Festive Cheer

To begin with on Christmas afternoon I decided to go with a bottle of Black Jack Porter from Left Hand Brewing Company. The beer pours a jet black with a nice thick tan head that dissipates quickly. The aroma is sweet and malty, but the taste is a total counterpoint to the aroma. The taste is very strong with concentrated coffee flavours with a hint of chocolate on the end, you also get a lovely vanilla aftertaste. Slightly over-carbonated but a nice light to medium body. Everything you would expect from a porter, nothing outstanding but a nice beer. I think I might have a second bottle of this before changing things up.

Next up was Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, had as a post dessert tipple. Pours a jet black with a thick tan head. Aroma is of strong dark chocolate, also hints of something sweeter in the background, possibly from crystal malt. Taste is very complex, dark chocolate dominates with a nice coco bitterness, with hints of burnt caramel and a very slight sourness, this is all competed by a lovely espresso hit on the end. Medium bodied with a nice level of carbonation. Certainly a beer to take your time with, strong complex flavours and a 10% ABV. This is one to slowly sip on a cold winters evening, perfect for Christmas night with a foot of snow lying on the ground.

Later in the evening I relaxed with a couple of bottles of Flying Dog's Doggie Style Classic IPA, this is a beer I have had before and really liked, my thoughs can be found here.

Last but certainly not least, Sierras Nevada Tumbler,described as an autumn brown ale. I had this on draft previously in the Bull & Castle and really liked it. Pours a lovely reddish brown colour with a thin off white head. Medium bodied with a lovely velvety smooth mouthfeel, this beer is all about the malt. Amber malt is very discernible with a hint of black and chocolate. A really nice beer, however I have to say that I preferred it on draft, the bottle version loses some of the sweet caramel plavour and surprisingly does not seen to have the same level of hops. Overall though a pretty nice way to finish the evening.