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

As it happens every year, I generally fall behind on the beer posting over the weekend.  But fear not, dear reader!  I have been imbibing.  Here are the last four beers from the ol' beer advent calendar.

Beer #6 was no beer at all, but rather a seltzer or something along those lines.  Eagle Park Brewing in Wisconsin makes a nice little line of malt beverages under the Kooler moniker.  This one was A Very Kooler Christmas, and it featured cranberry, lemon, and lime.  It was quite refreshing, though as with all seltzers, it could have used a vodka floater.

Name:  A Very Kooler Christmas

Brewery:  Eagle Park Brewing Company

Location:  Muskego, WI

ABV:  5%

IBU:  N/A

Good for drinking if:  You need a break from beer while you're watching the last episode of a great limited series about The Troubles.

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

After a one-day non-beer break, it was back to the good stuff for lucky #7.  This one was from suburban brewers Elmhurst Brewing.  My brother lives not to far from them, so I have been to the brewery multiple times.  They do good stuff, and they have a great beer garden (and pretty good food too).  Red Nosed Reinbeer not only has a good holiday-themed punny name, but it was a nice, malty imperial red ale, with some holiday spice to boot.  And at 8.2% ABV, it packs a nice punch.

Name:  Red Nosed Reinbeer

Brewery:  Elmhurst Brewing Company

Location:  Elmhurst, IL

ABV:  8.2%

IBU:  N/A

Good for drinking if:  You need to prime the pump before heading out to a party where you're going to drink lots of even heavier beers.

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

Speaking of packing a punch, beer #8 did that and more.  Chicago's Off Color Brewing has a whole line of "Beer for" different occasions, like Beer for Tacos, Beer for Ball Games, Beer for Derbies, Beer for Burgers, and many others.  This one, especially for the holidays, is Beer for Dealing with Your Family, and it's a malt liquor with a hefty 12% ABV.  The booziness definitely hits you up front, but it's got plenty of sugary flavors, like plum and cherry to take the edge off.

Name:  Beer for Dealing with Your Family

Brewery:  Off Color Brewing

Location:  Chicago, IL

ABV:  12%

IBU:  N/A

Good for drinking if:  You need a stiff drink masquerading as a beer.

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

Beer #9 was the first truly hoppy beer of the beer advent calendar.  As you know, I am not a fan of IPAs or other hoppy beers.  This one was Park Laps, a hazy IPA courtesy of Coloradan brewers Outer Range.  It has a whole bunch of different hop varieties that I've heard of, but that mean nothing to me.

Name:  Park Laps

Brewery:  Outer Range Brewing Company

Location:  Frisco, CO

ABV:  7%

IBU:  N/A

Good for drinking if:  You like hazy IPAs.

Rating (out of five stars, by quarter star increments):  3.5