IMOL take on St. Bernardus Christmas Ale

Not a perfect science, but an interesting experiment, the CBE Official comes back with another in a series comparing fairly identical beers from completely different markets to see what's different... if anything.  For our second selection, we're drinking St. Bernardus Christmas Ale.  

I am only tangentially familiar with St. Bernardus.  I've had the abt 12, I know there was once some type of tie in to Westvleteren.  And I know they're not recognized as a Trappist ale anymore, and there's some story about that.  Notice I've attached a link to all of that stuff so that you can really color inside the lines.  I've written a bunch of newsletters for this beer exchange while checking out dozens upon dozens of websites, and this could easily be the biggest internet rabbit hole anyone could ever have the experience of jumping down.

So what did we find out after we opened these...

(Editors Note: St Bernardus has confirmed that Best By Bottle Dates are 4 years after bottling.  So note that the US bottle was 5 months old, basically as fresh as it gets, and the France bottle was a little over a year old.)

Episode 1 of International Men of Leisure...

In this episode, we drink Hitachino XH.

Did you ever wonder if you could drink a beer with someone that was in a different place?  Who was in a different time?  Maybe with a person who is not on Twitter?  I have a friend who is not on Twitter.  He lives in France.  From what I have learned, there are only two ways to communicate with him.  Send him a message on WhatsApp, or go to France and visit him.  I learned a new way today.  WhatsApp actually has a call feature.  It works very well.  If you have a friend in France, I urge you to call that friend using WhatsApp.  It felt like he was on the same continent.  Maybe just a few towns over.  We discussed a beer.  We spoke for a like an hour, and it was extremely enjoyable.  What's most impressive, is neither of us really like to talk on the phone, or to other people, and I’ve seen him pretty recently.  Today was weird.  Very weird.  It was also awesome.

Welcome, to yet another, Things Mengel Gave ME!!!

So, my friend Mengel gave me some beers.  So far, I have earned Zero Untappd badges.  And that's not the name of a cool new Untappd badge, that means I have received none badges from these beers.  Also, they have not come storming out of the gates as stunners.  I have some pretty high hopes for the next couple though, because I have enjoyed several Saucony Creek Brewing Company beers, so why would the X Reserve Lord of Misrule be any different...

For starters, I wish I would have paid more attention when I was pouring this bottle.  It's a bottle conditioned style, with quite a bit of yeast and chunks in the bottom.  So because I didn't ease up on the pour any, it looked like this...

Another Things Mengel Gave Me...

Mengel gave me an Imperial Stout from Rusty Rail Brewing Company.  I was instantly excited about it, because it says that they are located in Mifflinburg, and I know where that is.  It also says that there's coffee in it, and I like that.  It also says something about Lycoming College.... I'll just let them tell you what it says...

Things Mengel Gave Me...

Here is a new segment on The CBE called, "Things Mengel Gave Me..."  Generally there is an Untappd Badge involved.  Other times, it's just a random beer that he's already Untappd, so he has not a single need to open a second one.

Today's segment, starts with James Page Brewing Casper - A White Stout.  I know, it doesn't make any sense, because stouts are not white.  Ever.  But let's concede that there is a thing as a White Stout.  Let's also concede that in the World Beer Cup categories, it could potentially slide into a few categories.  Like Category 10: Chocolate Beer.  Or Category 18: Experimental Beer.  Maybe even Category 76: Sweet Stout or Cream Stout.  But also, there's not White Stout Category.  So it's cheating, and this could potentially be the first red flag.

The end of the #CBExperiment ???

Dude!  Dude!  Hey!

Dude, Dude, Dude!!!

DUDE!!! Come here.

I just opened a Superfan from Odd13 Brewing.  It's a Heady Topper Clone.  It's not Heady Topper, but the can is still smellalicious.  Go ahead, take a sniff.  Yep.  That's the ticket.  This beer smells like a Charity Beer-League Ice Hockey Tournament in Vermont.  Just trust me.  It does.  Don't swim in the lake, though.  The locals do, but they have built up an immunity to the weird maple pollution.  I would like to hear what @pppantalones has to say about this beer.  Because I love it so much, I bet he hates it.  I'm sure we'll find out eventually.  The website is cool, although I am sorry these notes are all caps.  #capslock  #wookie?

Snowboards, bonus beers and sours...

Last time I got to try a Ska Brewing beer, someone sent it to me from Colorado.  That one, Modus Hoperandi was good.  I remember it being big and very old school bitter.  I was kind of expecting Euphoria Pale Ale to be similar.  Euphoria is a Venture/Ska Venture with Venture Snowboards that is a winter selection from Ska Brewing.  I didn't make that up to be repetitive, it's just what it is.  Although I cannot vouch for the snowboard, the Euphoria is pretty frickin' good.  It poured pretty dark for a pale and initially reminded me of Nugget Nectar a little.  It's more chocolaty though, with lighter carbonation, and the bold bitter finish that I remember from Hoperandi.  If you're in the market for checkered shirts to skank in, or an anytime present for yours truly, I suggest you check out their swag shop.

Part B of 12 of The Never Ending Box of CO Beers/#CBECO...

I'm angry. Mostly because of computer issues. I have stock for some other beers saved up, but my laptop is being a straight dick.  So, I reverted to an iPad in hopes that I would at least be able to get through a beer or two. If not I'll be drinking these beers well into April. And no one wants that... No one.  Also, to calm myself down, I opened the cheese and the fancy crackers.  I'd show you a picture of it, but it's on the iPad, and I can't figure out how to get it from the iPad to the blog without creating a Picasso account, whatever the hell that is.  But now, my laptop is being less of a dick, the beer is poured, and the cheese and crackers are ready to go.  I'm glad that's over, and it didn't take more than 45 minutes.  So let's get to it, and make jokes about Office Space...

#CBECO - The Deepest Dive

So...

I sent some beers to Colorado.  I thought it was a pretty good list.  Some Maine Beer Co stuff, a few recent Dogfish Head releases, some solid Pennsylvanian seasonals like Troegs Nugget Nectar and Mad Elf.  I felt pretty good about it.  They were all packed up nice and snug in a box and went on their way.  @pppantalones got the box.  Nothing broke.  And he returned the favor.  Rather fashionably I might add.  I don't want to ruin all of the surprises, but it's probably Colorado's Finest.  There is so many, that this is going to be the CBE's first foray into investigative journalism.  It may take months to talk about all of these beers.  Or at least a week.

So...

This is what happened next, along with interspersed commentary on the beers that went from the Keystone State to the Centennial State.  Part 1 of 16 or 7 maybe...