Some people celebrate Christmas on the evening of the 24th, others wait until Christmas morning. Some folks throw big family get-togethers while others keep it small and intimate. But everyone celebrates with beer, wine and whiskey – at least folks who read this site!
So how are you weaving your favorite adult beverages into the festivities in the coming days?…
It’s been a sprint to Christmas morning for me this year, and I haven’t really had the time to give it a lot of thought. All I keep dreaming of is sitting in front of the tree after all the holiday hubbub and nursing a Troeg’s Mad Elf and a little bit of Knob Creek on the rocks.
But between now and then there are guests to be considered and decisions to be made. We’re having a standing rib roast and Yorkshire pudding for Christmas dinner, which puts me in the mood for a Duchesse De Borgogne, a beer I’ve called “the ultimate chick beer” on this site, but one that I think will pair well with the meal and be appreciated by our guests (and my wife who’s a chick, after all). Plus it has a fancy cork, and you know how I love presenting corked beers to wine lovers.
Beyond that, I’ll begin the lovely task of working through the winter brews Don sent from Idaho and digging around in the beer fridge for any gems that may have slipped into the back. I have the week off from work, so expect to make some good progress.
How about you? Any plans that involve sharing good drinks with friends and loved ones? Anyone giving (or better yet receiving) any home brewed goodness? Please share with the gang, and have a great holiday!
-Jim
Beer & Whiskey Brothers 
I am going to open a bottle of Wathen’s Single Barrel Bourbon that I have been hanging on to for a couple of months now, waiting for the right time to indulge. I will also be making my way through the beer in the garage, which sits at a perfect 52-58 degrees these days, I have a lot of choices, but I’m thinking some oatmeal stouts might be in order I have a few of them and I think over the holidays that might be just the thing that is called for. We will be having a Ribeye Roast that I will pick up on Christmas Eve that is being butchered later today! Now that’s fresh!
Our Italian Christmas Eve calls for an Italian Spritzer (check http://www.locodiner.com for the recipe). Christmas Day will be filled with Belgians c/o my brother-in-law. Last year, he had several including my first taste of DeuS. Can’t wait to find out what he has in store this year. We will, of course, be bringing some along as well. Merry Christmas to you guys!
Rachel:
Thanks, Merry Christmas to you too. Watch out for the Zinnbir from Brasserie de la Senne. I hated that stuff. Tastes like you are drinking pine water after you cleaned the floor! If he brings some try it and let me know what you think. Also going to make the bourbon sauce tonight. Christmas eve is a big Cheese and Sausage spread for lunch at my house (lots of Wisconsin relatives send us stuff, and the kids love it!) and I thought the sauce would be great with that. Also I probably won’t spice it at first. I want to try it without any extra spice to see if I would like it otherwise. What is on the menu for Christmas? Something Italian?
I’m going to jot that down (Brasserie de la Senne!) and maybe keep a log of the beer we will have if I can. The cheese and sausage will be great with the bourbon sauce. If you have time and your grocery store carries Colmans dry mustard (4oz), make the sweet and spicy mustard too. It’s easy but you need to start it today. http://www.locodiner.com/2009/12/sweet-and-spicy-mustard.html
Italian (my side) will do the traditional 7 fish feast tomorrow. Friday is the Polish side (my husband’s family) with traditional kielbasi, pierogi, cheese babka, bourbon sauce and ham as well as a multitude of other appetizers. It’s all delicious! Have fun!
Rachel:
Unfortunately the mustard will have to wait. I’m making the bourbon sauce tonight because I was told by my wife in no uncertain terms that I am not allowed in the kitchen on Christmas Eve! Big prep day. Pies, and side dishes. She lays claim to the room for the entire day, then I take everyone out to dinner because she can’t stand to be in the kitchen for another minute! Then Church and home for stories and drinks. The Kids then go to bed and Santa sets things up! PS3 this year for the Kids! They will love Santa a lot this year!
PS3?! You should have gone Xbox360 so Drew and I could frag your boys on Modern Warfare 2!
They wanted the Sony. Sammy got the Wii a few months back, and they have been putting up with their old PS2 which is on its last legs right now, and we inquired about gaming systems and to a kid they all said PS3. I think it is partly because they know the controller. They say that the X-box controller is wonky and they don’t like it as much.
Your menus sound both varied and delicious, Rachel. Don and I grew up in a “Christmas roast” household, and, lo and behold, we’re both eating cows on Friday. I guess that’s what tradition is all about, but I think I’d love to eat my way through a Polish Christmas!
I will have Christmas breakfast at my parents’ house with my brother and his wife having Belgian waffles.
Then I will be going over a friend’s house for lunch with their family, they are like a second family to me. Her uncle is very big on beer so I am going to pick up something good for us to enjoy.
Then it is back to my parents’ house for dinner. Mom is making lasagna this year and I’m bring over my bottle of Mikkellar’s Santa’s Little Helper.
Sounds like it’s good to be home for the holidays. Mike. I haven’t tried anything from Mikkeller yet. Perhaps I’ll start this weekend…
Have a great holiday!
I’ve yet to try Mikkeller – always pass it up when something else catches my eye.
I made a trip to High Point Brewery in Butler recently and filled up my growler with their Winter Wheat and plan on having that as well as Victory’s Yakima Twilight and as a backup I have the Troegs 12-pack sampler – not very “winter beer” friendly as I know my brothers aren’t big fans of stouts and porters and “big” beers in general. Good beer, family, great food…can’t go wrong, right?
Happy Holidays to all!
I’ve heard good things about Highpoint’s Winter Wheat and I imagine it’s pretty good fresh from the brewery. I like your Troegs choice as well, as every beer I’ve had from them has been good enough for a beer geek to appreciate, but also very enjoyable by Bud drinkers, too. They make awesome session beers, not to mention my current favorite seasonal the 11% ABV Mad Elf.
Have a terrific holiday and please wish Angela a belated happy birthday from me.
Thanks…and best wishes to you and your family!
I’ve just started delving into the Troegs family of beers – Mad Elf being my introduction and definitely wanting me to try more.
You’re actually early or really late on the birthday wish for Angela as her birthday is March 3rd. I’ll pass along your message – she will definitely get a kick out of it.
I keep forgetting to tell Angela to check out your video review of Dales’s Pale Ale. I love that beer and love OB’s Old Chub and Mama’s Little Yellow Pils. I have yet to try Ten Fidy but hear only good things about it.
Hey Rob, it was your son’s birthday, not Angela’s (I misremembered from Facebook). So let me be the FIRST to wish her a happy birthday!
I picked up another 12 of Dale’s in the can yesterday. There’s something about pulling a can out of a cardboard box that makes me happy. The fact that there’s a good beer inside probably helps, as does the red, blue and silver design of the can. I think it reminds me a bit of my dad’s old fave Pabst Blue Ribbon. It’s a simple pleasure.
Yeah I picked up a can of OBs Old Chub and have a ten Fidy in the fridge. I don’t think they will make into the new year. Also picked up a dark session beer. I wanted to see what all the hoopla was about. Merry Christmas Rob.