The BeerCast

Ho Ho Ho, and Merry Christmas from all at the BeerCast! As with any other time of year, there are no shortage of seasonal ales that can be used to celebrate the festive period, so we’ve collected several for our Christmas Special. This episode is actually our third festive outing, and as with last year we celebrated by ramping up the number of beers. We begin with Naylor’s Santa’s Choice Winter Warmer (4.9%) from Yorkshire, and then move down to Suffolk for St. Peter’s Winter Ale (6.5%). Our third beer follows BeerCast tradition - Anchor’s Our Special Ale 2009 (5.5%), following on from the three previous Christmas vintages that have featured in our podcasts. Next up we sample Bad Elf (6.0%) from the Ridgeway Brewery, before finishing on Goose Island Christmas 2009 (7.0%) from the Chicago-area producers. On the panel for our festive special are Richard, Grooben, and the returning MrB.

1. Santa’s Choice Winter Warmer (4.9%abv)
Naylor’s Brewery, Keighley, West Yorkshire.
500ml glass bottle

Keighley’s Naylor Brewery were founded in 2005 by two long-time friends who decided to purchase and renovate a local pub, the Old White Bear. As their success grew, they outgrew the homely surroundings in Crosshills and had to open a bespoke brewery to keep up with demand. They produce beers under the Naylor’s name, and also a range of Pinnacle beers, named after a local pointy landmark. We sampled their Ginger Beer in BeerCast #23, our unusual ingredient special. Their festive offering might weigh in at under 5%abv, but it’s a self-styled ‘winter warmer’.

What They Say - “Chestnut in colour, with a hint of Christmas fruit and spice. This traditional ale is a real winter warmer” [Official Website]

Label Christmas Rating - 8/10

What We Say…
Grooben - I fail to see how it’s a winter warmer at all 5
Richard - Too watery to be warming, it tastes like a shandy 4
MrB - Santa on the label has a beer - I bet it’s not this one 4

2. St Peter’s Winter Ale (6.5%abv)
St Peter’s Brewery, Bungay, Suffolk.
500ml glass bottle

The small East Anglian village of Bungay used to be renowned for tales of a sinister feral dog called Black Shuck that terrorised it’s medieval inhabitants – but these days thankfully it’s a brewer that has put it back on the map. St Peter’s produce a wide range of beers from their Suffolk base, and supply a single – but outstanding – pub in London, the Jerusalem Tavern (link for our visit). We’ve also featured the brewery on the BeerCast, tasting their Golden Ale in a summery-themed show last year, BeerCast #19. This time we take on their Winter Ale, and see how it compares to others that have also been brewed for the season.

What They Say - “A deep, ruby red strong ale with an excellent balance of malt sweetness and hop bitterness. A classic example of a ‘winter warmer’; high in alcohol and rich in taste.” [Official Website]

Label Christmas Rating - 0/10

What We Say…
Richard - Dark, deep and rich, but cloyingly sweet 6
Grooben - That’s some malty business, not for the faint-hearted 5
MrB - Too fizzy, and I don’t associate liquorice with winter 3

3. Our Special Ale 2009 (5.5%abv)
Anchor Brewery, San Francisco, California.
355ml glass bottle

It wouldn’t be a BeerCast Christmas Special without the latest special festive ale from Anchor. Each year they produce a highly secret recipe, slightly different from all previous years – the 2009 vintage is the 35th in the series. The 2006 edition topped our beer rankings for a long time, and was eventually crowned beer of the year in our 2007 Beer of the Year show, (during which we also tasted the 2007 one). The 2008 version also scored well last year, so as ever we have high hopes for the 2009. There are never any tasting notes as the San Francisco concern keep the exact ingredients classified, but expect spices, piney freshness and all kinds of winter flavours.

What They Say - “The Ale’s recipe is different every year—as is the tree on the label—but the intent with which we offer it remains the same.” [Official Website]

Label Christmas Rating - 3/10

What We Say…
Richard - No cloves or spice, it just tastes of juniper 7
MrB - Very bitter – lemon-juice bitter, not hop bitter 7
Grooben - I would have like a bit more warming spice, I’ve got a vague sense of disappointment 6

4. Bad Elf (6.0%abv)
Ridgeway Brewery, South Stoke, Oxfordshire.
500ml glass bottle

Ridgeway can be loosely pushed into two pigeonholes – as a phoenix brewery, and a cuckoo brewery. They were founded from the ashes of a defunct producer, as ex-Brakspear head brewer Peter Scholey left and managed to start up another company in his own right. He named the new operation Ridgeway, after the ancient upland pathway that meanders along the South Downs, first trod by the Druids. They contract brew, so Peter leases time from brewers with the capacity to spare, most commonly Sussex’s Hepworth. They export a lot of their beers to North America, and revel in the use of elf puns, increasing in strength from Bad Elf through Very Bad Elf, to Insanely Bad Elf.

