Jim Skamarakas

We had our big annual Christmas party yesterday. Big as in invite 200 and get 80-100 to show up. 2 years ago we over 100, last year was much smaller due to pregnancy and our saving for the big christening (which was over 100). Yesterday we 80 guests into our home over the 9 hours of the open house. I need to blog the party and all the fun of it, but especially to remind my wife even though it is a ton of work, the just under $1,000.00 price tag was worth it to see the kids playing with all of their cousins and our friends kids.

So on to the beers

 

Harpoon Winter Warmer -This was a beer with a taste of bitter on the start and ended with a wintergreen flavor. Harpoon Winter Warmer is a full-bodied rich ale that uses a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg to achieve its spirited flavor. Perfect for the holidays! Of the beers this was the one my wife always went back to with “the first one was more Christmas then this one” This was the first one I handed every beer drinker and the one that always got a good response as a good Christmas party beer.

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale - The long, cold nights of winter are a little brighter with Celebration Ale. Wonderfully robust and rich, Celebration Ale is dry-hopped for a lively, intense aroma. Brewed especially for the holidays, it is perfect for a festive gathering or for a quiet evening at home. So says the label. But everyone who had it at the party called it okay. Nugh said. The heavy into beer drinkers all knew the brewery name. A few bottles were tossed with only a few sips of beer out of them. 

Samuel Adams Winter Larger - Bold and rich with a touch of holiday spice. This was the 2nd best of the bunch served yesterday, and it may be more with it being a middle of the road beer then its holiday flavor. There was nothign strong or bitter or full aroma about this beer. Is Sam Adams a micro brew or an industrial brew? I mean, they have radio and TV commercials - is it just the ad pitch of Jim Cook (hell I know his name) and more money and industry then micro-brewing great beer?

Anyway, the beer was fine, but had not holiday taste to it. Maybe I should have searched longer for Old Fezziwig? I don’t know - anyone drink it?

The first thing one notices in a Samuel Adams® Winter Lager is its color: the deep brown of winter. Then comes the magical aroma which promises something special on the tongue. The warm aroma of cinnamon and ginger which blends with the roasty sweetness of the malted barley and hint of citrus from the orange peel. And after that first sip the promise is fulfilled. On the palate Samuel Adams® Winter Lager is rich and full bodied, robust and warming, a wonderful way to enjoy the cold evenings that come with this season.

Flying Fish Grand Cru Winter Reserve - another choicewell known by the beer drinkers. Grand Cru Winter Reserve is a bottle conditioned Belgian style ale brewed with Two-row pale, Caramel Pils, and White Wheat malts, Magnum and Styrian Golding hops, and Belgian Abbey Style yeast. A delectable aroma of fruit, yeast, clove and alcohol exudes from a hazy, golden body, all topped by an extremely creamy head. A lively, fruity apple character merges into honey and malt sweetness, followed immediately by a pleasant biscuity -yeast and clove element. An upwelling of spicy hops bitterness and alcohol sharpness (6.8% abv) emerge, kicking this ale up a notch, prior to a wheat-like, crisp finish with just a lingering hint of the hops bitterness. I am truly intrigued by this assertively flavored, yet well-layered and complex winter seasonal ale. After imbibing many bottles of the standard dark, spiced, and malty winter offerings, Grand Cru definitely stood out. I highly recommend making a New Year’s resolution to try this distinctive Flying Fish winter seasonal.

This strong golden ale showcases a variety of the ingredients and brewing methods that help differentiate Flying Fish beers. The Grand Cru is fermented at a higher temperature than our other beers adding an undercurrent of fruitiness (although there is no fruit in the beer). Very lightly filtered, the Grand Cru exhibits complex mouthfeel, strong malt flavors, a spicy hop presence and a soothing alcohol warmth, followed by a clean, dry finish. It is excellent with food as well as served by itself.

Malts: Two-row pale, Cara-Pils, White Wheat, and acidulated malt
Hops: Magnum, Styrian Golding
Yeast: Belgian Abbey Style
Original Gravity: 16.6 plato
Alcohol by volume: 7.2%
Formats: 12 oz. bottles,1/2 kegs, 1/6 kegs, cask-conditioned
Availability: October 1 to February 1

Food pairings: Richer dishes, meats, cheeses, stews, smoked foods. As an after-dinner drink 

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Popularity: 2%

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