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The holidays produce an abundance of seasonal things, especially food and drink, and Michigan craft breweries have gotten into that mood too.
Many Michigan breweries have cool things like beer advent calendars and great variety packages that make planning your Christmas party nice and easy. I’ve rounded up a few options for you to look for this season.
As a child, I always looked forward to the first of December, when I was finally able to open the little cardboard door on my Advent calendar and unveil this precious little chocolate shape. It would burst and you could safely enjoy it, knowing that tomorrow and the day after, and oh my god, for most of the month, you must have a piece of candy every day. In the morning before school. A wonderful prospect at the beginning of dark and dreary December.
That is, until your little brother and little sister got their hands on that special thin little box and started stealing candy on December 25th. The outrage was always palpable, but what could my mother do? There was only one box for each of us and when they were gone they were gone.
Advent calendars for adults appeal to me a lot, just like my chocolate-filled ones from yesteryear. There’s something about the surprise, about not knowing exactly what you’re going to be getting and the constant hope of potential size that sets these seasonal offerings apart.
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Fortunately, two breweries here in Michigan offer beer advent calendars in which a wonderful liquid surprise is hidden behind every packaged bottle. Bell’s Brewery and Founders Brewery each made a limited number of special versions of Advent calendars, and they all contain brews that you may not find anywhere else.
“The team has worked really hard to package this release with a variety of Bell’s beers,” said Josh Smith, communications manager at Bell’s Brewery. “There is something for everyone this Christmas season.”
Bell’s has a limited advent calendar this year, which you can only pick up in the general store at Bell’s in Kalamazoo.
Bell’s Brewery / Courtesy photo
Now, I’ll admit that these two are extremely limited, so the very chances are you won’t get either. But that doesn’t mean a girl can’t dream, does it? I view this as an early reminder to plan ahead for the next year and keep my fingers crossed that these will be offered next year. Perhaps we will find that there will still be a few more calendar options for our beloved breweries in 2022.
Even if you can’t get your hands on any of these beauties, there are a variety of beers you can collect on your own. There are quite a few options for fun beer packs this holiday season, some holiday-themed and some just beery goodness. Packing a few of these is an easy way to pack your fridge for a party. You will be sure that there is something for every guest.
These packs also make great gifts for any beer lover in your life, whether they’re new to the craft beer lifestyle or have enjoyed Michigan beer for a long time. You can find both old and new favorites in these packs. A newbie can learn about a whole range of styles of a brewery, while a seasoned veteran can remember why they loved a brewery in the first place.
No matter what holidays you celebrate this season, toasting a Michigan beer is always great.
Austin Brothers has a special Christmas assortment for the season.
Austin Brothers / Courtesy photo
Austin Brothers from Alpena has a Christmas 15 pack called Austin-Tacious that goes on sale in early December. The package contains 5 different beers to enjoy and enjoy. They all have an ABV content of over 10%, for a pack that has it all. Sumo Sumatra Imperial Stout contains vanilla pods, cocoa nibs and Sumatra coffee beans for a deep and dark infusion. Triple IPA Hoplock is made from West Coast style Citra and Mosaic hops. Coo Coo cocoa is a massive 15% ABV and is brewed with a crazy mix of everything from cocoa nibs to cereal, chocolate donuts, chocolate syrup and even chocolate ice cream. Sir Murkleton, named for a beloved, very large dog, is a London-style triple IPA brewed with Cryo, Citra and Galaxy hops. A fruity option is Blueberry Acai Triple Sourbet, a funky imperial kettle sour that is refined with a fruity sweetness in a tart base.
Perennial vacation favorite, Rochester Mills’ 12 Day Milkshake Stout has both old and new favorites to try.
