Enjoying Your Life by Being the Recipient of a Beer Advent Calendar: Parts 19 – 21

We have reached the penultimate entry in this series and I’m starting to feel a little bit anxious about this ending. It has truly been a joyful experience.

The box itself is looking rough now, all ragged cardboard and full of holes. Godspeed, little buddy. Your work is almost done.

Here are some beers.

December 19: Kozel Premium Lager

Before I got super into Ontario Craft stuff and IPAs, I went through a phase where I would only buy Euro pilsners. I couldn’t get enough of them. I still love them! They are typically pretty cheap and usually at least decently tasty brews.

This beer from Kozel is billed as a lager, but everything from the Czech Republic tastes like a pilsner to me. I don’t know if it’s got to do with the water in that part of the world or what, but the beers from over there just have a certain character that tastes only like the beers from over there. I really like it.

Kozel is a good, affordable can of beer that scratches that European beer itch. No complaints.

Jollymeter score: 7/10
Chantal sip-rating: One-sipper

December 20: Sawdust City Lone Pine IPA

Another stone cold classic. I was very happy to pull this one out of the

I have written about the wonderful beer from Sawdust City Brewery more than I have written about any other brewery. They’ve released so many great beers and I just love them. I feel pretty good to write about Lone Pine IPA, which has been a perennial favourite of mine for a number of years.

Lone Pine IPA is the “strong beer” entry in Sawdust City’s flagship lineup. It’s kind of a similar idea to Boneshaker, but it is a more successful stab at a big, hoppy IPA in my opinion. Like Boneshaker, the hop flavour here is enormous, and the beer similarly feels very rich and filling. It just winds up being a little bit more refreshing and pleasant and a little less punishing. To my taste buds, anyway.

Your mileage may vary, but I love this beer. Pair it with a gorgeous new can design and this is a highly recommended experience for IPA fans. Hooray!

Jollymeter score: 9/10
Chantal sip-rating: Abstain.

December 21: Pommies Cider Mimosa

Truly a jackass move to include a flavoured cider in a beer advent calendar. An absolute masterstroke of troll-dickery. I drank it anyway, as I do enjoy a nice dry cider occasionally.

This was bad. It was really sweet and a straight-up cider would have been preferable. Chantal astutely noted that it tastes like what happens to orange juice when you’ve left it in the fridge for too long and it’s started to turn a bit. Just a sickly sweet, kind of off flavour.

I drank the whole can, but I mostly hated the experience. Not recommended.

Jollymeter rating: 2/10
Chantal sip-rating: Two-sipper.

The next entry will be our last! My liver is swelling up with holiday cheer!

Happy Holidays, you filthy animals!

To start reading this series from the beginning, go ahead and click here!