What Are You Drinking?

[niko_cee]

Now that you're our representative in the low countries (RIP Benelux mob) I think we should designate you as the person in charge of acquiring and distributing Westvleteren 12 to the rest of us (although I see the bastards are limiting supply to Belgians only at the moment).

[Ian]

Capital idea.

Get it done, Raoul.

[Raoul Duke]

Hmm, that's kinda in the wrong part of the world. I (used to) get to Belgium quite regularly but even then it's pretty far from where I normally am. Maybe try and get the in-laws to order me some in.

[Baz]

Yes.

[Ian]

Today's Brewdog from the calendar is "Jet Stream." It's absolutely bang average but you could smash through pints of it on a nice hot day and not feel a thing.

Not really what I'm after though so they could do with upping their game.

[Giggles]

How’s it all going now Spikey M?

[Giggles]

This is monstrously good.


https://craftcentral.ie/products/rye-river-brunch-baltic-breakfast-porter-440ml-can-9-abv?variant=32972393414691

[Spikey M]

How’s it all going now Spikey M?

Seems ok. Added the apple and cinnamon today ( :eyemouth: ) and there was some shit floating on top of it, but I'm assuming it's the sediment or some form of skin it gets from sitting still for too long?

[Giggles]

Yeah you’ll have that on the top and just leave it behind when you siphon it to the bottling bucket. It’s just by-product from the fermentation.

[Boydy]

Seems ok. Added the apple and cinnamon today ( :eyemouth: ) and there was some shit floating on top of it, but I'm assuming it's the sediment or some form of skin it gets from sitting still for too long?

You doing the prison brewing method?

[niko_cee]

He's shooting for the moon with a straight dive into Brettanomyces.

[Giggles]

Speaking of which, I ordered this and their new stout today. Loved their house saison and all.

https://beercloud.ie/product/wide-street-funky-friday/

[Ian]

Hazy Jane today, which is fine and was at least a variant of it I've not had.

Had a Pohjala porter after to liven my beer week up a bit and it's delicious.

[Boydy]

I got some Beer52 offer for a free box and it just arrived. Looks interesting.

https://i.ibb.co/PtXcSZn/20201204-140636.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/xhSmSzk/20201204-140630.jpg

[Spikey M]

If that peanut beer is anything like the one I tried you may was well chuck it in the nearest bin right now.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It sure does look interesting but they would taste even better if you sorted out those fucking blinds.

[Boydy]

What's wrong with them?

[Jimmy Floyd]

I'm getting NHS waiting room vibes circa 1995.

[Spikey M]

It's Northern Ireland. There's a 20 year lag.

[Baz]

Your house looks like Mikes, if it was the past.

[Don]

Those aren't even granite worktops. Start a gofundme man, I'm heartbroken :(

[Spikey M]

Magnolia walls. :nono:

[Boydy]

It's a rented flat, I'm not responsible for the blinds, worktops or colour of the walls.

[Don]

You fucking watch your mouth. You got some 'feature wall' monstrosity, I bet.

Edit: Gtfo the way, you melt.

[Spikey M]

You fucking watch your mouth. You got some 'feature wall' monstrosity, I bet.

Edit: Gtfo the way, you melt.

Light grey, like a non-pensioner.

[Boydy]

Spikey's got some 'Live, Laugh, Love' shit in his house, no doubt.

[AyDee]

I got some Beer52 offer for a free box and it just arrived. Looks interesting.

https://i.ibb.co/PtXcSZn/20201204-140636.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/xhSmSzk/20201204-140630.jpg

Hi Boyd:

https://i.ibb.co/LdNBDbQ/IMG-20201203-192614.jpg

[Ian]

Back on the matter at hand, I really enjoyed the Dark Druid, Boyd.

A 'cream soda lager' from the calendar today, which if nothing else is a bit different to the other three. We'll see how it actually is in practice.

[Spikey M]

Spikey's got some 'Live, Laugh, Love' shit in his house, no doubt.

Don't throw shit on my name to divert attention from your own ill choices. We haven't even got to the clutter down the side of your chair yet, Sonny Jim.

[Spikey M]

Hi Boyd:

https://i.ibb.co/LdNBDbQ/IMG-20201203-192614.jpg

Now that's a wall colour. :cool:

[Boydy]

Don't throw shit on my name to divert attention from your own ill choices. We haven't even got to the clutter down the side of your chair yet, Sonny Jim.

Oh, there's clutter everywhere. I'm untidy AF.

[Boydy]

No denial though, Spikey. :sherlock:

[Spikey M]

No denial though, Spikey. :sherlock:

That is a definite denial chief. My sister in law has a fucking wall sicker of it though. Surrounded by the obligatory 'diamond' framed pictures of the family.

She also has a sign in the bathroom that informs all visitors that "homes are measured in happiness NOT size" but I'm not convinced that's actually correct.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Spikey the one showing himself up now. Clutter is a good thing, tidy houses are for perverts and the common.

[Spikey M]

Spikey the one showing himself up now. Clutter is a good thing, tidy houses are for perverts and the common.

I have 2 kids. My house hasn't been tidy in about 5 years.

[niko_cee]

Tonight's supermarket sampling comprises a Pineapple Milkshake IPA thing from Black Sheep, something called Baby Faced Assassin from The Roosters Brewery because why not and maybe a Millionaire from The Wild Beer mob. I'd take a pic but wouldn't want to subject myself to the interior design critique.

[Giggles]

Boydys place looks like rented accommodation should.

[Ian]

Millionaire from The Wild Beer mob.

:drool:

I think I posted in here when I tried the Trillionaire recently. Godly stuff.

[Kikó]

Just drinking a whisky sent to me by Sama years ago called Penderyn , welsh (only those sample mini airplane bottles). Pretty decent gear, very smooth drinking.

