...And Bright! Beer Advent Calendar 2017 Part Two

Beer 13: Hargreaves Hill Apricot Sour (7.2%)

Very fruity but also very sour: sharp, tart and zingy like a sorbet - 4/5

Beer 14: Peroni Gran Riserva Doppio Malto (6.6%)

Crisp malt with sweetness but no depth - 3.25/5

Beer 15: Feral F15 Bourbon-Barrel_aged Imperial Brown Ale (9%)

There's a sweetness and a spice to this that is quite delightful - rich and malty and truly engaging - 4.5/5

Beer 16: Exit Brewing #016 Scotch Ale (7.5%)

Rich and smoky. Certain guidelines say peated malt doesn't work in Scotch Ales, but I say slainte! - 4/5

Beer 17: Mountain Goat Cross Breed Back to the Brewer Double Steam Ale (7.3%)

Sensational beer with a smooth and juicy taste, and well-balanced bitterness. Nice one! 4.5/5

Beer 18: The Wild Beer Co. Smoke 'n' Barrels - Autumn (6%)

As it says on the label: bonfires + apples + toffee: a good brown ale base infused with sweet apple wood smoke: there is some toffee apple sweetness but it's flat - could be a bad bottle - 3.5/5

Beer 19: Stockade Le Brat Imperial Blonde 7%

Caramel bubblegum sweetness with pear esters, spicy yeast and alcohol warmth; very nice - 4/5

Beer 20: St Bernadus Brouwerij Abt 12 (10%)

I've said it before and I'll say it again: it tastes like Christmas should - 4.75/5 

Beer 21: Stone & Wood Forefathers Blair Hayden English Pale Ale (5.6%)

Far too citrusy for an English Pale without any earthy hop character; apparently there is bergamot from the tea, but there is no bitterness - 2.75/5

Beer 22: Big Shed & Dr's Orders Dr Shedlove 2017 Imperial Carrot Stout (9.4%)

Wow, chocolate and vegemite flavours actually work really well together; who knew? These guys, obviously - 4.25/5

Beer 23: Moa Brewing Co. Five Hop English IPA (6.2%) 

Great Toffee Malt and a bittering hop at the finish; tasty and very drinkable - 4/5

Beer 24: La Sirene Cuvee de Bois (6.2%)

Now that's what I call sour: overwhelming flavours of stone fruit and citrus with a tart astringency and funky oak: really tasty stuff - 4.5/5

May Your Days Be Merry... Advent Beer Calendar 2017 Part One

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...

 

Beer 1: Prickly Moses Saboteur IIPA (10.4%) 

A touch grainy with strong citrus hop - 3.75/5

Beer 2: Brew by Numbers 03 Porter Traditional (6.6%)

A lot of roasty coffee flavours but not enough richness or chocolate for me - 3.75/5

Beer 3: Haand Bryggeriet Framboos (8%)

More sour than I was expecting - great fruit flavours and tart funk - 4.25/5

Beer 4: Prickly Moses The Raconteur (6.4%)

Full of hops and malty goodness: a very tasty brew - 4.25/5

Beer 5: Ganstaller Brau Affumicator Smoked Dopplebock (9.6%)

Smoke and dark malt and smoke and leafy freshness and smoke. And did I mention the smoke?

Beer 6: Bacchus India Milk Stout (5%)

Perfect contrast of milky sweetness with hoppy bitterness - 4.5/5

Beer 7: Buxton Brewery Guatemalan Coffee Extra Porter (7.4%)

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

Beer 8: Brouwerij De Molen Amarillo Imperial IPA-ish (9.3%)

Sweetness from alcohol strength and caramel malt with piney earthy hop flavours and a crisp bitter finish - 4.25/5

Beer 9: Temple Brewing Co. Okinawa Sour (4%)

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

Beer 10: Venom Brewing Black IPA 6%

Tasty, malty and much softer than most black IPAs; I like it - 4/5

Beer 11: Hairyman Brewery Salt Dog Leipzig Gose (4.6%)

It's got more body that I would expect from a gose; more like a salty golden ale - 3.25/5

Beer 12: Brouwerij Emelisse Vanille Ice Cream Stout (5.5%)

Tried it again and I like it more now: there's a decent mouthfeel and well-rounded taste - 3.75/5