I gave Brady his Christmas gift early this year. I bought him, for lack of a better title, a beer advent calendar, or as Sask Liquor would call it, an “Alpine Adventure Pack.” Its a box of 24 different beer from two different breweries out of Surrey, BC. There are 24 perforated little openings, numbered in order of how they’re to be consumed. Half bottles, half cans. I’ve had my eye out for something like this for a couple of years now, and this was the year I actually found one! Full disclosure, it was $80, which felt like a lot to drop on a gift he’d drink away, but for 24 beer, it wasn’t a bad value. Plus he’d have the month to enjoy it.
This post won’t be everyones cup of tea (or bottle of beer, I guess) but when I was on the hunt for his gift, I found NO reviews or information about it! So this might not seem important now, but I’m making the post so someone down the road will maybe find some info on the quality and variety of this as a gift. Feel free to click out if you don’t care, haha! No offence taken.
Here are the details, as noted by Brady along the way!
1. Red Racer, No Friends on a Powder Day, vanilla stout – 2/5
Good for a stout, but I don’t really like stout
Not very vanilla-y
Kind of a rough start
2. Parallel 49, PILS Dryhopped Pilsner – 5/5 treat beer
Nice citrus, Shock Top-esque but less citrus
Hailey’s notes: He gushed about this one aaaaall evening. Wanted a second one.
3. Red Racer, Fireside Warmth, Spiced Apple Honey – 3/5
Standard beer with spiced aftertaste
Flavor made better by eating sweets besides
4. Parallel 49, Frosted Tips, IPA – 5/5
Similar to radler, comparable to beer #2
5. Red Racer, Idiot Strings Cranberry Chili – 2/5
Super weird on its own
Tastes more cranberry-y when eaten with sweets
Too many flavours, needs less things. JUST cranberry would be yummy.
6. Parallel 49, Naked Scotsman, chocolate and coffee scotch ale – 4/5 with food
Like a lighter stout
7. Red Racer, Tea Bar – 5/5
Standard beer, fuller flavour
Could be an every day beer
8. Parallel 49, Ugly Sweater, Milk Stout – 4/5
Surprisingly light for a stout
Hint of rye and coke, somehow?
Smooth and delicious
9. Red Racer, Summit Speak Easy, extreme pale ale – 3/5
Nice flavor, stronger
Notes of whiskey
A little odd at first but easy to get used to
10. Parallel 49, Sahti Claus – 5/5
Fruity and delicious
Citrusy and crisp
Win!
11. Red Racer, Frozen Ghost, American Barley Wine – 3/5
Very flavourful and strong
Too many hops by the end
A bit winey
Surprisingly wonderful aftertaste
12. Parallel 49, Mr. Needles, pine pale ale – 3/5
Tree taste, went away after a few sips
Interesting taste, like a normal beer plus a tree
Distinct
13. Red Racer, Wine in a Treewell – 4/5
Smooth, easy to drink
Bit of a wine taste
Yummy
14. Parallel 49, Schwarzwald, Black Forest Porter – 3/5
Good dessert beer
Chocolate cake in a bottle
Haileys notes: I REALLY liked this one! Think chocolate cake and cherry liqueur.
15. Red Racer, Liftie Southern Session Ale – 1/5
Yummy radler-type smell
Prominent grease/metal taste
Hard to finish
16. Parallel 49, Humphrey Biere De Garde – 4/5
Standard
Its good. I like it.
17. Red Racer, Sky Bunny, Dirty Blonde Ale – 4/5
Slightly more flavourful Coors light
Crisp and refreshing
18. Parallel 49, Rock the Bells, Cranberry Sour Ale – 5/5 weird beer
Beeresque cider
Yummiras drank 5/5 (Haileys notes: Its possible this one was strong?? Lol!)
19. Red Racer Treeline Campfire Juniper Smoked Farmhouse Ale – 3/5
Smells like a Christmas tree
Yummy basic beer
Hint of evergreen and campfire
20. Parallel 49, Megalomania Spiced Saison – 4/5
Smooth with a burger
Champagnesque
21. Red Racer, Shred the Gnar, Salted Caramel Coconut Ale – 3/5
Hint of coconut
So sense of salted caramel
Basic beer
22. Parallel 49, Oak Boy, Brown Ale – 4/5
Strong flavourful beer
Good with pizza
No odd flavours, blended well
23. Red Racer, Gelandesprung – 4/5
Flavourful, pretty typical German beer
Kinda caramelly
Nothing stood out, a good beer
24. Parallel 49, Night Flyer, cappuccino milk stout – 5/5 for a stout, maybe overall
Definite hint of coffee
Signature stout taste, not bad for a stout
Thats a wrap, folks! Here’s Brady’s take on the Alpine Adventure Pack.
“Most enjoyable advent calendar I’ve ever had, bar none! Would definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys beer. I’m one who sticks to what I know, but this kind of helped me sample around. Some of it was really weird. Some of it was really good! It helped me know there are other kinds of beer I might light. Like milk stouts! Ya. It was really enjoyable. I’d definitely do it again if they made a new one for next year! It made having a beer every night for the month of December really interesting. Reviewing each one along the way was really enjoyable, too. 5/5.”
You heard it here first! The Alpine Adventure Pack 2018 was a WIN!