The 2-4 Beers of Christmas 2018 Edition Day 8:Imperial Stout By Fuller's

Beer # 467 Imperial Stout

Brewery: Fuller, Smith, & Turner


Type: National Brewery    Est.:  1845

Location: London, England, United Kingdom

Beer Style: Russian Imperial Stout

ABV: 10.7%      IBU: 60

Format: Brown Glass Bottle Size: 500 ml

Cost: $7.85 CAD     Purchased At: LCBO

 fullers

    @Fullers

Fuller's is a pretty common British export in the LCBO, however, this is the first year I think I have seen this one (not sure).   I've had a few beers by them and they make a decent product for a National/Macro Brewery. Nothing too exciting. But since this is the #2-4beersofChristmas I thought I would give this 10.7 % big boy a try, and quite frankly I enjoyed it.

Onto our beer.


Pours a very dark chocolate brown with a short but tight tan head made up of small bubbles. Aroma is chocolate and molasses with hints of liquorice and turbinado sugar. Faint wood, wisps of smoke and a brush of whiskey. First sip is blackstrap molasses, rich and warming with vanilla biscuit and liquorice. Faint sweet hum of horehound candy. A hint of dark green hops running through the middle aeration gives us some old leather smoke and ashes.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 5/6 PASS
Re-Order:  5/6 PASS
Experience: 5/6 PASS
Christmas Cheer 5/6 PASS


Final Thoughts:

Russian Imperial stouts have had a bit of a renaissance lately They are butch, flavourful, and malty beers that you can sit and contemplate for a while. They go very well with food, and the alcohol content is high enough to merit sharing this with someone so you don't get too giggly with the Christmas spirit. This is a very workable Russian stout full of flavours and definitely has a good hit of alcohol. Give this one a shot if you can find it, it is quite enjoyable.


CJT

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Jaw Gate Buxton Brewery

#204 Jaw Gate


Buxton Brewery

Buxton, England, United Kingdom
Independent
American Pale Ale
5.6 % ABV 500 ml Brown Glass Bottle
$5.45 (Canadian) At LCBO 

Twitter: @buxtonbrewery

A first offering from the British Microbrewery in Buxton, England. There isn't much on the bottle to go by except that it was inspired by a recent altercation (That's British for fist fight I imagine). This is the first time I have seen a British brewery do a take on the American Pale Ale style, which in itself is a take on the British India Pale Ale style. What's the difference you might ask? Well, both beers fall into the Pale Ale category of beers, IPA's were brewed with extra added hops, as the brewers found that the hops would help preserve the beer on the long ship voyage to India (where it was given to British soldiers as part of their rations) hence the India part in India Pale Ale. APAs on the other hand, are meant to show off... hops that is. Many varieties of American hops have intense floral and fruit characteristics, so the beer became a "delivery device...' so to speak, of these intense flavours. There are not a lot of hard and fast rules that state, this beer must be an APA, yet, it is mostly up to the brewer. I would expect as the category grows, clearer lines will be drawn to further delineate the beer style.

Enough with the technicalities... onto the beer.

Pours a clear gold with a fluffy off-white head made of tiny bubbles. Aroma is light citrus and tropical fruit light hints of sweet caramel malt. First sip is tart pineapple and grapefruit with some grainy sweet malt. Body is very light. Some honey and floral notes, orange and peach, with a touch of earthiness. Aeration brings out an herbal hoppiness. Finish has a slight ashen quality to it.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 

Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 4/6 PASS
Re-Order:  4/6 PASS
Experience:  5/6 PASS




Final Thoughts:

Over all, not a bad beer but nothing about it says American pale Ale the way we have come to know them. I think it is just a tad too subtle (a very British problem). While the fruity hops are there, they are not bold like most APAs. While I would not discourage you from trying it, if you are expecting an "in your face' APA this beer is not it. Try it with a nice curry though... the fruitiness and the refreshing qualities would mesh nicely with Britain's favourite snack.

Cheers
CJT


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The 2-4 Beers of Christmas: Day 15 The Mayan Chocolate Chipotle Stout

Beer # 179 The Mayan Chocolate Chipotle Stout

Ilkley Brewing Company

Ilkley, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom
Independent
Flavoured Stout 6.5 % ABV Brown Glass Bottle 500 ml.
$3.60 (Canadian) At the LCBO

Twitter: @Ilkleybrewery

Onto a new brewery for me. A little Yorkshire brewery I had not previously heard of but I was excited to try this beer when I found it. Ilkley Brewery is situated in the Yorkshire town of the same name and began it's life in 1873 as the Ilkley Brewery and Aerated Beverage company. They also imported wines and spirits, however, they were eventually bought by Hammonds Bradford Brewing Company, and then that was purchased by Bass Brewery. The original location was then closed in 1920. Nearly 100 years later in 2009 the brewery was reborn. The waters of the area have been revered since Roman times and the new brewery uses this pure water and all natural ingredients to brew the freshest beer.

