Advent Calendar Beers: Sierra Nevada - Torpedo December 5
Beer 5: Sierra Nevada - Torpedo
7.1% ABV
Appearance - 4/5
Pours a dark amber with a quickly diminishing loose white head
Smell - 4/5
Hops and a hint of sweet malt - not much else - still lovely though :)
Taste - 3/5
Big hoppy bite with malts up front then a smooth transition to a long bitter finish - hints of alcohol on the tongue.
Mouthfeel - 3/5
Lively carbonation. Bit chewy and leaves the mouth dry.
Drinkability - 3/5
Nice and hoppy. Alcohol is well disguised but too strong for more than one or two.
I thought I would like this one more than I did, possibly through the placebo effect of liking Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. It's a strongish, hoppy IPA and though enjoyable, it's a bit basic. I was hoping for a bit more depth and flavour to it.
Advent Calendar Beers: Williams Brothers Brewing - Ebulum Elderberry Black Ale December 4
Beer 4: Williams Brothers Brewing - Ebulum Elderberry Black Ale
6.5% ABV
Appearance - 4/5
Pours a very dark red - almost black in normal light. Loose tan head quickly diminishes but leaves lacing throughout.
Smell - 3/5
Malt, stewed fruit and molasses. Slightly yeasty.
Taste - 3.5/5
Sweet, fruity with molasses / black treacle - some liquorice on the finish. Very little hops - a little too sweet for me.
Mouthfeel - 4/5
Nice carbonation - the thickness of the beer needs it. Very smooth. Fills the mouth but doesn't get cloying.
Drinkability - 3/5
A bit sweet for me but very nice on a cold winters night. High ABV makes it a bit lethal as the alcohol is well hidden. Could easily have a couple if you liked the style and weren't aware of / bothered by the ABV.
Advent Calendar Beers: Brewdog - Chaos Theory December 3
Beer 3: Brewdog - Chaos Theory
7.1% ABV
Appearance - 4/5
Pours amber with a thick tight white head. Slight haze.
Smell - 4/5
Lots of hops and some alcohol. Lemon and passion fruit.
Taste - 3.5/5
Slight sweetness to start with some burn from the alcohol - resiny hops - biscuity dry finish but not too long.
Mouthfeel - 3/5
Slightly too carbonated. Coats the mouth but doesn't leave a residue - leaves the palate clean for the next mouthful.
Drinkability - 3/5
The high ABV means this isn't really a session beer, but the way the beer cleans the palate after each mouthful makes it very drinkable.
I am a fan of Nelson Sauvin hops which I believe are what give this beer it's lovely lemony passion fruit aroma and resinous hop feel.
I'd like it noted though that I can't stand the bullshit they write on the labels - either making you sound stupid or them great or quite frequently, both.
Advent Calendar Beers: Orkney Brewery - Dragonhead Stout December 2
Beer 2: Orkney Brewery - Dragonhead Stout
4.0% ABV
Appearance - 3/5
Pitch black with a light brown quickly diminishing head.
Smell - 3/5
Chocolate and coffee with some vanilla. Slight nuttiness as well.
Taste - 3/5
Coffee with tobacco notes followed by chocolate. Medium sweetness throughout with a grainy, long bitter finish after the swallow.
Mouthfeel - 3/5
Quite carbonated - too much for my taste. Medium body for a low ABV beer.
Drinkability - 3/5
A little too carbonated to quaff and the bitterness does dry the mouth out. Sometimes finish with more thirst than when you started.
Better than yesterdays and a decent low ABV stout. A little less drying on the finish and less carbonation would have made it more to my taste.
Advent Calendar Beers: Flying Dog - Snake Dog IPA December 1
I've made myself an advent calendar this year out of 25 different beers - one for each day. I've made an effort to try beers from breweries I've not tried before, though most of the beers come from either the UK or the US. I plan on posting some notes on each one, each day, so here goes.
Beer 1: Flying Dog - Snake Dog IPA
7.1% ABV / 60 IBUs
Appearance - 4/5
Pours a nice amber with a good firm white head - leaves lacing on the glass throughout.
Smell - 2/5
Sweet sticky sugar and a bit stale - bit of alcohol - some hop bitterness but nothing more.
Taste - 2/5
Not much sweetness up front moving to some rough bitterness on the swallow. Alcohol on the tongue very apparent. Very dry with a long finish.
Mouthfeel - 3/5
Nicely carbonated but too thin for the ABV. Dries the mouth and throat out.
Drinkability - 2/5
Not the best aftertaste. Alcohol burn and dryness with teeth coating bitterness. If this was your last beer of the night you'd go home thinking you licked a carpet as your last act.
Wasn't that impressed with this one. The alcohol wasn't very well hidden and combined with the sweetness of the malt left you feeling a little sick. Glad this was the 1st December.