Now then.
firstly: I know, I know. Its supposed to be the first beer of Christmas on December the 1st. Yet, its Christmas Eve. What is wrong with this man, you ask? Why is he reviewing a "Christmas" beer on day 24?
Well the simple answer is, because I can.
Also, my Christmas 2013 beer stash wasn't collected until last night and its only now that I have started to tap into it. There are 18 pints of sedimented Abbeydale Absolution and 12 bottles of rather excellent and at times expensive beer to get through. Not that my supplier, Archer Road Beer Stop is expensive - its just I bought a couple of strong Durham beers and a bottle of Fantome Saison. Which is approximately a million pounds....
So, after an hour of festively moshing to Cathedral and Acid Reign, what better way to cool off than in a spare room chilled to below room temperature (although arguably am in said room and erm...well, its the temperature that it is?....) with a cold-ish bottle of excellent beer.
The first of my box, part of a series of potentially two reviews of the 12, is Blue Monkey Bludolph. Its 5% and an orange hued golden colour and it smells rather fab. Dave told me in the shop that its three lots of three types of hops which are chosen by the brewer every year. It's been a very long 24 hours since yesterday however so you may be better off looking at the link here from real ale store - since he brewery are. um, too busy to update their website....
It has a lovely tangerine kick with some dry bitterness, a hint of lemon and a pleasing soft malt in the background which means the bitterness settles back into the beer rather than jarring at the forefront throughout; although the aftertaste is lingeringly bitter, after the more calming malt has dissipated.
Obviously better than your average brown spiced nonsense, it wins plaudits foe being umpologetically hoppy and not remotely interested in Christmas pudding or berry fruit.
In conclusion, a great example of a Christmas beer that doesn't taste of sherry and rum and raisin chocolate with treacle, like so many of the ilk have a tendency to do. And it was so good that I didn't take a picture.
This is virtually anti blogging.....
Merry Merry Christmas!
WB
Showing posts with label Christmas bottled beers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas bottled beers. Show all posts
Tuesday, 24 December 2013
Monday, 18 June 2012
Live Blog - De Dolle Stille Nacht 2010
Now Then,
this is my first live blog. So as not to disappoint those veterans of innovative media, I must confirm that its only really live in the sense that it is being written as I drink. Instead of afterwards, like it usually is....
So, this is my only bottle of the Stille Nacht from the dark days when the brew date wasn't on the label anymore. I still have a bottle of the 2006 in my stash. I imagine that will be fecking absurd to be brutally honest. This is silly enough.
Brewery : De Dolle (says Oer bier on side, probably from Esen, but label is more interpretive than factual.
Name : Stille Nacht, brewed October 2010
Strength : 12.0%
BCA/none BCA? : Erm...unfiltered maybe?.
Purchased : Archer Road Beer Stop Sheffield.
Colour : Gold, light chestnut, a little like Retsina, but without the cloudiness since yeast in bottle for now for initial taste.
Carbonation/Pouring : Silent insurgence from the bottle but with retained head and bubbles carrying on their ascent long after opening..
Aroma : Alcohol! Sweet malt and fruit, lots of peach, orange, lemon, brandy, perhaps cherry, currants, raisins and somehow, peat..
Taste : this is a very silly beer. Its crammed full of intense sweet alcohol notes, with a jammy fruit preserve in the back of the mouth before alcoholic flavours wash over to reveal spiky sweet malt, that distinctive Belgian yeast, and and some sort of sour marmalade, the fruit of which might be quince (I realise there's only really a few marmalade fruits....). I'm going to add the yeast now.
After adding the extra but vital matter there is a loud fizz and a flurry of detritus in the bottom of the glass riding the new wave of carbonation, quite large chunks of yeast swirl up and fall like the contents of a stood Alka Seltzer. Intriguingly they don't all drop, they are still there in the glass reminding me that this is an evolving brew.
The first apres yeast taste is a little more mellow but with a slight ascorbic edge, but there's more of that dry alcoholic fruit and some surprising bitterness fighting its way through to the forefront of this distinctly and thankfully uncompromising and unsubtle adventure into alcohol. Like a Barley wine but with more finesse it fizzes on the tongue with that ever present alcoholic citrus and dry fruit taste lingering. Its been chilled for 45 minutes and tastes like it it could live with another hour. Like I said, its daft.
