Advent Calendar Window Two

Day Two and I'm already struggling. Honestly, how do people manage tasks like these? I found the time (just) to actually have the beer but had no time at all to write a post. So here it is a day late. I'm really struggling today and have had to take the day off work. I can't see me wanting to do day 3 later tonight, but I'll try to plough on.

Anyway, Day Two produced a beer from a brewery I've had nothing from before and know very little about. It's Stroud Brwery's Ding Dong - a 4.5% Organic Porter (although the website claims it's 4.2%.

A Porter that is thick and dark with a little frothy head. It smells initially of a sweet, yet weak, porter but you really have to get your nose in the glass to get a big waft of ginger and cloves. That was what I was hoping for. The taste comes at you in the same manner. An amateur could sip this and find nothing but a regular porter (I realise that sounds snobbish, let me continue) but one who tastes beer by practically chewing on the flavours gets that adorable hit of Christmas pot pourri, clove and cardamom. But you have to work for it. Supping this in the pub, I would scarcely feel the spice but having the time to search for I've discovered it hiding. Unfortunately the body is far too thin. When people say Christmas beer is just basic homebrew ale with a few spices shoved in, this may be the stereotype. It’s satisfyingly festive but compromising as a finish. Drinkable, but not outstanding.

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