Nostalgia - Dark Reef robust porter

 First of the dark beers from the @beer52hq mixed box, Nostalgia brewery - Dark reef robust porter, 3.8% for a "low" strength porter it's not bad, it's ok, nothing special, went to cancel subscription but got good offer on another box, so ordered, but not renewed again

Vocation Brewery Life & Death IPA

 

Opened the Vocation Brewery vs. Serious Pig box. Great start, snacking cheese is crisp and tasty, and the Life & Death classic IPA at 6.5% is as it says, classic IPA, tasty, full bodied, refreshing. https://seriouspig.co.uk/ https://www.vocationbrewery.com/

Jump Brewing Pale Ale

 

3rd and best so far from @beer52hq box, @jumpbrewing pale ale, 4.5% , as it says clean and crisp, not as fruity as the text says, but that's fine by me, subtle rather than in your face.

Tropical Unicorn Session IPA

 

2nd @beer52hq beer box, @badnewsbeercompany tropical unicorn session IPA, 4.1%, again not really my thing, as it says it is easy drinking, but doesn't really have much flavour, which for a summer fruit beer is actually good for me, but just seems bland

Northern Monk X Timothy Taylor's Northern Rising

 

@northernmonk collab with @timothytaylorsbrewery unity nitro stout, 4.4%, have to get this direct from NM or in Morrisons. Nothing outstanding, but quite nice, rich and smooth, creamy.

https://www.northernmonk.com/products/timothy-taylors-collaboration-smooth-stout-4-4

Buro Pale Ale

 

First beer from my mixed light and dark trial @beer52hq box. It's ok, only 3.4% Buro pale ale, has that "soapy" taste which puts me off pale and session ales.

Holy Goat Foehammer Imperial Stout

 @holygoatbrewing Foehammer imperial stout 2024 edition. Wow, this is excellent, ticks all the right boxes(but at this price should do). It's smooth, rich, creamy, full of flavour, smokey, pretty much perfect. 11.2% though, hence the hefty price tag, but worth it. One is enough! https://holygoat.beer/

More Lidl Belgian Beers

 

£8.99 4 330ml 7.5% St Feuillien blonde. It's okay, has some flavour, but not as good as the last two.

the 10.5% Piraat triple hop. £9.99 for 4 330ml bottles. It's v nice, v smooth and drinkable, doesn't taste strong, dangerous:)

Bornem Blonde

 

Another Lidl Belgian Beer, Bornem blonde, 6% £5.99 for 4 330ml bottles. Pretty good, I preferred last week's but at this price no complaints, good for a sunny day, very drinkable, at this strength could be dangerous;)

Leute Bokbier - Belgian Beer from Lidl

 

Belgian beer in Lidl again, @brouwerijvansteenberge Leute Bokbier, 330ml 7.5% , £6.99 for 4 bottles. Quite gassy for a red beer, but the maltiness makes it very nice and drinkable.

Siren Broken Dream

 

@sirencraftbrew Broken Dream nitro breakfast stout, 6.5%, excellent stuff, smooth, rich creamy, full of flavour, hints of chocolate , coffee, but well balanced, nothing overpowering, recommended https://www.sirencraftbrew.com/browse/stout-and-porter

Lervig Nitro Stout

 

@lervigbeer nitro stout 4.7% . The nitro does make it very smooth and creamy, but this Irish style stout, from Norway has a funny bitter aftertaste I'm not keen on :(

Otter Ale

 

@otterbrewery Otter Ale 4.5% . Very nice traditional #ale, full of flavour, malty, recommended https://otterbrewery.com/core-beers/otter-ale/

The Hop Foundry Marshmallow Stout

The Hop Foundry Marshmallow Stout 4.5% (Aldi collab with Seven Bro7ers) - it's an ok stout, slight marshmallow aftertaste, not as sweet as some marshmallow stouts, slightly carbonated, https://www.sevenbro7hers.com/

GET BAKED // NORTHERN MONK // BERTHA // CHOCOLATE CAKE STOUT // 8.4%

 

@northernmonk x @getbakeduk Bertha chocolate cake stout, 8.4% another really good stout from Northern Monk, tastes like as described on the can :) https://www.northernmonk.com/products/get-baked-northern-monk-bertha-chocolate-cake-stout-8-4?_pos=2&_fid=0da519b66&_ss=c

King Goblin Imperial Ruby Beer

 Looks like they've changed Hobgoblin Imperial Ruby Beer again, now 6.6%, and no mention of Wychwood or Hobgoblin on the label, but Hobgoblin is on the bottle. Label just says Carlsberg Marstons :( However, it is pretty good, full of flavour, not too bitter, rich and smooth, which is good, as it was always my favourite of that range.

The Redemption of Vanity – 13% Imperial Stout

 

@azvexbrewing The Redemption of Vanity: 13% peanut butter brownie imperial #stout. Glad to say it's very nice, but the price of it should be! Very rich, full of flavour. Very moreish, but at this strength, won't :) https://www.azvexbrewing.com/shop/the-redemption-of-vanity-13-imperial-stout-440ml-can/

Murphy's

 

Not sure I've seen Murphy's in Tesco before, 4.0%, it's ok, quite creamy, slightly bitter, not really better or worse than Guinness, plenty of better stouts out there.

