2023 ADVENT BEER CALENDAR

Wildbräu Grandauer Weißbier. Advent Beer Calendar day thirteen.

500 ml/16.9 oz. • 5.1% abv. • ****

There is a hazy orange body and a finger-thick off-white head. The body is very carbonated with many streams of the tiniest bubbles.

There are a lot of flavors at play: broth, berries, biscuit, pretzel, leathery yeast, light spices.

The mouthfeel is medium with a very bubbly bite, followed by a short sweet finish.

This is quite good!

THAI BUDDHA

The Nephew had an opportunity this past summer to travel around Thailand with friends from college. Before he left, he asked me if there was anything he could bring back for me. A small Buddha statue is what I told him. "Really?" "Really."

So he brought me back a small Buddha statue from Thailand. This Buddha has a stylized topknot/crown, sits in a meditative state, and has his right hand reaching toward the ground symbolic of renouncing the world.

It's a beautiful holy object and a welcomed gift from The Nephew.

2023 ADVENT BEER CALENDAR

Fürst Carl Kellerbier. Advent Beer Calendar day twelve.

500 ml/16.9 oz. • 5.1% abv. • **

Slightly hazy yellow body (barely) capped with an almost non-existent white head. And what was there on the pour is gone so quick!

The flavors are too faint. What I'm picking up are leaves, buttered bread, and light spices.

Medium -light mouthfeel, with essentially no finish.

There is nothing to offend, but that's the problem: nothing.

2023 ADVENT BEER CALENDAR

Flötzringer Hell auf Rosenheim. Advent Beer Calendar day eleven.

500 ml/16.9 oz. • 5.0% abv. • ****½

Yellow body and thick white head on the pour.

Leather and light lemon, Seabreeze and sage. Grains of Cheerios.

Medium mouthfeel. There is a short finish that speaks of leafy bitterness.

Excellent.

TROY'S WORK TABLE

Taking Troy's Work Table 2.1 on it's inaugural run. 

First, I sprayed the underside with KILLZ to keep mold at bay and protect the wood. 

Next, was taking advantage of some long-shadowed sunshine to spray paint base coats on beer coasters. 

Now it's time to make some "Daruma dolls" out of said beer coasters.

SPIDER-MAN

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023) is quite the wild ride. It's a coming-of-age animated superhero film that is frenetic most of the time and tops it's predecessor, as far as I'm concerned. It's more than two hours in length but feels just right. Questions about identity and belonging abound; one person's superhero may be another's villain. 

Streaming on Netflix.

THE RITUAL

The Ritual (2017) is a buddy film that quickly degenerates to a "lost in the forest" horror film. I hear/see echoes of The VVitch, the epic poem Beowulf, Midsommar, and European fairy tales and myths. It's plenty weird and I liked it, but I'm not sure this will be everyone's cup of tea.

I keep thinking about the creature that is eventually encountered. It is like nothing I've ever seen before and that allows for some crazy things to take place!

Streaming on Netflix.

2023 ADVENT BEER CALENDAR

Gmoastier Weisser Bock. Advent Beer Calendar day ten.

500 ml/16.9 oz. • 7.1% abv. • *****

Hazy gold body. Finger-thick white head.

Flavors noticed include butterscotch, dried sage, dried cilantro, summer savory, Fruity Pebbles, leathery yeast. Is there a hint of white grapes? Maybe. Is there a hint of nutmeg? Also maybe.

Medium mouthfeel. The finish moves from sweet to dry, from butterscotch fading into herbs.

This is WOW!

(I also appreciate "Black Philip" on the can!)

2023 ADVENT BEER CALENDAR

Turbo Prop Imperial Pils. Advent Beer Calendar day nine.

500 ml/16.9 oz. • 6.5% abv. • *****

The body is a hazy golden yellow on the pour, capped with a finger-thick head. 

The nose is fruity and floral, almost a scent of candied orange.

The tongue is orange, leaves, caramel, buttered bread, and a hint of broth.

The mouthfeel is medium-heavy, which is welcome.

This beer is complex and balanced—sweet and dry, bitter and malty.

Awesome!

2023 ADVENT BEER CALENDAR

Graminger Kirta Dunkles Weissbier. Advent Beer Calendar day eight.

500 ml/16.9 oz. • 5.0% abv. • ***½

The pour is a hazy orange-brown (nut brown) with a thin white head.

The flavors are broth, graham cracker malts, light molasses, raisins, and light spiciness.

Medium mouthfeel. This has a syrupy sweetness on a short finish.

This is definitely the sweetest of the box so far.