Beer Advent Day 4

Today's beer is Harvey's Christmas Ale, Harvey & Sons Brewery, Lewes, Sussex, England
9.3oz bottle, 8.1%abv

I've never even heard of this one, we'll see what it's like soon.

John Barleycorn Barleywine

Today's advent beer pours cloudy amber, with a very thin head that dissipates quite quickly.

Aroma is intensely malty with some strong fruity notes.

Flavor is similarly malty, but with lots of nice hops and plenty of alcohol.

Finish is pleasantly balanced, but leans a bit toward the sweet. There is a noticeable lingering alcohol warmth as well.

This is a really nice Barleywine that seems perfectly aged after two years on the bottle.  Highly recommended.

Beer Advent Day 3

Today's beer is:

John Barleycorn
Barleywine
2009 Cellar Reserve
Mad River Brewing, Blue Lake, CA
12oz bottle, 11%abv

Looking forward to this one!

Beer Advent Day 2

Today's beer is one for the cellar:

Imagine
Block 15 Brewing, Corvallis, Or
Ale aged in bourbon barrels
12oz bottle, 15%abv

Beer Advent Day 1

Yay for beer Advent, the best Xmas gift possible for the strict atheist in your family.

Thanks to my lovely wife Tracie, I'm privileged to have another month of great holiday beers to keep me occupied.

The first beer in the calendar this year is:

Santa's Swallie
Christmas beer brewed with spices
Inveralmond Brewery, Perth, Scotland
500ml bottle, 4.3%abv

Pours light amber, slightly cloudy, with a thin, light head.

Aroma is floral with light malt and a hint of spice.

Flavor is similarly flowery, with solid notes of mulling spices.

Mouthfeel is light and a bit thin with a slightly sweet finish.

This was a tasty and interesting start to the calendar. I'm looking forward to the rest of the month!

Pappy's Dark

Speciality Ale aged in bourbon barrels
Block 15 Brewing Company, Corvallis, Oregon
750ml bottle, 10%abv

To celebrate an already great Thanksgiving, I decided to crack  open a beer I saved from the last holiday season.

Pours dark amber with a thin head that fades quickly.

Aroma is malt, alcohol and bourbon.

Flavor is malty with lots of big alcohol flavors and a ton of bourbon notes.

Finish is nicely balanced, but with lots of lingering alcohol warmth.

A nice big beer.  Perhaps a tiny bit too much bourbon influence for some folks, but it works for me because I love bourbon.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Pig War

No, not a war between Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh, or the ongoing conflict with the angry birds.  This is a beer from HUB out if Portland.

Northwest-style Ale
8%abv, 22oz bottle.

Pours moderately clear with a thin head that fades quickly.

Aroma is fruity with malt and a bit of spice and some, but not a ton of hops

Flavor is similarly malty, with some fruit.

Mouthfeel is medium to thick.

Finishes with plenty of alcohol warmth and a bit of lingering sweetness.

An interesting big beer with a lot going on. Very enjoyable yet hard to classify.