Secret Santa Reviews 2024

[Leon103]

Nice one, both good beers, for me the stout edged it and was a really great example of the style.

I also agree

I was worried it was a bit too young. I haven't really had much of it due to having other beers on the go and being away.

Recipe is in my brewday thread.

 

[Nottsbeer]

I enjoyed 2 very nice Bitters last night.

#1 - opened with a small hiss and poured very nicely. Not much hop aroma but a lovely amber colour. Tasted great - malt forward. Hops used in this were nicely balanced with the malts. This was very easy to drink and went down a treat. My go to drink is usually quite hoppy so it's always nice to step back and enjoy flavours provided by the grain. Very well made bitter. Thx for sharing

 

[Nottsbeer]

#2 - another lovely bitter. It was great to try two bitters together to see the slight contrast. This one also opened with a slight hiss, then poured slightly lively. Again, a lovely colour and low aroma. This one was not as malty as the previous, being slightly more subtle in its profile. Nice balance with the malts/hops providing a great tasting beer. . Thanks for sharing this one Santa (this was paired with the West Coast IPA from Xmas eve). Both great beers.

 

[old dog new tricks]

Sorry forgot to take pictures in the glass was enjoying them too much!

The Pale Ale was delightful
Clarity brilliant
Perfect carbonation poured easy
Am not a beer drinker as such but this was a revelation very easy to drink nice balance of flavour really enjoyed it and a style I will look for in the future.
Very well made in every way hats off to Santa for this one!

I have to admit I was a bit further on in the night when I tried the pair below
Might have been my pour but carbonation was greater and bigger head.
Cloudy but nice aroma
Taste very smooth not my preference so can't really judge but very well made and easy to drink the glass bottles felt great and make me rethink my bottles now.

Again big thanks to talented brewers

 

[pmh]

My final review for the year Best Bitter, opened with a good hiss, poured well and a head which lasted for a while and laced the glass, good amber colour with caramel hints on the nose, the IBU is just as I like with a bitterness lasting throughout and slight sweet malty flavour, it's a really nice pint which I'm thoroughly enjoying while watching Magpies take apart Villa

 

[pmh]

View attachment 107331
My final review for the year Best Bitter, opened with a good hiss, poured well and a head which lasted for a while and laced the glass, good amber colour with caramel hints on the nose, the IBU is just as I like with a bitterness lasting throughout and slight sweet malty flavour, it's a really nice pint which I'm thoroughly enjoying while watching Magpies take apart Villa

I'd also just like to add a special thank you to @Alastair70 for arranging Secret Santa again as this is one of my highlights if the year

 

[jeremy Hall]

Didn't have much to go on from the label. Hadn't heard of this yeast before, (bit of a brewing novice), but I googled it and it sounds interesting.

Opened with a nice hiss. Poured into a nucleation glass, and it was quite lively. Bit cloudy. Not sure if that was intended or due to travel, but didn't seem to affect the taste.

Turned out to be a very pleasant IPA. Nice smooth head. Plenty of citrus, very smooth taste. Reminded me a bit of a hoppy American pale ale.

Very nice beer all round.

 

[Moe]

I am currently enjoying my second secret Santa beer, an English Porter.

This is absolutely outstanding.
Fairly low carbonation which suits it perfectly, and had a good head.

Lots of chocolate and coffee flavour, but also very smooth. It didn’t taste like it was 5.9%, a very moreish pint.

Thank you very much, I really enjoyed this

 

[jeremy Hall]

Best bitter.
Good well rounded beer. Slight bitterness all the way through but not overpowering. Thoroughly enjoyable.

 

[phildo79]

Nice, fluffy white head. Soft caramel undertones. Good carb level. A very nice pint of lager. Thanks, Santa.

 

[fury_tea]

I was really intrigued by this one when it arrived.