[Giggles]

I’ve just opened a sour stout and it’s weird, yet not awful surprisingly.

[niko_cee]

Pineapple milkshake thing was was quality, and the wee Solskjaer tribute wasn't bad either.

[Raoul Duke]

On some good Dutch stuff this evening: Lowlander, Brouwerij T'Ij and Two Chefs Brewing

[Kikó]

You can tell it's strong stuff with the typo in the middle of that.

[Boydy]

Started with the 'Peanut Riot'. It's weird. Very chocolately. Not sure I'm a fan.

[Boydy]

Nah, this is minging. Who the fuck wants chocolate flavoured beer?

[niko_cee]

:D

It's a fine line with the zany flavoured stouts/porters and quite a lot of them transgress that line heinously.

The Millionaire was decent, perhaps a bit sweet for my tastes. After a horror first experience with Wild Beer the last few I've had have been good.

[Baz]

Nah, this is minging. Who the fuck wants chocolate flavoured beer?

Better than coffee but yeah I’m with you. “Sticky toffee pudding” is a bad culprit.

[Spikey M]

The peanut beer I had was an absolute horror show. The only way it could work is if it was subtle, and it really, really wasn't. It was basically fizzy peanut butter. Grim.

[Boydy]

This tastes like someone's melted a chocolate bar into a guinness and made it a bit fizzier.

It's also giving me heartburn. :moop:

[Spikey M]

Alright, it's bottling day. What do I need Giggs?

Already have the siphon tube and bottles, is it just brewing sugar other than that?

Possibly a stupid question, but how does the fucker get fizzy exactly?

[Giggles]

Are you sure it’s finished fermenting? If it hasn’t then you’ll have exploding bottles or at best, way over carbonated beer. A week would be on the quick side.

It fizzes by adding some sugar back for the residual yeast, but this time the bottles are sealed so the CO2 goes into the beer instead of out the airlock.

[Giggles]

Have you a bottling bucket or are you bottling straight from the fermenter?

[Spikey M]

Cool, cheers. Not 100%, need to check it but the kit instructions say 4-6 days and this is day 7. I will check with hydrometer first though.

[Giggles]

Yeah I’d ignore them as there’s a good few factors that will determine how long it’ll take. I normally just leave everything 2 weeks now unless doing specific dry hopping or something.
Test the gravity and then again tomorrow. If the temperature is still in the ok range then you’re done with the same reading two days in a row.

[Baz]

Looking forward to the inevitable disappointment when it tastes like a flat drinkable mulled hot cross bun.

[Giggles]

My bottling setup is fairly basic still, no pressure transfers or electric pumps or anything. I think I’ve most of my process covered below so you can see if there’s anything you need or want to skip.

Clean everything. I disassemble bottling sticks and syphons down to their parts and clean and reassemble.
Fill up something with around 15 litres of a no rinse sanitiser. I use a big plastic box.

Wash out each of your bottles with sanitiser and place on a bottling tree or upside down in a crate or something. I use a pump style washer but submerging and draining will do if they’re clean in the first place.

While the bottles drain, put half the sanitiser in the bottling bucket and leave it to sit, and put your syphon and wand and all in the rest in the plastic box. Suck up some sanitiser into the lines.

Calculate how much priming sugar is needed (link below). Boil the amount in some water (around a cup) for a couple of minutes and chill to 20C. I put ice in a sink of water and put the saucepan in it.

Swirl the sanitiser around the bottling bucket, touching all surfaces, and tip it out. Then put the cooled sugar water into it.
Drain the siphon of sanitiser and siphon from the fermenter into the bottling bucket and it will mix with the sugary water. Be careful as the bottom inch or two will be spent yeast. Don’t suck it up if you can.

Put the spring loaded bottling wand on the tap of the bottling bucket and use that to fill the bottles by pressing against the bottom. Fill right to the top until they near overflow. The wand is the right size to leave enough head space.

Cap them and leave them in a dark place around 20C for a fortnight to carbonate.

If you’ve no bottling bucket and are bottling straight from the fermenter (more chance of crap in the bottles from the bottom though) then ignore the red above and just put something like 3/4 tsp sugar or a carb drop in each bottle before bottling.

[Giggles]

Priming calculator. The temperature is the fermentation temp and the volume is how much you’ll have in the bottling bucket once siphoned.

https://www.brewersfriend.com/beer-priming-calculator/

[Giggles]

There’s one where no bottling bucket or batch prime is done.



https://youtu.be/JeYu5ZEi7Mo

[Kikó]

Fair play to the home brewers. This sounds like a massive pain in the arse to do if it's not something you have a passion for.

[Giggles]

Batch priming.



https://youtu.be/Zn95L6_9YLk

[Giggles]

Fair play to the home brewers. This sounds like a massive pain in the arse to do if it's not something you have a passion for.

Most hardcore ones have keg and tap systems and very rarely bottle. That means they have sheds though.

[Spikey M]

Cheers Giggles. I'll go through everything later. Much Appreciated.

[Giggles]

The videos make it sound easier than I did :D

[Boydy]

Trying the Kveik Session IPA tonight. Much nicer.

[niko_cee]

That can with a big TS on it (throwing shapes) should actually be called Tethered Swimming.

[Ian]

Double Punk from the calendar today. A step in the right directly but they need to up their game still.

Now on 8 Wired's 'Double Scoop.' A raspberry chocolate brownie stout. It's lovely.

[Raoul Duke]

Some Chianti Classico for me tonight. Nice red but a bit too heavy for my liking.

[Giggles]

I’m on some of Boydys lot. Lacada NEIPA. Not bad, though not a fan of that style overall.

[Boydy]

My what?

