Tryanuary - What i will be doing?

Happy New Year to you all!
Tryanuary (not to be confused with the industry lead Try January) - what does that word conjure up for you? Initially, and perhaps unusually, I was a little undecided as to what route to take in January.
I knew I wanted to reduce my overall intake (for many reasons - health & wealth being two of them) and have a bit of a reset - 2nd half of December was busy with the Beer OClock Show Crimbo Crawl, then straight into the 12 Beer of Xmas, which overlapped with Christmas Day and New Years Eve as well as catching up with friends and colleagues - phew, glad that is all over!
However, I also knew I had no real desire to abstain for 31 days, so, what to do?
I have decided to embrace the community lead Tryanuary http://www.tryanuary.co.uk/ who offer an alternative to Dry January:
Make it your mission to seek out new INDEPENDENT breweries, beers, bars and bottle shops, and share your discoveries with people throughout January.

Now, that doesn't mean I won't be having dry days, as I always aim to do that, it definitely makes the morning run a lot less painful the next day! It also doesn't mean that I will hit every "objective" stated above, but, I always like to have a goal, so, I am using the statement more as a guide than a commandment. With that in mind I visited two local pubs on Sat, that I had neglected in December, in large part due to illness but, also to the aforementioned activities, most of which occurred outside my home town, or, at home. Both pubs had regulars in and it felt nice to be back (The Victoria Inn and The Bricklayers) supping cask ale on the whole, which my girlfriend has now taken a liking to also. However, once I got home I considered how much I had drank and realised that there was no good reason why I had pints in one pub and halves in the other, therefore I have decided that although I want to do my bit for Tryanuary, I also want to do my bit for my health and wealth I am going to endeavour to reduce the volume - wish me luck as NOT ordering pints does not come natural to me in a pub environment, I am sure there will be slips along the way, but, if I achieve any level of success then perhaps it could pave a way for future me, who knows? But, as I said earlier, I do like goals.

I look forward to hearing how others get on with their Tryanuary experiences, should be fun!
Good luck to all those taking part and may the force be with you.

12 Beers of Christmas - Day 12

This iteration of the Vintage Ale series has been produced using Maris Otter malt in celebration of  it's 50 years in production with Challenger and Golding hops helping to ensure that this is an all British beer. Since 1997, Fullers have been brewing up their vintage ales, however, the oldest version I have tried is from 1999, and, I loved that one, felt like I was drinking a port or dessert wine. The freshest version I have sampled was at GBBF a couple of years ago, and tasted wonderful, albeit less complex than the matured bottles. I am sure by now, everyone knows that the older/rarer the year, the more expensive it is, just take a look at the website if you don't believe me.

Right, well the 2015 bottle is open, pours a slightly lighter colour than i expected, very fizzy initially. First few sips, didn't get much, but, once i settled in i started to get some of those malty fruity notes i have experienced before.

The more you drink this, the more you appreciate the complexity, i am now getting a few woody tones and the bitter finish is rather pleasing.

This is really rather nice, the ones in the "cellar" will be well received (by me, for me) further down the line.

Both of these characters have only appeared in one Doctor Who story each. 

On the left we have a robot from Robots of Death, featuring Tom Baker, the 4th and longest serving actor to play the iconic role. Robots of Death is a classic adventure - "a base (ship) under siege" from within. On the right, a Terileptil from The Visitation, a 5th Doctor adventure, which incidentally explained how The Great Fire of London really started - it was the aliens.

Well, that's all folks - here's to 2016. Wishing everyone the best of everything.

12 Beers of Christmas - Day 11

Today's offering is from Belching Beaver, Vista California.

A milk stout that comes in at 5.3%, in what the Americans call a Bomber (660ml).

Not really sure why it is called a Bomber - anyone know?

 

Darts on.

Football coming up.

Bomber open!

 

Expiration date on this bottle was 15th Jan 2015, but, despite being almost a year out of date, it is lively as I pour it into my BeerBods glass. A foamy beige head settles down to leave a fine coating across the top of this very dark beer. Sweet dark roasted notes on the nose and the promise delivers once I start drinking. The sweetness gives way to a dry bitter finish, leaving you wanting more. Not bad at all for a 5.3% beer. Pleased with this choice, tomorrow the finish line is in sight!

The 5th and 12th (or, 13th depending whether you include the "War Doctor") Doctors pose either side of the bottle. On the left is Peter Davison who played the 5th incarnation of The Doctor (my Doctor), and the current incumbent is portrayed by Peter Capaldi (who really is coming into his own now - watch the Christmas episode if you haven't already), on the right.

Peter Davison's daughter, Georgia Moffet appeared in an episode called The Doctor's Daughter in May 2008, she and David Tennant have since got married.

The fanboy inside of me would have loved to have been at that wedding!

Peter Davison's last story - The Caves of Androzani regularly tops the polls for best story ever.

12 Beers of Christmas - Day 10

Is it only Day 10??? Surely the #12beersofxmas must be over......

