Brews News: Advent beer calendars need to be ordered soon

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Ho-ho-hold my beer. Just like Santa Claus parades, craft brewery Advent beer calendars are starting to roll.

Advent doesn’t start until Dec. 1, four Sundays before Christmas, but breweries assembling curated calendars need the lead time and thirsty patrons need to order now if a beer a day to count down the days until Christmas.

Among the breweries offering hoppy holiday packages are Powerhouse Brewing in London’s Old East Village where the 24-beer package includes the brewery’s classics and some surprises. It’s $150 and is can be ordered online for pickup at the brewery later in November.

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In Petrolia, the four-year-old Black Gold Brewery takes a little different tact with 23 tallboy cans of its beers in the case with the 24th slot filled by a branded glass and a coupon for a complimentary pour at the brewery. It’s priced at $100 and, like Powerhouse, needs to be pre-ordered and picked up in Petrolia.

Eyes turn east for the most intriguing Advent beer calendar. Matron Fine Beer, of Bloomfield, south of Belleville, has assembled a 24-beer calendar featuring some of its own beer along with those from Dominion City, Slake, Tooth and Nail, Willibald, Sonnen Hill and Bellwoods. There may be others represented in this discovery pack that’s certain to please craft beer fans curious about new-to-them breweries. Matron has it priced at $160 and delivery for a fee is possible anywhere in Ontario. Certain areas near Bloomfield or in Toronto can get it delivered free.

Into beer but not alcohol? There are so many options now in near-beer that London’s Designated Drinks can put together an Advent calendar with several styles and craft brewers represented. But hoppy IPAs dominate. There’s Summit IPA by Upper Thames of Woodstock. Wicked Tame Hazy IPA by Nickel Brook of Burlington. Free Spirit by Rorschach of Toronto, Veer by Muskoka Brewing of Bracebridge and Near Zero NEIPA by Lake of Bays of Baysville. Collective Arts of Hamilton has both an IPA and pale ale in the box. Breweries which focus only on low-alcohol beers such as Sober Carpenter and Harmon’s are also represented. The box is $90 and can be picked up the same day you order or delivered.

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NEW AND NOTED

When bourbon barrels are used once in Kentucky, they’re bought by craft breweries to use again for aging imperial stouts. When they’re done that task, they become Muskoka chairs, guitar racks or even chandeliers thanks to creative carpenters. Forked River in London is selling lots of used barrels to talented woodworkers for $100. Doubting a barrel can be a chandelier? Visit the brewery for proof.

A few weeks into seeing alcohol at Ontario corner stores and what are customers buying? In my small sample size, it looks like ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages such as White Claw and, on the beer front, Coors. Snacks with that?

The latest craft beer merger is curious in its geography and is more about distribution than anything else. Sleeping Giant Brewing of Thunder Bay, well-known and well-respected in Northern Ontario and Manitoba, and Newark Brewing in the Niagara fruit belt community of Beamsville will continue to operate both locations and in addition to distribution, collaborate on new brews. Sleeping Giant has been in the business since 2012; Newark since 2018. Newark focuses on Belgian and German styles. Sleeping Giant’s brands include the golden ale Northern Logger, White Out Hazy IPA and Mr. Canoehead, a red ale brewed to be hoppier.

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Cooler days and the holiday season mean it’s time for rich stouts. Cowbell in Blyth now has its nitro Mint Chocolate Stout on the board. It’s got dark chocolate and mint flavours, nice to pair with peppermint and is one of the beers inside Cowbell’s Winter Mixer at the LCBO. The trick to pouring this beer is, after cracking it open, turn it upside down and pour hard into your Irish pint glass for a nice cascade and lasting foam cap.

Wayne Newton is a freelance journalist based in London.

BrewsNewsTravels@gmail.com

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