WBM: Day 30

December 30:  On the eve of the final day of my Winter Beer Month, I reached for two more international seasonals from Ridgeway Brewery. 

Criminally Bad Elf: A 10.5% Barleywine sporting an imprisoned elf on the label?  Yes please!  Not too hoppy and nicely sweet, this ale had a hint of licorice in the aroma.  Floral notes and a quick finish hid the potency of this pint.

Bad Elf:  Boasting over three pounds of fresh hops per barrel, this festive golden ale was smooth and crisp.  In fact, at 6%, it didn't come across that hoppy at all.  Enjoyed nice and cold, this winter ale helped wash down a late night snack of hummus and veggies.

WBM Day 29: First Day Skiing

December 29:  Last season, I visited three different mountains and tried snowboarding three different times.  Without going into too many details, let's just say my last bout of boarding involved many choice words, too many sips of Crown, and tears.  Yes, tears.  This year, I vowed to try skiing, as everyone and their grandma kept telling me how much easier it was.  First order of business: a winter pint to loosen up.
New Belgium Brewing: Snow Day
Sitting in a crowded ski lodge bar, watching the snow fall down on Crystal Mountain, and enjoying every last sip of this Fort Collins brewery's winter ale was just perfect.  Cascade and Centennial hops along with Midnight Wheat malt created a well rounded, amply hoppy, dark rich ale.  I just wish my day of skiing that followed would have been as satisfying as this brew.

www.newbelgium.com

WBM: Day 28

December 28:  Fighting a sore throat all day and picking up my first pair of full time eye glasses (with the ancient words of my mom replaying in my head, "Guys don't make passes at girls that wear glasses") a trip over to the Harbor for a winter brew was in order.  Entertaining stories of pharmacists and bowling teams going knuckle deep led to the obvious need to be "goosed" by a brewery from the Midwest.
Goose Island Brewing: Mild Winter
The name of this beer struck me as comical.  After spending a few winter days in Chicago years ago, 'mild' would have been the last word I would have chosen to describe that region's seasonal weather.  The medium brown color and hint of rye spiciness went well with the caramel palette.  With only 28 IBUs, this winter ale turned out to be a crowd pleasing thirst quencher.

www.gooseisland.com

WBM: Day 27

December 27:  Living within stumbling distance of half a dozen bars with extensive tap selections has its obvious advantages.  Only having a few minutes to spare, I headed to my neighborhood brewery for a winter pint.
Harmon Brewing Co: Steep and Deep
With the tasty tag line of "Fresh tracks of epic in your mouth," how could I not try this brew.  Turns out this winter ale is one of my new favorites from the Harmon.  In my opinion, their seasonal line knocks it out of the park.  Besides Steep and Deep, I also like Rajah's Royal IPA (April-June), One Hop Wonder (July-September), and their Black Tartan IPA (January-March).  Available until the end of December, be sure to check your local bottle shops and get your hands on this 7.2% ABV pleaser.

www.harmonbrewingco.com