A 12-day BEER ADVENTure CALENDAR
There’s just 12 days of shopping left ’til Christmas. There’ll be days for crisp, thirst-quenching beer to refresh. Other days require a beer that’ll take-on the chilly nip, a beer that’ll warm from the inside-out. It’s time to create your very own Beer Adventure Calendar…
Day 1: December 14, Wednesday
To kickoff the Twelve Days of Christmas, we’ll start with the Timbrrr … Brrrbon … Widmer … Brrr! Tasting Event at 99 Bottles. $3+ID gets you 4 pours from 4 ’til 6:30 p.m. The first 48 get a glass. …plus there’s cheese, while it lasts. Grab a bottle (or growler) of your favorite to have at home.
Day 2: December 15, Thursday
It’s Bill of Rights Day! In honor of the U.S. Constitution, raise a glass of an American-brewed beer. American Brewing offers three varieties in dinner-size bomber bottles: Caboose Oatmeal Stout, Breakaway IPA, and American Blonde.
Day 3: December 16, Friday
Warm up with a strong barrel-aged ale. Most barrel aged beers are produced in small batches; some are really limited so get ’em quick. Check out The Dogfather Bourbon-Aged Stout, Hale’s Bourbon-Aged Wee Heavy, North Coast Barrel-Aged Old Rasputin, Firestone Walker 15th Anniversary, the Old Stock 2009 Cellar Reserve (bourbon barrel-aged old ale) or Anniversary (oak or bourbon-barrel aged agave ales) from North Coast, or one of Russian River’s wine barrel-aged sour ales.
Day 4: December 17, Saturday
Beer with breakfast?! Why not? Choose a smoke beer and pair it with anything drizzled with maple… maple bars, waffles, pancakes,… these beers can have smoky flavors as intense as bacon, and, thus, are referred to as “bacon beer” even when no bacon is excluded. Check out the beers of Aecht Schlenkerla, locally brewed Buccanneer Bacon, Emelisse Rauchbier, or the Smoked Porters from Alaskan or Stone.
Day 5: December 18, Sunday
Fresh! Local! Fun! Washington’s beer scene is exploding, now with some 150 breweries. Visit your favorite local brewery and bring home a fresh growler, or pop by 99 Bottles to get a fresh fill. Bring in a clean, dry growler — or buy a jug and add a fill!
Day 6: December 19, Monday
The weatherman’s predicting rain/snow mix, so how about a true white-out? Choose a Belgian-style Witbier (white beer) like Wittekerke, Blanche de Bruxelles, Great White, White Rascal, Alaskan White, or White Frog.
Day 7: December 20, Tuesday
Celebrate Chanukah with a He’Brew! Pour yourself a glass of Messiah Bold (brown), Genesis (pale), Lenny’s RIPA (rye IPA), Coney Island Lager, …or be super-adventurous and start serving up evening beers from the Limited Release Holiday Gift Pack.
Day 8: December 21, Wednesday
We’ll see what beers 99 Bottles serves up today. The Sip! Sip! Weekly Pick is from 4:00 ’til 7:45 p.m. and is just $1+ID. The two chosen beers will be posted around 1 o’clock on facebook. Buy a bottle of your favorite — or something new.
Day 9: December 22, Thursday
Pour me a mug of liquid bread! It’s national Date Nut Bread Day, so celebrate in style and drink like a monk. Pour a pokal of Doppelbock, such as Celebrator, Optimator, Salvator, Maximator, or Korbinian. Or go for more with an Eisbock style.
Day 10: December 23, Friday
It’s Festivus! Celebrate with feats of strength: Lift a big bottle, pour it in a big glass, and begin those lifts from table-to-mouth. Go for a big and bold IPA. Check out Green Flash, Lagunitas (pronounced Lah-Goo-Knee-Tuss), Moylan’s, Ninkasi, or other bold West-coast styles. Or choose #17 from the top American IPA list on BeerAdvocate: Red Racer IPA from Central City Brewing.
Day 11: December 24, Christmas Eve
Jump into Christmas eve with both feet, just like Santa jumps down the chimney! The Santa Series of beers from Ridgeway are funny and tasty English-style ales. There’s Santa’s Butt (porter), Pickled Santa (spiced), Bad Elf (IPA), Very Bad Elf (pale/ESB), Seriously Bad Elf (tripel), Winter Welcome Nut Browned Ale (brown) and Reindeer Droppings (amber). And don’t forget the Lump of Coal (stout).
Day 12: December 25, Christmas Day
A special day is deserving of a special ale…and special ales are meant to be shared. Pop the cork or pop the top off a Belgian Trappist Ale, such as Chimay, La Trappe, Orval, Trappistes Rochefort, or Westmalle.
