Innis & Gunn - Original Oak Aged Beer

Imagine finding a house in the forest. You go in. It looks like it hasn't been inhabited for years. You go into the dusty attic. You find a small wooden box. You lick that box. This beer tastes nothing like that. That would be horrible. Why would you lick an old wooden box? Nutter.

This is a lovely beer. A strong little chap, 6.6%. Honey and caramel and vanilla. Possibly a bit of oakiness, but I'm never sure if I imagine that bit. I can imagine sitting by a log fire with my feet up, supping this as a clock ticks in the corner of the room. Lovely. The clock might get annoying after a bit though.

To sum up, lovely beer, shame about that noisy bloody clock.

BrewDog Punk IPA

Nice to get this one in early. One of my absolute favourites. Like being hit around the head with a sock full of hops. And snooker balls. Lovely hoppy madness. My guess is cascade or centennial for the hops, but whatever it is they use, they use loads.

This is an all purpose beer. With food, with friends or simply by yourself while mourning the loss of a pet or a favourite jumper in an ironing accident. The jumper, that is, not the pet. That would be awful and I can't imagine you not being to blame in some way if that happened.

To sum up. Buy it, drink it and love it. Hail to the king!

Courage Imperial Russian Stout

The label said it is brewed the way it was done for Catherine the Great in 1795. If that's true, I expect that she spent most of the time razzed. Her title is probably shortened from Catherine the Great Big Lush. This beast is 10%. The label says a rich espresso body, pear overtones and an intriguing smokey fruity finish. I don't agree, apart from the last bit. It's like liquid sticky toffee pudding.

This is definitely a winter beer. I had it together with my own body weight in cheese. That worked.

All in all I would liken this beer to waking up in a small Hotel in St Petersburg wearing a tiara and in possession of someone else's passport. Which could happen.

BrewDog Citra

Part of the IPA is Dead range. 7.5%. The name sounds lemony but the beer isn't. I'm not really sure what it tastes of. Apart from beer. Nothing jumps out. It's not unpleasant, just not spectacular. Like bread. Or trees.

Beer tasting. Discipline needed

Well, that wasn't a good start. Tried lots of interesting beers, made no notes and can't remember much about them. Ah well, will just have to do them again...

(Note: I did not drink all these alone)