Beer Advent Calendar Window One

Beer Advent Calendar Window One - Humbug

The beginning of this blog's Beer Advent Calendar begins with a beer from The Hop Studio; a brewery that made a previous calendar appearance in 2013 with There is NoEL in Christmas.

The Hop Studio are based in York and were founded in 2012. Their minimalistic branding, simple styles and thirst-quenching strengths seems to have appealed well to a cask market, without ever dominating the "craftier" circles. I can't see them invited to the next Rainbow Project, nor can I imagine they would want to be.

(I e-mailed Hop Studio asking for more information regarding the thought process behind the beer. They have politely replied explaining how they're busy away at the minute but will reply with details ASAP. I'll update this post with new information then.)

"You know I think this Christmas thing is not as tricky as it seems. And why should they have all the fun? It should belong to anyone. Not anyone in fact but me, for I can build a Christmas tree,"

The Hop Studio - Humbug (A Smoked Milk Porter) 5%

Pouring a very dark mocha shade with little head, there are huge dominating roasted coffee notes on the nose, with a little milk chocolate, bourbon and woody bushes. The taste is surprisingly boozy for the ABV; the liquid from cooked, sugared berries, sherry soaked raisins, bramble bushes and then powdered chocolate milk. A continual long sweetness seems to block any coffee notes you're expecting after the nose. There's a warming toasty smokiness in the finish from the rauch malt. It gives a nice full oily mouthfeel even if the body is a little thin. This would be really good amplified to a higher percentage at this time of the year. It's a very drinkable, full flavoured beer, a brilliant start to this calendar and something I can highly recommend for Christmas.

Besides the flavour of the beer, there are other aspects of this beer I'm impressed with that should be noted. Firstly, I've been saying for a long time that I'd like to see more British brewers experimenting with smoked beers. Certainly this isn't as smoky as I like, though the lactose in the beer will play a part in that, but a Smoked Milk Porter is certainly a style I've not seen before, so it wins points for originality.

Secondly, this is a beer that's label (pictured above) features everything I wish all British Brewers included on their labels. It has a clear description of this beer, without unnecessary hyperbole, a list of types of hops and malt used, the small obligatory brewery information and the bonus food match, that I don't consider a requirement but is a nice touch. Even the "Contains Lactose" sticker is clear too. I could peel this label off and send it to all British microbreweries.

Best Paired With: That First Mince Pie you allow yourself after weeks of saying "it's too early"

Comments

WHEN CELEBRITIES DIE - THE INFINITY OF PUBS

Recently I was stood outside Huddersfield Railway Station waiting for my Replacement Bus Service. I was eating much needed food from a nearby fast food outlet and contemplating my next move. Other match-goers had gone home but I had over 50 minutes to wait for my bus. We’d already been to a few of our post-match regular spots and so I was contemplating somewhere new or different to pass the time now. I stood in St George’s Square, behind the statue of Harold Wilson, and pondered where I should waste my next hour. And pondered and pondered. After deliberation that ate into much of my allotted time, I walked down to the familiar setting of The Sportsman, realising that there wasn’t anywhere different to go at all. But whilst I deliberated, I cast my eye over the currently scaffold-covered George hotel opposite the station; a place I had been in once with my Dad. It’s downstairs public bar had stood as a firm and available option to match-goers fo...

The Pubs of Stalybridge Part One: The Stalybridge Seven.

And a touch more ... Rififi Nightclub - once the town's cinema - has stood empty and unused for four and a half years This is the continuation of my posts of regular pub crawls to try and get myself in more pubs and discover more. Whilst I grew up in an old hamlet that most were quick to distance themselves from, my address clearly stated that we belonged to Stalybridge. However distant the town centre felt I was a Stalybridger, a Stalybridgian, a Stalyian: you know I don’t think I’ve ever heard us given a name before. I’m going with Stalyian. After a few moves around the country and through various relationships, I didn’t expect to find myself still local to the town in 2017. Whilst my address hasn’t stated Stalybridge for 3 years, I still spend plenty of time in the town – not least as it houses my “local.” To many in the north-west, it is famous for its nickname of Staly Vegas , that came about (as far as I’m aware) through its late Nighties-through-to-N...

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...

Beer Compurgation

Search This Blog