What They Say - “Olde England meets the New World in this strong, warming golden ale. A generous amount of famous English malt is masterfully balanced with an astounding 45 ounces of fresh hops – including English Cascade – per barrel.” [Official Website]

Label Christmas Rating - 3/10

What We Say…
Grooben - Not a Christmas beer, but it’s the kind of beer I like 7
Richard - Hoppy at the start, then the taste vanishes 6½
MrB - A smoky IPA, smokier than an American pale ale 6

5. Goose Island Christmas 2009 (7.0%abv)
Goose Island Brewing Company, Chicago, Illinois.
750ml glass bottle

Anchor aren’t the only American craft brewer that produce a seasonal beer with slightly varying recipes each year. Chicago veterans Goose Island also put out a festive ale along those lines, and we’re really pleased to have finally tracked down a bottle. The company started off based in a Chicago brewpub, one of the first in the United States, but like Naylor’s Brewery they became too successful for their fledgling space, and had to open larger premises. We delighted in their amazing India Pale Ale (5.9%) in BeerCast #36, our IPA special. In fact, before we started our Christmas Special the IPA was in our top four beers of the year, and heading for the Beer of the Year Show.

What They Say - “Specialty Belgian malts create a deep garnet color and a truly rich old European flavour in our classic Christmas Ale. And the generous amount of crystal hops adds that extra spicy aroma to your pint, perfect for a wintry night.” [Official Website]

Label Christmas Rating - 7/10

What We Say…
MrB - It’s like a special Goose Island IPA, sooo good 9
Richard - Hoppy, bittersweet, smooth, warming, fantastic 8
Grooben - Anchor’s more of a seasonal beer, but this is nicer 8

Panellists - (clockwise from top left) Richard, MrB, Grooben

BeerCast panel verdict
Goose Island Christmas 2009 (25/30)
Anchor Christmas Ale 2009 (20/30)
Ridgeway Bad Elf (19½/30)
St Peter’s Winter Ale (14/30)
Naylor’s Winter Warmer (13/30)

As that concludes our 2009 BeerCast season, stay tuned for the announcement on which four beers have made it through to our Beer of the Year Show in early January. Reigning champion and 2008 BOTY Hop Back Summer Lightning will be displaced…but by what…?

Ho Ho Ho, Merry Christmas from all at the BeerCast! To celebrate what is traditionally a time for hefty drinking we have put together a seasonal podcast - and following on from last year’s spectacular we have ramped up the festive factor. This time we try no less than SIX Christmas and Winter Ales, the drinking order chosen at random by panellists MrB and Grooben. First beer in front of the fearsome foursome is BOCQ Christmas (8.1%) from the Brasserie du Bocq in central Belgium. Following our strongest beer of the night (which had to come out first) we move back to the UK and BeerCast favourite Hop Back, for their seasonal offering Pickled Santa (6.0%). The next beer in front of the panel is one we were all looking forward to - Anchor’s Special Ale 2008 (5.5%), bearing in mind their 2006 Ale is our reigning Beer of the Year. It’s a tough act to follow, but the fourth beer that gamely tries is Shepherd Neame’s Christmas Ale (7.0%) from Kent. Next on the mammoth podcast lineup is a seasonal porter from Burton Bridge in Staffordshire (4.5%). Eventually we bring the Christmas special to a close with the festively titled Rudolph’s Revenge (4.6%) from the Cropton Brewery in Yorkshire. Also on the panel with drink selectors MrB and Grooben were Shovels and Richard. Alongside our usual scoring system, we also judged each beer critically on the Christmassy nature of the label - we’re nothing if not getting into the spirit…

1. BOCQ Christmas (8.1%abv)
La Brasserie du Bocq, Purnode, Wallonia, Belgium
330ml glass bottle

In 1858 Belgian landowner Martin Berlot decided his farmhands needed some gainful employment during the long winter months, so he put together a brewery - the Brasserie du Bocq. Starting locally, they expanded after the end of World War I with the help of a strong brown ale called La Gauloise. In 1967 they produced their first Christmas beer - called simply BOCQ Christmas. A typically strong Belgian festive ale, it’s the strongest of the night for the panel - but the random beer selector throws it up first…