Continuing down the glass the flavour splits a little - the dryish fruit and alochol linger but the more subtle malts and hints of bitterness disperse. Also, I notice that this is perhaps the cloudiest and most claggy ale I have ever drank - the yeast sediment neither dissipates nor sinks, it just hangs in sharp vinous stasis waiting to assault the tastebuds. I don't really know what to make of this. If I had poured this first off I might have been seriously worried that this was from Shropshire, but it doesn't necessarily impact on the flavour, except a half thought idea that older vintages had more proportionate yeast deposits and melded the physical matter and taste a little better.
Head retention - not bad, there's still an identifiable white/grey crown on the top as I near the end. .
WBrating : 7.2.
This low score may be a reflection of my unease at the pond water cloudiness f the beer, and also that the sheer intensity f the beer makes any kind of expeditious tasting impossible. And the drink warms it becomes cloying, and the yeast flavours niggle. Its a stupendous beer in terms of overall taste, incredibly fruity to begin with, but the slip in marks reflects the loss of those vibrant fruits as the beer goes on..
More birthday sups to come this week!
Wee Beefy
this is my first live blog. So as not to disappoint those veterans of innovative media, I must confirm that its only really live in the sense that it is being written as I drink. Instead of afterwards, like it usually is....
So, this is my only bottle of the Stille Nacht from the dark days when the brew date wasn't on the label anymore. I still have a bottle of the 2006 in my stash. I imagine that will be fecking absurd to be brutally honest. This is silly enough.
Brewery : De Dolle (says Oer bier on side, probably from Esen, but label is more interpretive than factual.
Name : Stille Nacht, brewed October 2010
Strength : 12.0%
BCA/none BCA? : Erm...unfiltered maybe?.
Purchased : Archer Road Beer Stop Sheffield.
Colour : Gold, light chestnut, a little like Retsina, but without the cloudiness since yeast in bottle for now for initial taste.
Carbonation/Pouring : Silent insurgence from the bottle but with retained head and bubbles carrying on their ascent long after opening..
Aroma : Alcohol! Sweet malt and fruit, lots of peach, orange, lemon, brandy, perhaps cherry, currants, raisins and somehow, peat..
Taste : this is a very silly beer. Its crammed full of intense sweet alcohol notes, with a jammy fruit preserve in the back of the mouth before alcoholic flavours wash over to reveal spiky sweet malt, that distinctive Belgian yeast, and and some sort of sour marmalade, the fruit of which might be quince (I realise there's only really a few marmalade fruits....). I'm going to add the yeast now.
After adding the extra but vital matter there is a loud fizz and a flurry of detritus in the bottom of the glass riding the new wave of carbonation, quite large chunks of yeast swirl up and fall like the contents of a stood Alka Seltzer. Intriguingly they don't all drop, they are still there in the glass reminding me that this is an evolving brew.
The first apres yeast taste is a little more mellow but with a slight ascorbic edge, but there's more of that dry alcoholic fruit and some surprising bitterness fighting its way through to the forefront of this distinctly and thankfully uncompromising and unsubtle adventure into alcohol. Like a Barley wine but with more finesse it fizzes on the tongue with that ever present alcoholic citrus and dry fruit taste lingering. Its been chilled for 45 minutes and tastes like it it could live with another hour. Like I said, its daft.
Continuing down the glass the flavour splits a little - the dryish fruit and alochol linger but the more subtle malts and hints of bitterness disperse. Also, I notice that this is perhaps the cloudiest and most claggy ale I have ever drank - the yeast sediment neither dissipates nor sinks, it just hangs in sharp vinous stasis waiting to assault the tastebuds. I don't really know what to make of this. If I had poured this first off I might have been seriously worried that this was from Shropshire, but it doesn't necessarily impact on the flavour, except a half thought idea that older vintages had more proportionate yeast deposits and melded the physical matter and taste a little better.
Head retention - not bad, there's still an identifiable white/grey crown on the top as I near the end. .
WBrating : 7.2.
This low score may be a reflection of my unease at the pond water cloudiness f the beer, and also that the sheer intensity f the beer makes any kind of expeditious tasting impossible. And the drink warms it becomes cloying, and the yeast flavours niggle. Its a stupendous beer in terms of overall taste, incredibly fruity to begin with, but the slip in marks reflects the loss of those vibrant fruits as the beer goes on..
