Hoppy Christmas!
It’s that time of year again, the roads have frozen over, the trains are screwed and you can’t go down a shopping aisle without being battered by Wham. But it’s also a time for joy, going out with pals, watching the boss dress up as Rudolph (again), and of course, chilling in front of the fire and enjoying a few cheeky brews. So, here’s a few to set you well on the way to some festive cheer!...
Marston’s Brewery - No.2 Horninglow Imperial Stout (7.4% abv)
This is the second from Marston’s “Horninglow Collection”, a series of limited-edition brews that pay homage to the Horninglow Brewery which was established by John Marston back in 1834. This imperial stout racks up a cracking 7.4%, using a blend of 5 malts and challenger hops. It’s then oak-aged using the legendary Burton Union System and bottle conditioned.Tasting notes: Quite low in carbonation, with a few bubbles feeding a moderate, beige head that fizzles down leaving a slight bit of lacing on the surface. Chocolatey aromas, with a delicate touch of vanilla. This is followed through into the flavour and met by a powdered, bitter coffee finish.These limited-edition bottles each have their own unique number with only 32,000 brewed, so once they're gone, they're gone!You can pick up this bad boy exclusively in Waitrose, Marston’s Brewery Store on Shobnall Road and from their online shop.
Wye Valley Brewery - Eskimo's Kiss Warming Winter Ale (4.4% abv)
There’s been plenty of exciting things happening for Wye Valley Brewery this year. Their lager ‘1985’ picked up ‘Country Winner’ at the World Beer Awards 2019 and they’ve just released this bad boy, along with a few other limited edition brews...Tasting notes: Clear, amber, with a fair few bubbles feeding a moderate head. Very hoppy in aroma with a touch of tropical fruit and a sweet malty underlay. Quite crisp in flavour, with a blast of lotus biscuits and a warming finish.Can’t wait to see what these guys have in store for next year!Available to purchase in Morrisons and Wye Valley Brewery's online store.
Butcombe Brewing Co - Chris Moose Yuletide Ale (4.1% abv)
It’s been a busy year for Butcombe Brewing Co. Back in July we went to check out their pub The Cottage Inn, at Bristol’s bustling harbour front where they had just launched their new lager “Underfall”. What better to finish off this cracking year than to bring back their classic Christmas brew “Chris Moose!”Tasting notes: A clear tawny brew, with a reddish glow and a slightly off-white head. A mix of red-berries, nuts and a touch of caramel. This almost forest-fruit feel is followed into the flavour and counterbalanced by a slightly dry, bitter finish. We’re really looking forward to what these guys have in store for next year, if this year’s anything to go by it will be EPIC!Available in Butcombe’s pubs and across the South West.
Birmingham Brewing Co - Merry Brummie (4.7% abv)
After outgrowing their small unit on the Stirchley Beer Mile, Birmingham Brewing Company have moved a few doors up and set up a permanent taproom! It’s been awesome to watch these guys grow from when we first visited them back in March 2017, to where they are now! They have tweaked the recipe of their legendary “Merry Brummie” this year to make it better than ever before… Tasting notes: Ruby red in colour, with a thick dense beige head. Aromas of rich red berries, Christmas spice and an underlay of delicate caramel. The fruitiness continues into the flavour and is met by a slightly dry nuttiness and polished off with a spicy kick.Really excited to see what 2020 brings for these guys, it looks like there’s going to be plenty going on both in the taproom and brewing-wise!Grab a case here!
So there you have it guys, your official BeerYeti Christmas kick starters!
