
Smeirlap means ‘fool’ in a bizarre local dialect, which combines Flemish and French.
This is all a bastardization of the original story by Gogol, whose protagonist was Russian, a Protestant. His son marries a Polish girl, a Catholic, during the religious war between the two countries in the 1600’s, and the Russian father simply kills his son to eliminate the shame.

So not only is the image hilarious, but it also has undertones of religious persecution.  Have I mentioned that the beer is tasty yet?

Looks - Golden, really murky looking though.
Smells - Really yeasty, really bitter hops.  A little sweety and fruity too.  You'd be able to tell it were Belgian just by catching a whiff.
Taste - There's a bit going on, starts off quite fresh and hoppy then finishes off quite tangy and bitter.  Feels really creamy which is odd considering how dry it ends up.  This beer is quite an achievement - I want another one...

10/10

I wrote this blog whilst listening to Albert Collins.  I sure do love the blues.  I've only just started listening to Albert Collins, but this man really knows his way around a telecaster. There is also the occasional saxamaphone solo which everyone likes...