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Beer Advent Calendar – Day 1 – Southern Tier Krampus

@craftbeered

Beer Advent Calendar – Day 1: Southern Tier Krampus presented by the Ian Cowpar

To celebrate the Holiday Season, 2Beerguys.com and Seacoastbeveragelab.com have teamed up with beer bloggers around the country to host the first annual beer bloggers advent calendar. This is the season of sharing and we intend to share our love of beer with you. 31 Bloggers Blogging – click here for the running list of beers/bloggers. Let’s see who is spreading holiday cheer today!

Blogger: Ian Cowpar
Blog Name: 2beerguys

Twitter: @craftbeered
Facebook: facebook.com/2beerguys
Untappd: iancowpar
Instagram: craftbeered
Beer: Krampus
Brewery: Southern Tier Brewing Company | Lakewood, NY @stbcbeer
Beer Details:
Style: Imperial Helles Lager
ABV: 9.0%
IBUs: “Very high Our highest!”

Commercial Description:

Dark malts and aromatic hops create the diabolical spirit of this brew. It is finished with lager yeast and aged cold for no less than 30 days. This Imperial Helles Lager will warm even the coldest hearts.

This season, replace the cookies with a bottle of Krampus. If he happens to pay a visit, toast to him with this devilish brew. Merry Kramp-mas to all, and to all a good pint!

Why I selected Krampus:
– Kids these days have it so easy. The friendly little Elf on the Shelf hangs about their homes, keeping a cheerful, watchful eye on their behavior with promises of reports to Santa should they act out of line.

However, dating back to pre-Christian Germanic traditions, a much darker creature loomed. Traveling along side St. Nicholas was The Krampus, a horned creature with one human foot and one cloved goat hoof.

From Wikipedia:

Krampus is a mythical creature recognized in Alpine countries. According to legend, Krampus accompanies Saint Nicholas during the Christmas season, warning and punishing bad children, in contrast to St. Nicholas, who gives gifts to good children. When the Krampus finds a particularly naughty child, it stuffs the child in its sack and carries the frightened child away to its lair, presumably to devour for its Christmas dinner.

In the Alpine regions, Krampus is represented as a beast-like creature, generally demonic in appearance. The creature has roots in Germanic folklore. Traditionally young men dress up as the Krampus in Austria, southern Bavaria, South Tyrol, Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia during the first week of December, particularly on the evening of 5 December, and roam the streets frightening children with rusty chains and bells. Krampus is featured on holiday greeting cards called Krampuskarten. There are many names for Krampus, as well as many regional variations in portrayal and celebration.

Thankfully, the @stbcbeer Krampus is more of a treat for the good boys and girls than a punishment for the naughty ones.

It pours a light to medium amber hue with brilliant clarity, topped by a healthy one-finger head with an effervescent, frothy consistency. Lacing is good but not overly sticky, with traces of froth left on the glass. The aroma is fresh with notes of resinous hops and maraschino cherries soaked in alcohol. The flavor up front is bright and clean, a stark comparison to the aroma that erupts from the glass as you take a sip. Towards the finish, however, there is a crescendo of bitterness that peaks in concert with the soft yet up-front alcohol. Mouthfeel is light with high levels of carbonation, with a slickness to it from the alcohol. Overall, this is an excellent beer. One I haven’t had before and, while it’s not enough to unseat Celebration Ale as my favorite seasonal, it deserves a place at your table this season. Cheers!

About brewery:

Southern Tier Brewing Company is committed to providing delicious, accessible and unique products. In doing so, we aim to change the way people drink beer. Located in Southern Tier Brewing Company | Lakewood, NY. Please visit http://stbcbeer.com