Secret Santa Reviews 2023

Another Belgian for my second beer, Saison this time.
Nice looking golden straw colour..seemed low carb on opening and not much much head. Light honey and spice aroma. Light Brady malt flavour with a fruity spice character from yeast which is not overpowering. Seems clean fermentation as nothing out of place. Drinks really well, refreshing and seems as though has more carbonation than the pour suggested. Really nice Saison, thanks for sending Santa. Dorris loves a little spice too

Both of mine have been reviewed now, so in a scooby-doo-esque/cluedo manoeuvre, I can remove my mask and admit that I was I who made the "winter warmer", in SMP's reused bottles, with the dodgy printer that failed to print yellow for some reason on Nick's label

Nicks90 said:

good raisin flavour underneath

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Dark roast crystal and special B were in there. Nice spot. The raisin character of Belgian Abbey ales was what I was wanting to include, but at a lower ABV and in a British ale.

Nicks90 said:

No idea what hops were used - possibly Challenger?

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Seriously. How the absolute **** did you do that. Spot on. 2 charges of challenger, one at 60 mins, one at 15. Both small and largely masked by the dark malt. No other hops.

Nicks90 said:

Overall found this to be right up my street. Would have happily drank several of these and really suited a cold and dreary evening in front of the fire!

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Thank you.

SMP Brewery said:

very little head,

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Yeah. I had issues with this one getting it into the fermenter I installed in the sky. I think a lot of hot break ended up in the fermenter. Or it could have been something else. Anyway, carbonation at low by design, but head retention was pathetic.

SMP Brewery said:

I thought it would be ok at garage temperature but it was a bit too cold so had to let it warm up a bit.

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I wondered whether to put instructions on it or not, but decided to just send the bottle blind. It was a porter/dark ale and intended to be cellar temp... But you weren't too know that . Good call on letting it warm up

SMP Brewery said:

I think for me to go with the maltyness I’d have liked it to have had more of an alcohol warmth. Don’t get me wrong I still enjoyed it and it went down nicely, just my preference.

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Thanks. I've been trying to lower the ABV in my beers lately. Partly to just be a bit healthier, and partly because when I were a lad, "standard strength" ales were under 5% and I'm trying to play with lower abv again. Each person has their own tastes

SMP Brewery said:

Thanks for sharing.

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You're welcome. Thank you for reviewing.

Those who have sent me your beers, they are safely tucked up at home and I'm now away until the new year. I was going to bring them with me... But then forgot. I'll post after the new year.

Here is my second Secret Santa, See Through The Haze,
opened with a nice hiss and poured with a lovely head , lovely hop aroma on the nose ,and first taste is a pronounced orange with a level of sweetness which is balanced nicely with the bittering to finish ,this is a lovely beer and my partner also gives this the thumbs up as she loved it ,
Thank you very much

Agentgonzo said:

Both of mine have been reviewed now, so in a scooby-doo-esque/cluedo manoeuvre, I can remove my mask and admit that I was I who made the "winter warmer", in SMP's reused bottles, with the dodgy printer that failed to print yellow for some reason on Nick's label


Dark roast crystal and special B were in there. Nice spot. The raisin character of Belgian Abbey ales was what I was wanting to include, but at a lower ABV and in a British ale.

Seriously. How the absolute **** did you do that. Spot on. 2 charges of challenger, one at 60 mins, one at 15. Both small and largely masked by the dark malt. No other hops.

Thank you.

Yeah. I had issues with this one getting it into the fermenter I installed in the sky. I think a lot of hot break ended up in the fermenter. Or it could have been something else. Anyway, carbonation at low by design, but head retention was pathetic.

I wondered whether to put instructions on it or not, but decided to just send the bottle blind. It was a porter/dark ale and intended to be cellar temp... But you weren't too know that . Good call on letting it warm up

Thanks. I've been trying to lower the ABV in my beers lately. Partly to just be a bit healthier, and partly because when I were a lad, "standard strength" ales were under 5% and I'm trying to play with lower abv again. Each person has their own tastes

You're welcome. Thank you for reviewing.

Those who have sent me your beers, they are safely tucked up at home and I'm now away until the new year. I was going to bring them with me... But then forgot. I'll post after the new year.

