2014 Advent Day 24

Entendez Nöel (11.5%) by Sound Brewery, USA

http://www.soundbrewery.com/

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/sound-entendez-noel/162012/

Wow, what a beer to finish the calendar with.  I am a fan of the triple category, but also enjoy the occasional quadruple.  This beer represents the category well.

Very fruity, slightly funky Belgian yeast, and obvious to the taste high alcohol content.  Very warming.

Definitely a buy on this one.

2014 Advent Day 23

Blonde Strong Ale (6.5%) by Mosco, Israel 

http://www.beers.co.il/brewery.asp?id=177

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/mosco-beerat-ale-behira/210213/

Another one that wanted to jump out of the bottle, but was needing a careful pour to avoid the sediment in the bottle of this bottle conditioned ale.

Nose has a subtle grapefruit rind smell, and indeed that is the bitter flavoring as well, but I would not say it is at all bitter, just a nice well balanced, refreshing, Strong, ale.  A pleasant surprise from a country not particularly known for its beers.

I would buy this one.

2014 Advent Day 22

Final Countdown Winter Saison (6.5%) by Rooie Dop, Netherlands 

http://www.rooiedop.nl/

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/rooie-dop-final-countdown-winter-saison/275279/

This beer poured very heady and cloudy Amber.

The nose and palette are a very funky yeast.  Well balanced bitterness, but the flavour is of smelly cheese or something. I didn't enjoy this one.  Don't Buy

2014 Advent Day 21

Winter Böckle (7.5%) by Fürst Wallerstein, Germany

http://www.fuerst-wallerstein.de/

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/furst-wallerstein-winter-bockle/32328/

I like bock and this doppelbock was a nice well balanced beer.  Sweet and malty and practically no bitterness,

Buy

2014 Advent Day 20

Vixnu Imperial IPA (9.5%) by Cervejaria Colorado, Brazil

http://www.cervejariacolorado.com.br/

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/colorado-vixnu-imperial-ipa/159457/

As soon as I popped the lid this beer wanted to jump out and I lost a bunch to spillage.  What remained was a surprisingly cloudy double IPA.

Since I am not a fan of the category and expecting heavy hop bitterness, I was sure to have this one with some food with its own string flavours.

I was surprised how this beer turned out to be only mildly bitter and was quite good, the high alcohol content apparent and a nice fruity character.

I never thought I would say this about IPA's in general, and particularly an imperial IPAD, but I liked it, and I might even go buy some.

2014 Advent Day 19

Winterporter (6.7%) by De Molen, Netherlands

http://www.brouwerijdemolen.nl/

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/de-molen-winterporter/293839/

Malty, dark, and finishes slightly bitter coffee.  Quite carbonated as you can see by the picture, lots of head.

I'm a fan of the category and I liked this one.

2014 Advent Day 18

Jeune Gueule (5%) from Brasserie Guyanaise, Guyana

http://www.jeunegueule.com/

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/jeune-gueule-weiti/177526/

This white beer poured with the usual cloudy appearance of the style, which I am a fan of.  

Although this one was drinkable, there are many others in the category readily available that I would choose over this one.  It always surprises me that white beers don't have a yeasty taste with their cloudy appearance, but unfortunately, this one did have a yeasty taste, and it was not to my liking.  Did it need to spend more time maturing perhaps?

2014 Advent Day 17

Marmalade Porter (5%) by Wold Top, UK

http://www.woldtopbrewery.co.uk/

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/wold-top-marmalade-porter/258387/

This beer poured black with little head.

Fruity nose with a bitter sweet taste.  Roasted malts and a bit of a bitter coffee finish.

I like these dark stouts and porters, and this one does not disappoint.  Buy

2014 Advent Day 16

Bersalis Kadet (4.5%) by Oud Beersel, Belgium

http://www.oudbeersel.com/

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/oud-beersel-bersalis-kadet/109002/

Alas, not all Belgian beers can be perfect.  This one has that skunky character like a Pilsner, and I am not a fan of the category.

Don't buy.