[Boydy]

Bigger Boat hazy pale now. It's not bad but it's not as good as the Kveik which was bloody lovely.

[Baz]

I’m on some of Boydys lot. Lacada NEIPA. Not bad, though not a dash of that style overall.

NEIPAs are always good, aren't they?

[Giggles]

My what?

Nordie one. Lacada, never had anything by them before.

[Boydy]

Nordie one. Lacada, never had anything by them before.

Never heard of them. Where are they from?

[Giggles]

Never heard of them. Where are they from?

Portrush. I’ve seen them mentioned a fair bit in beer circles and they seem to get rave reviews. Off licence I go to just started stocking 4 of their beers. I normally don’t like NEIPA’s a big pile but that was the best one of them I’ve had in ages.

[Giggles]

Really want to try the Blackrocks Black IPA by them. Looking at the website it appears they’re a co-op you can buy into.

[Spikey M]

Spikey's got some 'Live, Laugh, Love' shit in his house, no doubt.

1335379942008360960?s=19

[Boydy]

1335379942008360960?s=19
:D

Lol.

[Spikey M]

Hydrometer has gone from 1.052 to 1.028. I will check again tomorrow, but does that seem about right? It's day 8.

[Giggles]

Check is it stable again tomorrow. 1.028 is fairly high to finish though, what’s the temp?

[Spikey M]

Currently 18c. Fluctuating between there and 20c. Down the other end was between 20 and 24c. Not sure which is better? If it is the same tomorrow is there anything I can add to give it a nudge again?

[Giggles]

The slightly cooler I’d say. Too cool can stall it but it can be got going again, too hot can kill it. 18 should be enough to keep it going but it might take longer to ferment out.

[Spikey M]

Should add that the airlock has been quiet for the last few days. Not seen it bubble for a while now.

[Ian]

The Brewdog / Cloudwater NEIPA in the calendar today. Which I know is nice, so a thumbs up for that despite me still waiting for something a bit more inspired.

[Giggles]

Should add that the airlock has been quiet for the last few days. Not seen it bubble for a while now.

You wouldn't always see it going depending on head space and all. Slightly press on the bucket lid and see if there's pressure in there.

[Spikey M]

You wouldn't always see it going depending on head space and all. Slightly press on the bucket lid and see if there's pressure in there.

Yeah it still bubbles if I press on the lid slightly. I have moved it back down the other end today as it was sitting at 15c when I woke up this morning. I may just have to keep moving the bloody thing.

[Spikey M]

Near on 1010 today Giggs, and there's some bubbles on top of the beer again. It smells like blackcurrant which is interesting. Will check again tomorrow but I'm in the 'bottle' zone my hydrometer has so hopefully good to go.

[Giggles]

1010 sounds way better. I’d still go for the same for the two consecutive days but I’d reckon for an ale that’s probably it.

[Giggles]

5.5% that’ll be.

[Spikey M]

Swish. Cheers. Better than the 4.8% the pack reckoned, but I took your advice and did 15 litres instead of 16 so that worked a treat.

[Giggles]

Yeah it’s a better way to bump it up than adding sugar. You can end up with too strong an alcohol taste doing the latter if not careful.

[niko_cee]

So what makes cans of beer foam up loads when you open them (other than shaking them, I'm not that daft)? Is it that they're too cold? Is it something happening inside the can? I ask only as those Atlanteans I bought a joblot of a while back are an absolute bitch for it. Not foaming all over the shop bad, but always quite a lot of foam to the point where you need to consume it before attempting to pour the beer out.

[Ian]

A third of the way through the Brewdog advent calendar and everything has been a pale today and off the top of my head I'd say half have been the core range.

I don't expect everything to be an impy stout, lads, but mix it the fuck up a bit more than this.

[Baz]

Sounds perfect.

[Spikey M]

So what makes cans of beer foam up loads when you open them (other than shaking them, I'm not that daft)? Is it that they're too cold? Is it something happening inside the can? I ask only as those Atlanteans I bought a joblot of a while back are an absolute bitch for it. Not foaming all over the shop bad, but always quite a lot of foam to the point where you need to consume it before attempting to pour the beer out.

As I understand it, it's the same reason they explode if you bottle them too early (or can them, I assume). The yeast reacts with the sugar, releases CO2 and pressurises the bottle / can.

Now we get into guess territory, but I presume the head (or atleast its staying power) is due to the thickness of the beer? That's why a Guinness keeps its head but a lager doesn't? Dunno.

[Boydy]

I'm looking forwars to Spikey telling us he's given himself the shits.

[Spikey M]

I'm looking forwars to Spikey telling us he's given himself the shits.

I've IBS Boyd, would you like to sign up to my Newsletter?

[Giggles]

As I understand it, it's the same reason they explode if you bottle them too early (or can them, I assume). The yeast reacts with the sugar, releases CO2 and pressurises the bottle / can.

Now we get into guess territory, but I presume the head (or atleast its staying power) is due to the thickness of the beer? That's why a Guinness keeps its head but a lager doesn't? Dunno.

Different malts will give better or worse head retention, it’s mainly getting a balance so they don’t give flavours that you don’t want in it.
Draught Guinness is different because it’s done with nitrogen instead of CO2. Gives the creamy head.

[Baz]

Dirty dog.

[Spikey M]

Different malts will give better or worse head retention, it’s mainly getting a balance so they don’t give flavours that you don’t want in it.
Draught Guinness is different because it’s done with nitrogen instead of CO2. Gives the creamy head.

You should start up your own brewery Giggs. You know your shit.

[Giggles]

You should start up your own brewery Giggs. You know your shit.