"Fruity winter stout"

The ingredients list on the bottle lead me to believe this might have a cidery edge but that was not the case at all. Nicely fruity, not at all thin, a bit of a hint of smoke and chocolate, caramel coloured head, good lacing too. I'm guessing it was a kit brew? Quite a good one though, I thought. I didn't detect any off flavours and it was very drinkable. The 'high ABV' label was correct I think, because it definitely delivered on drunkenness. Thanks Santa!

I have another SS to drink - maybe tonight if I manage to get back in time.

 

[Moe]

View attachment 107338

I was really intrigued by this one when it arrived.

"Fruity winter stout"

The ingredients list on the bottle lead me to believe this might have a cidery edge but that was not the case at all. Nicely fruity, not at all thin, a bit of a hint of smoke and chocolate, caramel coloured head, good lacing too. I'm guessing it was a kit brew? Quite a good one though, I thought. I didn't detect any off flavours and it was very drinkable. The 'high ABV' label was correct I think, because it definitely delivered on drunkenness. Thanks Santa!

I have another SS to drink - maybe tonight if I manage to get back in time.

Just had the same.

Agree with the comments above- very fruity.

Thank you

 

[Alastair70]

Time for another Secret Santa beer, a Baltic porter.

Lovely rich malty aromas and flavours, sweet toffee and dark fruits compliment gentle coffee roast flavours. It’s showing some age, smooth drinking, well rounded and a big mouthfeel. The 7.7% ABV has gone completely under the radar.
It’s a lovely beer, and a fantastic example of a style I’ve been meaning to brew for a while. Thanks Santa

 

[pilgrimhudd]

Time for another Secret Santa beer, a Baltic porter.

Lovely rich malty aromas and flavours, sweet toffee and dark fruits compliment gentle coffee roast flavours. It’s showing some age, smooth drinking, well rounded and a big mouthfeel. The 7.7% ABV has gone completely under the radar.
It’s a lovely beer, and a fantastic example of a style I’ve been meaning to brew for a while. Thanks Santa

View attachment 107342

That glass is great!

 

[Alastair70]

That glass is great!

@Twostage is a gifted engraver. The porter really shows off his handiwork.

 

[phildo79]

Dry Irish stout. Nice hiss on opening. Good head. Mild treacle flavour in the background. Roasty for the abv. Pretty good attempt at the style. Thanks, Santa.

 

[Stu]

So my plans went to pot today.
However, I did manage to have a go on this West Coast IPA
.

Very enjoyable - bang on true to style. I could quite happily drink this for a session.
Hoppy and piney. Yet bitter too.

In fact, the only thing that threw me was that it was a hazy one which I didn't expect, but hey, looks and taste are a completely different thing and as I normally drink NEIPAs, I'm up for a bit of haze.

It was great. Thank you Santa!

 

[fury_tea]

2nd beer:

Direction bitter

I enjoyed this one too. Bitter isn't something I often order these days but it is something I would like to expand back into as a bit of a new years resolution, because I used to love it (also been looking at beer engines to expand my brewery a little).

The beer: aroma has a nice sweetness to it, slight hoppiness and very malty backbone, think I got heavy handed and tipped a bit of the yeast in from the bottom which made it a touch cloudy looking (sorry Santa). On first sip it's got a hit of alcohol but not a burn, more a warmth, opens up into a fairly hefty but enjoyable bitterness, which is quite nicely balanced with the raisiny sweetness. I drank it straight from the fridge so I let the 2nd half come up in temperature a little and the flavour definitely opened up some more. More of the raisin coming through now and the alcoholic bite seems less strong.

Enjoyable beer and looking forward to trying more bitters this year! Thanks again, Santa!

 

[Nucbrewer]

Poured beautifully clear with no head but subtle carbonation. Lovely malty flavour with a small amount of hop bitterness. Not normally a style I would drink but this was a fine beer for a winter afternoon.

 

[Nucbrewer]

I remembered to take a picture of the poured beer this time.
A hazy NEIPA poured with a light foamy head. Great citrus and tropical fruit flavours from the hops, mouthfeel was a little thin considering the oats in the recipe. A refreshing beer to drink, I would be interested to know which yeast this was made with.