The Beer Advent Calendar 2012 - December 23rd

And so we have the penultimate advent beer.

*sigh*

Innis & Gunn - Original
I discovered Innis & Gunn because Morissons keep it next to Brewdog beers...took me quite by surprise.
The story goes that the it was created somewhat accidentally, the beer was being used to flavour barrels for whisky then being disposed of...until someone tried the beer and it was delicious.

Looks - Dark amber, head built up and disappeared quickly - has a little carbonation.
Smells - Vanilla and toffee, it's all sweetness with no real beer-like character but I still really like it.
Taste - Really unique (in my experience), it's smooth and crisp but does feel a little sticky after you've had a few of them.  Dominant flavours are vanilla, some caramel and honey flavours with a nice malt balance. 

I've quite a sweet tooth, so I do particularly enjoy this one.

8/10

I wrote this blog whilst listening to The Black Crows.  I only really started listening to them recently but have really been enjoying it.  Like if Free weren't stoned all the time, which is odd because I'm sure The Black Crows were also stoned all the time...

The Beer Advent Calendar 2012 - December 22nd

No time for chit-chat today. Friends visiting I am hungry.  They guest star in the picture...

Holt's - Two Hoots
I've had a few Holt's beers, they're OK - but nothing special.

Looks - Fairly standard, nice golden body.
Smells - Nice fruity smell whilst I poured, it didn't linger too long - much like the head.
Taste - Malty with quite a bitter aftertaste.  Basic taste that's just not on a par with Everards Tiger!

6/10

I drank this beer whilst listening to Them Crooked Vultures.

The Beer Advent Calendar 2012 - December 21st

Today was my last full day in work before Christmas, actually it was my last full day in work this calendar year.  I'm not as thrilled about it as I expected. What I am looking forward to is catching up on lots of sleep over Christmas.

Shepherd Neame - Christmas Ale
Another traditional English brewer appears in the calendar, this one is significantly better than Uncle Scrooge.  My flatmate got special-drunk off this beer on tap last Christmas, it's quite a hefty 7% so I can see why. 
It's quite interesting, if nothing else it's strength makes it a more festive beer than the usual "shipped out" standard Christmas ales.

Looks - Brilliant clarity for a beer this strong, I usually expect it hazy when the ABV creeps up.  Nice tone of deep amber.
Smells - Quite sweet, almost like a dessert - only with hops and malts.  It's actually like a meaty Fursty Ferret (this sentence makes very little sense unless you're familiar with that beer).
Taste - Hints of spice, some rich fruit tastes as well nice long warm finish.

Pretty damn tasty, gone straight to my head.

8/10

I wrote this song whilst listening to an odd combination of heavy metal.  Cathedral, Carcass, Megadeth, Alcest...ah back in the day I was the only guy in school with long hair...

The Beer Advent Calendar 2012 - December 20th

I've officially finished shopping for Christmas.  Carnage in shops today, look after your kids for fucks sake! Don't let them run around the busy aisles clacking some sort of castanets.  And what do you think you're doing walking with your trolleys two abreast down the obviously very busy aisle? FUCK YOU very much!

Anyhoo.  Only four advent beers remain, sad times.

Tiny Rebel - FUBAR
Another entry from the boys from Newport here.  I used to feel it was their strongest (as in, best) beer but I've warmed to Urban IPA more.  FUBAR is better on tap, especially through a hop-rocket - but this beer isn't doing as much as I remember.

Looks - Cloudy gold colour, really nice head and lacing.
Smells - Really light smells of fruits and a little hops.
Taste - I'll let the official description cover this one as I'm feeling lazy - "you’ll face off against floral hoppy flavours up front, leading into a dry spicy bitterness on the back" - And that's exactly what it's like.

8/10

I wrote this blog whilst listening to Led Zeppelin - live in Earls Court from 1975.  There are 6 tracks from this concert on the DVD and they're without a doubt the best live recordings of LZ I've ever seen and heard.  The performance of Stairway to Heaven in particular is just flawless.