I wouldn’t have a clue when it comes to making my own recipes. The ones I’m doing now are ones found online and modified with some advice from my brewing club. I don’t think I’d ever go as deep as some of them though, even in the equipment and process side of things. Dandelion saison sand kettle sours and that kind of thing.
The nitro on the guinness is a class job. They did a nitro pale ale a few years back which had the same head as the stout, it was weird.

[Spikey M]

I wouldn’t have a clue when it comes to making my own recipes. The ones I’m doing now are ones found online and modified with some advice from my brewing club. I don’t think I’d ever go as deep as some of them though, even in the equipment and process side of things. Dandelion saison sand kettle sours and that kind of thing.
The nitro on the guinness is a class job. They did a nitro pale ale a few years back which had the same head as the stout, it was weird.

I reckon I'd like that. I know you're not a fan, but I liked Hop House when I was over there. It was odd having a creamy lager. (I think it was hop house, something I had over there was like that anyway)

[Giggles]

Hop house was a weird one when it came out first, really seemed like two different recipes because you could get it in different places and it would really be completely different. It’s sort of morphed into a generic lager these days.

[Giggles]

This is a good spot to visit. They do some experimental stuff and some makes it to market based on ratings. The actual stout is class in it too.

https://www.guinnessopengate.com/

[Spikey M]

Batch priming.



https://youtu.be/Zn95L6_9YLk

Just been watching this as bottling tonight, he reckons to mix the sugar with water and put straight in the fermenting bucket? Presumably I then have to stir it? Does the sediment need time to settle back down?

Also, the link to calculate the sugar says about 68g of table sugar (I presume brewing sugar is close enough?) for 15 litres of British ale at 20c. Does that sound about right to you?

[Spikey M]

And I don't have a bottling bucket. I can siphon straight to bottle, right?

[Giggles]

Brewing sugar is corn sugar or dextrose. If I was siphoning straight to bottle I'd work out how much sugar and how many bottles and put the sugar directly into them instead of stirring it in. Even if you did it gently enough not to add too much oxygen, you could disturb the trub cake at the bottom.

[Spikey M]

Great. Cheers. I'll do it that way. Is it still best to mix with water? Or just shove the desired number of tsp in the bottle?

Probably a silly question, but does the shit at the bottom have any future use? (Obviously not with this brew) or am I just binning it?

[Giggles]

You can harvest yeast and store it in some way for reuse. Some breweries would have a ‘house yeast’ for all their brews and you can buy conical home fermenters with collection bowls on the bottom to make it easier.

I’ve never done it myself, haven’t even bothered with liquid yeast or starters.

[Spikey M]

Aaaaaand done. That was hard work.

[Giggles]

Nice one. Stick them somewhere around 20 for two weeks and then somewhere cooler for another 2, or sooner if you can’t wait. The longer the better.

Bottling never becomes any less of a pain in the hole no matter how many brews.

[Spikey M]

I will defo want a couple on Christmas day and another couple on New Years Eve (I will have other stuff aswell for other days, obviously) but I'm happy to put the rest away for a fair while. They're sitting in the box the bottles came in at the moment. They're exactly where the Fermenter went so should be around 20-22 most of the time.

When you say move somewhere cooler after 2 weeks, how cool are we talking? Out in the shed? Or just the coolest room in the house?

And last question (probably, possibly, maybe) for the ones I want on Xmas day, do I still do the 20c for 2 weeks, then cooler but for less time?

[Giggles]

Yeah shed is perfect. I should have said actually because it used to bug the shit out of me when I started how much ‘warm’ and ‘cool’ were thrown about with no figures. Warm would be fermentation temp, around the 20, this is to carbonate. Cool is not as important but mid to high single digits, for conditioning.
Do the 2 warm weeks for sure to carbonate and then whatever length you need to condition. It’ll be drinkable straight after carbonating but the longer the better.

[Giggles]

Even if you want to check and fancy an early one, open one after the 2 weeks at 20 to make sure it’s carbonated before leaving the rest to condition.

[Giggles]

I’m doing a chocolate coffee oatmeal stout on Saturday myself. Meant to do it last weekend to have for Christmas but never got round to it.

[Spikey M]

Swish. Cheers Giggles you've been amazing. Had I followed the leaflet instead of your instructions I would have bottled about 5 days ago and have a batch of 2% piss ready to go on Christmas day. As it happens it tasted pretty good (even if warm and flat (I had a bit out the siphon)) and definitely kicks above 5%.

[Giggles]

Not a bother at all. Just don’t get into it too much if you like having money. You’ll convince yourself you’ll save in the long run :D Hope it turns out well, if you like the taste when bottling then it’s a great sign.

[Spikey M]

I’m doing a chocolate coffee oatmeal stout on Saturday myself. Meant to do it last weekend to have for Christmas but never got round to it.

I'm going to work up to that sort of stuff. I think I want to get a couple of IPA'S done for the summer, then will give stout and Darker Ales a go next Autumn.

The Mrs wants me to have a go at wine in the Summer aswell.

[Spikey M]

Not a bother at all. Just don’t get into it too much if you like having money. You’ll convince yourself you’ll save in the long run :D Hope it turns out well, if you like the taste when bottling then it’s a great sign.

I can see this very much being a problem. :D

[Giggles]

I'm going to work up to that sort of stuff. I think I want to get a couple of IPA'S done for the summer, then will give stout and Darker Ales a go next Autumn.

The Mrs wants me to have a go at wine in the Summer aswell.

One of the lads in the club does a good bit of wine, not sure what’s involved but he says they turn out really well.

With what you have now it’s relatively cheap to pimp up a few kits and improve them. Look up partial extract brewing, only really need a big saucepan to soak some speciality grains and then add the water to the kit in place of some of the normal water.
There’s some mangrove jacks IPA kits with dry hops that are very good too.

[Spikey M]

I'll definitely look to up the difficulty as I go along. It's interesting stuff, even if it is a massive faff.