I'm sold... Onto the tasting.

Pours a deep opaque brown with an off tan head made of small bubbles. Aroma is chocolate extract, and a little overpowering. First sip is chocolate and bell pepper, followed by an astringent kick. Then the taste starts to heat up and get smoky. Finish is smoky heat.Aeration brings the dark malt forward and bumps the heat up a bit. Throat dries and stings a little from the peppers, and lips get prickly heat on them. The chocolate is buried in the middle and you have to look for it.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 



Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 4/6 PASS
Re-Order:  3/6 SO-SO
Experience:  4/6 PASS
Christmas Spirit 4/6 PASS


Final Thoughts:

Sadly, another beer that sounded much better than it turned out to be. It is an "okay" beer, but nothing to get excited about. I loved the chipotle in it but it did not play well with the chocolate and completely masked the malt.

Cheers And Beery Christmas


CJT


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The 2-4 Beers of Christmas: Day 6 Bah! Humbug

Beer # 169 Bah! Humbug 

Wychwood Brewery

Witney, Oxfordshire, England
Owned by Marston's PLC
Spiced Ale 5.0 % ABV Brown Glass Bottle 500 ml.
$2.95 (Canadian) At the LCBO
Twitter: @Hobgoblin_Beer

Tonight's offering is a cinnamon spiced ale from Wychwood Brewery in England. Certainly I think of baking spices at this time of year... in fact it is time for me to start my holiday baking. There is puddings and truffles, and chocolates, and cookies to do... Wait a minute. Am I off track already. Sorry. We have visited Wychwood a couple of times. Most Recently their Scarecrow Golden Pale Ale. Which I think you can still get in the LCBO in a gift pack packaged with this beer.

Onto the Humbugging...

Pours a medium coloured amber with an off tan head made up of small bubbles. The nose is apples and cinnamon, like baked apples The first sip gives up a slightly hot, tingly, cinnamon burst. Slightly tart with some green apple. Aeration gives us a shot of cinnamon up inside the back of the nose. Malts a light and subtle and play a nice supporting role to the cinnamon. The cinnamon is from an extract so it is strong, and unyielding. Finish is light herbal hops deeply buried under cinnamon, and of course the long lingering cinnamon itself... with a slight mouth-pricking heat.



Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 



Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 4/6 PASS
Re-Order:  2/6 SO-SO
Experience:  3/6 SO-SO
Christmas Spirit 4/6 PASS


Final Thoughts:

Cinnamon is not my favourite flavour.. saying than this is not bad. I would think that a blend of spices would have been nicer some cinnamon and allspice and maybe some nutmeg and while I understand the need for consistency in large batches of beer, I would have preferred to see real spices instead of extracts.

Cheers And Beery Christmas


CJT


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Beer # 161 Scarecrow Wychwood Brewery

Scarecrow Organic Golden Pale Ale

Wychwood Brewery

Witney, Oxfordshire, England
Owned by Marston's PLC
Golden Pale Ale 4.7 % ABV Brown Glass Bottle 500 ml.
$2.95 (Canadian) At the LCBO
Twitter: @Hobgoblin_Beer

Tonight's beer is a wet hop organic golden pale ale from the good people over at Wychwood Brewery in Oxfordshire which is the craft brewing arm of the British brewing giant Marston's PLC.

Onto the tasting...
Straw coloured with a thin off white head made up of small bubbles that disperse quickly. Aroma is sugary and very light malt. First sip is fruity almost grape like, effervescent and citrusy with light hints of grain. Very light bodied, thin and slightly watery. Aeration is creamy, apples, grapes and light citrus.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 

Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 4/6 PASS
Re-Order:  5/6 PASS
Experience:  4/6 PASS

Final Thoughts:

Not at all what I expected, but good nonetheless. very light and refreshing but getting late in the year for this beer I would prefer it out on the patio.

Cheers


CJT



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Cider Week: Cider # 8 Sir Perry Pear Cider

Sir Perry

Gaymer's Cider

Gloucestershire, England, United Kingdom

Owned by C&C Group PLC

Adjunct Hard Pear Cider 6.0 % ABV Aluminium Can 500 ml.