What They Say - “BOCQ Christmas is dark in colour and has a rich flair with a scent of coriander and liquorice. It is full mouthed and heady, with a pleasant aroma. A typical beer for the end of the year to taste together with family or friends.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Shovels - Strong, full in the mouth, tastes of pontefract cake 7
Richard - Classic standard brown beer with Christmas sweetness 5
Grooben - Hides the alcohol well, but is cloyingly sweet 4
MrB - It’s too sweet and it tastes of bum 3

Label Christmas Rating - 9

2. Hop Back Pickled Santa (6.0%abv)
Hop Back Brewery, Salisbury, Wiltshire
500ml glass bottle

Wiltshire’s Hop Back Brewery began life in 1986 in the basement of the Wyndham Arms pub on the outskirts of Salisbury, and have risen to become one of the UK’s most-awarded producers. Currently their tremendous Summer Lightning tops the BeerCast rankings - so possibly another gong awaits. We’re sure they’ll be clearing a space on the label just in case. Pickled Santa is their seasonal offering proving they offer more than just hoppy session beers.

What They Say - “Chestnut in colour, strong in flavour, hints of cinnamon, coriander and nutmeg.” [Label Tasting Notes] “In the mouth it is initially malty, but the spices soon take over. A syrupy sweetness is offset by some hop bitterness, and there is a little caramel and treacle, especially towards the finish. It leaves a strange aftertaste of peppery malt, with lingering cinnamon and nutmeg.” [Oxford Bottled Beer Database]

What We Say…
Shovels - Unlike most Christmas beers I’d order this in a pub 7½
Richard - Tastes like the nutmeg from on top of custard tarts 7
MrB - Smells Christmassy, the more I drink of it the less I like it 5
Grooben - It’s intriguing, you can’t really taste the alcohol 5

Label Christmas Rating - 7

3. Anchor Special Ale 2008 (5.5%abv)
Anchor Brewery, San Francisco, CA
355ml glass bottle

San Francisco’s Anchor are one of the giants of the American craft brewing industry, and have a wide range of beers in their armory. Every November they put out a festive beer for the season, and every year it’s different. Since 1975 their head brewers have been constructing subtly different offerings for the lucky public - their 2006 Special Ale is our current BeerCast Beer of the Year, for example. Their 2007 Special Ale also went down well during the same BOTY edition - but what will the 2008 vintage bring?

What They Say - Anchor never reveal the exact ingredients of their Special Ales, but speculation on the RateBeer forum is that the 2008 contains hints of citrus and circus peanuts (whatever they are), but also that it’s one of their nicest and is similar to the 2007, but not the 2006.

What We Say…
Shovels - Not as full-bodied as the 2006 but still bloody tasty 8½
MrB - They may all pale into comparison with the 2006 7½
Grooben - Made specially for Christmas which sets it apart 7½
Richard - Sweeter than the 06/07, not as good as either 7

Label Christmas Rating - 6

4. Shepherd Neame Christmas Ale (7.0%abv)
Shepherd Neame Brewery, Faversham, Kent
500ml glass bottle

If there’s anyone who should know about producing warming hoppy liquids it will be Shepherd Neame - their oft-repeated claim is that they are Britain’s oldest brewery. There may be some debate as to whether or not they actually started in 1698, but they certainly have a long and varied production history. We’ve featured their wares on the BeerCast before - Bishop’s Finger made a decent impression back in BeerCast #4. But their 7% Christmas Ale is another story, and has yet to pass the panel’s attention.

What They Say - “Our Christmas Ale is a glowing amber winter ale with a beady, fruity nose. Crystallised winter fruits combine with festive spicy hops on a platform of smooth warming alcoholic notes, leaving a refreshing cleansing hop finish.” [Label Tasting Notes]

What We Say…
MrB - It’s lager and lime only with ale, has a warming finish 7
Grooben - The beer tastes normal, the label screams Christmas 7
Richard - Smells like lime cordial, tastes only reasonable 6½
Shovels - For me it’s just not Christmassy enough 5

Label Christmas Rating - 9

5. Burton Festive Porter (4.5%abv)
Burton Bridge Brewery, Burton on Trent, Staffordshire
500ml glass bottle

If you stop to think about brewing in the UK, the small town of Burton has to feature. The inhabitants of the monastery of Saint Mowden and Burton Abbey laid the beery foundations, only for later generations to discover a local water source high in gypsum salts. As a result, more hops could be added to Burton-area beer and they could be stored and transported for longer, and by the 1880’s there were thirty breweries there. An astonishing one quarter of all beer drunk in Britain came from this small Staffordshire town. Burton currently has five producers - one of them being the Burton Bridge Brewery which was established in 1982 in the Fox and Goose pub. By 1990 it had won Brewpub of the Year according to the Good Pub Guide.

