2016 Craft Beer Cellar Advent Box: Day 15

Advent Beer Day 15:

Firestone Walker's Velvet Merlin

As you can tell from the picture, I only had about two sips to enjoy of this beer. Fortunately, I've had it before, and I imagine I'll have it again. It is an outstanding oatmeal stout, which doesn't rely on sweet chocolate flavors to get it's point across. It drinks clean, while presenting a creamy texture. There are subtle chocolate notes along with green pepper notes like in a marzen. I wish I had a few more sips.

Craft Beer Cellar 2014 Advent Beer 4

I mentioned in my previous post that I struggled to drink a beer each day last year, and that I had a plan for that. Now the plan can be revealed. I'm sharing the beer box with my two (grown) daughters. Since they've been out of the house, we've sent them a present for each day of December, just like this beer Advent box. And so this year, I split the beer three ways.

Now on day 4 I had my second beer, an Allagash Saison. While saison is not my favorite style, this was a good example.  It was easy drinking and dry, with pepper and grapefruit notes. I would have rather had either of the beers my daughters got. Day two was a Firestone Velvet Merlin, an oatmeal stout with coffee/chocolate flavors. Day three was a Scaldis Noel, which I remember fondly from last year as one of the highlights.

As any good father would say, I'm glad my daughters got the best of this cycle.