Making Greatness!!!

1,152 beers!  We organized and created a case of awesomeness for 48 people.  Can't wait until December 1st!

The List of Beer

Here's the list of beers and the order to drink them in.  December 1st will be here soon and we will start our beer tasting adventure.  I hope everyone likes the selection!

1. 21st Amendment - Toaster Pastry, 7.6% ABV
2. Saranac - Immortality, 7.5% ABV
3. Mendocino - Black IPA, 6% ABV
4. Firestone - Wookey Jack, 8.3% ABV
5. Eggenberg - Samichlaus, 14% ABV
6. Ayinger - Celebrator Doppelbock, 6.7% ABV
7. Union - Balt, 5.5% ABV
8. Schlafly - Black Lager Schwarzbier, 5% ABV
9. Tröegs - Blizzard Of Hops Winter IPA, 6.4% ABV
10. Ballast Point - Habanero Sculpin, 7% ABV
11. Great Divide - Titan IPA, 7.1% ABV
12. Anchor Steam - Christmas Ale, 5.5% ABV
13. Deschutes - Jubelale, 6.7% ABV
14. Mendocino - Eye of the Hawk, 8% ABV
15. Flying Dog - Nice, 8.3% ABV
16. Flying Dog - Naughty, 9% ABV
17. Ommegang - 3 Philosophers, 9.7% ABV
18. Samuel Smith - The Famous Taddy Porter , 5% ABV
19. Bells - Expedition Stout, 10.5% ABV
20. Anderson Valley - Barney Flats, 5.8% ABV
21. Chaos Mountain  - Cocoborealis, 6% ABV
22. Duclaw - Devils Milk, 11.5% ABV
23. Samuel Smith Nut Brown Ale, 5% ABV
24. Hardywood - Gingerbread Stout, 9.2% ABV

Welcome to the 5th Annual 24 Days of Beer Christmas Edition

Thank you all for joining in our 5th annual 24 Days of Beer Christmas edition!  We have set up this Blog so that we can have a central location to banter about our beer tasting journey.  At this blog you will be able to see what beer to drink each day, post comments, read others' comments and inevitably there will be witty comments and some trash talking.

I know not everyone on this list knows everyone else, but everyone here is friends of friends and you can be assured that we all have at least one thing in common.  Everyone assembled here loves beer.  The end goal is for everyone to get to try 24 different beers that they otherwise would have never tried and have some fun doing it.


Our 24 Days of Beer participants are:

1. Tony Woskobunik
2. Mark Bolter
3. Tom DeMott
4. Todd Barlow
5. Joe Garcia
6. Megan Garcia
7. Phil Evans
8. Cassandra Evans
9. Bill McNary
10. Ro McNary
11. Steven Calle
12. Dempsey Hamilton
13. Joe Maurelli
14. Chris Schulz
15. Kevin Boardman
16. Jon Liles
17. Kyle Herchert
18. Eddie Herchert
19. Ryan Simmons
20. Monika Jones
21. Jamie Lang
22. Dan Kostka
23. Kevin Talley
24. JP Lang
25. Kraig Thompson
26. Mike Marshall
27. Ron Zabko
28. Chad Molnar
29. Lars Juul
30. Todd Molnar
31. Brian Tallman
32. Chris Tatem
33. Harold Tran
34. Ravi Singh
35. Pat McGown
36. Chris Weathers
37. Ryan Wolff
38. Frank Giachini
39. Dave Diaz
40. Wali Spanta
41. Jeffrey Carpenter
42. Ben Stokes
43. Andrew Brodeur
44. Dave Opdahl
45. Jeremy Rueter
46. Scott Shepherd
47. Brad Winslow
48. Steven Howarth

December 24 - Sam Adams Merry Maker

We've made it to Christmas Eve!  Thank you all for joining us this year in the 24 DoB and a special thank you to all that blogged!  I hope all of you have enjoyed the beer tasting experience and have found a couple beer to add into your beer rotation.  Merry Christmas to you all! - Tony, Katy, Mark, and Tom 

Why we picked it:  It's become a tradition that we enjoy a 22 ouncer on Christmas Eve.  I believe this is also the first time a Sam Adams' beer has made an appearance in the 24 DoB.  22 ozs, 9.0% ABV, and gingerbread...what else could you ask for on Christmas Eve!

About Sam Adams' Merry Maker:  This rich dark gingerbread stout entices with the aromas of the holidays.  The flavor of gingerbread comes alive, beginning with the smooth sweetness and heartiness of dark roasted malts and a touch of wheat.  But it’s the intensity and spices of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, & ginger that add a wicked kick for a jolly playful brew full of merry mischief.