What They Say - “Very dark brown fruity porter with a distinctive bitter after palate. Target and Challenger hops combine with pale, crystal and chocolate malts.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Shovels - Swill it round and all you taste is stewed apples 4
Grooben - Smells very yeasty and really tastes of nothing 3
Richard - It’s not Christmassy and it’s not a porter 3
MrB - Even the Santa on the label isn’t drinking it 3

Label Christmas Rating - 9

6. Rudolph’s Revenge Winter Ale (4.6%abv)
Cropton Brewery, Cropton, N Yorkshire
500ml glass bottle

Happen we ‘ad to ‘ave a Yorkshire beer in t’podcast - and Cropton’s Rudolph’s Revenge comes in a particularly festive bottle. Established in the cellars of the New Inn, the Cropton brewery began in 1984 solely to supply the pub. But when their debut Two Pints Bitter was so well-received, they started to supply other outlets. In 1996 a 100 barrel per week facility was opened in the grounds of the Inn and production increased rapidly. Their festive offering is Rudolph’s Revenge, a bottle-conditioned bitter…but is it festive enough?

What They Say - “A dark bitter, using finest Cascade and Styrian Goldings hops and English malt, providing a unique hoppy beer with a fruity aftertaste.” [Label Tasting Notes]

What We Say…
MrB - It’s almost too fruity but is a tasty tasty beer 7
Shovels - This one goes hopsFRUIT!!! 7
Richard - This is hoppy like none of the others tonight 6
Grooben - Doesn’t taste Christmassy but crucially it tastes nice 6

Label Christmas Rating - 8

BeerCast panel verdict
Anchor Our Special Ale 2008 (30/40)
Rudolph’s Revenge Winter Ale (26/40)
Shepherd Neame Christmas Ale (25½/40)
Hop Back Pickled Santa (24½/40)
BOCQ Christmas (19/40)
Burton Festive Porter (13/40)

Panellists - (from top left) Shovles, MrB, Grooben, Richard

• Listen to the episode here: BeerCast #26 - Christmas Special 2008
• Subscribe to the podcasts in iTunes or our site feed

We’ll be back in the first week of 2009 with our biggest podcast of the year - our second annual BeerCast Beer of the Year episode. Join our greatly enlarged panel for a sampling of the four highest-scoring beers reviewed during 2008, as we gather together to pick a winner. See below for the contenders. Until the new year then, Merry Christmas from all at the BeerCast, and have a happy new year. As ever, please leave us comments on the blog or iTunes, or emails. Cheers!

BOTY finalists - Hop Back Summer Lightning, Thwaites Double Century, Theakston’s XB, BrewDog Hardcore IPA

As everybody knows, the legal drinking age in the United States is 21, and by a happy co-incidence our 21st podcast takes in four beers from that very country. America dominates the global brewing market, but there is a spirited craft beer scene that floats just under the mass-marketed bilge usually available over here. ‘Brewed to taste light’ - no thanks. The BeerCast foursome travel from sea to shining sea, and begin with a classic from the west coast - Anchor’s Liberty Ale. We then zip around a thousand miles inland to the Mile High City of Denver, and Great Divide’s Titan IPA, which we discover during recording is unfortunately three months out of date. So maybe the scores should be listed with an asterisk, or something. Our road trip east continues as we pitch up in Boston for Harpoon’s Winter Warmer, before enlarging our carbon footprint even more by returning to California to end with Sierra Nevada Porter. On the panel this week with Richard and Shovels are MrB and Grooben.

1. Anchor Liberty Ale (5.9%abv)
The Anchor Brewery, San Francisco, CA.
355ml glass bottle

The Anchor Brewing Company are a well-known feature of San Francisco, and started life in 1896 under the resourcefulness of two German immigrant brewers (Ernst Baruth and Otto Schinkel), who acquired the Pacific Brewery which had recently been started by another German ex-pat. After renaming it Anchor - the reasons why having been lost in time - they survived many tragedies and eventually overcame prohibition to become one of America’s most eminent producers. However, the 1960’s brought hard times, and they almost closed for good until being rescued in 1965 by a man named Fritz Maytag. San Franciscans certainly have much to thank him for.