More birthday sups to come this week!
Wee Beefy
Sunday, 25 December 2011
Christmas bottle selection, Harrisons 1854, Three Cranes, Beehive, Crispin Ashover, and Shakespeares
Hello, and Merry Christmas readers.
owing to an unfortunate spell of crap telly am ensconced in Thangor's kitchen so will endeavour, despite this cumbersome alien keyboard, to give you a few days worth of updates on beer and pubs in Sheffield.
Shakespeares Gibraltar Street Beer festival.
its too late for this to be advice but I have to concede that actually there was a beer fest on at the above from 21st to 23rd December. Beers seemed to have been intended for purchase from the separate upstairs bar but I understand this is not open yet - hence you read a beer list (written. with that personal touch, in biro ) and having made and paid for your choice staff fetch it from upstairs for you. On my visit I had a half of Atomic Winter (which was supposed to be white!) and a spiced beer from Revolution brewery, in addition to another fine pint of the Raw Black Ghost dark IPA.
Crispin Inn, Ashover.
On the Tuesday before Christmas me, Wee Fatha, Wee Keefy and Chala went to the Crispin for a meal. Ashover is fairly unique in terms of Derbyshire villages in that it has 3 pubs (5 if you include the two at Milltown), all of which serve a range of real ales, serve good food, and one even has a brewery. When walking and seeking refreshment in the area, it has to be the Old Poets Corner every time, but, despite their excellent food, we have started a family tradition of visiting the Crispin when we fancy eating out.
Beers wise there are 4 handpumps selling Jennings Cumberland, Cocker Hoop, Marstons Pedigree and a guest - on our visit the Wychwoof/Refresh Bah Humbug Christmas Ale was on at a bargain £2.00 a pint. Generally real ales are about £2.90 depending on strength. I warmly recommend this and indeed any of the Ashover pubs for a bite to eat or a pint of the real stuff if you are in the area.
Harrisons 1854
I was in the 1854 twice in the run up to Christmas, on the 23rd (Friday) there were free pork scratchings and mince pies cooked by the inimitable barman extraordinaire Dave, plus the lovely Joanna behind the bar (both in civvies) and, crucially both Abbeydale Deception and Moonshine were on at £2.00 a pint! (pics to follow when I get back on my own computer).
Add to this other drinks offers and live DJ's and it was a merry night on Regent Terrace. Hopefully 2012 will see a much deserved increase in patrons and the 3 real ale beer range maintained in this "hidden" city centre venue. Below : Barraharri and Joanna wish readers all the best.
Three Cranes Queen Street
just a brief note, in addition to the excellent Bees Knees and Bradfield Belgian Blue on offer, the Cranes were selling Abbeydale Black Mass (6.6%) at a very competitive £3.25 a pint. Obliged as I was to investigate, I can confirm that said finisher was in excellent form.
Beehive, West Street
I have made two albeit brief sojourns into the hive in the last week, and found some not to be sniffed at offers in their real ale range. On Thursday Thornbridge Jaipur was £2.60 a pint (5.9%) in addition to the Blue Bee Pale and Bitter rebadge offerings which I understand were cheaper (but need to confirm this -can you help?). On Friday, as well as mercifully not being overrun, a well kept pint of the Thornbridge Kipling was also £2'60; so now you can get a decent pint of real ale on West Street without having to pay over the odds in doing so!
Christmas bottle selection
my Christmas beer list has taken shape nicely after a visit to the Archer Road Beer Stop and presents and deliveries from Wee Fatha, not to mention trips to Tesco and Waitrose. Amongst many highlights (in addition to those listed in my last post) are Dunham Massey Dark, Gold and Winter Warmer, Tatton Yeti and Ale, Derby Business As Usual, Brampton Winter Bock, Sierra Nevada Torpedo IPA, and Harviestoun Porter. Virtually all these beers came from the Archer Road Beer Stop. Give them a call on 0114 2551356 to check availability. And don't forget to get your orders in ASAP for New Year, or indeed any celebration, polypins, and enjoy pints of real ale at home.
Finally, rumour mill miss.......
it seems almost irrefutable that the Broadfield, following a period of apparent soul destroying mediocrity, has closed and reopened as the Broadfield Ale House, selling real ales and an enviable range of whiskeys. I intend to be up in the New Year so expect a review soon.
