It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Beer: The Last Five Beers

Between work, holiday parties, children's activities, watching the Hoosiers blow a lead, more holiday parties, and watching the Bears blow a lead, I haven't had time to post over the last few days, but I finally caught up on my beer advent calendar.  Of course, I have stuff going on tomorrow and Wednesday nights, so I'll be putting myself behind again, but it was nice while it lasted.  Anywho, here are the last five beers.  They were all good, and the calendar is hitting its stride with a nice run of non-hoppy beers.

Beer #14 was from craft brewing stalwarts Ommegang.  It was called Everything Naughty, and it was billed as a white chocolate imperial blonde stout, but it tasted more like a Belgian-style strong ale, which would be on point for Ommegang.  Regardless, I quite enjoyed it.

Name:  Everything Naughty

Brewery:  Brewery Ommegang

Location:  Cooperstown, NY

ABV:  9.5%

IBU:  27

Good for drinking if:  You need a nice base before going to a party where you will consume about thirty tasters of even heavier beers.

Rating (out of five stars, by quarter star increments):  4.25

Beer #15 came from another great craft brewery, California's Firestone Walker.  I'm a big fan of their stouts, so I was happy to see Cinnamon Dolce when I opened the flap the other day.  It's a nitro milk stout with cinnamon and vanilla, and it's a perfect holiday stout -- made even better by the nitro can.

Name:  Cinnamon Dolce Nitro Stout

Brewery:  Firestone Walker Brewing Company

Location:  Paso Robles, CA

ABV:  6%

IBU:  61

Good for drinking if:  You're looking for something with some nice spice to take the edge off after you've spent the afternoon watching a youth performance of The Nutcracker and a Bears collapse.

Rating (out of five stars, by quarter star increments):  4.5

Cruz Blanca Brewery here in Chicago was co-founded by local (and international) celebrity chef Rick Bayless -- who somehow shares DNA with Skip Bayless -- and is located in the heart of the West Loop.  As you might expect, Cruz Blanca serves great Mexican food, in addition to brewing beer.  (Bayless is no longer affiliated with Cruz Blanca, from what I understand.)  Most of their beers are on the lighter side, but they also make great stouts.  I believe this is the first year they have done a Christmas ale, or at least the first year they have canned one.  Festiva -- despite sharing a name with the worst car Ford ever made, which is saying a lot (I'm looking your way, Pinto, Escort, and Probe) -- was a delightful Christmas ale, malty and with just the right amount of spice.

Name:  Festiva

Brewery:  Cruz Blanca Brewery

Location:  Chicago, IL

ABV:  6%

IBU:  N/A

Good for drinking if:  You decide a Sunday night is the right time to start watching an Icelandic serial killer show.

Rating (out of five stars, by quarter star increments):  4.25

Beer #17 was from yet another craft brewing giant, New Belgium.  Their Holiday Ale -- which I think is also a new addition to their repertoire -- was a nice winter warmer, with cranberry and cinnamon.  The cranberry wasn't too overwhelming, but gave it a hint of tartness.

Name:  Holiday Ale

Brewery:  Holiday Ale

Location:  Fort Collins, CO

ABV:  7.5%

IBU:  N/A

Good for drinking if:  You want a nice holiday beer in between refereeing fights about which iPhone charger belongs to which of your kids.

Rating (out of five stars, by quarter star increments):  4

Beer #18 was one that I've had in past beer advent calendars.  War on Xmas (If You Want It), from Chicago's Illuminated Brew Works, is a white milk stout with nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla, and it's meant to give a nod to egg nog.  A nog nod, if you will.  And at 11%, it packs a nice punch.

Name:  War on Xmas

Brewery:  Illuminated Brew Works

Location:  Chicago, IL

ABV:  11%

IBU:  N/A

Good for drinking if:  You need a strong beer after refereeing fights about which iPhone charger belongs to which of your kids.

Rating (out of five stars, by quarter star increments):  4.25