Your Christmas beer plans...

Yeah I got my Xmas beer last year from there. A decent selection of Ayingers plus a glass. I like the barmats and stuff they send too, a nice little bonus.

My Christmas beer this year will probably a lot of dad's home brew plus whatever I can lug home on the train, probably some of the strong Fullers offerings I got a few weeks ago. Got a Wincle Wassale, a Tempest Old Parochial and an Old Dairy Snow Top saved for my student christmas dinner (reindeer curry to start, and kangaroo steaks) though.

 

I live in central Germany, and for me, ordering online is the only way to get decent beers that are not "local," if there are any decent locals to start with. Otherwise, it's only Fernsehbiere, or "TV-beer," a euphemism for mass produced swill.

This saves me from having to drive around the country just to pick up the great beers. I've used Biershop Bayern a number of times, and they've always been prompt and very helpful if an order was awry. With shipping, it's about 3€ a bottle, expensive yes, but even here in Germany, worth the money.

Other online shops I recommend, from whom I've personally ordered and have had great results, are:

• bierzwerg.de [specialize in small, independent brewers from around Germany]
• hier-gibts-bier.de [specialize in beer from Franken]
  
• bavarianbeershop.com [specialize in Kneitinger (best Pils in the world, IMO, & Eichenhofer]
  
• biershop-braugasthoefe.de [specialize in small brewery-inns, also one of the few places to get Uerige Alt online.

 

I think I may try to make some headway into the beers I've been cellaring for these past umpteen years, may even finish my last few bottles of Courage Russian Imperial Stout

 

Which vintage? Last one I had was a nip bottle/black label in 1987 or thereabouts.

 

Great thread. My preliminary Christmas list is as follows:

Delirium Christmas
Founders Old Curmudgeon
Sierra Nevada Narwal
Buxton Tsar
Scotty Karate
BrewDog Scotch Ale San Diego thing
Ten Fidy
Hardknott Rhetoric II

No doubt it will grow.

 

Loved that one!

 

I have recently bottled 36l or so of hoppy pale ales and have an export stout in my cellar that I made about six months ago so will be mainly drinking them. Going down to deepest wales for about a week at xmas so am stuck with whatever beer I can get in the supermarket and probably brains on draught.

might just get belted on whisky and port then

 

four left, '84, '89, '92 & '93. It will be sad to think they're all gone but they have to go sometime

 

Narwal is an Imperial Stout albeit a lighter and more sophisticated one.

 

Serious stuff that Schneider & Sons although I'm not keen on the Unser Original.

My local supermarket in South Korea gets Aventinus and the Eisbock intermittently so fingers crossed I shall be able to grab a load this weekend before another expat sees them.

 

Niiice!
Did I read something about a brewery bringing out a beer that was Courage RIS in all but name a while back or am I conflating dreams and reality again?

 

Bought when I was through once your way at The Good Spirits Company on Bath Street. Pretty sure it is long gone now though.

 

Following on from Zimbo's post above, Narwhal is available from www.beerritz.co.uk (along with lots of other good stuff).

It could also still be on the shelf at Trembling Madness, in case you happen to be down York way.

I might add that based on the stout-drinking experience you describe, it's possible that Narwhal will stab you through the heart with it's horn

 

Yes, Charlie Wells brewed it, originally for USA market, and it can be found over here. I've not had it but those who remember the original say it's not quite there, missing a touch of Brett possibly

 

It;s also worth mentioning how great SN Stout is (i.e. the regular one). My friend brought me one last year as part of a selection from Arizona, and I was surprised how much depth of flavour it had for a non-conditioned bottled beer.

 

Probably a bit of that stern concrete darkness as well.

 

Hopefully off to Lewes on the weekend so will visit the Harveys shop and pick up some Christmas goodies.
Did you know they have a two year waiting list for brewery tours?