2014 Advent Day 15

Karoo Red (5.5%) by Porcupine Quill Brewing Company, South Africa

http://www.porcupinequillbrewing.co.za/

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/porcupine-quill-karoo-red/161964/

This beer poured dark red with little head.  I should have read the label more closely to pour slowly to avoid expected sediment in the bottle, but alas, I just poured it.

So I got some yeast sediment in the beer, making it a bit muddy.  Taste was fruity and malty, but how I poured it added a bit of muddy yeast, especially towards the bottom of the glass.  

Well balanced, not too hopped up.  I would buy it, but pour more carefully next time.

2014 Advent Day 14

Imperial Schwarze Gams (7%) by Loncium, Austria 

http://www.loncium.at/

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/loncium-imperial-schwarze-gams/274444/

This beer poured black with a small head.

This is a bock, and the name supposedly translated to Black Goat.  Bocks often, or usually, have a reference to goats.

Tastes nice and roasty malt, well balanced, not bitter.  A good representative of the category.  Buy.

2014 Advent Day 13

Blackfriar Scotch Ale (7%) by Inveralmond Brewery

http://www.inveralmond-brewery.co.uk/

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/inveralmond-blackfriar-scottish-ale/28969/

This beer poured dark Amber with little head.

Nose is fruity or sweet malt.  Taste is sweet malty, perhaps smoky.  Well balanced hops with only mild bitterness on the finish.

I enjoyed it.  Buy

2014 Advent Day 12

Biere De Noël (10.1%) by Big Sky Brewing Co, Montana.

http://bigskybrew.com/

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/big-sky-biere-de-noel/55608/

This beer poured dark with virtually no head.

Nice malty Strong ale.  The elevated alcohol content is obvious.  But the beer is smooth and no bitterness to be found. Reminds me of the Belgian Tripels except it doesn't have the funky yeast.  It is very good.

It's really nice to see craft beers like this coming out of the USA.  It used to be the only beer you could get there was weak and watery.  It is beers like this that make it a pleasure to visit.

Buy, Buy, Buy.

2014 Advent Day 11

Tropical Christmas Saison (7%) by Cervejaria Wals, Brazil.

http://www.wals.com.br/

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/cervejaria-wals-tropical-christmas-saison/292272/

The beer poured a light Amber with no head.

The nose reminds me of raw bread dough just before it goes in the oven, a slight yeast smell, and bready.

I didn't pick up any tropical flavors, so I wonder why the name suggests it, rather, a slight skunky flavor like a pilsner.  It finished with a light hop, but not bitter.

A very drinkable beer, but for my tastes, I wouldn't be running to the store to get more. Don't buy.

2014 Advent Day 10

Gaedingur Stout (5.6%) by Gaedingur-Ol, Iceland

http://www.gaedingur-ol.is/

Not found in ratebeer 

I poured this one a bit too quick as most of the beers have not been too gassy.  Had I poured it slower it would not have produced such a big head.

Nice smooth malty licorice with barbecuing of hops on the nose.  Very enjoyable.  I really like the category.  But.

2014 Advent Day 9

ICucapa Honey Amber Ale (4.5%) by Cerveza Cucapa.  Mexico

http://www.cucapa.com/esp/pages/cucapa.php

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/cucapa-honey/58309/

Nice amber color living up to its name, nice head.

The honey is lightly present on the nose and a nice smooth well balanced beer.  The honey amber is more interesting than other Mexico cervesa which I find generally light and watery.  This one is real nice, I can picture myself on a beach with a bucket of these at my side.  Buy.

Los malos tienen cuatro cervezas por favor, y uno para mi amigo.

2014 Advent Day 8

PAnno 1050 (5.5%) by Weltenburger Kloster

http://www.weltenburger.de/

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/weltenburger-kloster-anno-1050/6213/

This beer poured a clear Amber colour with a good head.

A nice Bavarian lager from the second oldest brewery in the world.  They have lots of experience and it comes through in the product.  Nice balanced hops with no bitterness.  Very refreshing.  Buy.

2014 Advent Day 7

The Anzus IPA by Croucher Brewing Company, New Zealand

http://www.croucherbrewing.co.nz/

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/croucher-anzus-ipa/182716/

Poured a nice amber color with a finger of head.

