Once again, we had a blast putting together our annual Craft Beer Advent Calendar!! We've thoughtfully chosen twenty-four of the best beers to enjoy in December 2021, and wrapped them up together as the best advent calendar ever: one that surprises you with a new, limited, seasonal beer every day!

We've represented many of the best cans and bottles coming from our amazing local craft beer scene, alongside some ancient, traditional brews from across the planet, and even included some new and unexpected flavors and styles as well. With an array of IPAs, a smattering of sours, some crisp clean lagers, some way more obscure and nerdy lagers, plus all the roasty malty dark beers you could possibly want to keep you cozy throughout this holiday season... this year's selection is sure to delight any craft beer drinker, from novice to connoisseur.

We thank you for joining us for our second annual Beer Advent Calendar, and invite you to sip along with these daily tasting notes that we’ve put together for each individual beer. Once again for your convenience we saved the heaviest-hitters - those with alcohol contents over 7% - for the weekends. We sincerely hope you enjoy these selected seasonal offerings as much as we really do too!!

Cheers to you, cheers to craft beer, and cheers to the 2021 holidays!
Kim, James, Kelly, Jules, Jessica, Kathryn, Ashley, David & Pamela

Allagash Brewing “Curieux” Bourbon Barrel-Aged Tripel

Portland, ME - 10.3% abv

Allagash Brewing in Portland, ME, is one of the godfathers of craft brewing on the East Coast. Not only have they been continuously brewing beer since 1998, they also serve as a training ground for young brewers and experimentation, such as this curiosity: a strong Belgian-style triple aged in barrels that once held American bourbon.

This unlikely marriage results in a beer appropriate for holiday consumption: notes of ripe orchard fruit mingle with barrel-influenced vanilla and spice. Pour this bottle into a wine glass and watch the bright gold, fluffy tripel head slowly recede. Sip slowly as the beer warms in your glass. Feel the warmth creep down to your toes. Nibble on a cookie or a slice of pecan pie and enjoy the vanilla and spice accompaniment to your dessert.

Let your curiosity endure.

pmenschDecember 11, 2021JamesComment