The problem with ordering three different beer advent calendars – two two-fours and a twelve – is your left with 60 beers to drink by December 24.
Add in two delivery hick ups, and we had barely a week with most of that. So we focused on those that were clearly Christmas themed and spent the bulk of our time with Whiprsnapr Brewing’s annual classic calendar: T’was the Night before Unfiltrd Beermas.
Whiprsnapr brews up 12 new beers, each named after a line in the actual holiday classic. Some are common enough styles; the candy cane porter and maple sugar cookies, less so. Each also comes with a label design specific to the occasion and all cans are hand wrapped for festive unveiling. Here’s what Steve and I got to share in the days leading up to Christmas.
Day 1: Not a creature was stirring – WC IPA (8%).
Day 2: Stockings were hung – Candycane Porter (6%)
This was a true holiday dessert beer. Dark chocolate and a true candy-cane peppermint, it left us wanting more.
Day 3: All snug in their beds – Xmas Cosmopolitan (4.5%)
Slightly sour, with spice or spices we struggled to define. Hints of orange, with a tartness that reminds of cranberry.
Day 4: Long Winters Nap – Tripel (9%)
Day 5: Tore open the shutters – Xmas Pudding Ale (6%)
Another dessert in a glass. Stone fruit flavour, perhaps apricot, and cinnamon.
Day 6: Gave the lustre of midday to objects below – NEIPA (6%)
Day 7: What to my wondering eyes should appear – Cardamom Clove Oatmeal Stout (5%) A full-bodied stout with wonderful spicing that lingers in the finish. Comforting, and very apres ski.
Day 8: With the Sleigh full of Toys – Kveik (9%)
Day 9: Down the Chimney he came with a bound – Maple Sugar Cookie (9%)
Maple forward in both aroma and taste, with nice cookie dough notes.
Day 10: A Right Jolly Old Elf – Xmas Spritz (5%)
Very tart and, like the Xmas Cosmo, very cranberry-ish.
Day 11: Straight to his work – Imperial Whiskey Stout (8%)
Day 12: To all a Good Night – DIPA (8%)
We also ordered an advent calendar from Lake of Bays, it came in a Sawdust City box, and included a nice sampling of 24 beers from both those breweries and Merit Brewing. A great introduction for us to Lake of Bays and Sawdust, it also included a few familiar beers from Merit. But there was only one actual Christmas-themed beer – on the last day, a WC IPA called Reindeer Games.
Collective Arts also had a two-four loaded with an array of standard beverages, including seven cocktails in a can. Perfect for New Year’s Eve.
And, hey, we’ve still got 24 non-holiday beers and cocktails to discover from Collective Arts and Lake of Bays/Sawdust City/Merit.
Beer Bards 