What They Say - “Liberty Ale uses a special top-fermenting yeast to give subtle flavours and characteristics. Carbonation is produced by an entirely natural process called ‘bunging’, which produces champagne-like bubbles. Dry-hopping is also used to impart a unique aroma to the ale.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
MrB - It’s an amazing beer which I really, really like 8½
Grooben - Very robust strong flavour, hoppy not overpowering 8½
Shovels - A beer with character, nothing insipid here 7½
Richard - Not really drawing me in as much as it should 6

2. Titan IPA (6.8%abv)
Great Divide Brewery, Denver, CO.
355ml glass bottle

5280ft above sea level is apparently one mile - and just so happens to be the elevation of the USA’s 26th most populous city, Denver. In 1994 brewer Brian Dunn saw a gap in the market for a new producer in this outdoorsy (and predictably thirsty) city, and opened the Great Divide Brewery. They have since won 12 Great American Beer Festival medals (the first only 3 months after brewing their first batch). Producing 13 different beers, over half of them are self-styled “big beers” – imperial stouts, barley wines, and double IPA’s. Titan IPA falls into the latter category.

What They Say - “Brewed for hop disciples, Titan IPA is a big, aggressively hopped India Pale Ale – starting out with piney hop aromas and citrus hop flavours, and finishing with a rich, malty sweetness that is balanced with crisp hop bitterness.” [Label Tasting Notes] “Ruby red grapefruit juice, with touches of orange zest, backed by a bracing, minerally bitterness and finishing with a caramel sweet malt zing.” [Rocky Mountain Brewing News]

What We Say…
MrB - It tastes of bread 7
Shovels - Initial alcohol taste but then other flavours come out 6½
Richard - Pretty awful but nicer when I’ve had it before 5
Grooben - Tastes bitter and kind of strong, but what’s the point? 4

3. Harpoon Winter Warmer (5.5%abv)
Harpoon Brewery, Boston, MA.
355ml glass bottle

Boston’s Harpoon is said to be the largest craft brewery in New England, having been established in 1986 by three men, one of whom wrote a business plan for a brewery whilst at Harvard Business School. They expanded steadily in the late 1990’s, and in 2002 imported a state of the art brewhouse that had been built specially in Germany and shipped over. Harpoon produce four regular ales, plus a Hefeweizen called UFO (UnFiltered Offering) - Winter Warmer was their first seasonal beer to be developed, back in 1998, and is only available in the States between November and January.

What They Say - “When you bring a glass of this dark copper ale to your lips to take your first sip you will notice the aroma of cinnamon. There is no aromatic hop added that might overpower the distinct spice scent. The medium body of this beer is formed from caramel and pale malts, which create enough body to support the spices without making the beer excessively rich. Bittering hops are added to counter the sweetness of the malt and spice, and the finish of the beer is a blend of cinnamon and nutmeg. The combination of these two spices results in a balanced, pumpkin-pie flavor. The overall character is a smooth, medium bodied ale spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Richard - Only tastes of cloves, it doesn’t really cut it 4
MrB - No body whatsoever, it badly needs a better base 4
Shovels - It smells of a lot and tastes of not so much 4
Grooben - Needs to be more robust to cope with the spices 3

4. Sierra Nevada Porter (5.6%abv)
Sierra Nevada Brewery, Chico, CA.
330ml glass bottle

On the 5th of November 1980, the Sierra Nevada brewery produced the first batch of their now-famous Pale Ale. Founded just the year before in Chico by an ex-homebrewer called Ken Grossman, they have gone on to become one of the largest and highest rated breweries in America. Ken studied Chemistry at California State University (which is in the aforementioned town), and after graduating remained to open a homebrew shop. Once he took the plunge and moved up to a brewery proper, the plaudits and awards soon followed.

What They Say - “Dark and rich, Sierra Nevada Porter is a delicious, medium-bodied ale with a creamy head. The Porter’s smooth flavour (malty with a hint of caramel) comes from a blend of deep-roasted barely malts.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Richard - Two different sweet malts make it cloying, but nice 6
MrB - Might be one of the smoothest porters I’ve ever had 5
Grooben - Decent but perhaps overly sickly for my taste 5
Shovels - Takes over the mouth with the sweet smoothness 5

BeerCast panel verdict

Anchor Liberty Ale (30½/40)
Titan IPA (22½/40)
Sierra Nevada Porter (21/40)
Harpoon Winter Warmer (15/40)

Panellists - (from top left) Shovels, MrB, Grooben, Richard

• Listen to the episode here: BeerCast #21 - USA
• Subscribe to the podcasts in iTunes or our site feed

We’ll be back in a couple of weeks with our 22nd episode, a showcase edition on Gloucestershire’s Wickwar Brewery. Stay tuned for details…and please leave us comments on the blog or iTunes, or emails. Cheers!

