Boston Beer Company is another brewery that will package a variety 12-pack, and their most recent has a Chocolate Bock. This has the taste of real chocolate due to the addition of cocoa nibs. This beer is one that is not in a six-pack. This is one of those beers that will appeal to those who don't like beer, or think they don't.
Karl Strauss Brewery has their holiday beer out. Mouette A Trois has "Holiday Fruitcake Ale" on the label, and that's not a bad way of describing this beer. This is an 8.5% abv. beer, medium body and carbonation keeps the fullness down, and the flavors are like nothing you typically experience in a beer. There is a grape and apricot-like character, and a vanilla flavor due to being aged on brandy-cured French oak. Slightly spicy, and showing off some cherry flavor, this has close to no bitterness, but not too sweet or spicy. Much better than fruitcake, and the name means "three seagulls" in French. Now available at Pangaeas Two Brews bottle shop. Another recent release from Karl Strauss Brewery is the easy-to-handle Amber, which is in the Vienna Lager style, but more flavorful than the quality Mexican amber beers that are also of the same beer style. This 4.5% abv. beer has a toasty, and somewhat sweet flavor that lingers slightly. Medium light body and low bitterness makes it appealing to those not looking for a heavy beer, while still enjoying flavor.
New Belgium Snow Day Winter Ale is a deep amber beer that's just a little over 6% abv., and just slightly robust in the dark malt (a hint of roast), but leaning more to the hops. A pleasant bitterness with a pronounced American hop flavor of citrus and pine. The hop flavors linger a bit, and overall this is a beer with flavors that melt together very well.
Also see: part 1 of this series.
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