Beer Advent Calendar

[Pope]

Beer Review number 8

Brewery: Evil twin; Beer Name; Hipster Ale; Style: APA; Packaging: Can; Size: 330ml; ABV: 5.5%; Date tasted: 08/12/16

Appearance: medium amber, opaque, slight head 3/3

Aroma: subtlety hoppy 7/12

Flavour: Grapefruit, highly bitter 15/20

Mouthfeel: refreshing, moreish, medium carbonation 4/5

Overall: enjoyable, refreshing, recommend 8/10

Total: 37/50

 

[Pope]

Beer Review number 9

Brewery: Timmerman's; Beer Name: Pêche; Style: Peach lambic; Packaging: Bottle; Size: 330ml; ABV: 4%; Date tasted: 09/12/16

Appearance: Deep gold, clear, little head 2/3

Aroma: PEACH 8/12

Flavour: Peach, sour 16/20

Mouthfeel: highly carbonated, refreshing, moreish 3/5

Overall: refreshing, tasty, nice for one or two, enjoyed the sourness 7/10

Total: 36/50

 

[Pope]

I got one of these from the better half and have been following this thread with interest as I have been abroad until today.
I started to open the doors today and have found that, despite no damage to the packaging at all, the inside holders are screwed up to the extent that I can only actually retrieve 5 of the 9 beers, the rest appear to have fallen down the back. In fact the only reason I got 5 is because I scraped my hand for one bottle and the cans held in place despite the inside being screwed up.
To say I am pissed off after the wife spent £75 quid on it as it isn't fit for purpose doesn't begin to describe it. The whole point of it being an advent calendar is ruined (along with chuckling away what was probably a premium paid on top of the beer value as well), if I had wanted to just buy a box of beer I could have paid less and chosen what I wanted.
Let's see if they attempt to make good when I speak to them tomorrow or they will be picking it up as not fit for purpose and lose mine and other friends of mine business for good.
The annoying thing is that I inspected the outside really carefully and from what I can see from the open doors, it appears to have been screwed up in the assembly before it was packed.

That's a real shame, I've had problems at all with the calendar. Have you contacted the manufacturer?

 

[F00b4r]

That's a real shame, I've had problems at all with the calendar. Have you contacted the manufacturer?

I literally just got back in the country yesterday and went to own them last night.
As I say the box itself and the heavy duty box that came in was undamaged so it looks like it wasn't put together properly.
I will be contacting them tomorrow asi need some light to take some pictures to show the issues (see below):

If they don't offer me a substantial voucher or similar I will be very unhappy and they will be getting ite returned as not fit for purpose.
Unfortunately, although I checked the outside for damage as soon as it was received, it isn't really something I could have foreseen and it is too late for them to replace it unless they have a time machine.

Great thread though!

 

[F00b4r]

I have to say that Beer Hawk were pretty impressive in dealing with the problem, apart from being apologetic they immediately offered either a return or 50% refund, unsurprisingly I took the latter and will just have to wait until later in the month for some of the beers.
They will defnitely be keeping me as a customer with service like that. I particularly liked that they gave me a cash refund as, although it was more expensive for them, it doesn't tie me to them. Along with the £10 gift voucher you get with the advent calendar, two tasting glasses etc it ended up being quite a bargain.

 

[F00b4r]

Well the rest of the calendar was knackered, I would have only got one beer through the doors from the last 15 doors, so I opened the thing up and unloaded all of the beers! Have to say it is a decent selection and definitely a wide range, not just loads of hopped IPA's.
I won't spoil the surprise for the op and others with the calendar but there are some nice beers to look forward to including a couple of limited edition ones that I was quite surprised to see in there.

 

[Leon103]

Well the rest of the calendar was knackered, I would have only got one beer through the doors from the last 15 doors, so I opened the thing up and unloaded all of the beers! Have to say it is a decent selection and definitely a wide range, not just loads of hopped IPA's.
I won't spoil the surprise for the op and others with the calendar but there are some nice beers to look forward to including a couple of limited edition ones that I was quite surprised to see in there.

Were they all smashed

 

[F00b4r]

Nope al.p. intact luckily but had just slid down the back, tbh I am amazed none were so I am guessing they only moved there in the very late stages of transport to me.

 

[Leon103]

Nope al.p. intact luckily but had just slid down the back, tbh I am amazed none were so I am guessing they only moved there in the very late stages of transport to me.

I get you, for a minute I thought the beers had smashed rather than the physical calendar had been ruined. Glad you have something to drink.