Rochester Mills / Courtesy photo
Rochester Mills 12 Days of Milkshake Stout is a long-runner of the Christmas season. Each year the brewery starts off with a base of their popular Milkshake Stout and makes 11 different flavored versions, then hand-packs the cans for you to enjoy. This year they brought back fan favorites Blueberry Pancake, Chocolate Cheesecake, Udder Enjoymint, Triple Layer Decadence, Michigan Maple, and Peanut Buttercup. They also have three Imperial stout offerings in the pack, Hazelnut Coffee, Roasted Marshmallow, and White Russian. New in the package this year are raspberries, oatmeal raisins and Cookies & Cream. The packages are now on sale.
North Center Brewing in Northville will be releasing their Flight Before Christmas on December 17th. You can enjoy these beers in the pub for $ 12 on the fly or get them in six 12 oz cans for $ 22 to take away. This year’s beers include the Grinch Ginger Apple Sour, a clove-orange-wheat beer, a Gingerbread Stout Ale, a Mexican Hot Chocolate Stout, NCB Christmas Ale and a Fruitcake Belgian Strong Ale. Stop by the brewery, they also have some Christmas specialties for you to enjoy.
North Center Brewing has the Flight Before Christmas which you can try at the brewery or get in cans of 6 to take away.
North Center Brewing / Courtesy photo
Bell’s Brewery has put together its very own Jingle Bells Advent Calendar, with jewels from the cellar interspersed with classic favorites.
Every day is different, and according to Smith, “Day 25 is very special. I don’t want to give too much away, but they are extremely rare even here in the Kalamazoo area. “
Only available in the General Store in Kalamazoo and in very limited quantities. Easier to find is the Jingle Bells Variety Pack, which contains the classic Two Hearted as well as Bright White Wheat Ale, Christmas Scotch Ale and Wild Spruce Ale. You will see this package nationwide.
Short’s has put together a Super Hoppy Holidays variety pack that includes 18 cans of six different beers, all made for the hop heads in your life. Find favorites like Juicy Tree, Double Psychedelic Catgrass and Yoda’s Blend, as well as Humongous Huma, a triple IPA that is 12.7% vol. You can also find Double MMMKay and the double hazy IPA snow globe. If you see this package, jump on it, there isn’t much left in the market. Another option this season that’s especially good for a party is the Tried-and-True package, which includes the flagship beers Soft Parade, Local’s Light, Huma Lupa Licious, and Bellaire Brown.
Saugatuck Brewing goes very dark with their stout pack, a pack of 12 with four different flavors. The fan-favorite Neapolitan Milk Stout, a Michigan beer classic, with flavors of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry is the headliner here, along with Blueberry Maple Stout. The other two additions are only available as a draft from Saugatuck or in this pack. The GOAT is an oatmeal stout and Beam Me Up Stouty, a coconut stout, are also included. You can now enjoy Saugatuck Brewing at their flagship pub in Saugatuck, as well as Kalamazoo and Creston Brewery in Grand Rapids.
Atwater Brewing offers a staycation package.
Atwater Brewing / Courtesy photo
Atwater Brewing has a Staycation range package that includes some of their popular beers as well as a touch of mystery. This includes Dirty Blonde, Atwater’s flagship, the easy-to-drink wheat beer. It also includes Better Life Choices IPA, a malty version than many other versions of this style. Pog-O-Licious IPA has a fruity, tropical pop from the addition of passion fruit, orange and guava. The beer that really fascinates me in this pack is the mystery beer. Who knows what it could be? It’s like a mini advent calendar experience when you open one of these.
Founders Brewing has an advent calendar this year that is available in limited quantities in their taprooms in Grand Rapids and Detroit.
Founders’ brew / photo with kind permission
Founders Brewing made their own advent calendar this year that can only be found in their pubs in Grand Rapids (sold out) and Detroit. According to the brewery, this crate contains unique barrel-aged beers and unprecedented bottled beers. If you miss this one, look forward to the new version of All Day IPA, Hazy IPA, which will be released soon, as well as Fruitwood, a barrel-aged cherry beer available in taprooms now and nationwide for its January 2022 release.
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