Unboxed: Parallel 49 & Central City’s Alpine Adventure Pack 2018 Advent Calendar
Late to the party this year is our spotlight on BC’s best-known (and probably only, due to the absence this year of Phillips Brewing’s Snowcase) beer advent calendar. At this stage in the game it’s no longer about drinking a beer a day; it’s about checking out what’s in the mystery box at your own pace and tasting this year’s holiday “party flavors”. Also, timing may be good to pick up a case at a savings off the original pre-Advent price, and tick that last gift off your list.
You don’t get to see what’s in the box before you buy, which in theory is part of the fun. But for those that don’t like surprises we’ve got a sneak peek behind the cardboard so you can feel a little bit more sure of what you’re getting. We won’t spoil the whole experience, but here are a few tidbits we can share.
The box is comprised of 12 bottles from Parallel 49 Brewing and 12 cans of Central City’s Red Racer. To make the shorter cans work with the pop-top perforated lid, there is an inventive cardboard pull-up strap cradling each one.
There was a generous number of brand-new brews in our box. We also found a few ghosts from Christmas Past, which we didn’t mind.
Rock The Bells Cranberry Sour Ale by P49 was a refreshing way to start. (No, we didn’t do these in date order). Tart as you’d expect, with an appealing red colour. Good head with some lacing. At 7% ABV, there was a bit of an alcoholic nose.
Fireside Warmth is a Spiced Apple Honey Saison from Central City. Spice on the nose, then flavours reminiscent of pumpkin spices like allspice or nutmeg. Notes of pear. Decent mouthfeel. Kind of grows on you.
Night Flyer Cappucino Milk Stout is by Parallel 49. It pours black as night with a quickly dissipating head. Being a coffee stout, you’ll get notes of java on the nose, and certainly on the palate, along with chocolate. A little sweet, but waddya expect in a milk stout.
Red Racer Geländesprung Oat Kottbusser takes the prize for most interesting beer etymology. Perfectly clear and golden, it’s a rare German pre-Reinheitsgebot style that’s theoretically verboten due to the use of oats. We don’t normally quote the vendor’s marketing description, but for fun you have to read what it says on the side of the can: “Geländesprung is a classic ski jump over an obstacle. The obstacle here is pronunciation of a classic German style beer.” That’s pretty cute.
The point of the beers in a winter advent calendar is fun. The brewers get a chance to create one-offs and things they don’t normally sell. That makes for a few oddball brews that people sometimes complain about, but it’s like a mini beer festival: with 24 to taste through, you (or the lucky friends you gift this to) are guaranteed to find something you’ll enjoy.
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This was brilliant!! I hope next years is just as fun and interesting!