$3.00 (Canadian) At LCBO 

Twitter: Not found

Last one of the week and sadly probably the worst. Doesn't taste much like anything but alcoholic water filled with citric acid. (Sad Monkey again) Anyway Tonight we get back on track and start up with some really great beers to make up for a few misses we had here on Cider week. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed the change and I would like to do it again. I think I will do more research next time and I'll stock up some good ciders. Perry is an Old England term for a pear cider. 

Onto the (last... for now) Cider Week tasting.

Clear green gold with a white head that disperses quickly. Aroma is wet dog and earth. Very sweet, some pear. Citric and absorbic acid make it very tart and sour. Syrupy and sweet. Aeration gives ups pear and coffee. finish is mild spice.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 

Cost: 4/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Cider Style: 2/6 SO-SO

Re-Order:  2/6 SO-SO
Experience:  2/6 SO-SO

Final Thoughts:

Truly bad. this one is another in the "avoid" category.

Cheers

CJT


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Cider Week: Cider # 7 Blackthorn Cider

Blackthorn Cider

Gaymer Cider Company
Sommerset, England, United Kingdom
Owned by C&C Group PLC
Adjunct Hard Apple Cider 6.0 % ABV Aluminium Can 500 ml.
$3.15 (Canadian) At LCBO 
Twitter: @BlackthornCider

Second to last cider, and apparently I didn't save the best for last. The two English ciders I have left are adjunct ciders and are not very good. (Sad Monkey). 

Anyway onto the tasting.

Light coppery gold in colour with a white head that disperses quickly Nose is wine like, very bready and yeasty, some apple. First sip is tart and sugary, some sulphur in the background. Citric,and malic acid are prominent. slightly chemical. Apple is almost background. Alcohol is quite evident. Aeration is malic acid... it is so strong it dries out my teeth and gums.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 

Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Cider Style: 2/6 SO-SO
Re-Order:  2/6 SO-SO
Experience:  2/6 SO-SO

Final Thoughts:
Overly tart, overly sweet, overly chemical. Slide this one over into the "avoid" category.

Cheers

CJT


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Cider Week

Cider Week July 13th to 20th

I am very pleased to announce that I am taking the week off from posting about beer! I have wanted to do a few cider blogs for sometime as the rise in number of varieties of hard ciders is increasing in my local LCBO. Cider is gaining popularity again. It used to be the go to drink of our founding fathers, as it was far easier to produce than beer. Most farmers kept an apple tree or two for making cider. It was tasty, and it kept well.

So I have seven ciders lined up for this week. Some common some not. England, Ireland, USA, and Canada are all represented. The format for the tasting will be very similar to the beer. I hope you enjoy reading about them as much as I do tasting and writing!

Cheers

CJT

Beer # 111 St. Peter's G-Free

G-Free


St. Peter's Brewery

Bungay, Suffolk, England
Independent
Strong Ale 4.2% ABV Green Glass Bottle 500 ml
$4.00 (Canadian) At LCBO
Twitter: @StPetersBrewery

These days is seems as everyone is rushing to put out their own gluten free "beer." I put beer in quotation marks because, the definition of beer does not include sorghum in the accepted ingredients list, it is still a bit of an outlander. This will of course be changed in due course. I outlined in another Gluten free beer post some of the difficulties one American brewer had trying to produce a gluten free drink. Due to strict US law saying there must be a minimum percentage of barley in every beer produced in the US for it to be called beer. Read about how Lakefront Brewery's overcame these issues HERE. Until legislation changes most gluten free "beers" are still being labeled as "Alcoholic Beverages," and tonight's beer is no exception. Plus, once we are allowed to call this product a beer, there will need to be some guidelines on gluten free styles. and it may come down to ingredients (I.E. sorghum, grape must, fruit juices, teff, etc.) and other adjuncts. It will be a process. Then, there will be an inevitable diversification until we get stouts and lagers and Belgian trippels. Until then we have this smattering of gluten free beers.

St. Peter's is an English brewery with a difference. Founded in 1996 It is best known for its bottle shape... reminiscent of a 19th century bottle. The brewery has made s commitment to preserving the "old ways" of brewing beer. Working with flavours that have fallen out of favour, or regular use by brewers, and a few styles that haven't necessarily been seen lately. Tonight's beer was first 

introduced in August of 2007 and has won several medals and commendations around the world....

Enough background. .. let's get on with the (gluten free) tasting. 

