Beer Advent Calendar: Day 15

Day-15

Palm Speciale

ABV: 5.4%
Style: Belgian Pale Ale


Reactions and Insights
Some people in my circle consider Palm to be a great beer. I can’t muster such strong positivity — it’s always struck me as bland — but it’s pleasant and reliable. And it’s certainly good choice for a holiday breather.

Would I drink a case of it? 
Probably not.

OK, but would I drink a six-pack of it?
I’ve done it before and I may someday do it again.

Did it contribute to my holiday spirit?
Not really, no.

Beth’s Grade
7

Objective Grade
7.5

Label Notes
I am a huge fan of this label. It reminds me of an ’80s movie about Australia. Not any particular movie, just the concept of such a movie. 9/10

Beer Advent Calendar: Day 14

Day-14

Victory Winter Cheers

ABV: 6.2%
Style: Hefeweizen


Reactions and Insights
I did not realize this was a Hefeweizen while I was drinking it. You would think I would have, what with the picture of two clinking Hefeweizens on the label.

I couldn’t quite make sense of what was weird about it — it had a bunch of Christmas elements (malt, cloves, sweetness) but it didn’t taste like a normal Christmas brew. Everyone on Beer Advocate is mentioning a banana taste. I drank it yesterday and want to be able to say that I tasted bananas, but I can’t remember bananas.

Would I drink a case of it? 
No.

OK, but would I drink a six-pack of it?
Nah. This was one of my least favorite, actually, and I was surprised because I usually like everything from Victory. I’d give it another shot, though.

Did it contribute to my holiday spirit?
Mmmm… it did a little, because I kept seeing the phrase “Winter Cheers” whenever I reached for it.

Beth’s Grade
6

Objective Grade
7.25

Label Notes
I like it! It’s got a satisfying looseness about it. The illustration style (better image here) reminds me a little of Garfield with its dark brown outlines and soft radial gradients. 8/10

Beer Advent Calendar: Day 13

Day-13

Yards Rye

ABV: 6.2%
Style: IPA


Reactions and Insights
I’m not big on “Rye PAs” because they’re maltier than regular IPAs. This is just fine but I just want to strip out some of the maltiness.

Would I drink a case of it? 
Nup. (I’m trying to come up with new ways to say no.)

OK, but would I drink a six-pack of it?
Nootch.

Did it contribute to my holiday spirit?
I’ve been trying to catch up by drinking while I work, but it just makes me sleepy and unfocused and I have to reread my emails four times to make sure I’m not leaving out words or telling anyone I love them by accident. Anyway, this one didn’t bring holiday cheer, but that’s okay — there are 11 more to go!

Beth’s Grade
6.5

Objective Grade
8.25

Label Notes
It’s nice. The word Rye is rendered like it would be in an old storybook; the letters are branches, and behind them are stalks of barley. And I like the colors. I would like to have a front door in either that shade of red or blue. But it’s not totally coming together for me, just like the beer inside. 6/10

Beer Advent Calendar: Day 12

Day-12

Ommegang Adoration Ale

ABV: 10%
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale


Reactions and Insights and Confessions
I’ve gone a little rogue with the calendar. My friend Steve helped me cart the beer from Philadelphia to NYC and I haven’t yet found time to retrieve the five beers he has (his apartment is 40 minutes away). So I’ve messed up the order. Chris didn’t want me to drink two Belgian Strong Dark Ales in a row, but I did. It went fine.

But I’m also behind! It’s hard to fit at-home drinking into my regularly scheduled holiday drinking.  There may need to be some guest entries, or some late-in-the-game speed drinking. We’ll see.

Anyway, Adoration Ale is good. I can tell it’s good. It’s spicy and flavorful, yet refined. It’s not a heavy hitter. But I’m just not into this style of beer.

Would I drink a case of it? 
No.

OK, but would I drink a six-pack of it?
No. I meant to have another catch-up beer after this, but I found myself feeling very sleepy. 10%!

Did it contribute to my holiday spirit?
Yes. I watched an episode of Downton Abbey on PBS while I drank it, and the beer made the show a little better. I remember not minding the last season when it was new, but it was actually pretty bad, wasn’t it? I would like to propose that Mr. Bates die in an accident or get murdered.

Beth’s Grade
7.5

Objective Grade
8.75

Label Notes
It’s a tasteful, attractive label that says, to me, “Good beer for grown-ups.” I expect nothing less from Ommegang. 9/10

Beer Advent Calendar: Day 11

Day-11

Kerstmutske Christmas Nightcap

ABV: 7.4%
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale


Reactions and Insights
Yup, a holiday beer, with molasses and coffee the way they do it. I was apparently supposed to drink it at the end of the evening, based on its name, but I instead made it a starter.

Would I drink a case of it? 
No, and I can’t imagine who would, really. It’s only available during the holiday season so you’d need to be committed to this particular flavor.

OK, but would I drink a six-pack of it?
No, but it’s not bad. I drank it fast, partly because it was fun and partly because I wanted to move on to something else.

Did it contribute to my holiday spirit?
Yes! I drank it while celebrating Hanukkah with Andy’s family. Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, good night!

Beth’s Grade
7.0

Objective Grade
7.75

Label Notes
It’s charming, with its moon sliver in a Santa cap and casual handwritten fonts. It feels like the sign on a local hardware store or some other mom and pop place you’re afraid is going to close. 7/10

Beer Advent Calendar: Day 10

Day-10

Einstök Ölgerð Icelandic Toasted Porter

ABV: 6.0%
Style: American Porter


Reactions and Insights
Yum. A solid, chocolatey porter. Andy was into this one, too, so I generously gave him a very small glass of it.

