I know it’s early and there’s talk for next year.....I’m in for east coast !
12 Beers of Christmas 2020 Edition
- Thread starter TBC
- Start date
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I don't think @wstbrewing has been on the site since March, so I would guess he has bigger issues right now. Was always a standup guy in FOTD.
Like I said, it’s one post. What issue do you suppose keeps him from making one post?
if a guy that was a regular on here before the pandemic becomes a ghost of a sudden, I would be willing to bet that a specific trade thread ain’t on his priority list. Nor do I blame him for it. Christmas was 9 months away.
To be frank, this wouldn’t be one of my top 50 priorities if COVID impacted my family.
Also, your quad was awesome.
Thanks.
I blame them. There is no excuse not to make one post. It was a commitment. Apparently that has a different meaning today.
Get off your high horse. Commitments in the context of a hobby dont mean **** in the context of what is going on today.
I don't get a random beer this year. Big deal. I get 3 more of my own instead. Literally zero loss.
If I died tomorrow my husband wouldn’t know to post anything here, just saying. With that said, at least one of the brewers that dropped out in recent years without a word, is back on HBT, no apology or explanation to the group. But because there was follow up on who was still in, beers were not sent, so really no harm done and I suppose that is the key. Just my two cents. @passedpawn your beers arrived today in good condition, and I’m looking forward to enjoying one soon, as well as the others.
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Got my Gingerbread Ale too!
jack13
Well-Known Member
Not to beat a dead horse, but any calamity short of being dead and I'm taking the computer out of my pocket, jumping on HBT and typing "Sorry all, I can't do the beer exchange". 30 seconds. Tops.
Regardless, I wonder if we could just add a single check-in at some point. Maybe do the addresses at the same time.
So how about adding something like "Must send address to other...by October 31"? If at that point someone doesn't check in, we could contact someone on the 'waiting list'.
It is a 'bid deal' that someone doesn't come through? Of course not and I don't think anyone is saying it is. But adding something simple like that into the rules to reduce the chance of it happening would be very easy and it seems to me a quite unobtrusive request, so why not?
Of course, this is only relevant if the spots are filled and there were people wanting to get in and couldn't.
Regardless, I wonder if we could just add a single check-in at some point. Maybe do the addresses at the same time.
So how about adding something like "Must send address to other...by October 31"? If at that point someone doesn't check in, we could contact someone on the 'waiting list'.
It is a 'bid deal' that someone doesn't come through? Of course not and I don't think anyone is saying it is. But adding something simple like that into the rules to reduce the chance of it happening would be very easy and it seems to me a quite unobtrusive request, so why not?
Of course, this is only relevant if the spots are filled and there were people wanting to get in and couldn't.
jack13
Well-Known Member
And to follow that up, TBC, as the person who organized this year's exchange...
Rather than putting up a post about this to the broader community with all the slots blank, what do you think about beginning with one to the people who did this year's exchange?
So just to clarify what I'm saying, then when the regular post went up for 12 BOC 2021, some of the beers would already have names next to them.
Rather than putting up a post about this to the broader community with all the slots blank, what do you think about beginning with one to the people who did this year's exchange?
So just to clarify what I'm saying, then when the regular post went up for 12 BOC 2021, some of the beers would already have names next to them.
TCB stepped in last year and organized this year, and has done a stellar job of it including check ins along the way. We can not control what others do, such as dropping out, but the way TCB has handled the end game has kept the drop outs from getting beers shipped to them, and I appreciate that. Let’s enjoy the season and the brews we have... next year will come soon enough. 
jack13
Well-Known Member
Yep, a good time to say thanks to TBC and Cheers to all!
jack13
Well-Known Member
TCB stepped in last year and organized this year, and has done a stellar job of it including check ins along the way. We can not control what others do, such as dropping out, but the way TCB has handled the end game has kept the drop outs from getting beers shipped to them, and I appreciate that. Let’s enjoy the season and the brews we have... next year will come soon enough.
Now I can't get this out of my head:
satph
Well-Known Member
We had 4 people ghost us last year, including the thread starter, and another 3 this year from the east coast alone. I doubt all them died or lost both of their hands in a glass carboy accident and couldn't post that they were bowing out. Some of them had been HBT members for over a decade and traders with very good reputations. Aside from a few check-ins, not sure there's much to do. Great job @TBC and everyone who brewed and delivered. I'm extra excited for Juniper Rye Bock, Fruitcake Old Ale, Christmas Gruit and Crabapple Lambicky this year, because we didn't get them last year.
yoop89
Well-Known Member
Wish I would have known the Christmas Gruit had bailed last year I totally would have jumped in! I had brewed it in September in hopes of being able to get in this year.
Just a quick note to add my point of view for people ghosting. Maybe we should have a mandatory check-in late summer? A lot of these beers need a good couples months to age before they hit there stride so I don’t feel like that’s unreasonable? Also this year as been weird all around so I understand people dropping out unexpectedly. That’s were a mandatory check in could prevent people from missing beers and still give time to allow a new brewer in with enough time to brew any of then “open” beers. Just a thought.
Just a quick note to add my point of view for people ghosting. Maybe we should have a mandatory check-in late summer? A lot of these beers need a good couples months to age before they hit there stride so I don’t feel like that’s unreasonable? Also this year as been weird all around so I understand people dropping out unexpectedly. That’s were a mandatory check in could prevent people from missing beers and still give time to allow a new brewer in with enough time to brew any of then “open” beers. Just a thought.
