Advent Calendar Window 9

Advent Calendar Window 9 - Julebryg

I'm beginning to question 7.5% as a percentage gravity. It seems a little too common and predictable. Are they sure it's not 7.4% or 7.6% - how is it always 7.5%?

Needless observations aside, Window 9 has a beer I picked up in Belgium assuming it was a Christmas beer based on the term "Jule" in Det Lille Bryggeri's Julebryg 7.5%. Quickly shoving the beer into my basket having never heard of the brewery, I expected to find Det Lille Bryggeri to be a French brewer from Lille. However, as it turns out what we have here is a Danish brewer from the island of Zealand. New to me, whilst I'm not a huge fan of the branding, I like the look of the styles of beers they brew from their website. Discovering a new brewer when judging them at Christmas time seems hardly fair but needs must.

"Oh my love we've had our share of tears

Oh my friends we've had our hopes and fears

Oh my friends it's been a long hard year

But now it's Christmas..."

Bubbling up like champagne over a murky swamp water umber, Julebryg has scents of cherries, caramac and chip shop vinegar. It is initially overpoweringly sweet to taste, with those cherry notes mixed in with all manner of berries and a thick fudge spine. As it sits a tartness overcomes the glass creating a different dimension to this beer, like a warm cherry pie. Grassy hops provide a decent bitter, medium bodied finish that's different without being over complicated. Not exactly Christmas in a glass, but a lovely beer alternative to a Christmas sherry and a new style for me to contemplate. A good little seasonal beer that I would love to pick up a Vintage of some time and would like to see more from this brewery.

Purchased at De Hopduvel, Ghent, November 2013

Drank alongside a chocolate lamb that frowned upon yet another chocolate snowman from Cadbury's. The lamb's bell rang in disgust.

Comments

THE STATE OF CASK part 2: The Cask Consumers

In what has become one of the most written about subjects amongst beer communicators for a long while I am going to follow on with my own thoughts about cask beer. Yet these ideas are formulated from potential posts I've been writing the odd paragraph about for around 18 months but never managed to construct into something relevant. I have much to say on the subject; so much so that rather than making this into one enormous read I've split it into three sections regarding the current trends and effects on cask beer as I see it. Today I look at the problem with consumer's and the immunity of one Timothy Taylor's Landlord. Part 1 can be read here . On the first Saturday morning of June 2016 I travelled to Stockport Beer Festival with my Aunt Marie and Uncle David; famously more traditional beer drinkers. They enjoy a day out in Stockport as, coming from Dewsbury way, they don’t actually see much beer from my side of the Pennines, incl...

BEER INDUSTRY PERSONNEL - COME TO DADDY!

Around 7 months ago I started dating a pub manager. It was inevitable in many ways. Amongst the perks that come with being involved with somebody on the other side of the bar, came the dread of how to react in future to the interactions involved in bar work. It isn’t a situation I’ve been in before so it has required adjustment. I’ve never had a partner pull up a chair in the office and stare at me through part of the working day whilst occasionally ordering goods from me. So you don’t want to interfere in your partner’s work whilst still getting to enjoy the pub. You don’t want to suddenly take up a spot on the bar where you make gooey eyes at each other with every pull on a hand pump. You don’t want to be one of those possessive teenagers, watching like a bar hawk and scowling at any intimidatingly handsome pair of arms that makes your other half roar with laughter. You want to separate their work from your social life and allow everything to sti...

National Winter Ales Festival 2013 - A Reasonable Farewell

Perhaps if this had been three years ago I would really have lamented the loss of the National Winter Ales Festival in Manchester . Not only has it long been held in my home city, but it was also my first ever beer festival, signifying a special place in my heart. That first visit was in 2006 and the event was then held in a co–operative building near Victoria station. At the time, my young ale loving mind was rather gobsmacked by the wondrous multi roomed, multi floored experience as barrels and casks of the good stuff stood waiting for me to try at no more than 90p for a generous half pint. Breweries and beer styles I had never heard of were present. It was also where I had my first taste of rauchbier, an encounter I have never regretted. I paid £3 to enter that day as a non CAMRA member. The organisations members that did travel with me on the occasion entered the festival for free (so they say, I’m inclined to believe they paid at least £1.) “They’re not a money making ...

Beer Compurgation

Search This Blog