No? Oh, ok then, next up is a 10.2% Imperial Red Ale from Mission Brewery (they of the very big cans) called Carrack. A carrack was a three or four masted sailing ship developed in the 15th century by the Genoese for use in commerce. There you go, some non Doctor Who related information! Enjoy, it might not happen again!

Been watching the darts. Go RVB! 

Back to the beer.......

Doesn't hit you too hard, in fact quite a subtle  Imp Red Ale. Has an IPA nose, it warns you, ignore if you dare. But, do you know what? Watch the darts, sip the beer, embrace the excitement.

Today's figurine is from the 2007 Christmas Day episode starring David Tennant as the 10th Doctor and Kylie Minogue as a rather short lived companion - Astrid. The Host (as depicted above) were robots designed to assist travellers on board the Titanic, which was on a voyage around various planets, with a scheduled stop at Sol 3 (Earth). The very brief visit to earth by the Doctor and Astrid introduced us to Wilfred Mott played by the much loved Bernard Cribbins, himself making a return to the Doctor Who universe having appeared in the very first Doctor Who movie in the 60s.

12 Beers of Christmas - Day 6

Hoppy Christmas a 7.2% Festive IPA by Brewdog

My Christmas Day beer (amongst quite a few others), was this easy drinking little number.

Single hopped with Simcoe, it is fresh and really well balanced, no Christmas spices were harmed in the making of this beer! 

Stick it in a can, rebrand, and it would make an all year round go to beer for me.

Sontarans (a clone race obsessed with war and dying with honour on the battlefield)

first turned up in a Jon Pertwee story - the Time Warrior.

Sarah Jane Smith also made her debut in this story, played by Elisabeth Sladen.

She went on to become the most popular of companions, and played opposite a number 

of The Doctors and had a children's spin off series - The Sarah Jane Adventures (yes, of

course I watched it). Sadly no longer with us, she is missed, but, never forgotten.

The Judoon marched on to our screens in a David Tennant story entitled Smith and Jones

Martha Jones played by actress Freema Agyeman, made her debut as the Doctor's new companion post Rose, although she stayed in the role for one season she made a few return 

visits in Doctor Who and spin off Torchwood.

12 Beers of Christmas - Day 5

Samichlaus Classic, a 14% Doppelbock from Schloss Eggenberg, a micro brewery in Austria.

This beer is brewed once a year, on the 6th December, it then spends 10 months in the lager cellar, sorry no idea what it is actually doing in the cellar.....hiding perhaps?

My beer was bottled in 2014.

I first clocked this beer back in 1990, on a shelf in an Unwins off licence in Milton Keynes, where my parents had just taken over the running of the shop. I assumed it must be twice as bad as Special Brew (my only reference point for really strong beers at that time, and, tasted just the once) as it was almost double the abv. It should be noted that my parents never did see the customer who bought the two bottles, and, over time the beer faded from my memory.

That is, until August 2015, in Lille, and a chance visit to a wine shop near to the hotel where my girlfriend and I were staying (our first trip away, who says romance is dead?!?!). I had already added to my ever growing beer collection, so, I really didn't need any more, but, I still went in for a look and there it was - the beer I had seen so many years previously. But, should I purchase one, two, none? I was "encouraged" by Michelle to go for it, so, two were purchased, the other one is in the "cellar".

Well, it pours a lovely caramel colour, the initial carbonation dies off pretty quickly, reminds me of a barley wine first off on the nose, or, a very strong altbier. It is very sweet, and not at all boozy. Couldn't drink too many, but, i am enjoying this....wonder what my 19 year old self would have thought?

The Ice Warriors (on the left) first appeared in Nov 1967, in a story simply titled The Ice Warriors, starring the second Doctor (Patrick Troughton). They went on to make further appearances up till 1974, then they disappeared until they returned in a Matt Smith (the eleventh Doctor) story called Cold War, in 2013.

The Zygons (on the right) only appearance before the 50th Anniversary story Day of the Doctor was in 1975 - Terror of the Zygons, starring Tom Baker as the fourth Doctor. They have the ability to shape shift (take on the appearance of other life forms) which is probably one of the reasons why they were always voted the favourite one-off monster to make a return, which happily they did.

12 Beers of Christmas - Day Four

Day Four - Tap East Imperial Coffee In The Morning 8.6%

Previously tried this at the very first SXBottleShare, way back in Feb this year,

although I think I bought this bottle at the London Brewers Market in summer 2014.

It pours out rather excitedly, but calms down in the glass to leave a nice foamy head. Very black. This is dry and bitter and you can certainly get the coffee flavour and aroma from their neighbours at Grind Coffee Bar. Definitely one to sip and savour, especially as only 500 bottles were produced. One day i might like actual coffee!

Three figurines today - David Tennant and Matt Smith as Doctors 10 & 11 respectively. We also have John Hurt as the "War Doctor" - this is the incarnation of the Doctor that killed Time Lords and Daleks alike in the last great Time War. They are all brought together to defeat Daleks, Zygons, and prevent the destruction of Galifrey, home planet of the Time Lords. This was released on

the 23rd November 2013, 50 years to the day since Doctor Who first hit our screens.

It was shown in 3D at selected Odeon cinemas. I did go. I was very excited. I loved it!