Here is the annual tradition of our Advent Beer Calendar - getting though the month leading up to Christmas one day (beer) at a time. He buys me the even numbers and I buy Him Outdoors the odd ones - make of that what you will...
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| Beer 1: Prickly Moses Saboteur IIPA (10.4%) |
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| A touch grainy with strong citrus hop - 3.75/5 |
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| Beer 2: Brew by Numbers 03 Porter Traditional (6.6%) |
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| A lot of roasty coffee flavours but not enough richness or chocolate for me - 3.75/5 |
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| Beer 3: Haand Bryggeriet Framboos (8%) |
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| More sour than I was expecting - great fruit flavours and tart funk - 4.25/5 |
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| Beer 4: Prickly Moses The Raconteur (6.4%) |
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| Full of hops and malty goodness: a very tasty brew - 4.25/5 |
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| Beer 5: Ganstaller Brau Affumicator Smoked Dopplebock (9.6%) |
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| Smoke and dark malt and smoke and leafy freshness and smoke. And did I mention the smoke? |
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| Beer 6: Bacchus India Milk Stout (5%) |
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| Perfect contrast of milky sweetness with hoppy bitterness - 4.5/5 |
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| Beer 7: Buxton Brewery Guatemalan Coffee Extra Porter (7.4%) |
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Very bitter coffee taste from the roasted barley, almost tipping the scales towards astringency; some chocolate comes through as it opens out - 3.5/5
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| Sweetness from alcohol strength and caramel malt with piney earthy hop flavours and a crisp bitter finish - 4.25/5 |
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| Beer 9: Temple Brewing Co. Okinawa Sour (4%) |
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| Lemony with sharp citrus zest and a strange aftertaste, which is possibly the top-billed Shikuwasa fruit, but I wouldn't know - 3.5/5 |
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| Beer 10: Venom Brewing Black IPA 6% |
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| Tasty, malty and much softer than most black IPAs; I like it - 4/5 |
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| Beer 11: Hairyman Brewery Salt Dog Leipzig Gose (4.6%) |
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| It's got more body that I would expect from a gose; more like a salty golden ale - 3.25/5 |
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| Beer 12: Brouwerij Emelisse Vanille Ice Cream Stout (5.5%) |
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| Tried it again and I like it more now: there's a decent mouthfeel and well-rounded taste - 3.75/5 |