And then there were four. After starting up the whole reviewing/podcasting thing in June 2007 we sampled our way through thirty-four beers from half a dozen countries. On the way we’ve drunk our way through numerous others in various guises - but it was down to those 34 when we decided to re-taste the top scorers and find out what would be crowned our first annual BeerCast Beer of the Year. Using our standard scoring system throughout, we had one beer out on top with three others tied for second place - so it was only fair to take all four away and revisit their many pleasures.

On new year’s day our extended BeerCast panel of seven sat down in a windy house in the border village of St Abbs, and let the battle commence. The beers we had with us were the Anchor Brewey Our Special Ale 2006, Daleside IPA, Erdinger’s Weissbier Dunkel, and Coniston’s Bluebird Bitter. All four are tremendous - and very different - so it would be tough to pick a winner. As scoring had been done in each individual BeerCast, for the final we re-sampled each one and gave our general thoughts, before going round the panel and simply picking a winner. For this BotY edition, the panel consisted of Richard, Shovels, MrB, Andy, Jess, Grooben, and BeerCast newcomer Gillian. First up, was Coniston’s Bluebird Bitter…

1. Bluebird Bitter (4.2%abv) 500ml glass bottle
The Coniston Brewery, Cumbria.
BeerCast #3 scored 16/20 (80%) 9th Aug 2007
Originally tasted by Shovels 8; Richard 8

Grooben - I like it a lot, and on tap it might be even nicer
Andy - It’s quite thin and tastes like it has something else in it
Jess - I don’t like it, I find it too bitter, especially the aftertaste
Richard - I think it’s really nice and I stand by my 8/10 score
MrB - Pleasant but not astounding - on tap I’d drink it all night
Shovels - I still think this is a really good beer
Gillian - I agree, this is perfectly drinkable

2. Daleside IPA (4.5%abv) 500ml glass bottle
The Daleside Brewery, Harrogate, North Yorkshire.
BeerCast #3 scored 16/20 (80%) 9th Aug 2007
Originally tasted by Shovels 8; Richard 8

Jess - This is much nicer, it reminds me of honeysuckle
Andy - Much more pleasant, with more substance to it
Grooben - One of the nicest of IPA’s I’ve tasted on the BeerCast
MrB - Very very nice, this is my kind of hoppy session ale
Gillian - Smoother and nicer than the Bluebird
Richard - More flowery than the Coniston
Shovels - All round the mouth taste, it’s good stuff

3. Erdinger Weissbier Dunkel (5.6%abv) 500ml glass bottle
Privatbrauerei Erdinger Weißbräu, Erding.
BeerCast#8 scored 32/40 (80%) 1st Dec 2007
Originally tasted by MrB 9; Richard 8; Grooben 8; Shovels 7

Gillian - I could drink more of the previous beers but I prefer this
Richard - Wheatbeer flavour gives way to nice dark malts
Shovels - First few mouthfuls are tasty but it then loses flavour
Jess - This is lovely, full of bubbles, and it smells really nice too
Andy - Looks dark but it tastes light, there’s an iron taste in there
Grooben - I thought I wasn’t going to like this again, but I do
MrB - I may have overmarked it, but as a wheatbeer it’s ahead of the pack

4. Anchor Our Special Ale 2006 (5.5%abv) 350ml glass bottle
Anchor Brewery, San Francisco.
BeerCast#9 scored 34½/40 (86%) 15th Dec 2007
Originally tasted by MrB 9½; Shovels 9; Grooben 8; Richard 8

MrB - That you can put these flavours into a beer is amazing
Jess - I don’t like it, it’s totally overpowering and not very subtle
Grooben - They’ve crafted this, I have lots of time for it
Andy - Smells of so much yet is forgiving on the tongue
Shovels - It’s really got that spicy Christmas taste to it
Gillian - A gorgeous colour, it’s drinkable but very, very seasonal
Richard - All the other beer smells tonight combined wouldn’t come close to this

So the beers had been re-tried and thoughts given - but only one thought counted, the overall winner of the four. The final step of the Beer of the Year show was to go round the table and pick the one that stood out the most…

Jess
“I had a really tough time between Daleside IPA and the Erdinger. I really like the Erdinger, but it had too many bubbles and I wouldn’t actually drink that much of it, so I chose the Daleside because it’s a nice beer and very pleasant.”

Andy
“I had real difficulty choosing between Daleside IPA and the Anchor, but of the four beers presented to me this evening, I liked the taste of the Anchor the best. So I have to vote for that.”

Grooben
“Again it was between two, the Daleside IPA and the Anchor, and I’ve gone for the Daleside. It’s a beer I would enjoy more on a more consistant basis. I’ve got nothing bad to say about the Anchor - I think it’s brilliant and will drink it every Christmas, but Daleside hit more buttons for me.”

