Christmas Eve Beers - Grab some and come on over!

Merry Christmas from the Polkaroos!

After I posted one of the Polkie Awards the other day, one of my friends wanted to know if these brews were available at the LCBO and easy to find. It got me to thinking about the beers I have been lucky enough to try this year and especially in the last month with Beervent 2015.

There are so many great beers at the liquor store that I usually walk around twice before making my selection. Do I wish we had even more selection? Hell yeah! But I am realistic and know that change is slow, especially at a government run entity. Be happy that we have any choice, the alternative of a macro beer universe is frightening. It makes me smile when I find small and new breweries popping up at the local LC's I visit.  I continually ask for different and unique beers whenever I go shopping and if we all do this, they will listen. Trust me, keep believing and we can keep the craft beer revolution alive!

Here then is a list of easy to find and thoroughly enjoyable beers to bring with you  when you go over to the family's house tonight. Or any night, because a beer goes better with people you love.

***I did this pretty quickly this morning before going off to work. Check around when you go into your local LCBO and I am sure you can find these and many more. Pick up something you haven't tried before, you might be surprised. These are just 12 I love that I saw last night at the liquor store on  Hwy. 20 in Hamilton, Ontario.***

1. Goose Island IPA (Green Can) Extra Special Bitter - English style beer with a nice bready, nutty flavour (Goose Island - USA)
2. Anchor IPA (6 pack, stubby bottles) American IPA - Subtle malty back with a nicely balanced hop presence. (Anchor Steam USA)
3. Hockley Dark (Black Can) English Brown Ale - Chocolate, vanilla, cocoa and coffee. Great, smooth drinking ale. A little roasty, but very drinkable. (Hockley Valley Canada)
4. Fireside ESB (Red Can) Extra Special/Strong Bitter - Bready smell with toffee, caramel and malt notes. Dry finish with a little bitterness. (Collingwood Brewery Canada)
5. Harbinger (White Can) American IPA - Mango citrus flavour with a  nice light malt body. finishes a little more bitter (Descendant's Canada)
6. Hop Bot (Yellow Can) American IPA - Citrus, mango and pine. Bitter and a strong beer at 7.1%. Dry, bitter finish. (Hop City Canada)
7. Pompous Ass Ale (Dark Can, good art) English Pale Ale - Low ABV at 4.2%, nutty, bready and biscuit malted loveliness. (Great Lakes Canada)
8. Old North (Big brown bottle) Mocha Porter - Creamy texture, coffee forward with roated malt and dark chocolate. Bitter on the back, but smooth. (Lake of Bays Canada)
9. Samuel Adams Boston Lager (6 pack, blue box) Amber Lager - One of the classics and very drinkable. Malted with a smooth backend.  (Boston Beer Co. USA)
10. Harp (Blue Can) Lager - Guinness makes a smooth, drinkable lager with nice bread and floral notes. Nothing fancy, but better than a Coors Light. (Guinness, Scotland)
11. Nut Brown Ale (Brown Can) American Brown Ale - Cocoa popping. Malty and a bready/bicuit flavour. Smooth and crisp. (Black Oak, Canada)
12. Vanilla Porter Draught (Off white Can) - Vanilla Porter - Like dessert in a can. Vanilla, coffee and chocolate flavours. Creamy head and smooth textures. (Mill Street, Canada)

These are but a sampling of what I love. Please forgive me if I've missed a favourite or two, but the holidays have got me in a rush.

Merry Christmas!

Happy and Safe Drinking!

Cheers!