Finals are over! We now have no excuses for not drinking. So lets raise a glass of these two new brews.

2016 Christmas Ale - Anchor Brewing - 6.5% ABV

This is a great beer to break out while decorating the tree or sitting by the fire. It’s classified as a Winter Warmer, meaning it will be malty with smooth winter spices. The color is a deep brown, almost black. The flavor is rich with notes of caramel, molasses, and spiced chocolate. There are also minor notes of cinnamon and nutmeg. I had originally thought that this would be a one glass only beer, but I was sorely mistaken. My two roommates and I downed this fifty oz bottle in about half an hour.

Do yourself a favor and give yourself a hard-pour and really let this one breathe. Be on the lookout for this special ale as its only offered November to March.

Luponic Distortion No. 004 – Firestone Walker – 5.9% ABV

Luponic No. 003 was good. Damn good. But this is the best of Revolving Hop series. Luponic Distortion is a series of beers created to showcase new experimental hops. These means that these hops are undisclosed and have not been named. This batch is brewed with four distinct hops grown in South Africa. We’re dealing with 59 IBUs here, but I would hardly call this beer bitter. In fact, its quite tropical, refreshing, and sweet, making for a dangerously drinkable IPA. The hops used here bring out flavors of passion and tropical fruits, think kiwi, strawberry, and grape.

This one is also a limited, one time only, release so pick it up while you can, its available until February of 2017. It is excellent from the bottle, but if you get the chance, try it on tap.