2016 Advent Beer 18: Molotov

We wrap up the third week of the Advent Calendar (well, not precisely, but we are at the arithmetical 3/4 mark for sure)  with yet another multicultural and spicy beer. Italy's Birrificio Del Ducato has gifted us with Molotov, a strong ale (7% abv) with a Russian moniker, but seasoned with a decidedly Japanese spice: wasabi.

As a result of this, I approached Molotov with no small degree of trepidation, but I was safer than I thought. It pours a hazy gold with very little head to speak of, and gives off a scent that is far more citrusy than horeradishy.

In the mouth, Molotov is very well balanced, the malts tamed by the fruity hops but not so much so that you get any IPA pucker out of the affair. Moderately carbonated, the beer has a smooth finish and any spiciness is left towards the very end of each sip. Yesterday's Black Alligator felt more intensely peppery than Molotov does, strangely enough.

It is a pleasant enough beer, despite not matching the incendiary qualities one might associate with the name. A failure of marketing, or a triumph of brewing? Each will have to judge for themselves.

I'm not sure what sort of food it might go best with; one is instinctively compelled to say 'sushi', which could be quite all right, actually. Roast pork or other white meats could also make a good pairing, or a chef's salad garnished liberally with shredded radish.

2016 Advent Beer 17: Black Alligator

From Budapest comes a Belgian style saison flavoured with West African pepper...y'know what, I don't get it either, but let's judge the beer by its taste, shall we?

Another darkety dark beer, as befits both the name and its appellation of 'black saison', topped by a modest head of beige foam which quickly dissipates. The nose is malty with hints of burnt chicory or coffee and a bit of yeast. There is some piney tartness as well.

A bit sour on the palate too, but flavourful, with the malt-forward taste followed by coffee and juniper notes. The alligator pepper itself (also known as mbongo spice) is fairly subtle, a residual spiciness lingering on the tongue after a tingly finish. A bit more astringent than the porter from two days ago, but an intriguing beer.

Monyo Brewing's label (according to Google Translate) says:

The MONY Brewing Co. presents a Black Alligator, the ruthless predator. The beer is based on a traditional saison, a spicy character of the three kinds of yeast by the Alligator Juniper Pepper and makes it unique. The latter is a Special West African pepper species that simultaneously gives slightly spicy and citrus flavors in beer. Aszíne dark as the alligator her skin, but the classic roasted malt ízjegyeket ignored. Note that sticks in the throat!

I can't help but think Black Alligator would be a good complement to spicy foods, a nice (and multicultural) beer for Heritage Days, but at 9% abv, it would be a poor choice to extinguish gastronomic fires!

2016 Advent Beer 16: Gno More Gnomes (Barleywine with Figs by Evil Twin)

In terms of when a fermenting beverage stops being an ale and becomes a barleywine, none are anxious to weigh in. Trappist ales can run up to 14% abv or more, while barleywines are typically 8-11%, so strength is not the only factor.

I strongly doubt I could tell one from the other in a blind taste test, but I can tell you with assurance that barleywines feel more Christmassy, although I am at a loss to explain why that might be. Certainly strong beers like these have a grand reputation as a winter warmer which is greatly appreciated on a night when the thermometer is expected to drop to -31 degrees Celsius!

This may be the first barleywine I've encountered in the Craft Beer Advent Calendar, and seeing that Gno More Gnomes comes from famed gypsy brewer Evil Twin made me excited to try it. The colever name and brilliant label only serve to add to the experience.

Poured into a stemmed glass, it presents as a deep coppery amber, with hints of ruby glistening through, crowned with a picturesque crown of beige foam, about a finger's worth. Scents of big alcohol, followed by fruit esters (fig as expected, but also traces of apples and maybe raisins), a bit of yeast of subtle spices.

The taste is the same: powerful, sweet but also tart, and finished with the gamey sweetness of figs. It grows in complexity as it warms, and traces of cinnamon and vanilla, perhaps imagined, are nonetheless detectable.

Gno More Gnomes is an appealing, whimsical, and most importantly, tasty way to spend a cold evening inside. This beer could accompany grilled fish or even a roast turkey, but was almost a meal unto itself when paired with simple mixed nuts.

2016 Advent Beer 15: Imperial Baltic Porter by Pohjala

Although this year's calendar has seen Belgian beers originating in Scotland and West Coast IPAs brewed in Spain, today's beer is remarkably focused in comparison, geographically speaking: an Imperial Baltic Porter brewed by Pohjala, in Estonia.

Estonia is one of the three Baltic states, along with Lithuania and Latvia, which embraced porters from England back in the day. They brewed them in an amped up fashion, however, similar to Russian Imperial Stouts, with even toastier malts and higher alcohol content than the British originators. This style was also popular in Finland, Poland and Russia, but virtually disappeared in the West during the Cold War.

Dark Imperials like this are my preferred style of beer, especially in the winter, when the robust malt character and the warmth of the big abv (10.5% in tonight's offering!) can go a long way in dispersing the winter blues and warming one's innards.

Pohjala's IBP pours a deep rich brown, almost black, reminiscent of India ink. There is very little carbonation, so almost no head to speak of, despite a vigorous pour. A moment later, a thin, perfunctory layer of fine, caramel-coloured foam appears in an almost obligatory fashion, as if to say, 'Yeah,right, you came here for the head, just like those guys who claim to read Playboy for the articles.'

