The gift of...beer!

My cousin and I made an agreement last year: for Christmas I would get him some kind of touristy, but cool, California shirt, and he would get me beer.

His part of the deal, though, has been an unspoken rule for years. Cuz has given me some good brew the past couple gift giving (aka, economic stimulus) seasons, and this year will likely be no different. On Christmas Day I hauled in the three bottles pictured above: Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel, St. Peter’s Old-Style Porter, and Mahr’s Weisse.

I’ve kept all the empties from past Christmases. They’re in my closet and lined up on a coffee table next to the Blue Baller. However, in a fit of minimalist practicality and organization, I’ve decided to recycle them. But before taking them to City Carton I want to document them here for personal posterity. I’m such a beer nut.

2004 or ’05 (I can’t remember for sure)
Cuz bought me two beers, both of which came in their own seasonally appealing gift tins. St. Bernardus Abt 12 brewed by the Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV of Watou, Belgium, and Hobgoblin brewed by the Wychwood Brewing Company of Witney, Oxfordshire County, England.



I drank these before documenting my tasting (when I was just a novice connoisseur), so I only have memory to help recall their experiences. They were both fairly dark and more than fairly good. Abt 12 is, according to BeerAdvocate, a Quadruple (or Quad):

Inspired by the Trappist brewers of Belgium, a Quadrupel is a Belgian style ale of great strength with bolder flavor compared to its Dubbel and Tripel sister styles. Typically a dark creation that ranges within the deep red, brown and garnet hues. Full bodied with a rich malty palate. Phenols are usually at a moderate level. Sweet with a low bitterness yet a well perceived alcohol.

Shit — makes me thirsty to try it again, which I should do, no doubt. (BotW, I’ve realized, is shamefully devoid of Belgian beer. The Belgians, to most people’s surprise, are prolific drinkers and brewers, almost more-so than the Germans; the country has a rich brewing tradition, offering a number of unique styles. However, the Belgian imports found in the US are usually sold by the bottle and are expensive as hell. A 11.2-ounce bottle of any Chimay variety costs $5 at BevMo!. I’ll make it a point, though, to try sampling more Belgian beers.) Hobgoblin is an English Brown Ale, not unlike Newcastle Brown Ale. Also included in the Hobgoblin tin was a half liter logo glass.

2007
I don’t remember getting beer for 2006, but ’07 totally made up for it: I got a custom six pack from Dirty John’s. The sixer featured Karlovacho brewed by Karlovaċka Pivovara of Karlovac, Croatia; Delirium Tremes brewed by Brouwerij Huyghe of Melle, Belgium; Orval Trappist Ale brewed by Brasserie d'Orval S.A. of Villers-devant-Orval, Belgium; Palone brewed by the Browar Okocim S.A. of Brzesko, Poland; St. Bernardus Prior 8 brewed by the Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV of Watou, Belgium; and Beamish brewed by Beamish and Crawford of Cork, County Cork, Ireland.


The beers came packaged in a little gift six pack carrier, which I’ve also kept and decided to recycle. It’s cool, but, seriously, why do I need to keep it?

2008
Just one brew, and it was pretty good: Delirium Nocturnum, which I profiled in BotW #39.

Hopefully the beers of Christmas 2009 will be just as tasty as those I’ve gotten in the past. I’ve already sampled Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel and know it’s quality, so we’ll see about the other two. I hope my cousin has enjoyed wearing the shirts I’ve given him as much as I’ve enjoyed drinking the beers he’s given me.