It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Beer: Ballast Point Peppermint Victory at Sea and Unibroue La Résolution

Ballast Point Peppermint Victory at Sea

The last two days of 2015 were spent merrily.  On December 30, I spent most of the day doing burpees, chasing the kids around, and working on my Wham! rock opera.  That night, I went to see Diarrhea Planet and JEFF The Brotherhood at a local music hall (Diarrhea Planet is phenomenal live, by the way, but that's a story for another post).  Before heading to the show, my concert-going compatriot and I enjoyed a couple beers, one of which was Ballast Point's Peppermint Victory at Sea.  Located in a whale's vagina, Ballast Point makes some fine ales.  Victory at Sea is an imperial porter brewed with coffee, and they made a special edition with peppermint.  I don't really like coffee, yet I like coffee stouts and porters.  I'm a walking contradiction.  This one, however, was overpowering.  It basically tasted like black coffee with a splash of porter.

Name:  Peppermint Victory at Sea
Brewery:  Ballast Point Brewery and Spirits
Location:  San Diego, California
ABV:  10.0%
IBU:  60
Good for drinking if:  you want some beer with your coffee
Rating (out of 5 stars):  3.75 stars

Unibroue La Résolution

On New Year's Eve, we had a party.  While over a dozen children ransacked our house, the adults got elegantly wasted on cocktails, champagne, and bombers -- or all three, in most cases -- while eating the finest of cured meats.  One of the bombers was Unibroue La Résolution.  Unibroue is in Québec, and I love pretty much everything those separatist bastards brew.  You can't go wrong with a La Fin du Monde, Maudite, or Trois Pistoles.  They are all strong, Belgian-style ales.  La Résolution is just as strong (10% ABV), and just as delicious.  It's also Belgian-inspired, but it is a winter warmer, so it's dark and has some maltiness.  It was a perfect way to finish the 2015 edition of It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Beer.  There's a gym that is basically across the street from me.  I joined it two months ago, and I have yet to step foot inside.  After the last month, perhaps now is the time.

Name:  La Résolution
Brewery:  Unibroue
Location:  Chambly, Québec, Canada
ABV:  10.0%
IBU:  21.5
Good for drinking if:  your New Year's resolution is that you want your New Year's Eve to be a night you will not soon remember
Rating (out of 5 stars):  4.5 stars