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Ha, nice one Gonzo
Can't believe my taste buds got it right! After 48 years of abuse I am amazed I can taste anything at all.....

But really good beer mate, thoroughly enjoyed it

Had my 2nd SS.
A faint hiss on opening, and a small head.
Very murky looking, I'm sure that was intentional as it's a neipa, no taste of any oxidation wet cardboard. Very hoppy ( too hoppy for me actually). Unfortunately the beer was probably wasted on me as it isn't my favorite style, (I'm to much of a best bitter and Belgian fan)
Thanks for the beer Santa.

Festive stout
Nice toasty bitterness and pleasant dry finish to make you want more.

Nicely spiced not sure but nutmeg cinnamon

Good carbonation and colour with nice lacing on glass

Mouthfeel is pleasant

Thank you for the present santa

Leon103 said:

Like @Alastair70 I also just poured a 5.5% ESB, and agree with his comments. A lovely bitter, I guess made with Donegal water

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That was My beer Leon. Hopefully you enjoy the porter as well. Merry Christmas

samale said:

That was My beer Leon. Hopefully you enjoy the porter as well. Merry Christmas

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Thought I saw you drinking a ESB. Haven't had the porter yet, today is the first day all week that I feel half normal and actually fancy a beer or two.

After another bordering on the diabolical day I've decided to do the Secret Santa's some damage.
First up is Secret Santa Porter..label got a bit wet but I'm sure the sender will recognise it!
You're right Pilgrimhudd...the top was a bugger to get off but my vice like grip soon sorted that!
Anyway on to the beer...
Slight hiss on opening,poured with a nice head which quickly dissipated to a thin ring that stayed to the end.
Not much aroma,just a hint of roast malt and maybe feint chocolate.
Taste wise and mouthful its very smooth with a soft roast malt backbone. Carbonation is spot on.
A nice,very easy drinking,winter beer!
Thank you!

Next is a bonus beer..thanks! Another porter but I'm not complaining!
Opened with a slight hiss,nice tan head on pouring which dropped but hung about leaving some slight lacing.
I'm getting slightly more bitterness in this one but not overly so,aroma is sweet malt but on drinking the aroma and taste combine to give a very subtle floral note. Hmmm...interesting!
Overall a very nice porter,I like the subtle finish! Just right on this miserable night in front of the fire!
Thanks!
Edit...dunno if there's a bit of a smokey finish in there too?

Last of the Secret Santa beers.
This time SAISON!
Now..I do like a SAISON! and have dabbled a bit but I'm no expert!
Bottle opened with a not expected slight hiss and pours with a slight white head but for me,very low carbonation. Visually it's crystal!!
Taste and aroma....a bit of funk,some feint citrus initially and a ginger? spices nose full!
It's quite dry which is nice and a bit deceptive of its abv I think.
More flavours and aroma as it warms which I think would be more again if it was a bit more fizzy! But that's just me! Mouthful is changing to....its slick with a nice sharp dry finish!
As expected its gone straight to my head...
A SAISON! for the season!
Lovely! Thanks!

Last of my Ss beers, a seasonal novelty sour, hitting a whopping 7.7 abv.
I guess the novelty element is cranberry but that's a guess based on the colour and the dryness.

Leon103 said:

Last of my Ss beers, a seasonal novelty sour, hitting a whopping 7.7 abv.
I guess the novelty element is cranberry but that's a guess based on the colour and the dryness.

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I had that one and guessed cranberry.
Hopefully it will be revealed soon

I can come clean now - @RichardM and @Leon103 the Sorachi Saison and novelty sour were both mine.

I think I overhopped the saison (although I did follow the hopping levels of the recipe), some glasses of it I thought “that’s lovely” and others I was thinking “the hops are too much and clashing with the yeast here”. You got 2 of the last 3 servings from the keg. And Richard yes it’s supposed to be hazy.

You were both wrong on the novelty sour, the secret ingredient is 800g of Percy Pigs! I added hibiscus tea for colour and it is throwing out the kind of tartness I would associate with cranberry so I can see where you guessed that from.

Its my last beer to review a big un too A 9.8% triple bock.

A very nice pouring brew jet black in colour with a light tan head.