Would I drink a case of it? 
Porters are not my go-to thing, even though I like them a lot. If I were someone who took a drink with me to bed, I would take scotch. But if I were to take beer to bed, it would be porter or milk stout because they’re comforting and sleep-inducing. Anyway, to answer the question, no.

OK, but would I drink a six-pack of it?
Yeah, I would. This gift is making me think about what my ideal beer supply would be. Porter should definitely be represented and this is a good one.

Did it contribute to my holiday spirit?
It sure did. I drank it while decorating the Christmas tree. Its mellow, dark flavor was a nice complement to the Oscar Peterson Christmas record.

Beth’s Grade
8.5

Objective Grade
8.5

Label Notes
Spare and clean and vikinged, evocative of my impressions of Iceland. 8/10

Beer Advent Calendar: Day 9

Day-9

Arcadia Sky High Rye

ABV: 6.0%
Style: Rye Pale Ale


Reactions and Insights
I think this was added as a break from all the holiday ales. Thanks, Chris. It’s a very standard, reliable rye pale ale, with a bitter beginning and a fruity end. It’s a little more bitter than I’d prefer, but it’s very drinkable.

Would I drink a case of it? 
If it were part of a variety pack, maybe.

OK, but would I drink a six-pack of it?
Sure, but it would be a six-pack someone else brought over on movie night.

Did it contribute to my holiday spirit?
No, and I didn’t expect it to.

Beth’s Grade
7

Objective Grade
7

Label Notes
It is a pretty direct ripoff of this 1937 poster. I like the style but I can’t condone the plagiarism. No grade.

Beer Advent Calendar: Day 8

Day-8

Brooklyn Blast! Ale

ABV: 8.4%
Style: American Double/Imperial IPA


Reactions and Insights
First impression: Oh, it’s such a Brooklyn Brewery beer, that’s so cute. I know that’s condescending in an “aw, grandmothers” kind of way, but the brewery couldn’t hear me think it, so it’s okay. It’s just got that extra flavor thing that says “Brooklyn Brewery.” I can’t describe it. It’s just some extra little flavor.

Second impression: Holy crap, this is GOOD. And it keeps getting better as you drink it, because you keep getting more intoxicated, because it’s 8.4%.

It’s hoppy and real good.

Would I drink a case of it? 
Yeah… but I wouldn’t buy a case of it, because I’d be getting drunk every night.

OK, but would I drink a six-pack of it?
Mmhmm.

Did it contribute to my holiday spirit?
No, mostly because I’ve gotten sucked in to watching/listening to many episodes of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. The Alec Baldwin one is particularly good.

But I’m listening to the Tina Fey one right now, and she asks Jerry where his kids “are” with Christmas, like do they believe in Santa, and he says, “Well, we’re Jewish,” but then he starts talking about how he was obsessed with Christmas trees as a kid, and I’m planning to get a Christmas tree tonight.

The Tina Fey one is good, too.

Beth’s Grade
9

Objective Grade
9

Label Notes
Very classay. One of the very first websites I worked on in 2000 used the same cursive font. It was for a financial firm in Manhattan. Those were different times.

But back to the label. Uh, 7/10.

Does Jerry own all of these cars? Does he own like a hundred cars?

UPDATE: I think the cars are borrowed.

Beer Advent Calendar: Day 7

Day-7

Southern Tier 2XMAS

ABV: 8.0%


Reactions and Insights
This is intense. It smells strongly of Christmas-y spices and tastes like all those spices plus figs and maybe dark cherries. It’s got a nice, complex flavor. It’s not something that makes you keep wanting to drink and drink, but when you pick it up you think, “Oh yeah, I get to taste this again. Awesome.” My only complaint is that it leaves your mouth feeling kind of dry and stale.

From the label:
Ale brewed with figs, orange peels, and spices, 2 varieties of hops, 4 types of malts.

It totally tastes like all of that.

Would I drink a case of it? 
No, it’s 2 much 2XMAS for a whole case.

OK, but would I drink a six-pack of it?
Sure, this would be fun to have around. If I see it in my local market I might pick up a six-pack.

Did it contribute to my holiday spirit?
Yes, it pretty aggressively did.

Beth’s Grade
8.75

Objective Grade
8.75

Label Notes
It’s clean in an early 2000s kind of way. It’s got nice colors. I don’t love the Southern Tier logo, and there are five different fonts used, but for all of that it isn’t bad. 6/10

Beer Advent Calendar: Day 6

Day-6

Starr Hill Snow Blind Doppelbock

ABV: 7.4%


Reactions and Insights
Kind of a caramel flavor, slightly chocolatey, definitely sweet. It’s like eating milk chocolate when you want dark chocolate — consuming it reminds you of how it could be better.

Would I drink a case of it? 
No, it’s not my thing.

OK, but would I drink a six-pack of it?
Nah… but as has happened with other beers in this series, it wasn’t hard to drink. I didn’t know the ABV until I looked it up just now. It definitely didn’t feel like it was that high in alcohol.

Did it contribute to my holiday spirit?
Not really, but maybe it would if I had been more open to the idea of the holiday spirit penetrating my soul.

Beth’s Grade
5.5

Objective Grade
7.0

Label Notes
The label looks like it was designed by a kid in high school who’s really into skiing and Pink Floyd. You can’t quite tell what a mess it is from the photo, so just trust me. 2/10