 

[Pope]

Beer Review number 10:

Brewery: Hitachino; Beer Name: Saison du Japon; Style: Saison; Packaging: Bottle; Size: 330ml; ABV: 5; Date tasted: 10/12/16

Appearance: medium amber, opaque, little head 2/3

Aroma: clementine 8/12

Flavour: complex, sweet and sour, peppery aftertaste 15/20

Mouthfeel: High carbonation, slight oily but turns crisp 3/5

Overall: good beer, not as nice as earlier Saison but still good 7/10

Total: 35/50

 

[Pope]

Beer Review number 11:

Brewery: Nogne; Beer Name: Pale ale; Style: Pale ale; Packaging: Bottle; Size: 330ml; ABV: 6%; Date tasted: 11/12/16

Appearance: Deep gold, completely opaque head 3/3

Aroma: tangerine 7/12

Flavour: Bitter but not I'm your face, not much flavour 14/20

Mouthfeel: medium carbonation, slightly heavy 2/5

Overall: unsure about this one. Drinkable but not much flavour and a bit heavy 6/10

Overall: 30/50

 

[Pope]

Beer Review number 12:

Brewery: Früh; Beer Name: Kölsch; Style: Kölsch; Packaging: Bottle; Size: 330ml; ABV: 4.8%; Date tasted: 12/12/16

Appearance: Pale gold, clear head doesn't last 2/3

Aroma: Spicy notes 6/12

Flavour: Balanced, slight spice, floral15/20

Mouthfeel: High carbonation, crisp, clean 3/5

Overall: nice beer, good for session 7/10

Total: 33/50

 

[Pope]

Beer Review number 13:

Brewery: Trappistes Rochefort; Beer Name: Biere 8; Style: Trappiste; Packaging: Bottle; Size: 330ml; ABV: 9 2%; Date tasted: 13/12/16

Appearance: Amber brown, completely opaque, big head 3/3

Aroma: next to none, slight beery 3/12

Flavour: very subtle, cloves, pepper12/20

Mouthfeel: High carbonation, heavy 3/5

Overall: unusual, disappointing, expected more flavour of a beer with a high strength 5/10

Total: 26/50

 

[Pope]

Beer Review number 14:

Brewery: Brooklyn; Beer Name: Scorcher IPA; Style: IPA; Packaging: Bottle; Size: 330ml; ABV: 4.5%; Date tasted: 14/12/16

Appearance: straw, hazy little head 3/3

Aroma: hoppy, fruity, inviting 8/12

Flavour: fairly high bitterness, hints of Grapefruit, resiny too17/20

Mouthfeel: High carbonation, crisp, bite 4/5

Overall: refreshing, thirst quenching, tasty 8/10

Total: 40/50

 

[Pope]

Beer Review number 15:

Brewery: Westmalle; Beer Name: Tripel; Style: Tripel; Packaging: Bottle; Size: 330ml; ABV: 9.5%; Date tasted: 15/12/16

Appearance: Pale gold, hazy, head 3/3

Aroma: Pepper and clove notes 7/12

Flavour: Quite alcoholic but followed by spicy notes13/20

Mouthfeel: Quite High carbonation, fairly heavy, bit warm to swallow 3/5

Overall: not bad but not keen on tasting alcohol, drinkable but wouldn't have again 5/10

Total: 31/50

 

[Pope]

Beer Review number 16:

Brewery: Brewdog; Beer Name: Santa Paws ; Style: Scotch ale ; Packaging: Bottle; Size: 330ml; ABV: 4.5%; Date tasted: 16/12/16

Appearance: Black, opaque, head 3/3

Aroma: roasted malts, honey, smokey 8/12

Flavour: Roasted coffee and flavours of honey, lovely 17/20

Mouthfeel: High carbonation, slightly heavy 4/5

Overall: superb beer, easy drinking, tasty 9/10
Total: 41/50

 

[Pope]

Beer Review number 17:

Brewery: Schneider Weisse; Beer Name: Mein Original; Style: Weissbier; Packaging: Bottle; Size: 330ml; ABV: 5.4% Date tasted: 17/12/16

Appearance: Deep amber, opaque, little head 2/3

Aroma: smells like a Belgian beer, tangerine after notes 8/12

Flavour: typical of style, banana, cloves14/20

Mouthfeel: very High carbonation, heavy 3/5

Overall: good Weissbier, should have had sober in order to remember it better* 7/10

Total: 34/50

* I drank it last night after coming home from works do

 

[marlon]

Excellent work Pope, I can tell it's tough, but hey - someone's gotta do it...!
Cheers :drunk: