Amager Bryghus - Julebryg 2013

With the Danish named Hurricane Bodil approaching a winter warmer is in order so….Back to the festive beer again. Amager, once again changes style as the 2012 version I had last year was a very decent brown ale. This year they have brewed an abbey dubbel without any seasonal spices added.

Light nutty aroma with roasted malt, dried fruit and caramel from the pour.

This one pours hazy dark amber brown with a creamy off-white head. Semi sweet slightly roasted malty intake with figs, nuts, chocolate and caramel while the sweet finish is quite dry with a fruity and yeasty sourness. Mild chocolate short aftertaste with figs, raisins and roast, bordering on smoked malt again. Very softy carbonated, full bodied and the mouthfeel is smooth and creamy. No alcohol shines through.

Well, this one certainly went up in status as it warmed up, 30 mins out of the fridge and it was so so when pouring while finishing up at room temperature it was extremely enjoyable, maybe because it's all toasty in here while the wind batters the windows, talk about a time and place for a beer. Yet another danish christmas beer without all the spices. It seems to be a trend from the opposite of last year when everything was heavily spiced with orange peel, coriander and star of anise. As you might gather, I enjoyed this one and have no problem buying/drinking another. Summing up, decent craft abbey brew.

This scored 7.5/10 on the 'monks…do it better' Beerometer.

Alc : 7%
Where to buy CPH : Kihoskh, Sønder Boulevard 53, Kbh V. Also seen in other bottle shops.

Braumanufaktur - Werdersches

An interlude from the seasonal beer, this one a new one to me from the all organic Braumanufaktur range which I have sampled a few of. This one styled a keller bier……..

Very light aroma of malt, some toastyness and butter toffee from the pour.

Werdersches pours cloudy amber brown with a creamy white head. Quite a sweet (medium) malty intake with butterscotch or diacetyl which ever way you want to judge it along with some fruit and yeasty notes while the finish ends slightly sour with no bitterness to speak of. Short aftertaste of malt and more of the yeasty sourness. Very soft carbonation and the mouthfeel is silky smooth and creamy.

I enjoyed this one, easy to drink and not a whole lot going on to make you think too much. You could say boring but I would rather say simplistic. The constant through their range I have tried is that buttery note, or diacetyl which I don't mind most of the time while some people hate it. I would have no problems buying and sinking a few more though there are far better options of this style out there. Summing up, easy drinkable kellerbier, not the best and not the worst. Average.

This scored 4/10 on the 'the smugness on my face with 5 weeks off is unbearable to many' Beerometer.

Alc : 4.8%
Where to buy CPH : Kihoskh, Sønder Boulevard 53, Kbh V
Web : Braumanufaktur (german only apart from the dining menu)

Greene King - Hardys & Hansons Rocking Rudolph

Back again after another pause from the beer. Not a lot going on apart from I have two days of work left then I'm off for 5 weeks so hopefully a mental posting flurry ensues as I have a crate load of untested brews to get through. Continuing on with the festive beers theme this one was picked up by the wife……

Light aroma of caramel, butter, malted biscuits, spices and nuts from the pour.

Rocking Rudolph pours deep copper with a thin off-white head that quickly vanishes. Fruity intake with roasted malt, toffee and hay while this has a sour hoppy bitter finish. Quite a dry cold tea /metallic aftertaste with some sharp fruit/berries in the background. Watery mouthfeel.

I absolutely hated this, but not because of the taste, which was a bit weird in the end. This beer was that much over carbonated that I struggled to get anything from it and it was extremely harsh in the mouth. I ended up swirling it around the glass and letting it go half flat before it finally tasted, well, half decent. Not one which I would bother with again as there is far better seasonals out there and it was also overpriced. My opinion, avoid.

This scored a very generous 4/10 on the 'if rudolph is in charge of the bottling line, shoot it' Beerometer.

Alc : 4.2%
Where to buy/avoid CPH : Superbrugsen.

Klosterbryggeriet - Scullery Brew Christmas Extra Stout

Continuing once again with the festive theme….This one came recommended for me by a very picky, when it comes to beer anyway, friend to try out so I have my hopes up for this one…..

Light waft of roasted malt, chocolate, milky coffee and caramel from the pour.

Extra Stout pours pitch black with a brown tan head. Sweetish dark malty intake with chocolate, caramel, coffee, dark cane sugar and cinnamon while the finish is bitter orange with light spicy hops. Coffee and chocolate linger in the aftertaste. Softly carbonated, the mouthfeel is quite smooth and oily. Despite the strength, no alcohol shines through.

Well well well, what a huge improvement on yesterdays brew. Everything seems to blend in well here and nothing is totally dominant in the flavour department. One thing that popped in my head while drinking this was it's like terry's chocolate orange ( uk confectionary, popular at xmas) in liquid form but using bitter orange. All said and done a really nice christmas stout. I have one small gripe, either I did not drink this quick enough but it was totally lifeless in the glass halfway down. I would have no problem buying/drinking this again. Summing up, definitely worth a try.

This scored a very respectable 7.5/10 on the 'picky friends are not just for christmas' Beerometer.

Alc : 7.5%
Where to buy CPH : Kihoskh, Sønder Boulevard 53, Kbh V
Web : Scullery Brew (danish only)

Nørrebro Bryghus - Dronning Louises Hvid Jul

ENG : Queen Louises White Christmas.

Not one I have had the pleasure ? to try before but the bottle caught my eye while in the local supermarket. I have one wish, I wish they would put some of these brews in normal sized bottles, well depending on the beer of course. Seeing it is friday and the weekend I think it's safe to crack this open. Blurb roughly translated below….

Queen Louises White Christmas is a refreshing light relation (wtf ?) to the dark christmas season. A christmas blond brewed for the people that wish an alternative to the dark traditional heavy christmas beer, but pursue a wish to serve a rich beer that has body and character enough to complement the Danish christmas dinner. (serving suggestions followed but sod that, i detest that shit written on beer labels)

Righty ho ho ho, on we go….

Very pungent waft of malt, spice and a little minuscule hint of hops when popping the cork and pouring.

Hvid jul pours clear golden with a frothy white head. Sweet intake with malt, wheat, caramel, a hint of black pepper and herbs while it finishes dry, malty and mildly bitter. In the aftertaste I'm reminded of my youth sucking on a barley sugar, though not as sweet combined with more malt. A light mouthfeel to this without being watery.

Ok, this beer confuses me. Take the bottles label away and I would not guess this was a seasonal brew as it is one that I would have no problem drinking in the height of summer. Very simplistic compared to the usual seasonal brews and not a huge amount going on with it, maybe that is the point ? I do have a gripe, why label this one with a christmas brew label when you have a couple of other christmas brews out already at the same time (julebryg and stjernestund). Stop that shit please, it's milking it too far..unless your name is Thisted Bryghus.

Summing up, I did enjoy this one and as said would have no problem drinking this again if labelled properly. It is worth a try, like the brewdog in the last post if you want a change of pace from the heavily spiced seasonals that are out just now.

This scored a generous 5.5/10 on the ' the north bridge is falling down, falling down' Beerometer.

Abv : 6.8%
Where to buy CPH : Føtex.