12 Beers of Christmas - 2023 Edition

[thetick]

I've been using those Spirited Shipper boxes for years. They are dumb expensive for cardboard (imagine how much cardboard you just throw away weekly from amazon... why is SS cardboard so pricey?). They are a little cheaper if you buy them on amazon instead of direct from SS.

I took a good look at those inflatables you used. I might just switch to those. The first year I used those SS boxes, a couple of the recipients reported broken bottles inside.

Yeah, the SS boxes worked great for me. The issue for me is that I was only going to buy enough to ship 30 bottles so the shipping was as much as the product!

What was nice about SS is that they came with both the holders and the outer box, so you truly have everything you need. As you all saw, I had to use some extra packing materials to take up the excess space around the inflatables and pad the bottles.

 

[tdf]

I decided to open a Julebukk tonight. It's a beautiful beer and I am thoroughly enjoying it! Nice and malty, with some light juniper + noble hops flavor to back it up. There's a hint of alcohol, especially as it warms but it is a 7.3%er, after all.

Thanks! @shetc

 

[SteveH aka shetc]

I decided to open a Julebukk tonight. It's a beautiful beer and I am thoroughly enjoying it! Nice and malty, with some light juniper + noble hops flavor to back it up. There's a hint of alcohol, especially as it warms but it is a 7.3%er, after all.

Thanks! @shetc
View attachment 836073

Cheers!

 

[GoodTimeCharlie]

Yeah, the SS boxes worked great for me. The issue for me is that I was only going to buy enough to ship 30 bottles so the shipping was as much as the product!

What was nice about SS is that they came with both the holders and the outer box, so you truly have everything you need. As you all saw, I had to use some extra packing materials to take up the excess space around the inflatables and pad the bottles.

I found outer boxes the same size as SS a couple of years ago from Staples or similar. Could be a companion to air things.

 

[SteveH aka shetc]

@4_Sons_Brewing Your beer is here! Love the cans. And, a bonus pumpkin beer, nice.

 

[kwilson16]

Honey Ginger IPA received today.

Mine are going to UPS now. Everyone got copied on the UPS shipping notifications.

Nice job @GoodTimeCharlie !!!

 

[Beekeeper]

@4_Sons_Brewing Your beer is here! Love the cans. And, a bonus pumpkin beer, nice.

"4 BOYS BIEWIN CARAMEL RAAREIL QAUDRDIRPDPLLE HELLGOON BEEDTMA+ ???"
After one or two of these Quads it probably reads something else entirely.

 

[4_Sons_Brewing]

Glad they’ve started to arrive - I wasn’t expecting them to make it until early next week. The label was created using the bing ai image generator I assumed it was Dutch, but since I don’t speak Dutch it may just be gibberish, but it looked neat.

The bonus beers are ones that I brewed for my sons wedding - I happened to have 10 of them left so I tossed one in to each box.

I hope everyone enjoys both the caramel quad, and the bonus beer.

 

[SteveH aka shetc]

Glad they’ve started to arrive - I wasn’t expecting them to make it until early next week. The label was created using the bing ai image generator I assumed it was Dutch, but since I don’t speak Dutch it may just be gibberish, but it looked neat.

The bonus beers are ones that I brewed for my sons wedding - I happened to have 10 of them left so I tossed one in to each box.

I hope everyone enjoys both the caramel quad, and the bonus beer.

I used Bing for my labels, too

 

[Rish]

@4_Sons_Brewing , got mine today!
Thanks!

 

[SteveH aka shetc]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08VGPGXRX

 

[Beekeeper]

Saffron Tripel x 3 arrived safely today. Thanks @GoodTimeCharlie!

 

[Beekeeper]

I used Bing for my labels, too

I used Bing AI for my backgound and insert images.

 

[thetick]

@4_Sons_Brewing , got mine today!
Thanks!
View attachment 836145

Just got mine today! Thanks, @4_Sons_Brewing!

 

[Rish]

Looking a shipping records, all the Gingerbread Ales have been delivered. If you haven't received yours let me know. I used Shippo for the first time based in @shetc post and saved a few dollars on each package so thanks for that info shetc!

 

[JAReeves]

I'm a little late posting, but yesterday, the Crabapple Lambicky Ale went out FedEx. If you want your tracking number, just DM me. Supposedly it'll be a week max for them's as on the East Coast.

I included a pint of Barrel-Aged Blackberry Cider, hope you like it.

EDIT: the 4 boys beers arrived, great label!

 

[passedpawn]

Every year the quality of the packaging gets better. Wow.

Labeling mine tonight. Should be in the mail in the next couple of days.

 

[SteveH aka shetc]

@GoodTimeCharlie Your beer is here!

 

[Rish]

@GoodTimeCharlie , I got yours in good shape, too.

 

[tdf]

@4_Sons_Brewing I got the quad safe and sound. Thanks!

 

[mjdonnelly68]

Thanks @4_Sons_Brewing - your beers arrived safely today. Love the can label art. If I saw it in a bottle shop I would buy a couple for sure.

 

[mjdonnelly68]

Hey @GoodTimeCharlie - no need to have the blues, your beers all arrived in great shape. Really like your label work too - I'm going to have to up my game.

