Beer Compurgation

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 be...

In the spirit of the season that brings us all together, Window Six on the Advent Calendar brings about a famous ongoing collaboration between two giants of the British beer world: Adnams ... and Marks and Spencers .  As with Adnams main line of beers, I personally find the range Adnams do for Marks and Spencers that will be considered the more "traditional" series to range from average to swamp water. However, just as with Adnams main line of beers, I personally find the range they do for Marks and Spencers that will be considered the more "craft" series to do a decent job. Sorachi Saison is probably the best beer in the "brewed for M&S" range and possibly the best beer I've had from Adnams.  I know it is a controversy, and as a fairly large brewery complete with distillery, Adnams manage to maintain a reputable name amongst bloggers and beer personnel alike. However, even from a young drinker, who only discerned whether he liked h...

As I struggle to keep this Advent Calendar fresh as it continues through its fourth year, it was nice to be confronted to a different approach on Saturday. Saturday 5th December was a day to be out to celebrate the Grub MCR Christmas fair . Whilst the weather caused some disruptions to the plans, it was still a lovely way to spend an afternoon in Manchester surrounded by good people, good music, good food ... and good drink. This included a Weird Beard Black Christmas on keg. I've kept a few windows in my Advent Calendar open specifically for a few new Christmas beer releases this year that I've yet to track down, but have expected to. Surprisingly, Weird Beard's Black Christmas has proven deceptively difficult to find at my local beer retailers thusfar. When I saw it available as one of the beers here at this event, I decided that, rather than keep hunting for a bottle, I'd make an on-the-spot review of the beer in it's draught form. So,...

As part of Duvel Moortgat, the beer of the Maredsous Abbe y forms that interesting choice between being big enough for "craftier" idiots to think they can ignore, but too important for serious enthusiasts to ignore.  The Maredsous beers are one of those groups I will personally tell the newer beer geeks ("kids") that they have had to have experienced before they can even talk beer with me. You don't discover classics like this after  craft. Still, having said that, I haven't drunk tonight's Advent Calendar beer - Maredsous Brune 8 - in nearly 7 years and have little memory of its taste, so my beer hypocrisy continues.  Maredsous Brune 8 is one of several beers that are included in this year's calendar that might not seem Christmas themed or based, but qualify under the criteria as its original incarnations were brewed especially for Christmas. Ergo, Maredsous Brune is definitely a Christmas beer.  These days it is chur...

Perhaps one of the most internationally famous Christmas beers, Anchor Brewery’s Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year enters its 41 st incarnation this year. With a changing recipe each year – and a different tree design on the bottle – it is one for long standing beer enthusiasts to buy to store. The tree of choice on the label this year is the Deador Cedar that is actually local to the brewery in San Francisco. Everything about this beer’s lovely artwork, beautiful Anchor branding and that familiar bottle shape is aesthetically pleasing. I’m a fan of this before drinking, which is always dangerous. Once again, to keep this calendar up-to-date, this was consumed at around 11.30pm when I got home on 3 rd December. "A sequel. That’s it. We’ll bring it out on March 25, and we’ll call it … Christmas 2!" Anchor Brewery - Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2015 (special Ale brewed with spices) 5.5%   Sitting a lucious dark brown colour...

After the briefest exchange with David Bishop ( @BroadfordBrewer ) - and I mean brief - I've decided that I am going to eat a Mince Pie alongside every beer in this Advent Calendar. As every beer is a Christmas themed beer, I've decided they should definitely be judged on their ability to be paired alongside my favourite holiday treat.  Window two of this Beer Advent Calendar sees another Yorkshire brewery, this time east of York with Malton’s Brass Castle Brewery . Beginning life in a garage in 2011, Brass Castle became a firmly established Northern favourite due to their popular Vanilla porter Bad Kitty. Their Christmas treat is a product of this beer with extra added Christmas spice, courtesy of a collaboration with North Riding Brewery This beer was imbibed and reviewed close to midnight after a lengthy evening out.   "Rats. Nobody sent me a Christmas card today. I almost wish there weren't a holiday season. I know nobody likes...

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 Chr...