freeflow ~ Beer, Cheer, and Christmas Memories

Weeks before Christmas actually came and went, I had definitive plans that can only be summarized as “drinking all day”.

Why all day?

Because I started in the morning and didn't stop until bedtime.

Now, before anyone husses, fusses, and gets their knickers in a bunch, let me explain. I wasn't doing keg-stands or tossing back 24packs of cheap watery flavorless crap with the intention of getting sloshed out of my mind. No, I slowly drank my way through the day, savoring my Bells Two Hearted Mini Keg from breakfast till early afternoon. I then nourished my body with water and nibblies before popping the cork on my Unibroue 17 which, I must say, has aged very well. She has developed a nicely vinous and slightly tart sherry character which works wonders with her dry fall fruit skins, spice, wood, and warming character. For dessert, I delved once more into my 2009 Samuel Adams Utopias, using a port glass to savoring her beauty with Dad and Aunt Judy.

But I am getting ahead of myself.

Breakfast was scrambled eggs with sausage-stuffed biscuits that were far more delicious than they had any right to be. Seeing as breakfast was more brunch than anything else, I forsook lunch to save room for afternoon cheese and crackers to be followed by dinner. Speaking of dinner, Dad cooked up an awesome meal of pot roast, baked mini potatoes, and zucchini sauteed with onions and a nice slathering of butter because, after all, butter makes everything better.

But I digress.

The Bells Two Hearted 5L mini keg was da bomb, and my first foray into mini-keg territory. After carefully reading the instructions, she popped with a hiss of Two Hearted esters before flowing into my glass with thirsty precision. I put a decent hurting on her, too, finishing about half of her beery nectar, the rest of which I finally polished off last night. It was a somber moment when I laid her remains to rest in the garbage bin this morning.

A moment of silence please...

All in all, a very relaxing holiday with the family which is exactly what I wanted and needed. I didn't get much, but I ask for much because all I want from now till whenever is help with my yearly Siebel Institute classes. I am now officially on my way to saving up and paying for next year’s class, Master of Beer Styles and Evaluation, thanks to Dad. In the meantime, I plan on a relaxing New Year's Eve (well, after work at least) and day with the family and Craig. I am going to crack open my Malheur Brut Reserve for New Year’s Eve, but I don't have New Years Day planned beer planned… yet. In the meantime, I am looking forward to a night of food, beer, and good company tomorrow night at The Broken Barrel with Mike and Paula.

To everyone who matters, here's to 365 more days of good beer, good friends, and good times.
Prosit!

(an original written work by Kristyn Lier. plagiarism is not tolerated)