Gillian
“It came down to either the Daleside or the Erdinger, and although I could drink more of the Daleside, I picked the Erdinger. It was a more complex taste and I quite liked all the bubbles.”

MrB
“Daleside IPA was fantastic but there’s at least half a dozen beers - some of which we haven’t reviewed this year - that were better than that, so my vote goes to the Anchor. It was extraordinary, and I’ll be drinking it at every Christmas from now on.”

Richard
“I have to give it to Bluebird as it’s one of my favourite beers and I love it. It’s everything I want from a beer and I’ve enjoyed drinking it this year even before we were sent some. Anchor is truly special, but Bluebird is my BotY so I vote for that.”

Shovels
“Anchor has so much taste and so much going on, but it’s only available for two months of the year. The Daleside IPA is amazing, but there are lots of other good IPA’s out there. I have to say - purely based on all the flavours going on - my BotY is the Anchor.”

So there you have it - the BeerCast Beer of the Year for 2007 is, rather strangely, Anchor’s Special Ale 2006. UK beer drinkers can often be at the back of the queue when it comes to finding the American seasonals, but the Californian brewer lists their Special Ale as having a two year shelflife. We did manage to source some of the 2007 Special Ale, and tried that in the same session. It was also extremely good, albeit very different - but the 2006 vintage was the one we tested during our first year, and it was that beer which came out on top - both in overall scoring and our BotY special. Congratulations to the Anchor brewery, as well as Coniston, Daleside and Erdinger, and we’ll be back on the BeerCasting front very soon with episode 11. In the meantime, here are the panel’s honourable mentions for 2007…

BeerCaster’s 2007 personal favourites

Shovels - Williams Bros Joker
Grooben - Harviestoun Bitter & Twisted
Jess - Wynchwood Hobgoblin; Shepherd Neame Bishop’s Finger
Richard - Stewart’s Edinburgh Gold
Andy - Fruli; Minoh Seasonal Beer; Belgian Peach Lambic
MrB - Fyne Ales Avalanche
Gillian - Didn’t have a favourite, but did try a beer in 2007 she thought was truly awful - so we gave her the honour of naming it as the worst beer of the year - Desperados, the French 12%abv tequila beer. If we ever do a French episode….

• Listen to the episode here: BeerCast #10 - Beer of the Year 2007
• Subscribe to the podcasts in iTunes or our site feed

We’ll be back soon with episode 11. Stay tuned for details…and please leave us comments on the blog or iTunes, or emails. Cheers!

Happy Christmas from all at the BeerCast! Hopefully you’re all eager to indulge in the trappings of the season - and time spent with the family sitting in front of Morecambe and Wise repeats is great beer drinking time. So with that in mind, the BeerCast panel sample four festive beers that you might come across in your local tinsel-decked bottle shop. Firstly we sample Meantime Winter Time (5.4%), from Greenwich in south London. Then we journey to the scene of our last podcast and taste Erdinger’s Schneewiesse Winterbier (5.6%), to see how it differs from their usual wheatbeer fare. Our third tempter is Anchor’s Special Christmas Ale (2006) (5.5%), surprisingly the first ever American beer drunk on the BeerCast. But as the scores show, one that was certainly worth the wait. Finally, the panel drink a Belgian Christmas tipple with a fantastically OTT label - Gordon’s Xmas (8.8%). Find out how we get on, and if any bring some festive cheer to wintry Edinburgh…

1. Meantime Winter Time (5.4%abv)
Meantime Brewery, Greenwich (UK).
500ml glass bottle

Founded in 1999 by a group of friends in London, production at the Meantime brewery first started in April 2000. It was the only British brewery to win medals at the 2004 World Beer Cup (for it’s Viennese lager), and repeated the feat in 2006. They went considerably better in 2007, collecting five ‘world’s best’ at the World Beer Awards, then having four of their range included in the International Beer Challenge’s 50 best beers in the world. They have a large and adventurous range, from coffee and chocolate beers (the latter of which was recently voted the world’s best), to a porter, IPA, wheat beer and raspberry beer. But today the BeerCast sample their seasonal Winter Time…

What They Say - “To best enjoy Meantime Winter Time wrap up warm, go outside and kick up leaves in the street until the end of your nose goes red. Then step back into the warmth, open a bottle and let the soft aromas of roast coffee, chocolate and vanilla beckon. Savour the richness of dark, smokey malts supporting a palate of roast chestnuts, caramel and molasses whilst you wiggle the warmth back in your toes. English fuggles hops, dark malts and smoked malt provide a fireside warming brew.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Shovels - Some burnt flavours in there, it’s a tasty brew 7½
Richard - Dark, smokey maltiness, really nice stuff 7
MrB - Definately a warmer, it’s like a nice smokey mulled wine 7
Grooben - Smells heady, it tastes a bit like a stout 6½