 

[mjdonnelly68]

Agreed, that's a great plan.

I like the 'Beer and a Post-A-Day' ending on Christmas Day. Would suggested we drink them in a specified order so we're all trying and posting on the same beers on the same day.

So the time to start the tasting is sneaking up on us. I know we have a couple three beers still in transit, but I thought we could throw those towards the end to allow them time to arrive. At the risk of stepping on toes, here's a suggested order for the tasting.

Date	Beer	Brewer
12/14/23	Abbey Weizen	@Beekeeper
12/15/23	Spiced Cherry Dubbel	@kwilson16
12/16/23	Juniper Rye Bock	@shetc
12/17/23	Spiced Dunkle Weizenbock	@mjdonnelly68
12/18/23	Spiced Bourbon Stout	@BAF
12/19/23	Gingerbread Ale	@Rish
12/20/23	Honey Ginger IPA	@thetick
12/21/23	Caramel Quadruple	@4_Sons_Brewing
12/22/23	Saffron Triple	@GoodTimeCharlie
12/23/23	Cranberry Lambicky Ale	@JAReeves
12/24/23	Fruitcake Old Ale	@jerbrew
12/25/23	Christmas Gruit	@passedpawn

I hope the above works for the group. Alternatively we could go with the traditional 12 Days of Christmas (Dec 25th to Jan 5th) - but I for one am chomping at the bit and ready to quaff.

 

[JAReeves]

So the time to start the tasting is sneaking up on us. I know we have a couple three beers still in transit, but I thought we could throw those towards the end to allow them time to arrive. At the risk of stepping on toes, here's a suggested order for the tasting.

Date	Beer	Brewer
12/14/23	Abbey Weizen	@Beekeeper
12/15/23	Spiced Cherry Dubbel	@kwilson16
12/16/23	Juniper Rye Bock	@shetc
12/17/23	Spiced Dunkle Weizenbock	@mjdonnelly68
12/18/23	Spiced Bourbon Stout	@BAF
12/19/23	Gingerbread Ale	@Rish
12/20/23	Honey Ginger IPA	@thetick
12/21/23	Caramel Quadruple	@4_Sons_Brewing
12/22/23	Saffron Triple	@GoodTimeCharlie
12/23/23	Cranberry Lambicky Ale	@JAReeves
12/24/23	Fruitcake Old Ale	@jerbrew
12/25/23	Christmas Gruit	@passedpawn

I hope the above works for the group. Alternatively we could go with the traditional 12 Days of Christmas (Dec 25th to Jan 5th) - but I for one am chomping at the bit and ready to quaff.

Going to get stuff refrigerated tonight in prep for this.

 

[passedpawn]

Mine are going out tomorrow, I swear!

 

[passedpawn]

"4 BOYS BIEWIN CARAMEL RAAREIL QAUDRDIRPDPLLE HELLGOON BEEDTMA+ ???"
After one or two of these Quads it probably reads something else entirely.

lolololol. Might make sense after a couple. I'm gonna find out pretty soon.

 

[passedpawn]

So the time to start the tasting is sneaking up on us. I know we have a couple three beers still in transit, but I thought we could throw those towards the end to allow them time to arrive. At the risk of stepping on toes, here's a suggested order for the tasting.

Date	Beer	Brewer
12/14/23	Abbey Weizen	@Beekeeper
12/15/23	Spiced Cherry Dubbel	@kwilson16
12/16/23	Juniper Rye Bock	@shetc
12/17/23	Spiced Dunkle Weizenbock	@mjdonnelly68
12/18/23	Spiced Bourbon Stout	@BAF
12/19/23	Gingerbread Ale	@Rish
12/20/23	Honey Ginger IPA	@thetick
12/21/23	Caramel Quadruple	@4_Sons_Brewing
12/22/23	Saffron Triple	@GoodTimeCharlie
12/23/23	Cranberry Lambicky Ale	@JAReeves
12/24/23	Fruitcake Old Ale	@jerbrew
12/25/23	Christmas Gruit	@passedpawn

I hope the above works for the group. Alternatively we could go with the traditional 12 Days of Christmas (Dec 25th to Jan 5th) - but I for one am chomping at the bit and ready to quaff.

er... I hope I didn't screw up here, but I did not send beers to jerbrew and BAF. They were not on the list of addresses I got. I have extra bottles, so I COULD, but I'd need their addresses.

 

[JAReeves]

er... I hope I didn't screw up here, but I did not send beers to jerbrew and BAF. They were not on the list of addresses I got. I have extra bottles, so I COULD, but I'd need their addresses.

I was only given 10 addresses to ship to? 11 addresses total, including self. Addresses were emailed.

 

[4_Sons_Brewing]

T

er... I hope I didn't screw up here, but I did not send beers to jerbrew and BAF. They were not on the list of addresses I got. I have extra bottles, so I COULD, but I'd need their addresses.

They were the 2 that withdrew.

Final list was posted later in the thread.

 

[passedpawn]

Going to get stuff refrigerated tonight in prep for this.

I had a couple of my own tonight, while packaging. Good times. I think I can fly right about now.