Ilkley Brewery Nowt Mary 0.5% Alcohol Free Milk Stout.

 

Ilkley Brewery Nowt Mary 0.5% alcohol free milk stout. Not bad, a little gassy for a milk stout rather than smooth, a little watery but worth trying, one of the better alcohol free beers. https://www.ilkleybrewery.co.uk/

Brulo Lust For Life DDH IPA

 

Lust for Life DDH IPA 0.0%. Brulo again prove to be one of the better low alcohol/ alcohol free beers. Citrus hoppy IPA, I prefer the stout, this isn't so much my bag, but good at what it is. https://www.brulobeer.com

Salt x Vivir Cafe Stout

 

@saltbeerfactory x vivirtequila cafe #stout 7% . interesting coffee liqueur inspired stout, was in reduced section in Tesco :) (never seen it on main shelves!) it's interesting, if there's any left this weekend will get the rest :) it's silky as it says on can, rather than "normal" creamy like a stout. Not too sweet or bitter. https://www.saltbeerfactory.co.uk/products/cafe-stout-7-vivir-coffee-liqueur-stout?_pos=2&_fid=806c37682&_ss=c https://www.vivirtequila.com/

Outland Milk Stout

 @Badgerales #OutlandBeers Milk #Stout, 5.2% . Pretty good, smooth, not particularly rich, hints of cocoa, vanilla, malt. Worth getting again https://www.badgerbeers.com/news/explore-outland-our-new-craft-beer-range/

6th Stout of Christmas

 Last, and best of the six stouts of Christmas @newbristolbrewery @amundsenbrewery sticky toffee pudding & clotted cream #stout 6% . Smooth, rich creamy, not too sweet but sweeter than the others https://www.amundsenbrewery.com/ https://www.newbristolbrewery.co.uk/

5th #Stout of Christmas

 

5th #Stout of Christmas, @newbristolbrewery x @sirencraftbrew Vietnamese coffee affogato stout 6.5%. Interesting, slightly bitter, a bit of bite at first from the coffee, then creamy affogato after! https://www.newbristolbrewery.co.uk https://www.sirencraftbrew.com/

4th Stout of Christmas

 

New Bristol Brewery collab with Bluntrock Brewery Biscoff iced cinnamon bun #stout 6% . Nice and smooth, hints of biscuit and cinnamon, pretty good, not particularly rich or creamy. https://www.newbristolbrewery.co.uk/ https://www.bluntrockbrewery.co.uk/

3rd Stout of Christmas

 

New Bristol Brewery collab with Buxtron BreweryMexican Chocolate Mud cake #stout 6.5% . As expected, nice and rich and smooth, with slight hints of chilli aftertaste, very nice.


https://www.newbristolbrewery.co.uk/
https://buxtonbrewery.co.uk/

Glen Marnoch Speyside Single Malt (Aldi)

I had hoped to do a blind taste test with this and the Oban with a friend, but sadly didn't happen.

£17.99 single malt from Aldi. It's not bad, it's won awards. Slightly flowery, a little burn, a little smoke, little spice, taste doesn't last long.

So, there's nothing wrong with it, for £17.99 you can't complain, it's good value for money, better than most other whiskies at that price. But as a single malt, it's not going to set the world alight.

I think the wierdest thing about it is the short finish. It's pleasant enough in your mouth, but then gone.

Having said that, if you don't know about whisky, it's a great place to start, and if you just fancy a drink, rather than want something to sip and enjoy, you can't go wrong for the price.

 

Oban Distillers Edition 2021 Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

 

This is an interesting one. Slightly flowery, woody, maybe a hint of peat/smoke, dried fruit, not too sweet, no burn. Very nice to sip and enjoy.

Here's the interesting part: I'll admit, it's more complex than what I'm used to, also it "should" be more expensive than what I paid for it. Another "bargain" I spotted via hotukdeals. RRP 95, usual price £85, I paid £45 .

It's very nice, but is it worth £95? probably not. Am I glad I bought it? Yes. It's nice to try something different, especially at a price point way above what I'd pay, but reminds me a little of the Lidl 23yo whisky, i.e. I can enjoy it for what I paid for it, as £45 I think it's great, but I don't think it's 2 or 3 times as "good" as other whiskies I've bought and enjoyed. I'd happily recommend anyone buy it at the reduced price, but couldn't tell anyone to spend £95 on a bottle, but maybe that's just me thinking about cost/value/worth rather than quality?

Penderyn Sherrywood

 

Looks like I saved the best until last from the Penderyn sampler set. I'm tempted to buy a bottle of the Sherrywood.

This one is full of flavour, slightly fruity, woody, spicy, little burn, so worth buying a bottle again to experience it more and get to grips with it.

Happy New Year