Happy Christmas!

A Happy Christmas to you and yours.  As you can see below, we had the inlaws over for the holiday again this year.  Hope your family behaves better than ours.

The Fifth Beer of Christmas

For the fifth beer of Christmas our trusty assistant brought to us Long Trail's Hibernator.  Wait, why does Long Trail sound familiar?  Probably because Mike Rowe spent some time there for his hit show Dirty Jobs (episode titled Chick Sexer). Hibernator has been on our local grocer's shelf for a few weeks now and we couldn't really be bothered.  Today, we're feeling froggy so we decided to give it a whirl.

Hibernator is an unfiltered Scotch Ale.  We typically prefer to avoid Scotch Ales but Hibernator brings more than you might expect.  We could bore you with details about aroma and look but there's a picture available (see above) and we get all of eight readers a day, including the writer, and we're fairly certain that the general public really only cares about taste unless it's a skunked beer.  Anyway, Hibernator is a mellow brew where you almost wish for a bit more flavor although that would almost certainly ruin the fun.  The description on the label - "robust and malty brew" - is fairly accurate and perfect for a winter's night.  Malty brews are more complicated than they get credit for.  If you're not paying attention you'll dismiss a robust, malty brew as boring but we know all seven of you are paying attention.  So, go pick up some Hibernator.

The Fourth Beer of Christmas

For the fourth beer of Christmas our trusty assistant brought to us Harpoon's Winter Warmer, which is apparently the beer equivalent of coal in the stocking.  In some ways, this is our fault - not because we were naughty or nice but because we didn't bother to read the label.  Winter Warmer is a blend of cinnamon and nutmeg to give a "balanced, pumpkin-pie flavor."

First, we don't like pumpkin pie - not even at Thanksgiving.  We're also not entirely crazy about nutmeg.  It's a good complimentary spice but not something that should be sharing center stage.  The color is copper and actually quite nice.  From afar, it really looks like a good winter's brew.  The aroma is nutmeg.  The flavor is nutmeg at the start and lingers in the aftertaste.  It's just too much for us.  While we enjoy cinnamon as much as the next craft brew drinker, we had trouble finding it in this brew.

Now we're sitting here with four Winter Warmers and we're not entirely sure what to do with it.  There's something inherently wrong with pouring beer down the drain, particularly if we can find a few who might enjoy a Warmer.  In fact, we dislike this brew so much we didn't bother taking a picture.  Actually, the camera batteries are dead.

Some Guys Will Do Anything for A Beer

Last night I was craving a brew.  So, I walked to the local grocer's beer aisle and picked up a six pack of Dogfish Head's Raison D' Etre.  A fine beer by any standard. 

I pony up to the register why my sixer by my side.  Suddenly, there we are; standing eye-to-eye.  It's just me and the clerk and only one of us is getting out of this mess alive.  This had the makings of a great story except that I simply paid for the beer and went home.  We both made it out alive.  So goes just about every other beer purchase across the country.  Except one...

In Flint, MI, a gentleman was shot by the store clerk and still picked up some beer - from the same store.  Seriously, here are the particulars:

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"The Flint Journal reports the unidentified victim told police he was standing outside the store about 9 p.m. Monday in the city about 50 miles northwest of Detroit when he heard a gunshot and felt a pain in his leg. The man asked the store clerk why he shot him, but did not get a response.

The victim then entered the store and bought beer. He later walked to a friend's home, who took him to a hospital."
Source: Chicago Tribune
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The Third Beer of Christmas

For the third beer of Christmas our trusty assistant brought us Troegs Brewery's Java Head.  Sure, the original gift was to be Four Loko but it's hard to find these days.  The cool part of this stout is not that it's brewed with coffee beans - lots of stouts are brewed with coffee beans.  The guys at Troegs use beans roasted in the greater Harrisburg, PA area.  St. Thomas Roasters in Linglestown, PA roasts the beans.  The beer is good so we assume St. Thomas beans are pretty good as well.

Java Head comes in a 22 ounce bomber, which is our preferred container for beer these days.  It pours dark like a coffee stout should.  The head is short, thick, and cafe mocha in color.  There is clearly a roasted coffee aroma with a hint of chocolate.  It's a smooth beer that's on the lower half of the carbonation continuum.  There is certainly a heavy, mealy start to this one but it fades as your palette adjusts.  You can definitely taste the coffee with just a bit of sweetness but the finish is a bit bitter.

It's a pretty good beer and we're a bit sorry we didn't pick up a couple of bombers.  That said, it's not the most memorable.  If you're in the mood for a solid stout you can't miss with Java Head but it is not the kind of beer your going to seek out for special occasions.

DC Brau Receives Label Approval

We're a bit remiss for not having posted this earlier in the week (back when it was news) but for the few who have yet to see it, below is the recently-approved labels for DC Brau's the Public Pale Ale.  Kudos to the good fellas at the Brau.  The labels are sharp.  We can't wait for the cans filled with beer to start rolling out.

Take a quick scan and you'll notice the label include "DC Statehood Facts".  Each of the DC Brau brews will feature statehood facts and you can contribute to the cause.  They still need facts for the Citizen and the Corruption.  Yes, you can win something but is there anything better than bragging rights?  Below are the qualifiers.

1-You must be 21
2-The facts must relate to one of the two topics
3-The fact must be written exactly as you would like to see it on the can
4-160 character limit (perfect for the Tweeters)
5-Deadline is December 6th and entries must be sent to cancontest@dcbrau.com
6-Don't use the DC Brau Facebook page to submit entries

Get more information at the DC Brau Blog.

The Second Beer of Christmas

For the second beer of Christmas our trusty assistant brought us Sierra Nevada Brewing Company's Celebration Ale.  Great Lakes Brewing set the bar pretty high for being first out of the gate but Celebration Ale is no slouch of a beer.

You won't be surprised to find that Celebration Ale is upfront on the hops.  It's probably the first thing you pick up in the aroma and if you miss it in the taste you just don't understand the Christmas spirit.  The color is copper or rust - or somewhere in between.  Let's be honest, color is fine but it's all about the taste.  The hop and malt flavors are pretty well balanced throughout - leaving the taste buds with that bittersweet feeling that is so appropriate for the holidays.  That said, this is a Sierra Nevada brew so the hops are ever present.  The flavor lingers a bit and brings about that warm feeling everybody needs in the winter months.  It's medium-bodied so will not fill you up, which is good because you will certainly need a second - and third.

Sierra Nevada, like many of the older craft brewers, is fairly "user friendly".  You know what you're getting with the signature Pale Ale.  What makes them a great craft brewer is a willingness to push their brews into new areas while staying true to their brand.  Whether it's a seasonal brew, a limited brew, or a year round brew you know a Sierra Nevada when you drink it.  Of course, anybody can do that.  Staying true and maintaining creativity is the great craft brew challenge.  Sierra Nevada doesn't disappoint.