The high abv permeates the aromas emanating from the glass, but also carry a deep richness. Hints of strong coffee, bitter chocolate and dark fruits, like blackcurrants, add to the bouquet.

The richness continues as I take my first mouthful, toasted malts, just shy of burnt, bring a biscuity taste offset by bitter coffee notes. It finishes sweetly (10.5% abv!) and with an almost vanilla-like quality and smoothness.

Pohjala's Imperial Baltic Porter is a brilliant rendition of the style, and I am sure it would have shown even more complexities as it warmed, if I had only allowed it to.

Not really a beer to accompany a meal, but an excellent way to finish one. I have a clear picture in my mind of a dinner with friends, capped off by a glass of this beer for dessert, paired perhaps with espresso beans covered in dark chocolate, in hopes of extending the evening into the wee hours...

A definite contender for favourite beer in this calendar, and I will definitely be searching it out after the holidays!

2016 Advent Beer 14: Bersalis Sourblend

Having a beer while cooking is always a pleasure, so sipping on tonight's blond ale while working over a repurposed wok was a treat, if perhaps a bit distracting.

Bersalis Sourblend pours a cloudy gold-orange with a wispy white head, and exudes a pleasant tartness, backed by a tangy yeastiness.

Belgium's Oud Beersel brewery informs us via the label that this beer re-ferments in the bottle, and the first mouthful is tart without being astringent, with a sweetness born out of its 6% abv. The blond ale is hopped just enough that it balances out the sour and sweet elements nicely.

Bersalis Sourblend is not a beer for everyone, and even I, a fan of all things tart, do not appreciate every sour ale I have come across. I would gladly have a second bottle of this one if the opportunity arose, and think it would pair nicely with fish, seafood, or perhaps a pesto dish.

It even went well with the diagnostic samples I took of the jambalaya I am preparing for tomorrow's potluck!

2016 Advent Beer 13: Adventurous Brown (Nøgne Ø)

Nøgne Ø means "naked isle" in Norwegian, and is an apt description of the southern coast of that Scandinavian land, where their eponymous and celebrated brewery is located. The name "Adventurous Brown" refers to the anticipation and celebration of the advent season, and the fact that this is a brown ale.

Very brown, as it happens.

It pours a very rich, dark brown, like burnt caramel, but not completely opaque; a colour reminiscent of opulent libraries, with comfortable leather chairs and dark, oiled wood. A thin line of off-white head the colour of aged paper completes the whole bibliophilic effect, at least for me.

In terms of smell, Adventurous Brown brings the malty sweetness of fresh born bread to the fore, with hints of molasses lurking at the edges. At 10% abv, the sweetness in the scent is hardly surprising.

And the taste? Smooth and luxurious, with the bready malts followed swiftly by sweetness. Probably more than enough sweetness for most people, but its Christmas, so I find the molasses and slightly caramelized sugar notes in keeping with the season, and making this beer either a great winter warmer or a fantastic dessert beer. I can't claim to tell the difference between oak and cypress in this context, but barrel-aged beers are one of my favourite things in the world, and the wood does bring significant nuance to this ale.

Seriously, there aren't a lot of brown ales that would make a delightful accompaniment to bread pudding with a rich bourbon sauce, but I could see Adventurous Brown doing so with aplomb, or perhaps washing down a plank of charcuterie and aged cheddar. One of the best offerings from the 2016 calendar thus far!

2016 Advent Beer 12: Pukki

Mixed feelings abound when I come across a low-alcohol variety in the Craft Beer Advent Calendar. On the one hand, when I drink a beer, I like to feel like I've drank a beer afterwards. On the other had, it's a school night, the weekend was pretty tiring, so perhaps this 3 percenter (abv) is just some sensible programming undertaken on my behalf by the calendar crew.

Then I saw that Pukki is a Polish/Finnish collaboration, then I saw that it has had spruce added, and then I saw that it is a smoked beer (sometimes called a rauchbier), and my acceptance turns very swiftly to anticipation.

After supper tonight, I poured the beer and was greeted by a cloudy and pale gold beer, with a crisp white head that left a nice ring of pearls around the edge of the glass. The scent of smoke is easily discernible but not overpowering, and you can smell the fresh, biting scent of spruce needles behind it.

The beer-taste itself is very mild, owing to the fact that Pukki is made from malted wheat, not barley, and its subtlety serves as an ideal delivery vehicle for the smokey warhead. It is a tremendously smooth -drinking beer, with the acrid and tangy taste of the spruce coming through at the very end, and providing a brilliant finish to the beer.

There is more information about this "Grodziskie" style of beer on the Browar Wasosz website, including the difficulty in brewing this 'Polish champagne' and the nature of the Finnish contribution.

An absolute delight to discover, Pukki (Finnish for Santa) is exclusive to the Advent Beer Calendar for now, but I wouldn't hesitate to buy this beer if I came across it again. Daring in some ways, comforting in others, I think it would make a fantastic complement to just about any sort of grilled meats, especially salmon or a pork tenderloin cooked on a cedar plank.