In the meantime, Merry Christmas and Happy New year to all you readers and everyone who has helped and supported me in my ongoing blogging adventure - Slainte!
Wee Beefy.
owing to an unfortunate spell of crap telly am ensconced in Thangor's kitchen so will endeavour, despite this cumbersome alien keyboard, to give you a few days worth of updates on beer and pubs in Sheffield.
Shakespeares Gibraltar Street Beer festival.
its too late for this to be advice but I have to concede that actually there was a beer fest on at the above from 21st to 23rd December. Beers seemed to have been intended for purchase from the separate upstairs bar but I understand this is not open yet - hence you read a beer list (written. with that personal touch, in biro ) and having made and paid for your choice staff fetch it from upstairs for you. On my visit I had a half of Atomic Winter (which was supposed to be white!) and a spiced beer from Revolution brewery, in addition to another fine pint of the Raw Black Ghost dark IPA.
Crispin Inn, Ashover.
On the Tuesday before Christmas me, Wee Fatha, Wee Keefy and Chala went to the Crispin for a meal. Ashover is fairly unique in terms of Derbyshire villages in that it has 3 pubs (5 if you include the two at Milltown), all of which serve a range of real ales, serve good food, and one even has a brewery. When walking and seeking refreshment in the area, it has to be the Old Poets Corner every time, but, despite their excellent food, we have started a family tradition of visiting the Crispin when we fancy eating out.
Beers wise there are 4 handpumps selling Jennings Cumberland, Cocker Hoop, Marstons Pedigree and a guest - on our visit the Wychwoof/Refresh Bah Humbug Christmas Ale was on at a bargain £2.00 a pint. Generally real ales are about £2.90 depending on strength. I warmly recommend this and indeed any of the Ashover pubs for a bite to eat or a pint of the real stuff if you are in the area.
Harrisons 1854
I was in the 1854 twice in the run up to Christmas, on the 23rd (Friday) there were free pork scratchings and mince pies cooked by the inimitable barman extraordinaire Dave, plus the lovely Joanna behind the bar (both in civvies) and, crucially both Abbeydale Deception and Moonshine were on at £2.00 a pint! (pics to follow when I get back on my own computer).
Add to this other drinks offers and live DJ's and it was a merry night on Regent Terrace. Hopefully 2012 will see a much deserved increase in patrons and the 3 real ale beer range maintained in this "hidden" city centre venue. Below : Barraharri and Joanna wish readers all the best.
Three Cranes Queen Street
just a brief note, in addition to the excellent Bees Knees and Bradfield Belgian Blue on offer, the Cranes were selling Abbeydale Black Mass (6.6%) at a very competitive £3.25 a pint. Obliged as I was to investigate, I can confirm that said finisher was in excellent form.
Beehive, West Street
I have made two albeit brief sojourns into the hive in the last week, and found some not to be sniffed at offers in their real ale range. On Thursday Thornbridge Jaipur was £2.60 a pint (5.9%) in addition to the Blue Bee Pale and Bitter rebadge offerings which I understand were cheaper (but need to confirm this -can you help?). On Friday, as well as mercifully not being overrun, a well kept pint of the Thornbridge Kipling was also £2'60; so now you can get a decent pint of real ale on West Street without having to pay over the odds in doing so!
Christmas bottle selection
my Christmas beer list has taken shape nicely after a visit to the Archer Road Beer Stop and presents and deliveries from Wee Fatha, not to mention trips to Tesco and Waitrose. Amongst many highlights (in addition to those listed in my last post) are Dunham Massey Dark, Gold and Winter Warmer, Tatton Yeti and Ale, Derby Business As Usual, Brampton Winter Bock, Sierra Nevada Torpedo IPA, and Harviestoun Porter. Virtually all these beers came from the Archer Road Beer Stop. Give them a call on 0114 2551356 to check availability. And don't forget to get your orders in ASAP for New Year, or indeed any celebration, polypins, and enjoy pints of real ale at home.
Finally, rumour mill miss.......
it seems almost irrefutable that the Broadfield, following a period of apparent soul destroying mediocrity, has closed and reopened as the Broadfield Ale House, selling real ales and an enviable range of whiskeys. I intend to be up in the New Year so expect a review soon.
In the meantime, Merry Christmas and Happy New year to all you readers and everyone who has helped and supported me in my ongoing blogging adventure - Slainte!
Wee Beefy.
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