[Baz]

Have you called it anything?

[Spikey M]

Have you called it anything?

Several things, most of them insults but I like it better now it's in a bottle.

[igor_balis]

Drinking red wine for the first time in what seems like years. Pity i always get really annoying headachey delayed reaction hangovers the next day at about 2pm cos i bloody love it.

My dad, when he was a white van man, used to get home at 8pm in the xmas rush period, bosh through 3 fucking bottles, then be back on the road at 5.30 the next morning. Every day including Saturdays and Sundays from roughly now until early Jan. Having a stroke 5 years ago probably saved his life.

[Giggles]

Downer cunt.

[igor_balis]

I'm sure that post said something else an hour ago

[niko_cee]

Yeah, it was a list of beers.

[Spikey M]

Who's cunt are you going down Giggs?

[Giggles]

I'm sure that post said something else an hour ago

Couldn’t have. You get the “edited by” line after about 5 minutes.

[Lofty]

Got some weird Figgy Pudding Porter given by work and a Goose Fool Sour called Goose Willis, not a fan of sours but it was alright. Haven't tried the porter though as I am going to have a few bourbons on the rocks. Got some nice bottles under wraps for christmas, Eagle Rare and Hudson Bay Baby Bourbon, but tonight thinking Buffalo Trace or Woodford Reserve.

[Giggles]

Leann Follain and 8 Degrees Citra on the 4 for €10 in Tesco :drool:

[Shindig]

I think I've well and truly ditched whisky. I barely drink as it is but the customary bottle of Aberlour for Christmas isn't getting bought this year. I can't be arsed. I like the process of getting drunk on the stuff but hate the morning after.

[Giggles]

I had a dose of it last night after a customer gave me a bottle. Haven’t had as bad a hangover since I gave up the fags.

[Shindig]

Yeah, the whole day's usually a write-off.

[niko_cee]

Just went a bit mad and ordered two mixed cases off that tremblingmadness site Ian mentioned a good few pages back, Imperials and IPAs. Christmas sorted.

[Boydy]

After signing up to Beer52 for that trial box, I've discovered you have to actually ring them up to cancel. Ffs.

[AyDee]

After signing up to Beer52 for that trial box, I've discovered you have to actually ring them up to cancel. Ffs.

Just email support@beer52.com and tell them you want to cancel. Worked for me.

[Ian]

Also to be fair theirs is the least pain-in-the-arse call centre to get a cancellation from. They'll ask why but they didn't try and talk me out of it.

Though if they'll do it by email too that's obviously better.

[Raoul Duke]

Did a big order from Lowlander that should take me up to Xmas. Also got myself a pint glass, because I'm classy that way.

[Ian]

16th day of the calendar. 16th pale. I've given up hope of variety.

Gonna try and sneak in one more Trembling Madness order before Christmas which along with a few I still have plus my Crew Republic stouts/barley wines from Black Friday should see me through until my family inevitably give me some for Christmas.

[Giggles]

After picking up Ballykilcavan’s and Treaty City’s barrel aged red ales this morning on my travels and that’s my buying complete for the Christmas.

[Giggles]

Brewdog aficionados - tell me a nice American west coast style IPA they make.

[Spikey M]

It's been 8 days and the Mrs is goving me grief about the beer taking up her Christmas buffet space. Is it alright to go in the shed yet Giggles?

[Giggles]

I’d crack one and see. If it’s fizzed then happy days to move on to conditioning.

[Spikey M]

There's bubbles on top if I lightly shake one so I think we're ok. Not that I'm sure why space needs to be free for the Christmas Eve Buffet (for 4 people, 2 of which are under 5) on the 18th of December but here we are.

[Giggles]

In her head the bottles just aren’t meant to be there, even if it was the middle of July and you were all off to Spain for a fortnight in the morning. That’s how their brains work.

[Ian]

Brewdog aficionados - tell me a nice American west coast style IPA they make.

I'm sure I tried the Future Proof collab with Modern Times and enjoyed it.

[Giggles]

Not sure if the collabs are in the DIYDog recipe book but I’ll have a look.

[Spikey M]

It's been like Chinese fucking Water Torture for the last few days.

"How long did you say it had to stay there"
"A week?"
"10 DAYS!?"
"Surely it would be warm enough under the stairs?"

Either the beer goes in the shed or I do at this point.

[Ian]

I did a cursory Google as my memory is terrible. If you find any you like the sound of let me know and I'll tell you if I've had them.

That DIYDog is quite a thing though.

[Spikey M]

https://www.brewdog.com/uk/equityforpunks/tomorrow-raise/welcome

G'wan Ian and Giggles, you could be the Warren Buffets of the posh beer world.

[Baz]

Ian's already got some hasn't he?

My mate keeps trying to get the rest of us involved but it's essentially a pyramid scheme by this point. Obviously I'm just annoyed I didn't top the pyramid before him.

[Spikey M]

No idea, just saw it while I was browsing and it made me lol.

[Ian]

Yeah I got shares for my birthday or Christmas last year. I've probably already made back most of what was spent on it just in discounts so it's not bad if you're going to buy online or be in one of their bars regular enough.

[niko_cee]

On the first day of drinking the fridge delivered to me . . .

White Hag Union Series Idaho 7 Smash IPA (5.5%).

First impressions are decent, if a little too hoppy/fizzy. Probably 6.5/10.

[Baz]

Went to see the Big Man Himself today at a nearby farm. The little hut selling hot drinks had hot toddies on their menu. Would never even consider one at the best of times but didn’t half fancy it. What Christmas does to us. :drool: Got all the ingredients in for mulled wine in the slow cooker too.

[Ian]

Yeah I'm gonna be mulling some wine myself too this year given I don't have the opportunity to be massively overcharged for it at the Christmas market.