A soft aroma of toffee / caramel reminds me of a " Banoffee Pie "

Taste smooth the sweet toffee biscuit maltiness that hides any bittering hops, this is a sipping beer @ 9.8% but I keep going back in for more!
For big beer it's ABV is well hidden in it's mellow brew not sure how old this beer is but this would keep well and only improve over time
Well done and thank you Santa one to be proud of

MickDundee said:

I can come clean now - @RichardM and @Leon103 the Sorachi Saison and novelty sour were both mine.

I think I overhopped the saison (although I did follow the hopping levels of the recipe), some glasses of it I thought “that’s lovely” and others I was thinking “the hops are too much and clashing with the yeast here”. You got 2 of the last 3 servings from the keg. And Richard yes it’s supposed to be hazy.

You were both wrong on the novelty sour, the secret ingredient is 800g of Percy Pigs! I added hibiscus tea for colour and it is throwing out the kind of tartness I would associate with cranberry so I can see where you guessed that from.

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I remember seeing you post about adding percy pigs, don't think I have ever tried them.
A nice sour, I tend to like them sour and found this subtle. I should bite the bullet and brew one but don't think I will ever get one how I like it

Leon103 said:

I remember seeing you post about adding percy pigs, don't think I have ever tried them.
A nice sour, I tend to like them sour and found this subtle. I should bite the bullet and brew one but don't think I will ever get one how I like it

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The Philly Sour (and in this case the CML Sour 3.5) yeast never quite gets them as sour as I’d like either - as well as the Percy’s I added caster sugar because these yeasts like simple sugars in the souring stage but I’d still like it more lip-puckering!

MickDundee said:

The Philly Sour (and in this case the CML Sour 3.5) yeast never quite gets them as sour as I’d like either - as well as the Percy’s I added caster sugar because these yeasts like simple sugars in the souring stage but I’d still like it more lip-puckering!

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I think I liked because it wasn't as sour as you would have liked.

MickDundee said:

The Philly Sour (and in this case the CML Sour 3.5) yeast never quite gets them as sour as I’d like either - as well as the Percy’s I added caster sugar because these yeasts like simple sugars in the souring stage but I’d still like it more lip-puckering!

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Yeah it's got to be lip puckering. Me and the wife enjoy a regular vault city order which ticks us over but the thought of a nice keg of sour beer in the summer would be great.

I liked the saison, hops did over power but had that moorish feel.

Stu's Brews said:

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Time for beer number 2 and it's a big one! 9.8% Triple Bock.

Dark brown to black in colour with a tight tan head.

Aroma of caramel, dried fruit and plums but it's on tasting that things really get going. Big fruity notes of plum, fig and raisin, toffee sweetness and a background biscuit maltiness.

There's a touch of alcohol warmth to let you know it's a high ABV beer but it's well balanced by the full bodied sweetness.

Hats off to whoever brewed this. It's an exceptional beer that I am going to thoroughly enjoy sipping on steadily whilst the room slowly goes fuzzy

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allotment_fox said:

Its my last beer to review a big un too A 9.8% triple bock.

A very nice pouring brew jet black in colour with a light tan head.

A soft aroma of toffee / caramel reminds me of a " Banoffee Pie "

Taste smooth the sweet toffee biscuit maltiness that hides any bittering hops, this is a sipping beer @ 9.8% but I keep going back in for more!
For big beer it's ABV is well hidden in it's mellow brew not sure how old this beer is but this would keep well and only improve over time
Well done and thank you Santa one to be proud of

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This one is mine & I'm so glad you enjoyed it as I'm pretty proud of it & have shared a few around this Xmas.

It's the strongest beer I've brewed by quite some margin & based on this recipe - Wheat Triplebock.

I brewed this in April & bottled it in July. I did a split batch - half as you've tried here & half was ages on bourbon soaked oak barrel chunks. Unfortunately, I can't get the oak version to carbonate otherwise you'd have had that one!

I have 6 or 7 bottles of each version left & they will be left to age & try every 6 months or so to see how they develop.

The kids helped with the wax seals, hence why you had snowflake stamps on the top!

Thank you for your kind comments, they genuinely put a smile on my face!