2016 Craft Beer Cellar Advent Box

This is my fourth year getting the Craft Beer Cellar Advent box. On the first year, 2013, I kept it all to myself. That was too much beer for me. The second year, 2014, I split it three ways with my two daughters. That was too little for me and too much for them. The third year, 2015, I took the even days and split the odd days between my two daughters. This was still too much for them.

This year I'm keeping the whole thing for myself. Yes, that is still too much for me, so I'm breaking into it early and not keeping strictly to the marked days. I will start early and end late having them as they fit with our life. I haven't forgotten the girls, though. If you see them, don't tell them, but I got each of them a few special beers that I also got for me, so on those days we can all be sharing the same beer across the miles.

I had the first beer on November 12th. It was Pacificmost mango and guava gose from Wicked Weed. Gose is a beer style new to me this year. The first one I had was not good. I'll skip naming that brewer, but I was wary of this one. Gose is a sour style originating from Goslar, Germany, where it is said the local mineral water accounts for its salty character.

Although sour and salty don't sound good, this Gose was very good. The tropical fruits made the sour more of a tangy flavor, and the saltiness was much less than the bad Gose I first had. This seems like more of a summer thirst quencher than an advent box beer, but the mango and guava made me think I was getting that special orange from an old time Christmas stocking.

I'm looking forward to my next selection.