 

Light gold in colour with a frothy white head of little substance comprised mainly of medium to large bubbles. Head disapears almost completely before first sip. Carbonation is high, bubbles cling to the side of the glass not unlike a carbonated soft drink. Aroma is sweet, apple, citrus, and hops. Light scent of flowers and herbs. First sip gives us jumbo citrus flavour, lots of orange, and zest. There is a light taste of green apple from the sorgham. Slight medicinal orange taste from the amarillo hops, and the aftertaste is bitter orange peel. Aeration brings out the green apple.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional

Cost: 6/5 PASS

Colour: 6/5 PASS

Beer Style: N/A 

Re-Order:  6/5 PASS

Experience:  6/5 PASS

Final Thoughts

Of all the Gluten free "Beer" (alcoholic beverages), this is by far the one that tastes most like beer. There is hops and good fruity flavour. However I do find it slightly out of balance, and the pithy bitter orange peel at the end can sometimes sour the taste. Good for gin, but not always a good match for beer. Still very high marks from a great brewery, please do try.

Cheers

CJT

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Beer # 77 Kipling South Pacific Pale Ale

Kipling South Pacific Pale Ale


Thornbridge Brewery
Bakewell, England, U.K.
Independent
Pale Ale, Unfiltered 5.2% ABV Brown Glass Bottle 500 ml.
$4.75 (Canadian) At LCBO.

Twitter: @thornbridge

Another offering from the interesting gentlemen from Bakewell. Kipling, billed as a "South Pacific Pale ale"... due to the exclusive use of the Nelson Sauvin hops variety (developed in New Zealand and named for it's characteristic gooseberry aroma which is most often found in Sauvignon Blanc wines). Bottle did contain some sediment but not as much as the previous beer I had from this brewery "Jaipur".


Without further ado:


Pours light bronze in the glass with a frothy white head made up of medium sized bubbles. Aroma is all tropical, gooseberry, passion fruit, and guava. Fruit also leads the charge in the attack , but is slowly overtaken by a warm malty taste. Toased malt burnt sugars and a slight bitterness counterbalances the sweetness in the brew, oaky and slightly earthy. Finish is toasted malt with a hint of herbals. Aeration pulls out more papaya - mango, and very earthy grain flavours.



Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional   


Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 6/6Exceptional
Re-Order:  6/6 Exceptional
Experience:   6/6 Exceptional


Final Thoughts:

A very good use of the Nelson Sauvin Hop variety. I think we will be seeing it used more and more in the coming years, as brewers experiment with a wider flavour pallet, and deeper complexities.


Cheers
CJT


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Beer # 76 Jaipur IPA

Jaipur IPA


Thornbridge Brewery
Bakewell, England, U.K.
Independent
India Pale Ale, Unfiltered 5.9% ABV Brown Glass Bottle 500 ml.
$4.55 (Canadian) At LCBO.


Twitter: @thornbridge


Thornbridge is a young, but already, quite renowned brewery, that has received many awards in their short 7 year history. Started in 2005 on the grounds of Thornbridge Hall in Bakewell, Derbyshire. The brewery has been led by an erudite collaboration of no less than 8 people over the years (as some member have moved on to other projects). The brewers have a diverse history, from microbiologists to chefs, food technologists, brewers distillers, and a New Zealand Homebrewing Champion. From what seems a very chaotic mix of managers, comes a harmonious product. Thornbridge has been awarded over 130 brewing awards and distinctions, and as we will see tonight... they know what they doing. Since they have opened the sales have increased almost exponentially, requiring a move off of the old Hall brewing grounds to a larger purpose built facility, called the Riverside Brewery.


Enough history... onto the beer.


It pours a slightly cloudy, off clear gold. Head is fluffy and white made up of medium sized bubbles. Aroma is floral with hints of honey, lychee, and grapefruit. First sip gives us a burst of aromatic herbal hops, then slides through a sweet malt, and finishes with a tangy grapefruit. Finish is fairly short with a touch of hay and pricks of citrus. Aeration turns the grapefruit up to 11, and brings out a very mineral, flinty, stony flavour. Also present is some yeasty, bready character ( more than likely due to the sediment, as it is unfiltered.)



Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional   


Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 6/6Exceptional
Re-Order:  6/6 Exceptional
Experience:   6/6 Exceptional


Final Thoughts:

Very interesting, lovely little brew. Quite tasty and not what I would expect from a British Brewery, as it has more of an American craft IPA feel to it. Not a hop bomb, per se, but the hops are very present, and not shy. The balance of the hops is calculated and appreciated, leaving us with a flavourful and well rounded beer. I must note, that when I first brought the bottle home I did not read the label and stored it immediately on it's side in my wine cooler. When I initially took it out to taste, I noticed the sediment. Then I read the warning that the bottle had to be stored upright. Lesson learned, I actually left it for a few days in my refrigerator to completely settle, and I still see a fairly large mass of unfiltered yeast at the bottom of the bottle.(DO NOT FEAR THE SEDIMENT!!) I am not worried at all as sediment can be the sign of a very good beer. Leaving a beer unfiltered can often present us with some flavours that are lost during the filtering and pasteurization process, try it, you may like it.


Cheers


CJT


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Beer # 75 A. Le Coq Premium

A. Le Coq Premium


A. Le Coq & Co
Tartu, Estonia
Owned and Operated by Olvi Brewing (Finland)
Premium Light Lager 4.7% ABV Brown Glass Bottle 500 ml.
$2.40 (Canadian) At LCBO. 


A. Le Coq  traces it's roots back to a Prussian man Named Albert Le Coq who established a beverage trading company in 1807. In the 1820's he moved his operations headquarters to London England. There he began to take advantage of the demand for "Russian Imperial Stout" and began to bottle the beer purchased from London breweries under his own name and ship it back to Russia. In 1904 high import duties in Russia forced A. Le Coq to move the bottling plant to St. Petersburg Russia. And then began the search for an appropriate brewery for A. Le Coq to brew the stout in Russia. In 1913, Tivoli LTD. was purchased with it's two breweries The B.J. Hesse Brewery and the R.J. Schramm Brewery. The name was changed to A.Le Coq Ltd. It briefly became know as the "Tartu Õlletehas" (Tartu Brewery) during the soviet era in Russia; but finally, in 1997 Finnish Company Olvi purchased the brewery, privatised it, and renamed it A. Le Coq.


Without further ado:


Light to clear gold in colour with a frothy white head made up of tiny bubbles. Rich, clean, malty aroma. Very crisp euro-style, lager, malty and fresh. Hints of sweet clover, honey and a touch of flinty mineral. Slight medicinal hops. Well rounded finish with a touch of grain that lingers in the nose. Very thin in body, and does show a little of the "washed out" "rainwatery" character typical of the  euro lager. However, it is without any signs of chemical, tinny, aldehydes, that mar cheaper euro lagers.





Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional   


Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 5/6 PASS
Re-Order:  5/6 PASS
Experience:   5/6 PASS


Final Thoughts:


I was pleasantly surprised, I have tasted many "euro lagers" and pilsners that are generally quite horrible. Mostly canned, and cheap, with dubious production values. However, A.Le Coq is a refreshing well crafted brew, and quite easy to see why it is the most popular beer in Estonia. A good patio sipper or something with a light meal.


Cheers


CJT


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Beer # 38 Crest Super 10% Premium Lager

Second in a series of two High Octane beers. This one is from England. Unlike our previous beer Faxe which was made with barley sugar, this beer contains a large proportion of maize and maize sugar. This gives the beer a very distinct corn on the cob feeling, I can almost taste the butter. This offering is from Wells and Young's in Bedford England. I had to copy what they said on their website about Crest... here it is:

Crest Super was launched following in-depth consumer and trade research, which suggested that a clean tasting higher strength ABV lager could satisfy those consumers who prefer to drink in smaller volumes but still wish to experience the strong, smooth taste of a super-strength, premium quality lager. It is brewed using the best quality barley malt and finest German Aroma hops to deliver a high quality strong lager, brewed to combine the delicate taste of a lager with a full flavour, medium gold in colour sweet bitter taste.

Crest Super is one of Wells and Young’s most popular export brands with extensive international distribution.

What I gleaned out of this is that they found kids just wanted to get drunk faster and not taste anything. I also found it interesting that they don't mention the corn.


Here is the tasting notes:

Gold in colour with an off-white head made up of small bubbles. 10% ABV in a 500ml can. Nose is sugary, and hot with alcohol and a hint of bitter herbs. First sip gives us corn and sugar. Chewy mouthfeel,very little malt, more of a raw grain and raw corn taste. No hops to speak of. Aeration gives us more sugary corn. No character, no taste profile, just a beer flavoured liquor.


Overall results: (Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional)

Taste: Fail
Cost: Pass (In Ontario it is $3.20)
Colour: Pass
Beer Style: So-so
Re-order: Fail
Experience: Fail

Final Thoughts: Really not a good beer which is a shame because Wells and Young's makes some very impressive real ales (only available in England unfortunately.) However, if inebriation is your mission, it is a cheap vehicle towards your goal.