The Fifth Beer of Christmas

On the fifth day of Christmas my trusty assistant brought to me a St. Bernardus Christmas Ale;
Left Hand Polestar;
Shiner Holiday Cheer;
Great Lakes Christmas Ale;
and a Sierra Nevada DevESTATEtion.

Almost half way through the 12 Beers of Christmas with just over 24 hours until Christmas Day. Clearly things are getting lazy because the picture cuts off the top of the bottle. The backup picture cuts off the entire right half of the bottle - and both pictures were taken before I started drinking. On to the beer...

This beer is almost made in Trappist Monasteries. St. Bernardus Christmas Ale is made in what was once a cheese factory known as "Refuge Notre Dame de St. Bernard" in Belgium. For a time, the Trappist brews were licensed to the owners of what is now St. Bernardus. Sadly, for us, the monks ended their experiment in commercialization and returned to their roots of brewing only for themselves and a few local pubs. Clearly these monks are not familiar with the roots of American commercialization (and greed).

Sint Bernardus - Watou left us with a very nice almost Trappist replacement. The aroma is sweet but it's just a setup. The taste is distinctly Belgian but not so sweet that it overpowers the beer. It does have a spicy tang with a molasses feel that really suits the holiday season. The dark, chestnut brown color just feels cozy. It's like drinking an ugly Christmas sweater (which is a compliment since these sweaters are apparently fashionable now).

Fourth Beer of Christmas

On the fourth day of Christmas my trusty assistant brought to me a Left Hand Polestar;
Shiner Holiday Cheer;
Great Lakes Christmas Ale;
and a Sierra Nevada DevESTATEtion.

The real gift on this fourth day of Christmas is a new HVAC. What started out as a leaking humidifier quickly turned into a cracked heat element. I actually didn't think much of it. Here is the exchange with the repair man while showing me the cracked element on his fancy scope camera:

RM: You have a cracked heating element. See it right there?

Me: Oh yeah, this thing has run like a champ as long as we've been here. Guess I'll have to replace it in the next couple of years.

RM: I don't think you understand. I can't, by law, turn this system back on.

Me: Um, excuse me?

Maybe it's the new found poverty. Maybe it's the even warmth created by the new and improved, high-efficiency, heating system in my basement. Regardless, this Polestar is going down smooth tonight. That's saying something because during the dark, winter months I shy away from pilsners. Stouts and porters, preferably with a hint of chocolate and coffee, from now until spring is how I roll.

Polestar is well carbonated and is a little dry. It's light bodied so you can drink several (and I plan to this evening) without getting that "I feel full" sensation half way through the second round. There is a bit of spice but I get more from the hops. Also, this beer goes great with pretzels.

Third Beer of Christmas

On the third day of Christmas my trusty assistant brought to me a Shiner Holiday Cheer;
Great Lakes Christmas Ale;
and a Sierra Nevada DevESTATEtion.

There are two things I like about Texas: ZZ Top and Shiner beer (three if you include the scenes from Pee Wee's Big Adventure). Shiner Bock is a classic and not available in upstate New York...but then what to my wondering eyes should appear but the tale tell yellow of Shiner's good beer. 

Holiday Cheer is a dunkelweizen; which I believe to be German for "holiday beer". It's a malty and fruity brew that would seem out of place any other time of the year. Heck, even the color is of roasted chestnuts fresh off the open fire. You probably will not drink several in one night - a sixer is just about right for the season. Of course, you will need more if your sharing with friends; it is the holiday season after all.

Second Beer of Christmas

On the second day of Christmas my trusty assistant brought to me a Great Lakes Christmas Ale
and a Sierra Nevada DevESTATEtion.

I don't wait for a lot of beers. Like most simple people, I like a lighter beer during the warm months and a darker beer during the cold. The Great Lakes Christmas Ale is one of the few specific brews I look forward to each year. The trouble is this beer always seems to be on a short run and it ain't exactly cheap; even for a limited release. So, I restrict myself to one sixer each season.

As you can tell from the image above I drank five before the yule log could get warm. Number six needs to last. I'm going to savor this one. Merry Christmas (Ale).