2. Erdinger Schneewiesse Winterbier (5.6%abv)
Brauerei Erdinger, Erding (Ger).
500ml glass bottle

Our second visit to the Bavrian wheatbeer behemoths in two podcasts, as last time out we sampled their extremely tasty Dunkel Weissbier. For this seasonal edition, we got hold of their Schneewiesse Winterbier, or ‘Snow White’. Almost opaque when held up to the light, Erdinger describe it as a ’special’ winter beer, which they first produced in December 1997. It is matured longer from the summer malt harvest until mid-October, apparently to make the flavours more pronounced. It’s only available from November to February, so is this one-off one to savour, or one to avoid?

What They Say - “With a slightly darker colour and a slightly higher alcohol content than the classic Erdinger Weissbier, Schneewieße offers a really pleasant change at the coldest time of year, a time when we like to treat ourselves to something special. It’s amber colour and spicy taste is an ideal compliment to hearty foods such as those round the Christmas table. The taste of winter just got better!” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Shovels - Just tastes of wheat beer, not great but not bad 6
MrB - There’s something slightly different that detracts from it 6
Grooben - Some honeycomb going on, I’m not sold on it 6
Richard - If I had it with a turkey dinner it would be nicer 5

3. Anchor Our Special Ale 2006 (5.5%abv)
Anchor Brewery, San Francisco (USA).
350ml glass bottle

The Anchor Brewing Company is a well-known feature of San Francisco, and started life in 1896 under the resourcefulness of two German immigrant brewers Ernst Baruth and Otto Schinkel, who acquired the Pacific Brewery started by another ex-pat, and renamed it Anchor. After overcoming several tragedies, and the prohibition era, the landmark company were saved from closure in 1965 by Fritz Maytag, and have since gone from strength to strength. They are renowned for their annual special Christmas beer - which remarkably is brewed to a different recipe every year. Sadly the 2007 vintage has yet to reach us, but we more than made do with the 2006 version. BeerCaster Shovels used to live in San Francisco, and is a devoted fan of Anchor - but will he take to the Special Ale?

What They Say - “Every year since 1975 the brewers at Anchor have brewed a distinctive and unique Christmas Ale, which is available from early November to mid-January. The Ale’s recipe is different every year—as is the tree on the label—but the intent with which we offer it remains the same.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
MrB - Mulled red wine, cloves, it’s the most fantastic beer ever 9½
Shovels - This tastes of Christmas, it’s spicy and just wonderful 9
Richard - What a great mix of spices, sugar and Christmas taste 8
Grooben - Great berry fruitiness, for the season it’s exceptional 8

4. Gordon Xmas (8.8%abv)
Brasserie John Martin, Genval (Bel).
350ml glass bottle

John Martin is part of the Anthony Martin conglomerate that dominates Belgian brewing. They also own Timmerman’s, whose Peach Lambic we were distinctly unmoved by in BeerCast 5. A municipality in Walloonian Brabant, along with nearby Rosieres, Genval is home to a large lake and fancy hotels used by Brussels weekenders. The Gordon Xmas beer comes in the most Christmassy bottle any of us has ever seen, and when you’re scouring shelves for potential seasonal ales, this one shouts at you to choose it. But should you?

What They Say - “A top fermented dark ruby Scotch ale. The real beer for Father Christmas. Created in the 30’s, Gordon Xmas initiated the tradition of Christmas brews. To accompany your festive evenings, Gordon Xmas is all dressed up in it’s party clothes. Don’t forget to ask for some in your letter to Santa…” [Official Website]

What We Say…
MrB - This is port-like after-dinner cheese & biscuits drink 8
Richard - Warming and it lingers, this is really drinkable 7½
Grooben - Sweet and rich, with a thick taste not for everyone 6
Shovels - Sweet sherryness, the more I have the less I like 5½

BeerCast panel verdict

Anchor Our Special Ale (2006) - 34½/40
Meantime Winter Time - 28/40
Gordon Xmas - 27/40
Erdinger Schneeweisse - 23/40

Panellists - (from top left) Shovels, Grooben, MrB, Richard

• Listen to the episode here: BeerCast #9 - Christmas Special
• Subscribe to the podcasts in iTunes or our site feed

We’ll be back in early January with our 10th episode, our first annual BeerCast Beer of the Year 2007 show. Stay tuned for details…and please leave us comments on the blog or iTunes, or emails. Cheers!