#12EssexBeersofChristmas The Tenth Day

The Twelve Essex Beers of Christmas

On the Tenth Day of Christmas my true love sent to me ten lords a-leaping, which reminds me that 2016 is a leap year.

The extra day we have every four years helps us synchronise with both the astronomical and seasonal years, as the earth travels around the sun roughly every 365 and a quarter days this gets us back on track. The extra day is always in February, meaning it has 29 days this year instead of the usual 28, and the name leap year itself comes about because the calender days 'leap' an extra weekday when a leap year occurs. For example Christmas Day, which was on a Friday in 2015, leaps a day so that it falls on a Sunday this year.

However that isn't until February, and we still have the whole of January to get through first, and keeping with the theme of my posts this new year I'm going to remind you once again of Tryanuary and give you a way you can take part, particularly if you live in Essex this week.

This Tuesday the 5th of January, as well as being Twelfth Night is our twelfth monthly meeting, and also the first time that the SX Bottleshare meet this year. For #tryanuary we're all trying to bring along a beer that none of us have actually had before, it'll be quite a challenge.

We meet at the Alehouse in Chelmsford on the first Tuesday in the month, with the majority of us coming straight from work for a beer and a chat. We drift in from around 6.00pm, meeting at the bar for a pint or two before we make our way to our reserved table for the main event at 7.00pm sharp(ish). It's always lots of fun, and we have had brewers, publicans, beer sellers, beer writers and overseas sales reps turn up, sometimes out of the blue, to join in, drink and talk about beer. There's often food, usually home made and always delicious, so we never go hungry.

What I'd like you to consider, particularly if you live in Essex and you're free on Tuesday, is to come along and join us. Make coming to the SX Bottleshare something that you decide to do for #tryanuary. If you're not able to come, then try and make 2016 the year that you do go to a bottle share, if we're too far away find one near you, and if there isn't one near you then think about starting one yourself or with a group of friends. Share that special beer, share the love, it tastes so much better when you do.

If you're thinking of joining us on Tuesday, I urge you to take the plunge. Let us know at @SXBottleshare on Twitter, or leave a message with me @1970sBoy so that we know to look out for you. I can't wait for you to join us.

The Tenth Day:
George's Brewery - Marley's Ghost 4.0% 

The second of my three George's beers is named after the first ghostly visitor to Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol". With three hop varieties although only one named, which is Citra, this pours a medium amber cover with a bright white head, and from the aroma the Citra hop is very evident with its grapefruit citrus notes. Medium bodied it has an initial light Rich Tea biscuit malt taste before the sweet and tart citrus hops, of equal lightness, emerge from the background to balance those malts perfectly. This is a lovely beer, one I've had before but I don't recall it being as good as this, surely the recipe has changed? I'm sure the brewery will let me know if this is the case. The finish is clean and crisp like the beer itself, and those beautiful citrus flavours linger just long enough. It's simply delicious.

If you'd like to know more about George's Brewery / Hopmonster, then follow this link to their website where you'll find my reviews of some more of their beers.
If you'd like to come along to the SX Bottleshare then follow this link to see a list of the amazing beer we've drunk in our last eleven meetings. We'd love you to come and ask for that.
Incidentally, if anyone from George's Brewery would like to come along at any point then please let me know, or even just turn up with some of your beer. That would be fantastic.