East Coast Old Ale is on it‘s way via fedex.
received, but I forgot to take pictures...
OP
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TBC
Well-Known Boozer!
Package received from @Hoppy2bmerry. Can’t wait to try the fruitcake old ale and the Wee Heavy (Love the name)
user 263363
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I received @Hoppy2bmerry box today with everything in one piece. Now I just need this gout attack to clear up so I can get to trying these!
The Spiced Dunkel Weizenbock shipped to the West group today, via FedEx.
yoop89
Well-Known Member
Received mine yesterday. All was intact (of course with those fancy cans
).
yoop89
Well-Known Member
Forgot to post this last night! Great job @Ultryx. The spices are present and pleasant. Might let the next one warm up a bit before drinking. The last drink was the bestWhat yeast did you use in this? Was it something Belgian?
Thanks @yoop89! I think some of the bottles tasted better than others and I think they were better shortly after being brewed. I was out of state for several months though so I had to make due with the time I had in order to make sure everyone would get a set! I think they taste better a little warmer also.
I used Safale S-04! First time using it also!
As an aside, I want to thank everyone in the West Coast group who participated this year. I had a great time brewing beer to share and I've been enjoying getting all the packages trickling in. I'll be having some this weekend so I'll jump on and let others know what I think.
Looking forward to 2021 and I hope we can entice others to participate so we can fill the West and East coasts! Cheers and Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays everyone!
yoop89
Well-Known Member
I think I’ll start to crack open some 2020 West Coast Xmas beers this weekend. I’ve received these three:
@Ultryx Gingerbread Ale
@JAReeves Honey Ginger IPA
@yoop89 Christmas Gruit
Still waiting in these:
@RPh_Guy Crabapple Lambicky Ale
@jerbrew Caramel Quadruple
@grampamark Spiced Dunkel Weizenbock
@Ultryx Gingerbread Ale
@JAReeves Honey Ginger IPA
@yoop89 Christmas Gruit
Still waiting in these:
@RPh_Guy Crabapple Lambicky Ale
@jerbrew Caramel Quadruple
@grampamark Spiced Dunkel Weizenbock
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TBC
Well-Known Boozer!
Kicking off the annual 12 beers of Xmas in about an hour. Can’t wait and it should be a blast!
RPh_Guy
Bringing Sour Back
I'm really sorry I haven't been able to get out sooner. I was waiting on a shipment of crabapples and then it never ended up coming so I had to make a switch to cranberries. It's been a pain. I'll send tracking info when I ship.
There unfortunately was one casualty in the package from @grampamark but everything else has gotten here safely so far.
@yoop89, Your Gruit is wonderful. I decided to have it Saturday afternoon while making cherry mash candy with my daughter. Very nice afternoon beverage. Really like the herbal spice aroma and the subtle, “just there” bitter backbone. Nice dry finish encouraged me to take the next sip and the next. There was a nice tannin woodiness to this that I liked. Is that from oak or herbs, I wonder. Hard to believe this is 10% abv. Very easy to drink.
@Ultryx, I let the Gingerbread Ale warm up about 20 minutes before opening and the carbonation caught me a bit by surprise. I get a subtle gingerbread in the aroma. Really enjoyed drinking this beer. The holiday spice was just right; I’ve found that is a balance hard to pull off without going over the top (or maybe just hard for me). Very quaffable brown ale that’s easy to drink.
@JAReeves, Rounding out the sampling of the first three beers received. Like the label reads, a winter ale ginger honey IPA. For me this drinks a bit like a America brown ale with a strong hop bittering charge. Not sure I’m getting ginger in the taste, but maybe a little in the nose right after the pour followed by light hop pineness and toffee/caramel malt character. Very pleasant sipper on a Sunday afternoon. I might have to try this with our pork roast on Christmas day. Somehow, I think this would pair well with roasted meat.
@Ultryx, I let the Gingerbread Ale warm up about 20 minutes before opening and the carbonation caught me a bit by surprise. I get a subtle gingerbread in the aroma. Really enjoyed drinking this beer. The holiday spice was just right; I’ve found that is a balance hard to pull off without going over the top (or maybe just hard for me). Very quaffable brown ale that’s easy to drink.
@JAReeves, Rounding out the sampling of the first three beers received. Like the label reads, a winter ale ginger honey IPA. For me this drinks a bit like a America brown ale with a strong hop bittering charge. Not sure I’m getting ginger in the taste, but maybe a little in the nose right after the pour followed by light hop pineness and toffee/caramel malt character. Very pleasant sipper on a Sunday afternoon. I might have to try this with our pork roast on Christmas day. Somehow, I think this would pair well with roasted meat.
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Received my Quad in a Sunday delivery. Really nicely boxed. In the fridge cooling down for a few days.
Two that I've opened.
@TBC, mild Belgian funk, followed by a just-right fruity flavor. Hit the mark on this one.
@fourfarthing, excellent flavor. Somewhat dry, slight Belgian funk. Very quaffable. It went down very quickly - wish I had chilled another!
@TBC, mild Belgian funk, followed by a just-right fruity flavor. Hit the mark on this one.
@fourfarthing, excellent flavor. Somewhat dry, slight Belgian funk. Very quaffable. It went down very quickly - wish I had chilled another!
RPh_Guy
Bringing Sour Back
That's funny. I also named my lambic belsnickel the same and put the exact same photo on the labels.
