eleven grinches grabbing

On the eleventh day of Beermas I went and bought for me

Eleven alarms peeping 

Ten lords a-leering 

Nine sinfully good black beers 

Eight lizards leaking

Seven feathered friends a-fluttering

Six phoenixes rising

Five photographic plates

Four flying saucers

Three sunny toucans

Two dogs in costume

And a lone eagle flying free

Ah, the end comes so quickly sometimes.  Yet another Beermas nearly past.  I had some difficulty finding musical beers, as you might have noticed, but at least this one is amusing: The Greench Stole X-mas.  This DDH Double IPA from Uiltje has one of their eye-catching labels and odd but somehow fitting names.  What's so fitting about the Grinch, er Greench, and pipers you ask?  Well, ever set off a burglar alarm?  That's some set of pipes, albeit electronic ones.

The aroma is immediate and piney.  It's a pretty light looking beer, sort of a dark yellow.  Perhaps on the bubbly rather than the heady side.  It's a juicy sip, a blend of citrus and beeriness, a lot like a NEIPA.  There are hints of tropical fruits in there too, so it's a modern IPA all the way.  While clean and smooth drinking, there's a heft to it that leaves you knowing you have a real beer in your glass.  There is a little bit of build-up of bitter as you drink, keeping the back up your tongue from getting to complacent and letting the Grinch sneak in.  Although for the life of me I don't know what the Grinch would want down anybody's gullet.  I don't think Whos are personifications of gut fauna.

fourthly

On the first day of Beermas I went and bought for me
A bird dropping beads on the street
Two turtledoves
Three Belgian roosters
Four birds calling for blood

It says Bird of Prey on it, even though it looks like a superhero, so there must be blood involved.  It's from our old friends Uiltje, who have created some wild things in the past.  I am looking forward to this IPA.   Ah, there's another reference to superheroes on the can - if not stored properly it will turn to kryptonite.  Not to mention it starts out supernatural!

Says right there

The way the bubbles come up, it looks like a very weighty kind of beer.  It's one of those golden IPAs, and transparent to boot.  Good head, nice and white, sticks around for a while too.  There's an almost spicy aroma over the standard citrus, promising a good blend of bitter and sweet.  Indeed, it's a blend of mandarin tanginess and grapefruit bitter, very fruity and citrusy, but in noticeably different ways.  It is, perhaps, just a little thinner than I expected, but it's still substantial and no wispy, watery thing.  I have the feeling that this is a beer that could stand up for itself, outweighing snacks and dominating a conversation.  Saving you from a boring one is something a superhero ought to do!

Supplier: Más Que Cervezas
Price: €3.27

birds of a feather

I wandered around Cerevisia a little bit, trying to make up my mind.  So many choices - stouts, ales, lambics - from so many places.  Finally, I settled on Beech Smoked Bock, mostly because of the label.

I've never smoked beech myself, but hey, Dutch...

It's a collaboration between two proven breweries: La Quince and Uiltje Brewing Company.  According to the label, the beer was actually made in the Dutch facilities, probably just with input from La Quince.  It seems they were tickled to find they had the same mascot.

It's kind of a watery brown, which makes me pause, but the head is abundant and fluffy, and the smell hints at something memorable.  The taste of smoked meat, bacon or some similar, greasy cut, is evident from the first sip.  There's a mild bitterness too, but mostly smooth smokiness.  As a bock, I expected a little more sweetness, but that beech smoking outweighs any of that.  Some smoked beers rely a little too much on the meatiness, but this one stays smooth and easily drinkable.  Probably not the best choice solo, but accompanied by some salty snack, or with a grilled meal, it could be an excellent choice.

Supplier: Cerevisia
Price: €3.70

Beermas Day 4

On the fourth day of Beermas I poured out for me
Four calling birds
Three speckled hens
Two flightless non-doves
And a pear cider fresh from the tree

Hah!  There's no cheating at all with this one!  Look at that label and tell me that's not a calling bird!  I did hesitate a little before snatching up the orange and coffee oatmeal stout, mainly because of the orange.  Real oranges are good, orange soda is good, but orange in the vicinity of anything even remotely chocolatey puts me off.  Still, how can you resist that name?  F*ck The Christmas Tree Is On Fire!!!  That's a Christmas for the movies.  I hope it's not something the Dutch have to put up with regularly.

It has an exciting consistency, strong color, and thick head.  It looks just like a stout should look, and while there is a noticeable orange perfume, it's not as overwhelmingly citrusy as most craft IPAs.  At first I get a light milk chocolatey taste, but it's quickly overcome by bitter orange.  Yes, the orange is there, but heavily influenced by coffee.  I'm not displeased by it, as I feared I might be, in fact it is a festive little beer without making too much of the unusual citrus addition.  It's smoky like a good stout, too.  It's got something for everyone!  Well, ok, not so much for teetotalers.  I would not be upset to see a couple of these under the tree some Christmas morning.  Wait...

The what tree??

Supplier: Espuma
Price: €3.95

breakfast in a bottle

Craft beers do have a way of creating memorable names and labels.  I can't help but pick them up, even the silly ones.  Or is it especially the silly ones?  Full English Breakfast Ale looks to be at least something you don't have everyday.  It lists tea and beans among the ingredients, which might make some people pause, but at this point, I say why not?  There's a rather complete suggestion label on the back, urging the buyer to drink up if the bottle contains an ale, but saying a stout or barleywine would be fine hanging around for a while.  Since this is an ale,  I better get to it.

You can ask how many sips to the bottom of the glass, but he won't tell you

The first whiff is all ale, sharp and slightly citrusy.  The beer has an orange tint and a rather fluffy head, very resistant.  It starts out quite bitter, much like the majority of craft IPAs, but there's an undercurrent of sweetness with a floral touch.  I wait expectantly for more of the breakfast to make its appearance, and maybe the tea contributes to the bitterness while the marmalade is responsible for the following sweetness.  The beans are probably too subtle to notice, being eating beans and not coffee beans.  A pleasant beer, although I expected a little bit more extravagance.  Can't have everything I guess, and I never have heavy breakfasts anyway.

Supplier: The Beer Garden
Price: €4