English, Christmas Beers 2019, Part One

As I said earlier, I had an awful lot of Christmas Beers this year, some were wonderful but some were very ordinary indeed. Because I had so many new beers (in fact there still a few to drink), I have split this review into several parts.

You never know, by the time I have done all of this, I may have finished all of the beers I got. I think I will stick to doing this four or five at a time and sticking to reviewing one country at a time. I also think they are all from three countries, England, Germany and Belgium so I will do them by country as well. So as the title states above, I am starting with some English Beers.

Sadler's, Peaky Blinder Christmas Pudding Stout from England

 

6.0% black in colour with a poor head, sweetish stout aroma, the taste was herby with some coffee but not bad.

Ridgeway, Bad Elf from England

 

4.5% pale amber in colour with a very thin head, bit of yeast in the aroma, quite a nice festive taste.

Wolf Brewery, Santa Paws from England

 

4.5% very deep amber in colour with a thin head, a malty aroma and as the label says it has a fruity taste.

Norfolk, Moon Gazer Triskele Norfolk Porter from England

 

4.5% deep brown in colour with a nice head, nice fruity aroma but the taste was a bit awful and bitter.

Many more to follow soon.

Loose Cannon Beers

Before I move on to the Christmas beers, here are another three beers from the same brewer I have had, one of them just this weekend.

Loose Cannon, Gunners Gold from England

 

3.5% gold in colour with a thin head, fruity hop aroma, a slightly fruity bitter drink.

Loose Cannon, Abingdon Bridge from England

 

4.1% amber in colour with a thin head, caramel aroma a malty taste.

Loose Cannon, Bombshell from England

4.2% gold in colour with a nice head, hoppy aroma, the taste was not that hoppy though.

Tongerlo, Belgian Beers

I have a load of Christmas/winter beers to post on here but first I have some from the same brewery to do.

Haacht, Tongerlo Christmas from Belgium

 

7.0% pale amber in colour with a thin head, a sweet caramel malt aroma, the taste is slightly sweet.

Haacht, Tongerlo 6 Dubbel Bruin from Belgium

 

6.0% dark brown in colour with a thin head, sweet malt aroma, taste is caramel with a hint of dark chocolate, very nice.

Haacht, Tongerlo Blonde from Belgium

 

6.0% gold in colour with thin head, not too much aroma, quite a nice mild taste.

Some Greek Beers

Recently I have been back to Crete and as last year I had a few new beers, all Greek and mostly quite good. There was a time when all you could get in Greece was Heineken or Amstel, both Dutch, both from the same brewer in Holland (although brewed all over the world). Now you can get beers from smaller brewers (most brewers are smaller than Heineken), that are made locally in Greece.

Nissos (ΝΗΣΟΣ), 7 Beaufort (Μποφόρ) Strong Dark Pilsner from Greece

 

7.0% dark almost black in colour with a nice head, a toffy aroma and a bit of a watery caramel taste but not bad at all. This one was from last year.

EZA [εζα], Fine Lager and EZA [εζα], Hellenic Pilsner Beer, both from Greece

 

The first, 5.0% gold in colour with a thin head, malty hop aroma and some hop in the taste.

The other one, 5.2% gold in colour with a nice head, a nice lager aroma and a good lager taste.

Σόλο (Solo), Americana from Greece (Crete)

6.0% deep gold in colour with a good head, hoppy aroma and taste but it was a very nice local beer.

Magnus Magister, 4 Seasons Premium Lager from Greece

 

4.8% gold in colour with a thin head, an ordinary mediterranean lager but not bad and made in Greece.

Vap, ZYΘOΣ BAΠ (Zythos Vap) from Greece

5.0% gold in colour with a thin head, an ordinary but good lager, especially in very hot weather.

Fix, Hellas from Greece

 

5.0% gold in colour with a thin head, usual lager aroma and a refreshing slightly sweet taste.

Athenian Brewery, Alfa (Αλφα) from Greece

 

5.0% gold in colour with a thin head, another ordinary lager not bad at all in the heat.

Some French Beers

On our last trip to france I had four beers from one brewery and compared with new British beers these were very good. As you may know I am not a big fan of the newer beers brewed over here, unfiltered, very hoppy, some just not that good at all. However lots of new beers from around Europe seem to me to be getting better and better. I do not meen the lagers that Europe was already very good at, I mean bitters, stouts and others.

La Collective Du Houblon, Bitter Bitter IPA from France

 

6.3% cloudy gold in colour with a good head, vinegary aroma but the taste was just bitter, not to bad.

La Collective Du Houblon, Intensely Fresh Golden Ale from France

 

6.5% cloudy gold in colour with a thin head, citrus aroma but the taste is mild and relatively tasteless.

La Collective Du Houblon, Super Dark Black Ale from France

 

8.1% black in colour with good head, malt aroma and a very nice stout taste, although it is a bit strong.

La Collective Du Houblon, Extra Smooth White Ale from France

 

4.5% cloudy pale gold in colour with next to no head, not much aroma but the taste is citrus and not bad.

Cerana Beverages, Bira, India

It was only after I bought these that I discovered that they were from India, what was even more surprising was that that were not bad at all.

Cerana Beverages, Bira 91 Blond Beer from India

 

4.5% gold in colour with a good head, slight malt aroma and a nice mild not too fizzy taste.

Cerana Beverages, Bira 91 White from India

 

4.7% cloudy yellow in colour with a good head, some orange in the aroma and a nice slightly bitter taste.

Spaten, German beers

Had a new Spaten beer last week and realised that I had not mentioned them before. Not that there is anything special about them but some are very good. I also have a very nice earthenware drinking mug from them that I had first before I ever heard of them.

Spaten, München Hell from Germany

 

5.2%, another disappointing beer, I should have known better than try a this type of beer, must have been seduced by the nice bottle.

Spaten, Oktoberfertier from Germany

 

5.9% gold in colour with a thin head, slightly sweet aroma and a malty taste.

Spaten, Optimator from Germany

 

7.6% deep brown in colour with a nice head, malty aroma and a nice malty taste.