Beer Advent Calendar 2016 - December 10th (Birthday beer!)

Woo! I'm old.  Hmmm.

Tomos a lilford - Cwrwgl

The second (and final) Tomos a lilford beer from the calendar - a dark ale...seaweed stout to be exact.
I really bought too much dark beer this time round.

Interesting beer though, really light body with a really light (but strangely concentrated) carbonation. Had a head very briefly.
Smells pretty decent, malty coffee/chocolate tones with a strange tangy sort of iodine smell from the seaweed.

Tastes good - can't say I can think of a similar tasting beer to compare it with.  I think I've poured it too cold so I'm losing a bit of depth.  Roasted malts, followed up by a tangy sort of spice.

Really easy to drink.

On the scale of

• Damn tasty.
• Pretty damn tasty.
• It's beer.
• Not really tasty.
• Ew.

This beer gets

It's beer.

Beer Advent Calendar 2016 - December 9th

Woo!!!  Non-dark beer!

Flying Dog - White Peach Saison (brewhouse rarities)

An interesting beverage today.  Good looking beverage, almost clear - it had a head but that dissipated pretty quickly. Medium carbonation, which is actually quite prickly and spritzy.
Smells...weird.  Really tart and peppery - almost a hint of vinegar.
Tastes sharp and tangy - there are hints of sweetness but they're suppressed by a sourness.  It's OK.

On the scale of

• Damn tasty.
• Pretty damn tasty.
• It's beer.
• Not really tasty.
• Ew.

This beer gets

It's beer.

Beer Advent Calendar 2016 - December 8th

Yay more dark beers...

Tenby Brewing Co - Black Flag

Another new brewer for me, and another local (ish!) one at that.  Thankfully this porter isn't particularly strong (5.5%), the flavours are very good - big on coffee, rum, some vanilla in the aftertaste.  Really light body with very little carbonation - wouldn't go so far as to call it thin - but if you're expecting a rich sort of drink look elsewhere.

Silky smooth and...black. Not unlike a jolly roger.  Really, really drinkable.  Think this one lasted maybe 6-7 mouthfuls (insert mum joke here) before it was gone.  Would make an excellent session porter - or a perfect chaser to an IPA.

On the scale of

• Damn tasty.
• Pretty damn tasty.
• It's beer.
• Not really tasty.
• Ew.

This beer gets

Pretty damn tasty.

Beer Advent Calendar 2016 - December 7th

No stout today! Praise the beer advent deities.

Bluestone Brewery - Rocketeer

There are three reasons I picked this beer up, Bluestone are a good local brewer, the artwork on the bottle is exactly like something I used to draw constantly as a child (a spacesuit, and Raphael...the turtle), and it's a basic bitter.  They're good for surprises, like Everards Tiger which I really enjoyed.

Pours a deep red, somewhere south of the copper I was expecting.  No head.  Really tangy malt smell - can't taste the hops through the malt.  Tastes just as it smells with a yeasty finish.

On the scale of

• Damn tasty.
• Pretty damn tasty.
• It's beer.
• Not really tasty.
• Ew.

This beer gets

It's beer.

Beer Advent Calendar 2016 - December 6th

Another day, another...stout!  Oh, come on!

Samuel Smiths - Imperial Stout

6 days in, 5 stouts and 1 golden ale.  I don't think there are more than a handful of stouts left.
I feel a little guilty for feeling bad after opening the bag for this beer, since it's fabulous.  I recall having this as a dessert a few times when I've had a hearty meal down the bay.

This is one of my favourite imperial stouts, hitting all the right notes in exactly the right way.  I've had so many crazy stouts - it's really nice to have a more traditional one that is still enjoyable.
Smells of rum, raisins, molasses, roasted malts, tastes sweet, but rich and fruity (not sickly or sharp) - great buttery smooth mouth-feel.  Low carbonation.

On the scale of

• Damn tasty.
• Pretty damn tasty.
• It's beer.
• Not really tasty.
• Ew.

This beer gets

Damn tasty.

I've just noticed that I took the picture wrong - the glass should be on the bag, and the bottle on the side...

Beer Advent Calendar 2016 - December 5th

Another strong beer today.  I didn't buy that many of them, yet they all come out on days where I could really just use a regular strength beer to drink.

Shouldn't really complain.

Brouwerij Huyghe - Delirium Argentum

Brewed for the 25th anniversary of Delirium.  I really wish I had a standard delirium nearby to compare the two, the only thing I can really state in terms of the difference - is that it's much easier to drink.  It's 7%, instead of the usual 8.5%.

I think the lower abv brings out the hoppy flavours a bit more, and the spicy aftertaste is a bit more apparent when it's not shrouded under alcohol.  It's still fruity, smooth and well balanced - hitting all the notes you'd expect from Delirium.

On the scale of

• Damn tasty.
• Pretty damn tasty.
• It's beer.
• Not really tasty.
• Ew.

This beer gets

Pretty damn tasty.

Beer Advent Calendar 2016 - December 4th

Damn you, stout.

Mikkeller - Porter

Hnnnnngggghhhh.  8% stout before bed after over 30 hours without sleep, and 3 other beers.

This beer is much more palatable than the kaffestout.  Thank goodness.  It's also far more balanced, and has a great blend of  flavours.  There's still lots of coffee flavour, but instead of being harsh and bitter, it's more rich and fruity.  As you can see from the image it was a lively pour (or I poured it badly), the head lingered well over half the way down and the lacing was niiiiiice.

On the scale of

• Damn tasty.
• Pretty damn tasty.
• It's beer.
• Not really tasty.
• Ew.

This beer gets

Pretty damn tasty.