The Return of the 12 Beers of Christmas

Today we bring back the 12 Beers of Christmas. If last year's list is any indicator we'll get through at least five brews. Regardless, we'll be piss drunk by Christmas Eve and passed out under the tree for the kiddies by morning; preferably wearing nothing but a pink bow. With that image stuck in your head...

On the first day of Christmas my trusty assistant brought for me Sierra Nevada's DevESTATEtion.

Purists are not fans of mixing styles. Hands down the best part of craft beer in America is that we'll make any style beer and fuck you. Black IPAs are the premier reason for mixing styles. They're dark, a little malty, a little hoppy, and bitter.

DevESTATEtion is uses organic malt and estate-grown hops; that makes it healthier than your average craft beer. The real beauty of this beer is that it's smooth going down with a bitter finish. It's dark with a malty, caramel head but the aroma is all hops. A beer that slants towards bitter is better suited to Christmas Eve while dealing with relatives you see semi-annually. It's also good for kicking off a half-assed list - on a Monday. Anyway, here's a picture:

We have only a couple of holiday ales in stock so it's off to the beer store or this series is going nowhere.

Sell Out vs Co-Branding

collar & cuffs are white; that's money

One great thing about craft beer is the collaboration. It's rare to see an industry where most of the competitors are also brothers in arms. That collaboration often means co-marketing and, to a lesser degree, co-branding. Drinking Brewery Ommegang's Take the Black Stout inspired us to ask: "when a craft brewer co-brands with big names is it brilliant marketing or selling out?"

We here at Dumbarton's Beer contacted old friend Donny Deutsche, one of America's foremost marketing executives, to ask what one should consider before entering into a co-branding arrangement. I can't talk about this shit. I work for the government; what the hell do I know about marketing? Anyway, some things to consider...

Co-branding fits both brands. I'll be honest, I couldn't even get through the plot summary for Game of Thrones but the images online and on the bottle are how I imagine Cooperstown to look in late August. Seriously, imagine the Ommegang Brewery is the capital of Thrones-ville surrounded by peasants, lots of fields, and a moat. Men with swords, bows and arrows fighting over maidens and speaking in bad Olde English. Also, there's a baseball game at high noon - no gloves allowed.

The quality of the products. You absolutely cannot water down your product (pun intended) in the name of marketing. This is probably more important for the beer than the books/movies. I'm sitting here drinking "Take Black Stout" so I can verify the quality of the beer. It's up to Ommegang standards.

Most importantly, co-branding sells both brands. Game of Thrones is probably going to make some money. The question is are these partners dancing in step or is somebody playing lead? It needs to be clear that both are going to increase sales because of this partnership. Game of Thrones on the label probably helps sell Ommegang and hopefully it goes both ways. However, I'm not convinced that Ommegang is going to inspire craft brew geeks to get into the series.

Literally A Stupid Debate

Literally Brewing Co?

The e-world was abuzz this week over the definition of one word. Check it out here, here, or here. That word is literally. Words get used, misused, and abused all the time. Why do we care about the use of literally? I have no idea and wonder where this backlash was while we killed epic. Then again, this is the Internet.

Per the experts, literally means "(1) in a literal sense or manner: actually ; (2) in effect: virtually ".

I literally think this debate is a waste of time but thought I would share a list of things I literally cannot do without a beer in my hand.

Grilling. I have a Weber charcoal grill. No wussy gas barbecue for me. There is something manly about standing over fire and burning meat with a cold beer.

Mowing the Lawn. Living the almost-rural lifestyle means having grass - and a lot of it. You spend a precious weekend day cutting 1.5 acres of grass and a beer is mighty refreshing. Sometimes while on the riding mower, sometimes as a break, sometimes celebrating a job well done. Regardless, a beer in hand beats two in the brush.

Eating Pizza. I once had a friend and colleague who got sick. The kind of sick that transforms, and ultimately takes, your life. While discussing his drug regimen he said thing he missed the most was having a nice cold beer with pizza. I almost never miss an opportunity to have a beer with pizza. Lesson learned, Scooter.

Watching (or talking about) Sports. Just like everybody else.

Writing Blogging. My high school and/or elementary school educators would be ashamed to admit I was on their class roster after reading this waste of space but chances are I'm drinking a beer while I'm at it.

Sex. Just kidding, honey; but definitely while checking my iphone.