Beer Advocate Score: 83 pts

Hop Varieties:  East Kent Goldings and Fuggles

MALT VARIETIES:  Samuel Adams two row pale malt blend, wheat, Special B, Paul’s roasted barley, and flaked oats 

YEAST STRAIN:  Samuel Adams ale yeast
 
COLOR: Deep mahogany / 75 SRM
 
SPECIAL INGREDIENTS:  Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, & ginger
 
ABV:  9.0%

IBUs:  25

Case Cost:  $6.99 per bottle

*website: http://www.samueladams.com/craft-beers/merry-maker

December 23 - Great Lakes Christmas Ale

Why we picked it:  Recommendation from Andy at Norm's.

About Great Lakes' Christmas Ale:  

Name Origin:  This one’s for the annual gift exchange.  For warm, crowded living rooms and steamy kitchen windows. For roasts in the oven, long meandering toasts, and longer dining room tables. For a safe homecoming. For keeping Santa secret. For horrible sweaters and footie pajamas. For wrapping paper fights, snowball fights, and the peace that comes from watching the snow fall from a cozy chair. Christmas Ale is our tradition, and we’re thankful for everyone who’s made it a part of theirs.

Style Origin:  The tradition of holiday brews has its origins in the Middle Ages when spices were
commonly used instead of hops to add flavor and medicinal qualities to beer. The style re-emerged in
the early 1900s in the northern countries of Western Europe when local brewers began creating specialty holiday brews for their favored patrons. Today, most breweries make their holiday beers darker and more potent and often add spices like ginger and cinnamon for a more pronounced holiday flavor.

Flavor:  Brewed with honey and spiced with fresh ginger and cinnamon
 
Ingredients:

MALT
Harrington 2-Row Base Malt: Allows color and flavor from other specialty malts to come through; makes for very clean beer 
Wheat:  Adds body and head retention
Crystal 45:  Contributes to copper color and adds sweet caramel aroma and flavor
Special Roast:  Contributes subtle hints of toasty and biscuit flavors
Roasted Barley:  Added in small amounts to contribute to overall complexity and color without overwhelming
 
HOPS 
Mt. Hood:  Provides subtle spicy and earthy aromas
Cascade:  Used as an aroma hop; citrusy aroma complements beer’s heavy spices
 
SPICES 
Honey:  An adjunct to add strength and fresh floral notes
Cinnamon:  Imparts festive aroma and flavor
Fresh Ginger:  Adds spicy aroma and flavor
 
Pairs With:  A perfect complement to all holiday fare, toasts, and cheers
Shelf Life:  126 days

Beer Advocate Score:  89 pts

ABV:  7.5%
IBUs:  30 

Case Cost:  $50

*website: https://www.greatlakesbrewing.com/beer/an-exceptional-family-of-beers/seasonal/christmas-ale

December 22 - Anchor Steam Christmas Ale

Why we picked it:  Recommendation of Tommy D.  We have tried this beer in a past 24 DoB.  That one did not get great reviews. However, they change the recipe on this every year and this year's is supposed to be great!

About Anchor Steam's Christmas Ale:  2014 Anchor Christmas Ale. New tree. New recipe. Same traditions.

This is the fortieth annual Christmas Ale from the Anchor brewers. It is sold only from early November to mid–January. The Ale's recipe is different every year, as is the tree on the label, but the intent with which we offer it remains the same: joy and celebration of the newness of life.

This is the fortieth annual Christmas Ale from the Anchor brewers. It is sold only from early November to mid–January. The Ale's recipe is different every year, as is the tree on the label, but the intent with which we offer it remains the same: joy and celebration of the newness of life.

Our tree for 2014 is the Giant Sequoia. It was hand-drawn by James Stitt—who has been creating Christmas Ale labels for us since 1975—to look as a "Big Tree" planted in 1975 might look today.

"The Big Tree is Nature's forest masterpiece, and…keeps its youth far longer than any of its neighbors. Most silver firs are old in their second or third century, pines in their fourth or fifth, while the Big Tree growing beside them is still in the bloom of its youth, juvenile in every feature at the age of old pines, and cannot be said to attain anything like prime size and beauty before its fifteen hundredth year, or under favorable circumstances become old before its three thousandth."–John Muir

We chose the Giant Sequoia for our fortieth Christmas Ale in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Yosemite Act. Signed into law by President Lincoln during the Civil War, it granted the Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Big Tree Grove to the State of California "for public use, resort, and recreation." The first such land grant in American history, it marked the beginning of the California State Parks.

