we all agree it dont matter who starts if is who finishes
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It’s definitely seasonal stout/porter season; what are your favorite winter-only stouts and porters?
I love the Stone Xocoveza, it’s basically a Mexican hot chocolate (I have a sweet tooth): https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/147/128500/
I’ve seen this gingerbread stout from Hardywood around, is it worth trying? https://hardywood.com/beer/gingerbread-stout/
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@AdventiveQuasar Try the Hardywood one and let me know. I went to High School w/ the Hardywood Master Brewer.
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Hardywood does a really nice job with GBS and all of its variants. Kentucky Christmas Morning is particularly good. It’s GBS aged in bourbon barrels and filtered over coffee. In response to AQ’s question on seasonal stouts and porters, I really like Xocoveza too, but my favorite has to be Founders CBS (Canadian Breakfast Stout). Firestone-Walker’s Parabola is really good too. I’ve got a bottle of Perennial Artisan’s Abraxas that I’m dying to sample. I expect it’ll be similar to Xocoveza, but it’s rated a little higher.
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That gingerbread stout is probably one of my favorite beers. Incredible beer! I am having my RVA buddy ship me a bunch because we don’t get Hardywood out in AZ.
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I second this. All great beers!
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I did drink that Christmas Morning one on Christmas Morning last year while the kids were opening presents. A little aggressive. I’ll need to eat something this year beforehand.
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Living in northern VA… I am lucky to be close to a number of good local breweries… first up is an amazing stout from Quattros Goombas… it’s out in London County and they also do their own wine… in any event this is stout and at 12% it’s one I drink when having one or a few… in fact I need a friend to help me finish this 32oz oil can… the additional pic is view from the outdoor seating area… they do good pizza…
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Jumping on the IPA discussion…I agree that the cuteness of that beer turned it into a high alcohol content bitter beer for hipsters…the warmer it gets the bitter the taste…I think the current market has created more IPA varieties for pallets that don’t want bitter…I prefer a more citrusy IPA with a fairly clean finish…this one below is from Mustang Sally in Chantilly, VA…
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There’s some great breweries out in Loudoun. We’d hit them up a lot. Favorite is Old Bust Head out in Warrenton
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Advent Calendar. Day 2.
IPA today… blech… but to be fair it was sortiment drinkable. Crisp and fruity… so can’t complain.
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That actually looks like a good IPA
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Advent Calendar. Day 3.
Double IPA. Wayyyyyy too sweet and too strong an aftertaste for my pallet… my wife was not a fan either, and she likes IPAs. It’s apparently limited edition.
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Advent Calendar. Day 4.
Finally a Keller Pils… crisp and smooth. Ended much quicker than I wanted it to.
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Advent Calendar. Day 5.
Belgian Cherry Lambic… Lambics are worse than Pumpkin beer in my book. Choked it down out of principle, but I’d never actually drink this one by choice.
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I picked up a four pack of these today: https://hardywood.com/beer/christmas-morning/
Was a tough call between that and the Christmas Pancakes, which is similar but with maple syrup instead of coffee and vanilla.
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Mmmmmm… Imperial stout… it’s there a drooling emoticon?
That actually sounds really good. Although I tend to likw Lambic more in theory than reality
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It’s really good. 9.2 ABV, so it’s not messing around.
In theory Lambics do sound good… in practice, they are terrible. LOL! Up in Berlin… they have these sampler boards where they pour different fruit juices into each glass… No. Bueno.
I let my son take a taste of the Lambic and he said it tasted like feet and vomit mixed together. He is definitely my son. 
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