The Beer Advent Calendar 2012 - December 19th

*whinge*
Today sucked. For no particular reason.  I am a bit of a moody prick sometimes...I'll not assume I've the hubris for attempting to explain it, or that I care enough to.

Beer!

Everards - Tiger
Todays beer is my ideal 'best bitter'.  It doesn't even belong in this decade.  It's another one of those "once a year" beers I generally only pick up for the calendar.  I really ought drink it more often as that's the sort of beer it is.

Looks - Like the sort of beer I can imagine in a working mans club in the early 80's.  Really nice copper/chestnut shade.  Great head. (teehee)
Smells - A little sour, there's no hops going on.  Quite a sharp malt smell.
Taste - Very basic, in a good way.  It doesn't dance around much, it's got some well balanced bitterness and malt flavours but nothing hangs around very long - which makes me want more of it.

I'd really like to rate this beer higher, but I can't.  I'm definitely coming up with a new scoring system for next year.

8/10

I wrote this blog whilst listening to a compilation of John Lee Hooker, Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters.  Because I'll never get out of these blues alive, y'all.

The Beer Advent Calendar 2012 - December 18th

Today was not a bad day, my car got fixed (a brake cylinder had rusted through - actually a not-galvanised clip had rusted through it, it wouldn't have rusted on it's own), and my new headphones arrived.  I'd forgotten I had ordered them and thought it was just a Christmas present for someone, so it was a nice surprise.

Brakspear - Triple (6.7%)
I've put the strength in the title of this beer as there are two types, 6.7% and 7.2%.  The stronger 7.2% also comes in a larger bottle, I'm sure it should be the other way around.

Looks - Nice dark orange colour, held up to the light the colour looks like a nice piece of old furniture.
Smells - Bit of a burnt sweetness in the smell, malty and a little yeasty.
Taste - This beer is really rich.  Dark fruits and sweet tastes are overcome by a rich malty finish.  On 'the burp' it's a little spicy, that actually took my by surprise.

Quite a nice beer, falls just short of an 8.

7/10

I wrote this blog whilst listening to M83.  You might recognise M83 from any number of montages from Top Gear, numberous other BBC TV, and a few adverts (Red Bull in particular).  I saw them support the Kings of Leon.  KoL were shit that night, M83 were flawless.
M83 were one of a few bands I was introduced to mid-noughties, and the album Before The Dawn Heals Us is easily one of my favourite albums of all time. 

The Beer Advent Calendar 2012 - December 17th

Last full Monday of work before Christmas! Woo!

Today's beer comes at me room temperature.  My glamorous assistant neglected to put a beer in the fridge last night because she was drunk.  And then neglected to do it this morning because she was late.

You just can't get the help.

I'm not really complaining.  I usually drink this beer chilled and there's a bit extra in the flavour from being room temp.  I shall chill it less from now on.

Brewdog - Punk IPA
What a beer.  Brewdog are solely responsible for my beer-snobbishness, and this is the beer which started it all.
I'd always been interested in trying different beers at festivals and the like, but nothing like this.
Below is a slightly stylised image of the mantelpiece in the flat - loads of different beers, from IPA's with different hops, IPA's from the sea, experimental hop-less ales, low alcohol IPA's (that still kick arse), stouts & porters, scotch ales, red ales, black lagers, barrel aged lagers - the list goes on.  I love it.

Anyway...

Looks - Looks a little hazy, but is light amber in colour.  Some good head retention and lacing down as it goes down the glass.
Smells - Terrific.  Grapefruit, pine, deep citrus smells.
Taste - Fruit and pine flavours start, a fantastic hoppy body with a (new!) honey sweet yet mild bitterness.

I have my criticisms of Brewdog, and as a shareholder I'm entitled to them - this beer is not one of the things I could criticise.

10/10

I wrote this blog whilst listening to Mumford and Sons.  I feel a little bad for listening to M&S, folk is a genre with such an extensive catalogue, not just comtemporaries either.  I used to play the banjo, and listen to a few folk acts now and then - but I've always just found them myself.  I'm sure there are better or more deserving folk acts out there, I just haven't found them.  Listening to M&S seems like a lazy way to enjoy folk music. I still like it though...