[niko_cee]

Next on the slate was Something Good 11, a 6.2% amber IPA by DEYA. Not bad again, maybe 7/10 this time. Neither of these fancy dan cans have really blown my socks off. Might have a punk with a curry and then finish myself off with an Atom Neutron Star Coffee/Vanilla Imperial Stout, which sounds like it might be rather good.

[Giggles]

I found the Galaxy and Strata ones much nicer than the Idaho 7 in the union series.

[Boydy]

Back on the matter at hand, I really enjoyed the Dark Druid, Boyd.

A 'cream soda lager' from the calendar today, which if nothing else is a bit different to the other three. We'll see how it actually is in practice.
Drinking the Dark Druid now. You're sick, mate.

[Ian]

:D

[Boydy]

Tastes like alcoholic HP sauce.

[Baz]

I need that.

[niko_cee]

That White Hag salted caramel stout I had was branded as some sort of dark druid thing, but I guess they have more than one. It was decent, but there were varietals to be wary of, I believe.

The Neutron Star was good. Not transcendent, but at least 8 out of 10 good.

[Boydy]

This was "Chocolate Orange Pastry Stout". It didn't taste like any of those things.

[Giggles]

There’s a few others - coconut, black forest, etc but in find all those pastry awful. Very synthetic.

[Ian]

Well when it says pastry it doesn't mean it expects to taste like pastry (not least because pastry doesn't really taste of anything beyond baked-ness), it just means the same as being a dessert stout in my experience. I could definitely taste both chocolate and orange in it.

Christ knows where you're getting HP sauce from. :D Unless the one you had was gubbed and you were getting a vinegary flavour of it....

Are stouts, etc. normally your thing Boyd?

[Giggles]

Can’t really put my finger on it, I just find something off about all that range and I like a dessert stout.


These two (3 and 4) are on the go at the minute and they’re both class.

https://craftcentral.ie/search?q=clancys&type=product&product_cat=all

[Ian]

Oh it's not my favourite dessert stout, but I've got it as being better a boozy condiment.

Don't think I've had any of those but they sound ace. I've got another of the Trillionaire coming in my next TM order,

[Boydy]

Well when it says pastry it doesn't mean it expects to taste like pastry (not least because pastry doesn't really taste of anything beyond baked-ness), it just means the same as being a dessert stout in my experience. I could definitely taste both chocolate and orange in it.

Christ knows where you're getting HP sauce from. :D Unless the one you had was gubbed and you were getting a vinegary flavour of it....

Are stouts, etc. normally your thing Boyd?

Yes, vinegary! That's exactly how it was. Had it gone off?

I like Guinness. That's stout, right? The milk stout that was in the box was pretty nice.

[Giggles]

Sounds like it, maybe a small leak in the seam of the tin.

[Giggles]

https://beercloud.ie/product/the-porter-pack/

That’s a cracker set Boydy.

[Ian]

Yeah that definitely sounds like you got a knackered one, Boyd. There are unpleasant things you might've described it as that I could have believed as just not being to your taste but vinegary just sounds like it was fucked.

I meant to say that I actually got a non-pale in my calendar yesterday! A sort of praline cranberry sour thing. Unusual but quite nice.

Back to the pales today, of course...

[Boydy]

https://beercloud.ie/product/the-porter-pack/

That’s a cracker set Boydy.

I don't like stouts enough to buy a whole crate of them.

[niko_cee]

Today's early slate were decent if unspectacular. I forget the name of the first, it had a strange name like Koepship Amber IPA, with strange antipodean sounding things in it. The other was by Three Hills and was nice. I think I may have been being a bit harsh on the fancy cans as I had a few brewdogs in amongst them (Dead Pony and a Punk) and they were pretty bland by comparison.

Got a Double Maple & Pecan Imperial Stout from Vocation/Double-Barrelled on the go and it's very nice. Definitely think there's more mileage in the quirky stouts than in the pales, perhaps that Black Sheep Pineapple Milkshake thing excluded.

[Ian]

I'm on Abbeydale Lost Souls, an Imperial Russian Honeycake Stout. Doesn't live up to that description but after my 300th Brewdog pale of the calendar it's a welcome impy.

[Dquincy]

Had an Adnams Broadside dark ale today. Too dark for me and the farts I've been cracking tonight are something chronic. The look of disgust I'm getting from my wife is bringing me great joy.

[Ian]

Not had an Adnams in a long time. Used to love a Broadside.

[Dquincy]

Not had an Adnams in a long time. Used to love a Broadside.

Adnams' mosiac pale ale is in my top one of ales. Recommend it.

The Broadside is a bit too dark for me.

[Baz]

Adnams' mosiac pale ale is in my top one of ales. Recommend it.

Yessir. Was my family’s Christmas keg last year and we’ve got the same again, along with TWO Bitburger ones.

[Spikey M]

Doom Bar over here (and my own if it isn't shite)

[Dquincy]

Yessir. Was my family’s Christmas keg last year and we’ve got the same again, along with TWO Bitburger ones.
Great shout. I need to go shopping so might go on the hunt for a keg.

Spikey going turn everyone blind with his moonshine this Christmas.

[niko_cee]

Pomona Island - I Will Survive (DDH IPA) - First real star of the pale box, cloudy as fuck (almost alarmingly so) but a real good 'un.

More local, Burning Sky - Devil's Rest IPA - bit more traditional, but still good a few sips in.

[Giggles]

One of the lads just gave me an Altbier, Dampfbier, Hefeweizen, and Dunkel Weisse that he brewed. Don’t think I’ve ever had any before.
There’s a Kolsch as well which I do enjoy.

[Ian]

Never had a Dampfbier I don't think but the others I like.