- See more at: http://www.anchorbrewing.com/beer/christmas_ale#sthash.qpAYQ43y.dpuf

2014 Anchor Christmas Ale. New tree. New recipe. Same traditions. - See more at: http://www.anchorbrewing.com/beer/christmas_ale#sthash.qpAYQ43y.dpuf

2014 Anchor Christmas Ale. New tree. New recipe. Same traditions. - See more at: http://www.anchorbrewing.com/beer/christmas_ale#sthash.qpAYQ43y.dpuf

2014 Anchor Christmas Ale. New tree. New recipe. Same traditions. - See more at: http://www.anchorbrewing.com/beer/christmas_ale#sthash.qpAYQ43y.dpuf

2014 Anchor Christmas Ale. New tree. New recipe. Same traditions. - See more at: http://www.anchorbrewing.com/beer/christmas_ale#sthash.qpAYQ43y.dpuf

2014 Anchor Christmas Ale. New tree. New recipe. Same traditions. - See more at: http://www.anchorbrewing.com/beer/christmas_ale#sthash.qpAYQ43y.dpuf

2014 Anchor Christmas Ale. New tree. New recipe. Same traditions. - See more at: http://www.anchorbrewing.com/beer/christmas_ale#sthash.qpAYQ43y.dpuf

This is the fortieth annual Christmas Ale from the Anchor brewers. It is sold only from early November to mid–January. The Ale's recipe is different every year, as is the tree on the label, but the intent with which we offer it remains the same: joy and celebration of the newness of life.

Our tree for 2014 is the Giant Sequoia. It was hand-drawn by James Stitt—who has been creating Christmas Ale labels for us since 1975—to look as a "Big Tree" planted in 1975 might look today.

"The Big Tree is Nature's forest masterpiece, and…keeps its youth far longer than any of its neighbors. Most silver firs are old in their second or third century, pines in their fourth or fifth, while the Big Tree growing beside them is still in the bloom of its youth, juvenile in every feature at the age of old pines, and cannot be said to attain anything like prime size and beauty before its fifteen hundredth year, or under favorable circumstances become old before its three thousandth."–John Muir

We chose the Giant Sequoia for our fortieth Christmas Ale in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Yosemite Act. Signed into law by President Lincoln during the Civil War, it granted the Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Big Tree Grove to the State of California "for public use, resort, and recreation." The first such land grant in American history, it marked the beginning of the California State Parks.

- See more at: http://www.anchorbrewing.com/beer/christmas_ale#sthash.qpAYQ43y.dpufThis is the fortieth annual Christmas Ale from the Anchor brewers. It is sold only from early November to mid–January. The Ale's recipe is different every year, as is the tree on the label, but the intent with which we offer it remains the same: joy and celebration of the newness of life.

Our tree for 2014 is the Giant Sequoia. It was hand-drawn by James Stitt—who has been creating Christmas Ale labels for us since 1975—to look as a "Big Tree" planted in 1975 might look today.

"The Big Tree is Nature's forest masterpiece, and…keeps its youth far longer than any of its neighbors. Most silver firs are old in their second or third century, pines in their fourth or fifth, while the Big Tree growing beside them is still in the bloom of its youth, juvenile in every feature at the age of old pines, and cannot be said to attain anything like prime size and beauty before its fifteen hundredth year, or under favorable circumstances become old before its three thousandth."–John Muir

We chose the Giant Sequoia for our fortieth Christmas Ale in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Yosemite Act. Signed into law by President Lincoln during the Civil War, it granted the Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Big Tree Grove to the State of California "for public use, resort, and recreation." The first such land grant in American history, it marked the beginning of the California State Parks.


Beer Advocate Score: 83

First Brew:  1975
First Bottling:  1975
Alc. by Volume:  Varies
Availability:  Nov.-Feb.
Malt:  Top Secret
Hops:  Top Secret
Dry Hops:  Top Secret

First Brew

1975

First Bottling

1975

Alc. by Volume

Varies

Availability

Nov.-Feb.

Malt

Top Secret

Hops

Top Secret

Dry Hops

Top Secret

- See more at: http://www.anchorbrewing.com/beer/christmas_ale#sthash.qpAYQ43y.dpuf

Case Cost:  $44

*website: http://www.anchorbrewing.com/beer/christmas_ale

December 21 - Flying Dog K-9 Winter Ale

Why we picked it:  Wanted to try another offering from Flying Dog.

About Flying Dog K-9 Winter Ale:  They call it winter warmer for a reason. K-9 Cruiser is the perfect beer to cozy up with by the fire, with or without an attractive companion.

If it tastes like Christmas, it probably works with K-9. Flavor notes: Sweet malt base with roasted, nutty, and spicy flavors Pairs with: Buttery cheeses; sweet breads; spice cake; squash, yams, and sweet potatoes; hearty meats and stews

Beer Advocate Score: 77 pts.

ABV: 7.4%
Availability: Winter release
IBUs: 30
Specialty Malts: Changes with each release
Hops:  Changes with each release
Yeast:  English Ale

Case Cost:  $38

*website: http://flyingdogbrewery.com/beers/k-9-winter-ale/