The Best Holiday Beer and Winter Storm 2009
Best Holiday Beer Fallout
TheFullPint.com held a poll asking you the readers, what is the Best Holiday Beer? We were overwhelmed by the responses we got, with over 800 votes casted and over 70 comments, we were blown away. The winner, beating out Sierra Nevada Celebration, was Samuel Smith’s Winter Welcome Ale by 3 votes. All and all, this poll was pretty competitive, and towards the beginning it was anyone’s game.
One beer that didn’t make the cut for the poll was Great Lakes Christmas Ale. GL Christmas Ale got an overwhelming amount of write in votes, which really got our attention. After about the third comment, we went to Ratebeer to score a trade of this heavily favored Midwest classic. While we are not sure if we will run the same poll next year, one beer that will have to be on it is Great Lakes Christmas Ale.
Click here for the results in their entirety.
I have my own favorites from the list, and some not from the list that really knocked my socks off this winter season. Sierra Nevada Celebration was my personal favorite at the beginning, as I was able to get it before Thanksgiving. This year’s batch was so citrusy, flowery, malty, and bitter. If anything, it was a heavenly IPA if I hadn’t seen the festive label. Anchor Christmas Ale was in fact an anchor in its own right. There hasn’t been a year when this beer has disappointing, and it really represents holiday in a bottle. There is an age old debate as to how much the beer varies from year to year, and I am not sure if I have an opinion on the matter. Full Sail Wassail impressed me this year, as it was very hoppy and malty, and did in fact warm me up. Honorable mention goes to New Belgium Frambozen. While it did not make the poll, I got my hands on some, and found it to be the best raspberry beer I have ever tried.
Stone Winter Storm 2009
If you love all things related to Stone Brewing, you should head down to Escondido, CA at the end of January. From January 25 thru January 31 (maybe later), Stone Brewing Co. will be putting on a wide variety of vintage Special Releases on tap. According to stonebrew.com, they have between 30-40 vintages on tap, as well as a large date range of vintage bottle offerings. While I am not sure if thefullpint.com can make it down there, I find myself drooling over the impressive list. Most impressive to me is Old Guardian 2004, Double Bastard 2006 aged in Brandy Barrels, and Stone 7th Anniversary Ale. The only thing that makes me sad, is none of the bottle offerings can be purchased to take home. According to the official rules of Winter Storm, all bottles must be consumed on premises.