[Giggles]

I’ve a feeling they’ll all just be lagers to me.

[Mike]

Got a pint of Atlantic Pale Ale and it’s delightful. Wouldn’t have ordered it but the only lager was San Miguel.

[niko_cee]

DEYA - Into the Haze - it's mega.

[Giggles]

Just having a Rascals Space Hopper hazy IPA. Not my thing normally but it’s very decent. Not too sweet.

[Josh]

DEYA - Into the Haze - it's mega.

So so good.

[Boydy]

Decided to keep the Beer52 subscription for a month but changed it to light beers only as they were deffo better than the dark ones. They also had some other "offer" where you can upgrade to get two extra beers per month for a fiver and your first month of the upgrade is free.

[niko_cee]

Yeah, just clocked it's £5 a can normally. Not something I could tolerate in normal conditions, but it is good.

Stigbergets New and Improved IPA was decent and now I'm on a Polly's 'The Altar Supreme' which is another good 'un.

Had a Blizzard of the Pines (?) and some sort of Affogato Imperial at some point as well which were also very palatable.

Oh, and a smoked Imperial called The Beast which was a decent change of pace from all the sweet ones.

[Giggles]

Two low alcohol hazy IPA’s this evening that I was given as a present. Hoppy as fuck, but thin.

[Josh]

Yeah Polly's Brew have some lovely IPA's. Where did you get this haul from as you have some good stuff in there.

I've ordered a load from Vault City who are in Scotland. First time trying them and they make some lovely looking sours.

I have a double crust raspberry pie at 9%, a strawberry one and a tropical sour which has coconut, mango and passion fruit and looks like a thick juice.

Added an OJIPA too which is gonna be my first one of the day on Christmas. Beats a mimosa.

[Dquincy]

Camden Pale Ale tonight. Which is much better than their larger version.

[Shindig]

My sister came by with a bottle of Aberlour so that'll be next after finished the bottles of Stella I picked up the other week. Unless I want to mix the two together like a world class cunt.

[Spikey M]

Big day tomorrow, I'll be getting a few bottles of homebrew out of the shed. :uhoh:

[Giggles]

:drool:

[niko_cee]

Yeah Polly's Brew have some lovely IPA's. Where did you get this haul from as you have some good stuff in there.


That Trembling Madness place had a couple of mixed boxes. Think I've mostly done the pales now, with the quality being backloaded (random selection) so now I face the dilemma of early evening imperials, which I don't think really works on a number of levels, or falling back on a brewdog stash but probably leaving some of the good dark stuff behind as I leave on Sunday and won't be back until Easter at the earliest.

Might see what a Christmas Morning Imperial Stout yields in terms of the day.

[niko_cee]

Neonraptor - Bigfoot Expert Triple Choc Stout was a welcome reward for what seemed like hours of wrapping Christmas presents tonight.

[Baz]

My mate had a keg ready so I went round for a bottle (and a glass) and it’s very nice. Also gave me two bottles of some 7% stout that he said to leave for two months. :cab:

[niko_cee]

My week long lapse into full blown alcoholism has now led to Salted Caramel Baileys being added to morning coffee.

:cool:

Currently having a Hazy Jane and it's exceptionally meh. Pretty sure this was one of the things that put me off the idea of NEIPAs in general.

[Giggles]

I’ve went balls deep in 8 brown ales already.

[niko_cee]

I've gone down the early evening imperial route and fear that ruin lies ahead.

[Baz]

Mulled wine is, er, mulling.

Red wine, amaretto, nutmeg, star anise, cinnamon and slices of orange. :nod:

[Giggles]

Spikey M have you cracked one?

[Spikey M]

Just cracked one open, it's not bad. Smells like beer, looks like stout and it keeps it's head. There is the slightest off after taste (I'm being hyper critical, I probably wouldn't notice it if I hadn't made it). I'm assuming that's the temperature issues I had?

[Giggles]

Wouldn’t be 100% without tasting it but fairly likely. Unsteady fermentation temp is one of the biggest reasons for an off flavour. It’s never a massive issue of a one though.

[Spikey M]

It's definitely stronger than 4.8% aswell. Only half a pint in and my face is tingling a bit. :uhoh:

I mean, I made a litre less than they said and left it brewing for 4 days longer than the instructions said so thats probably why. It was also bottled and left in the warm for 10 days rather than the 2 they reckoned.

[Ian]

I've gone down the early evening imperial route and fear that ruin lies ahead.

:drool:

I'm just on some Leffe Brune at the moment.

[Dquincy]

It's definitely stronger than 4.8% aswell. Only half a pint in and my face is tingling a bit. :uhoh:

I mean, I made a litre less than they said and left it brewing for 4 days longer than the instructions said so thats probably why. It was also bottled and left in the warm for 10 days rather than the 2 they reckoned.
Tingling. :D Covid is the least of your worries after drinking that.

[Shindig]

3 drinks in. I've missed this.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I went prosecco - beer - lager - red wine tonight. I suggested a bottle of the latter to go with the meal I was cooking and my old man told me to put it back as it was 'just a grazing red', before digging out a bottle four times the price from under the stairs. No doubts who the alpha male is around here.

[Shindig]

Special occasions and all that. I don't mind red wine but I can't really devote serious time to it.

[Kikó]

You're missing out. What red was it Jim?

[ItalAussie]

I've recently rediscovered the boulevardier. I'm sure most of you know this, but for those as uninformed as I was, it is essentially a negroni with bourbon in place of gin. I see this is a substantial improvement to the formula.

[Luca]

I've recently rediscovered the boulevardier. I'm sure most of you know this, but for those as uninformed as I was, it is essentially a negroni with bourbon in place of gin. I see this is a substantial improvement to the formula.

