Beer Advent Calendar Window Seven - Super Des Fagnes Christmas

I have a problem. It's a damp problem in my cellar. It isn't a huge issue as you expect cellars to take on a little damp characteristic, but I use my cellar, presently, for little else than storing beer. If a little black mould gets here and there it shouldn't be a problem, unless it can somehow affect the beer. Still, I imagine it can't after looking at many articles about beer.

Super Des Fagnes Christmas has spent nearly two years on my hoard; one year in a cosy upstairs bedroom environment and a further year in a dank, damp cellar. It has finally made it to Beer Advent Calendar 2015 beneath Window Seven.

However, I am torn between a continuous wonder as to whether Belgian yeast sometimes takes on a damp characteristic or whether it is beer somehow infected by its environment.

Super Des Fagnes, incidentally, is a series of beers from Brasserie Des Fagnes in Belgium. I have no further experience with any of their beers apart from their Christmas beer today. We've all learnt something today.

"Oh I wouldn't worry about Peter - you might say the situation is in the bag. Ho Ho Ho."

Brasserie Des Fagnes - Super Des Fagnes Christmas - 8.5%

Dark murky orange brown with little head, the beer smells super rich and fruity, like boozy Christmas pudding if you will pardon the cliché. There's plenty of mince pie aromas including a buttery biscuit base - and something that smells a little like damp in a cellar to ruin the whole thing. The taste is practically the same as the scent, it's big, boozy, port-like with lots of Christmas fruit, rich pudding juices and a touch of brandy. I think this could be a strong, solid, Christmas beer, if it weren't for an underlying problem.

This beer strongly brings about a black mould musk. It isn't an infection I'm used to and only makes me think of my cellar. However, I would be lying if I didn't mention that I've had Belgian yeasty beers before with similar underlying flavour problems after being left for a bit, so I cna't be sure what it is.

So either this is a decent Belgian Christmas Ale that has been left too long. Or I am going to have to drink my entire beer hoard that is ageing before it all becomes a musky, mouldy mess. Who knows?

Mince Pie Pairing Rating: 6/10 - beyond the musk, there are some solid dark fruit flavours brought out.

Best Paired With: A strong blue cheese - is it off? Is it wonderful? Is it to everybody's taste? Nobody is quite sure.

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...

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 is Available in Supermarkets

Thanks to @Adam_G_Manning for the photo and everyone else who offered to help on Twitter This beer blog has become a near eternal snake of content but at least I’m distinctly aware of it. First comes the repeated speeches every time a brewery sells up to a large multinational. Then comes the turn of brouhaha because a supermarket has changed its range of beers. It must be that time of year and I still feel as impassioned to comment. It was, once again, the major retailer T esco who increased their range two and a half weeks ago - this time with additions including North Brew Co and Magic Rock - for the second time in 6 months. I felt the need to make comment about the bewildering excitement then, just as I did in 2016 with the arrival of Dale's Pale and Pinner . This time there has been further furore, both from people that see the positives and negatives, aided by successful marketing tactics that has led to an awful lot of commentary. Late to...

Beer Compurgation

Search This Blog