New year post. A happy new year from Rob's Beer Quest.

Well, it's been a big year. But 2012 is finally over.


For me the obvious highlight was becoming a dad for sure, yet plenty of other stuff happened. For a start we got IPA in keg, which was cool. Then the whole Panda Frog project kicked off (also very cool). Later there was a beer battle. We didn't win (but with regard to all those who put out formidable entries, arguably no one won) but for the record look out for Killswitch 51 next year. Then we were nominated for GBBF, again no trophies there but hey at least we were nominated.

Closer to home Alnwick had a food festival, it was good. Alnwick had a beer festival, it was better. Then we can't forget that new pub that opened. I met various brewers and tried some great beers. On a whole I'd say the entire North East brewing scene produced a good number of diverse and interesting beers.

This year I also realised the difference between a bar that serves a good range of bottled and kegged beer and a great pub with great beer. Not that I have anything against Brew Dog bars but for me real pubs just offer much more. Some random sporting events were on the TV that had no relevance to beer. Then straight out of the blue came the SIBA awards.

But hey it isn't all about winning, I myself tried to define craft beer and like many others failed miserably. That was before a great blogging legend from the past rose like a pheonix from the flames to use his great knowledge and wisdom to finally put the issue to rest with one of the greatest blog posts of all history. But hey I can't compete with that.


But for me, besides all the ups and downs, trials and trivulations this year was mainly about three things. In order of occurance these were;

Panda Frog rises

The bairn

Panda Frog award

And that about wraps it up.


Happy new year everyone.

The 11th Beer of Christmas

Old Dairy Brewery Snow Top

Another one coming from all the way down south. It seems my old Heriot Watt homie Ed Wray has been focusing his brewing activities on on what he likes best; old school British strong ales. He sure hasn't gone wrong here.

Snow Top comes in at 6% and is hopped with Challenger, Bramling Cross and East Kent Goldings hops although that isn't obvious in this porter-esque/old ale like brew. There's an alcohol warmth instantly, but it's countered by sweetness and not challenging at all. It's all rum and raisins, figs and smooth fruitcake with underpinnings of prunes and milk chocolate. Probably my favourite Old Dairy brew to date, well composed, delicious and nourishing.

Good work Ed.

The 10th Beer of Christmas

Mikkeller Santa's Little Helper

So it's Christmas day. Time to pull out the big guns. The big number ten this year comes from Denmark from the folks at Mikkeller, brewers of the delightful From via To (last years 9th beer of Christmas) and this year I'm reviewing their 10.5% barley wine/Belgian strong ale like thing Santa's Little Helper.

Been a while since I've been near this category of beer so I'm intrigued. The colour is deep, deep, deep crimson, the nose is very perfumed cherry with quite a few upfront volatile esters and fusel alcohols. In short this is one big sappy, juicy hit of warming rum soaked raisins,  coffee, cherry and chocolate. The viscous almost liqour like alcohol hit rips through a syrupy, sugary sweet backbone that seems to come back in the finish.

So at first I wasn't sure on this one, but it does grow on you. Rich enough to take on any christmas pudding Santa's Little Helper is a fine example of a high octane seasonal brew. From Rob's Beer Quest, a merry Christmas to one and all.   

The 9th Beer of Christmas

Batemans Rosey Nosey

So, finally made it to Christmas eve. And it's time for an old faithful. Year after year Rosey Nosey adorns the supermarket shelves as one of the better readily available seasonals. Same old bready, boozy malt heavy winter warmer. At 4.7% it gives you dark fruit and caramelised malt, you could almost call it a textbook British winter seasonal. I get it as a Christmas present most years. Not a bad beer at all.  

The 8th Beer of Christmas

York Stocking Filler

Here's a nice 4.8% chocolatey, toasty, nutty brown ale-like seasonal for you  Lots of dark fruit and subtle spice in the finish. Always regarded York brewery highly for well-crafted session beers and this one goes down rather easily. Nice beer indeed..