While I prefer the traditional, I had a stonking Boulevardier night early this year that was wonderful. A+ cocktail.

[Giggles]

I went prosecco - beer - lager - red wine tonight. I suggested a bottle of the latter to go with the meal I was cooking and my old man told me to put it back as it was 'just a grazing red', before digging out a bottle four times the price from under the stairs. No doubts who the alpha male is around here.

That’s projectile vomiting territory for me. Though standard enough behaviour for one of the smelly uninformed.

[Lofty]

Got a bottle of Eagle Rare bourbon today, opened a bottle of Hudson Baby bourbon last night which was nice but glad I got it on offer as for what it is I'd say it is overpriced for a 35cl bottle.

Suspect my brother in law is getting me a japanese whisky that I'll get later as questions around that were asked a while back. Not a bad haul.

[Ian]

I like red wine a lot but unlike my beer wankery wine still comes into "Like" and "Don't like." I know I tend to like a rioja but that's about the extent of it.

I've got some good beers in for the day and some shite I can just guzzle and I assume my family will get me some craft stuff too.

[Giggles]

My Christmas drinking is done now. It’s all about food from here on and I can’t do both.

[Baz]

Non-alcoholic beer get!

https://drydrinker.com/product/insel-mixed-case-collection-12-x-330ml/

Surfers Summer Ale
Swimmer’s Saison
Wet Hopped Pilsner
Snorkellers Sea Salt IPA

Sounds great. :drool:

[Shindig]

negroni

Gasp.

[Kikó]

I like red wine a lot but unlike my beer wankery wine still comes into "Like" and "Don't like." I know I tend to like a rioja but that's about the extent of it.

I've got some good beers in for the day and some shite I can just guzzle and I assume my family will get me some craft stuff too.

The problem I find with wine is when I'm in the mood, I just throw it back. It takes a massive effort to drink at a reasonable speed.

[Ian]

In my dotage I'm getting better at controlling myself but yeah if you're "on it" early with red wine then bad things can happen. But then I've done it before with imperial stuff too so maybe I'm the problem here.

[Giggles]

Fuck it, I’ve cracked open the last of my bottles of So It Begins to have before dinner. It’s so fucking amazing :drool:

Might still keep one to age more.

[igor_balis]

I'm not a huge fan of #bubbly but I've been on the mimosas since 1ish and they're going down better than me on a greb's arsehole.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I've had six glasses of champagne, am now having a Beck's before red wine with dinner. All in all: Merry Christmas.

[Spikey M]

We've got some Pink Lanson to celebrate the Brexit deal. Some what appropriately, I don't really like it.

[Kikó]

Finally having my first glass of champagne. Might have to just get swallied on my own.

[Ian]

Among the many things I drank on the day was the Tactical Nuclear Penguin which is a bit odd, as expected. Like a beer liqueur or spirit or something. Can't say I disliked it though.

[niko_cee]

Back on the Atlanteans after all that Christmas experimentation and they really do hold their own with the best of that stuff.

Early indications are that the likes of Dead Pony and Punk are completely dead to me, but hopefully that was just a consequence of over-exposure to the more full flavour high price tag offerings.

[Ian]

The likes of Dead Pony Club and Punk IPA are fine for guzzling but yeah, nothing of that ilk holds up against anything actually really good.

[Boydy]

This month's beer 52 box:

https://i.ibb.co/bdXDyVj/20201231-130210.jpg

I don't know why it's sideways and imgbb doesn't seem to have any rotate options and I'm not hunting around for another mobile image upload site (why is it so hard to find a decent one?).

And yes, picture taken in a strategic place so you pricks can't criticise my apartment.

[Ian]

You call those tiles, do you?

I have a variety of pale things to guzzle and strong, dark things to sip for the evening.

[Giggles]

It’s not sideways.

[Boydy]

It’s not sideways.

So it's not. It was on imgbb itself though. Weird.

[Boydy]

I'm most intrigued by the Splice of Heaven and Kaiju Krush ones.

[niko_cee]

Can't believe you haven't stacked them 4-3-2-1.

[Boydy]

I started to but I thought they were gonna fall over.

[niko_cee]

Probably an uneven hob. :nono:

But yeah, my experience of the black sheep pineapple ice cream thing makes me intrigued what that splice of heaven one is like.

[Giggles]

Never heard of any of those bar Siren, but only ever had their breakfast stout.

[Ian]

I've had a couple of nice things by Gipsy Hill.

[Giggles]

Did a Pale Ale today with a load of spare hops I had in the freezer. Who knows if amarillo, citra, and idaho 7 are a good combo but I’ll find out in a month.

I’ve too many stouts here at the minute and I’m just about sick of them. Would love a nice hoppy IPA this evening.

[Giggles]

Did you have much of yours Spikey M?

[Ian]

Who knows if amarillo, citra, and idaho 7 are a good combo but I’ll find out in a month.

No idea if I've ever had Idaho 7 but I've had a few pales with Citra and Amarillo (the Kernel have done at least a couple) and they go together just fine so I reckon you'll be good.

[Giggles]

It’s fairly new and fashionable. I think I got it for an NEIPA that I ended up not making in the end.

[niko_cee]

Got a Boulevardier on the go to kick things off.

[Giggles]

I’ve a set of 3 Belgian ones in the fridge for later one but I normally can never find any pleasure in Belgian beer. There has to be something I’m missing.

[niko_cee]

My dilemma now is whether I continue down the mixed drink route, most likely into some sort of rum-based pit of despair, or rein it in and stick with either the beer or some decent wine for the rest of the night.

Think I may roll back the years, probably to before when I was born, into Pina Colada territory.

[Kikó]

I've had a couple of Woodford Reserves on the rocks so far. We'll be cracking out some wine soon with dinner so mixed drink is the only way tonight.