My wife calls it an obsession, but last I heard, there were not any support groups for "my husband can not leave a beer store within 15 minutes from entering", so until then, I am in the clear, even though I partially agree. The holidays are a great time to celebrate, whether it be our lives, friendships, family, Jesus (who really drank beer at the last supper), time off work, or more time to drink. I like to do as much of the above as possible, and the picture above is the result of the recent trip to stock up on our Holiday celebration stock.
Many of these brands were produced within or very near the Michigan border and available at many craft beer suppliers. Lets start with the bottom, left to right.
Ann Arbor Brewery Phat Abbott Belgian Tripel, 10% abv. Opaque pale yellow. Spicy fruity aromas. Medium bodied and rich with tropical fruits, banana, and sweet candied malt character that lingers on a long slightly spicy finish.
Bell's Winter White wheat ale, 5% abv. A Wheat Ale brewed with American Wheat and a proprietary blend of Hefe and classic Belgian-style yeasts. A refreshing winter alternative created from the subtle fusion of two classic flavors.
B. Nectar Meadery Wildberry Pyment, 13% abv. A ‘Pyment’ (pie-ment) is a mead made with grapes. This one is made with clover honey, shiraz grape juice, and natural wildberry concentrate. It is full bodied and semi-sweet. Makes a great sangria or try it over ice as a spritzer. Our most popular mead.
Shorts Soft Parade, 7.2% abv. A fermented potion we call fruit rye ale. This gourmet specialty is engineered of toasted rye flakes and two row malted barley. These ingredients make a beer that we ferment with freshly pureed strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. The result is a sweet effervescent fruit delicacy most notable for its alluring color and drink ability.
Great Lakes Christmas Ale, 7.5% abv. A robust style of beer made with spices to celebrate the festive season. Coming from the Great Lakes website, this description does no justice to the flavor and body of this beer. It is a must try.
Shorts mixed 6 pack of newly released beers. Including, Pb&j a peanut butter stour blended with a fruit rye ale. Cup A Joe Coffee Creme Stout, Deep aromatics of malt, sweet espresso and roasted cocoa. Flavor is robust with big malt character covered with cream and coffee. It’s everyone’s favorite coffee stout. Über Goober Oatmeal Stout, A prominent chocolate nuttiness on the nose with a big, chewy, full flavor on the palate. Creamy oatmeal fused with peanut puree compliments rich caramel and roasted malts. It’s uniquely satisfying and very popular. The Mystery Stout, This beer demands respect and respect it will have. Imperial Oatmeal Stout with cocoa and molasses. It possesses rare flavor combinations which can overload even the most experienced beer connoisseur. Capture every bit of its warmth and wisdom, as it will demand all of your attention. Joe's Kind Ale.
ALso tucked in that mixed six pack is a Founders Backwoods Bastard, 10.2 abv. Big and delicious for your ‘perty mouth. Expect lovely, warm smells of single malt scotch, oaky bourbon barrels, smoke, sweet caramel and roasted malts, a bit of earthy spice and a scintilla of dark cherries. It’s a kick-back sipper made to excite the pallet.
Dark Horse 4 Elf Winter Ale, 6.5% abv. Pours a semi-clear dark brown colored brew with an average sized beige head that slowly dissipates to a thin ring. Aroma of caramel and chocolate malts, ginger, a hint of black licorice, and cloves. Taste is medium to full bodied, flavors of chocolate malt, nutmeg, cloves, licorice and ginger. Finish is semi-sweet and spicy with some floral hop aftertaste.
Great Lakes Commodore Perry, 6.4% abv. Again, a very terrible, if nothing, description of what makes this beer stand out as an IPA. Robust hop, malt and spicey flavor. THis IPA is not a hop head hit you in the face bitterness beer, even though it is 80 IBU's. You will feel the flavor.
Arcadia Ales Sky High Rye, 6% abv. A West Coast-style Pale Ale with rye malt, Sky High Rye boasts a massive floral aroma of resinous hops. The hops contribute flavor notes of lemons, peaches, and pine needles, combined with the sweet, malty flavors of toffee and bread. Rye adds a pleasant peppery, spicy note like a fresh slice of pumpernickel bread. Very well-rounded and very drinkable, Sky High Rye will surely inspire adventure in all who taste it.
Goose Island Mild Winter, 5.6%abv. Toffee brown, medium-bodied, with a creamy head and an aroma of raisins and freshly baked dark bread. Mild Winter’s rich caramel malt and spicy rye flavors are sure to take the bite out of whatever Old Man Winter brews up for you this year.
Shorts PB&J, Blend of Uber Goober and Soft Parade (fruit rye ale).
New Holland Charkoota Rye, 7.5% abv. a Smoked Rye Dopplebock. An homage to all things Pig, including Porkapalooza and the age-old tradition of Charcuterie, Charkoota Rye’s malty backbone is derived from a blend of rye and four other malts, including malted barley smoked over cherry wood.
North Peak Siren Ale, pours out a coppery amber with a minimal whitish head. sweet malt aroma, with caramel and bread forward and a touch of green cascade-like hops behind. more sweet malt taste, and well-balanced with a hint of hops, very smooth and easy-drinking. nicely done amber ale.
Johnnie Walker Red label, for the father in law.
Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron, 12% abv. An unfiltered, unfettered, unprecedented brown ale aged in handmade wooden brewing vessels. The caramel and vanilla complexity unique to this beer comes from the exotic Paraguayan Palo Santo wood from which these tanks were crafted. Palo Santo means "holy tree" and it's wood has been used in South American wine-making communities.
Bells Brewery, Two Hearted Ale Bubba Keg. So good out of the tap day after day, if it lasts that long.
North Peak Diabolical IPA, No real reviews as of yet, nor any mention an the North Peak's website. Too bad.
I plan to have one of each in the next week an a half.
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