Beer Advent Calendar 2015 - December 14th

Brewdog - Hoppy Christmas
Brewdog's 2nd entry of the calendar (there's at least a few more) - is a belter.
A single hop IPA (simcoe) that tastes nothing like the 'IPA is dead' simcoe edition.  It smells like a standard IPA but it has a terrific sweet note towards the end.  I've not had papaya (what it is supposed to taste like), it reminds me a lot of mango.  Paired with the citrus flavour it's really nice.

The taste is pretty much the same as the smell, the head is quite sticky - but the body is really well balanced with just the right amount of malt.  It's a decent 7.2% but none of that is very apparent.  It's well hidden behind all the deliciousness.

I'm not sure if I'm just not fussy any more - I seem to be handing out top marks to anything these days

10/10

Beer Advent Calendar 2015 - December 13th

I've eaten a curry before drinking today's beer.  So I might not be describing it accurately!

Mikkeller - Peter Pale and Mary
So when I'd finished my curry, the flavours I got most from this beer were really grainy and grassy.  So much so I even checked the ingredients (to find them mostly regular).  I kept drinking and started to get some of the citrus flavours through, but in a really dry way - kind of like drinking a sour beer.  Then after a little longer I got the rest of the flavours and things returned to normal.  It's a good IPA.

It was a nice experience!

8/10

Beer Advent Calendar 2015 - December 12th

Stone - Cali-Belgique

I've been waiting for this beer to come out of the calendar, it sounded really interesting.

It's a Stone IPA, brewed with Belgian yeast.  It's very smooth for a strong beer (6.9%), and actually feels soft - if such a thing was possible from a liquid.  Clings to the side of the glass.

The flavours are superbly balanced, once it settled (the first few sips weren't that appealing) a few of the better qualities start to come through.  It's a little zesty, a little spicy and a decent enough malty flavour.

Pretty damn good.

9/10

Beer Advent Calendar 2015 - December 11th

Late writing this one, spent yesterday evening playing board games and didn't make time to write this.

Saltaire - Triple Chocoholic
I knew what beer this was before I even opened the bag, I think I only purchased the one 500ml bottle for the calendar this year.  It's another stout - there'll be none left soon!

This was actually a surprisingly enjoyable beer, I think I've had it before but I can't find it in the calendar blogs at all.
Nice colour and lacing.  Doesn't smell particularly interesting, it smells of chocolate - obviously, and a little syrupy but it works.  A little dry, and a little bitter finish which lingered with the chocolate. It's no Sam Smiths Organic Chocolate Stout though.

6/10

Beer Advent Calendar 2015 - December 10th (Birthday beer!)

I know you're dying to hear, I've had a very nice birthday.

Went to Wahaca for lunch and ate what I thought was a relatively small amount of food
(Nachos and Frijolas, a pair of taquitos, 1 quesadilla, and 2 bits of sumptuous - there I am again with the M&S language - brisket in small soft tortilla).

But by the time I finished I was incredibly full, uncomfortably so.  The food was just so dense and rich.  Definitely ordering less next time.

Birthday beer!

Finally a big IPA!

Stone - Delicious IPA
A rather modest ABV (7.7%) wasn't really what I wanted after lunch, since I'm still full - but it's tasty enough so I'll give it a pass on that front.
It's pretty dry, and as you'd expect from an IPA this strong is all about citrus, pine et cetera.  There's a strange fresh-pack-of-paper whiff in the smell too.

Also it's bitter.  Perhaps too much for my taste - it's nice, not quite as good as Brewdog's Jackhammer across the board.

7/10

Beer Advent Calendar 2015 - December 9th

I can't really be arsed to write much this evening, I've had a long day.

Brewdog - Santa Paws
This beer is great.  Exactly what I need right now.  Tremendously drinkable.  A little dry, smells and tastes a bit more like a stout than any scotch ale I've had before, but meh.

It tastes fucking wicked.

9/10

Stout Advent Calendar 2015 - December 8th

I've had to rename the calendar, since it's full of stout.  I'm sort-of complaining - gasping for an IPA.

This one is pretty damn tasty.

Mikkeller - Milk Stout
I'm a big fan of milk stout, Bristol Beer Factory in particular.  I can't remember if I've explained what a milk stout is, or supposed to be.  It's basically a stout, brewed with lactose (not milk!).  Some aren't even brewed with lactose - this one, according to the bottle, contains laktose.  I'm sure that's the same thing.

This particular milk stout is very smooth, and the opening salvo of flavours is fantastic.  Creamy, malty, beery sweetness.  Perhaps too sweet for some, but I do have a sweet tooth.
It has a little bit of a bitter finish, the kind you get after a decent dark chocolate.

Unbelievable as it is, I'm giving two beers in a row top marks!

10/10