Nice citrus hops in the nose, fresh and crisp on the pallet, and more grapefruit on the finish.  Not as bitter as I expected.  Here is another IPA I can finish.  Good choice.  It's a buy.

2014 Advent Day 6

Fat Man Red Suit Big Sack (7.5%) by Bridge Road Brewers.

http://bridgeroadbrewers.com.au/

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/bridge-road-brewers-fat-man-red-suit-big-sack/273154/

This beer poured a cloudy dark Copper color with a generous head.  In fact it could hardly wait to get out of the bottle. When I cracked the cap it immediately overflowed foam from the bottle.  No lack of carbonation here.

A light hop on the nose, citrus flavor.  Very crisp finish with a citrus hop, but not really bitter at all.  Except for the eruption upon opening it up, a very drinkable beer.   The Aussie's pulled off a good one.

Here's to ya mate.

2014 Advent Day 5

Krampus Speciale (7%) by Birrificio del Ducati

http://www.birrificiodelducato.it/

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/birrificio-del-ducato-krampus/88386/

This beer poured a cloudy dark copper color with a thin head.  It seems none of the beers this year so far are over carbonated and producing big heads.

I'm glad I looked into this beer a little bit and knew beforehand that it was a sour beer, otherwise I may have concluded that something went wrong in the fermentation and it had gone sour. 

But since it is a sour beer, it must be fine.  I would describe this as an Apple Cider made with crab apples.  It is very tart with the fruity flavor coming through. And just a bit off yeast flavor making it a beer instead of a cider. 

An interesting beer, to say the least, but I doubt I will be running to the store for more of this one. 

2014 Advent Day 4

Hop Blanc (6.4%) by Peak Organic

http://www.peakbrewing.com/

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/peak-organic-hop-blanc/232653/

This White IPA poured a cloudy light straw color with a thin head.

Now I am willing to admit that although IPA is not my favorite category, not all IPA's are created equal.  At the tail end of last year's advent calendar there was a Black IPA that I quite enjoyed.

This beer has a lot in common with a Belgian white beer, the Belgian yeast is certainly found in the flavor.  Very citrusy and it has that unfiltered white beer cloudy appearance.  This one is just hopped up a little more, but a nicely balanced hop that doesn't punch you in the mouth.

This is one of the few IPA's that I have enjoyed drinking, and I would actually enjoy one or two on a hot sunny day.  I give it a definite buy.

2014 Advent Day 3

Chateau Civrac Old Ale (7.5%) by Penpont Brewery

http://www.penpontbrewery.co.uk/

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/penpont-chateau-civrac-old-ale/292685/

The beer poured a medium Cooper color with a very thin head.

Not much on the nose, and initial taste was immediately bitter with a bitter finish. To be fair, I just got home from a Wine tasting, so my palate may not have been prepared for this. 

I tried it with a little bit of old cheddar as well. This called out down a bit, but still a bit high on the IBU'S for me.  I can't give this one a buy.

2014 Advent Day 2

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Hippaheikki (4.7%) by Teerenpeli Brewery & Distillery, Lahti, Finland

http://www.teerenpeli.com/

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/teerenpeli-hippaheikki-tesb/106033/

Again, the description includes a category of Extra Special Bitter.  Anything described as bitter gives me pause, but I'll give it a fair try later today.

This beer poured a very light amber color with virtually no head.

The category of Extra Special Bitter is not my favorite.  All I get from this one is hops, hops, hops.  On the nose, on the palate, on the finish, hops, hops, hops.

Not as bitter as an IPA, but over the top for my taste.  Don't buy.

2014 Advent Day 1

God Advent by n0gne 0

http://www.nogne-o.com/

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/nogne-o-god-advent/292250/

Day 1 has arrived and it comes with an extra strong beer 10%.  The label mentions something about bitter-sweet, so I'm a little concerned it might be hopped up.

It's going in the fridge for later.

The beer poured a light coffee color with a thin head.

Some hops on the nose and a creamy texture across the palate.  Tastes of caramel and some fruitiness and a slightly bitter finish.  Has a bit of that funky yeast flavor found in a good tripel.

This Beer is not over hoppy as I feared from the description on the bottle, and the high alcohol content is definitely perceptible.

This has been a really good start for this year's calendar.  I would buy this one.