For the homestretch of the Brewer’s Advent Calendar 2017, I present to you the 10 remaining beers. On the last days before Christmas I harvested ales, several Märzen, Festbier, Dunkelweizen, Helles, Zwickelbier and dark bock. Let’s take a look at the eclectic collection of beers, before the Advent calendar makes its way to the recycling bin.
December 15: Perlenzauber German Pale Ale
Interesting can for this German pale ale. It presents itself as the perfect beer to drink while you are out and about with your submarine. Just as you are about to enjoy your first sip, a mermaid looks at you through the window. Is she trying to warn you about the beverage you are holding? Is she thirsty as well? Do mermaids drink beer? Who is driving this submarine anyway? As you only live once, you try the beer and find that it’s quite tasty with only a hint of bitterness.
December 16: Alpenstoff Märzen
The beer of the Alps took a while to pour, and I had to take multiple breaks to get all the beer from the can in the pint glass. The result was a very frothy foam, and a decent tasting beer with a slight bitterness. More than anything, the marketing for this beer is good. The sleek-looking black can with the unmistakable Edelweiss brings to mind a modern-day Von Trapp family enjoying a cold one high up in the mountains.
December 17: Das Besondere Festbier
When you call your beer “special feast/party/festival beer for festive enjoyment” you can’t help but wonder what will happen when you finish one of these bad boys. Let me tell you what happened. Absolutely nothing. Like it’s calendar predecessor, it honors the year 1516, but also Oktober(fest). It made me think of Guinness, instead of several months ago.
December 18: Publiner Irish Ale
Now we are off to the races! Or so I thought. The previous beer already made my taste buds wander off to Dublin, but here is an Irish ale called “Publiner.” I am really digging these taglines on the cans. This one says “Irish in the character – flavorful tast in the enjoyment.” Not only was this untrue and poorly translated, but also an insult to the Irish. At least take credit for it, when you come up with a flat and watery beer.
December 19: Rieder India Pale Ale
If you read my blog on the Oregon Brewers Festival, then you know that in these parts the IPA or India Pale Ale is extremely popular. The Rieder India Pale Ale is the one and only candidate for this style. This makes me wonder if the IPA is just not as big in Germany as it is in the USA. The amber golden beer had a strong and fairly long-lingering aftertaste, which was pleasant to me. I’d say it could easily compete with many India Pale Ales that you can find stateside.
December 20: Memminger Gold Märzen
Officially the third, and last, Märzen in this year’s Brewer’s Advent Calendar, Memminger Gold proved that three times is a charm indeed. Maybe I was on a “honey high” that day, after having had cheese and honey prior to trying this Märzen, but the beer surprised me with a very smooth and sweet aftertaste. Other people have described the flavor as caramel, vanilla, banana or even buttery custard. But you guessed it, I tasted honey.
December 21: Eaglebräu Weizenbier Dunkel
Eaglebräu is another Dunkelweizen, like its calendar companion Holzknecht. Since I enjoyed the Dunkelweizen from early December, it was a good thing that Eaglebräu came along. A great beer for anyone who likes their banana bread in liquid form.
December 22: Edel Bayer Urtyp Hell
What I liked most about this beer? The can, without a doubt. Next, please!
December 23: Kress Bayerisch Zwickel
Kress was yet another style of beer I don’t recall having tried before. The so-called “Zwickelbier” is a weaker and less-flavorful version of its naturally cloudy brother “Kellerbier.” Typically both versions are served directly from the barrel, as they do not undergo pasteurization. Obviously I did not have the pleasure of trying it in a German beer garden, but even without that ideal scenario, the Kress turned out to be a rather tasty first acquaintance. I have not noticed Zwickelbier being the next best thing in the US yet, but I wouldn’t mind a little more competition for the IPA.
December 24: St. Bonifatius Dark Bock
Christmas Eve has arrived, and thus it is time to welcome St. Bonifatius (Saint Boniface). Patron saint of Germany, and as a logical bonus, patron saint of brewers. A nice golden can signals me that this is the one that will blow my mind, fireworks will go off and choirs will sing. OK, so maybe I set the bar a little too high. Nevertheless, a very good beer to conclude this year’s Brewer’s Advent Calendar.
Final Verdict on Beers
With 24 beers to sample, the calendar was bound to have its ups and downs.
There were the uninspired beers, such as:
Alpenkönig Gold (December 7) and Schloßbräu Rheder (December 1)
The bad ‘n’ sad:
Grandl Helles Lagerbier (December 8) and Edel Bayer Urtyp Hell (December 22)
The new and fresh:
Zwönitzer Rauchbier (December 12) and Kress Bayerisch Zwickel (December 23)
And last but not least, The “Delightfully Deutsch”:
Hernnbräu Tradition and Holzknecht Dunkelweizen (December 2 and 3)
Kartäuser Doppelbock Dunkel (December 6)
Wittmann Urhell (December 13)
Eaglebräu Weizenbier Dunkel (December 21)
Should You Run to Costco?
If I remember correctly, I purchased the Brewer’s Advent Calendar 2017 during an early November visit to Costco. At that time there was a huge stack of these boxes on display. However, when I went back about two weeks later, there was no Brewer’s Advent Calendar in sight. So, if you are at all interested in getting your hands on the coolest calendar of the Holiday season, make sure you buy it as soon as you see it at your local Costco.
Would I Buy the Advent Calendar Again?
At roughly $60 for 24 beers, we’re not going for cheap here. Remember that these 16.9 oz. cans are imported for your drinking pleasure, and this calendar sure makes for a fun gift. I definitely enjoyed trying all these different beers, along with the anticipation of what you are going to find next. Since half the fun is discovering new beers, I would inspect the 2018 Brewer’s Advent Calendar first. If there are (some) new cans in there, I would certainly consider buying it again. If nothing else, hopefully my favorites will be featured in the calendar once more.
What did you think of the Brewer’s Advent Calendar 2017, and what was your favorite beer? If you didn’t get one, are you planning on buying one next year? Let me know in the comments below!
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