Beer Advent Calendar: Why Beer Lovers Need One

Growing up I only knew of chocolate advent calendars but as I got older I realised there are actually a huge variety of advent calendars to suit everybody’s tastes. From gin to tea to nail art, you’ll find an advent calendar on the market for you.

How about if your like is beer? Well don’t worry there are loads of beer advent calendars available! If you’ve been tempted to get one in the past but are not sure what they are, read on to see why beer lovers should get a beer advent calendar.

Which Beer Advent Calendar To Choose?

With so many companies selling beer advent calendars it can be difficult to decide which one to get. The first thing to consider is if you want a box of beers from multiple breweries or one from your favourite brewery.

If you’re looking for a brewery specific beer advent calendar there are plenty available. Breweries such as BrewDog, Tiny Rebel, Beavertown, Siren, Black Sheep, Hogs Back, Brew York and Seven Bro7hers all have advent calendars available.

READ ALSO: Beer Tasting at BrewDog

If you’d rather have a mixed brewery advent calendar many of the beer specialists have their own version. Companies such as Craft Metropolis, Beer Hawk, HonestBrew and Beerwulf have a beer advent calendar made up from local independent breweries you may not have come across, plus some from your favourite breweries.

How Much Do Beer Advent Calendars Cost?

A beer advent calendar consists of 24 beers so it shouldn’t be a surprise that they will be more expensive than other advent calendars. Prices can vary from £40 to £140 depending on the quality of the beers available.

If the price seems too steep, the thing to consider is the price per can/bottle. Take the total price and divide it by 24. Once you do that you’ll see that the overall price is not that bad and you are usually getting good value for money.

Why I Bought Mine From Craft Metropolis

With all the different options available you may be wondering how I chose the beer advent calendar that I did. For me it was an easy decision. Craft Metropolis is a beer delivery company with a taproom in South London. I ordered my first box with them at the start of the UK lockdown(s) and never looked back!

What I love about Craft Metropolis is they have an incredible selection of beers from breweries all over the UK and some of the really great breweries outside of the UK. I’ll be honest, their beer advent calendar is one of the more expensive on the market, however, that’s because they put the best beers in there.

READ ALSO: My First Beer Delivery From Craft Metropolis

The prices of the beers on the website vary from cheap to expensive and that’s only because the breweries themselves are selling them high. Their advent calendar costs more than others because the beers they are putting in are high quality craft beers from top breweries.

My 2020 Craft Metropolis Beer Advent Calendar

As an example of what you can get in a beer advent calendar here is a list of what I got in mine last year. I’m showing what was in last year’s box instead of this year for two reasons. One, I don’t want to spoil the surprise. And two, I haven’t even received mine yet as it’s still early November.

In the Craft Metropolis box you get the standard 24 beers plus they also add a bonus Christmas Day beer too so you actually get 25 cans. To show the quality of the beers I’ll include the Untapped rates for each beer too. I could tell you what I thought but beer selection is a personal taste and the Untapped rate shows the unbiased average rate from many different beer lovers. You’ll see from this list why I was happy to pay extra for this advent calendar. The beers selected by Craft Metropolis range from 3.29 to 4.21 (out of 5).

Day 1 – Pressure Drop – Understanding Whole Systems

Hazy IPA – 7.4% – 4.21 rating

This soft and hazy IPA is complex and full of character. There is a citrusy flavour to it but it’s not that strong, giving you a smooth drink full of flavour.

Day 2 – Howling Hops – Soft Top

Stout – 6.5% – 3.73 rating

This luxuriously smooth stout has hoppy undertones and coconut notes. Dry with light roasted aromas, it has a mild bitter finish.

Day 3 – Gamma Brewing Company – Amalgamator

Hazy IPA – 5.5% – 3.68 rating

A well bodied, soft and hazy beer, it’s a light, floral and well balanced IPA. Smooth to drink with subtle tropical notes it’s an easy drinker.

Day 4 – Brick Brewery – Orange Crush

Sour – 4.2% – 3.51 rating

A well bodied, soft and hazy beer, it’s a light, floral and well balanced IPA. Smooth to drink with subtle tropical notes This well balanced, modern, citrus forward Gose is made with orange peel, lemon peel, coriander and blood orange juice. It’s sweet, tangy and has a subtle herbal spice.

Day 5 – Beak Brewery – Pencil

Porter – 6% – 3.88 rating

An excellent porter layered with six varieties of roasted, crystal and chocolate malts. It’s light with smoky roasted coffee and chocolate notes.

Day 6 – Polly’s Brew Co. – Patina Effect

Pale Ale – 5.4% – 3.73 rating

This light west coast IPA is dry and hoppy with old school floral notes. A piney, bitter aroma with a citrusy taste.

Day 7 – Weird Beard Brew Co. – Double Perle

Stout – 8.6% – 3.92 rating

This smooth stout contains sweet vanilla flavours with a subtle taste of coffee and chocolate. It has a lovely balance of coffee and sweetness.

Day 8 – Partizan Brewing – Passion Berry & Citra

Sour – 4% – 3.29 rating

This smooth stout contains sweet vanilla flavours with a subtle taste of coffee and chocolate. It has a lovely balance of A sour ale fermented with lactic acid producing yeast. Made with Ethiopian passion berries and citra dry hops it’s a sharp sour with a subtle sherbert nose that’s quite refreshing.

Day 9 – Brew By Numbers – 05| Indian Pale Ale – Strata & Talus

Hazy IPA – 6.2% – 3.94 rating

This hazy New England style IPA has bold aromas of ripe stone fruit, juicy tangerine and lemon rind with a darkness in the finish to give a fruity aftertaste.

Day 10 – Barrier Brewing Company – Greenroom

Pale Ale – 5.4% – 3.59 rating

Tastefully dry hopped to give a light, crisp, well balanced, easy drinking pale ale that’s fresh and juicy.

Day 11 – Lervig – Christmas Cream

Porter – 4.7% – 3.27 rating

This porter may be light but has a deep chocolate flavour with cinnamon undertones. It tastes just like a Christmas cake.

Day 12 – Lervig – Holiday Haze

Pale Ale – 4.7% – 3.65 rating

This porter may be light but has a deep chocolate flavour with cinnamon undertones. It tastes just like a Christmas caA hazy pale ale which is potently aromatic, deliciously juicy and overflowing with hops. It has notes of tangerine, peach and passionfruit making it full of flavour.

Day 13 – The Gypsy Hill Brewing Co. – Narrator

Lager – 5.5% – 3.60 rating

A Vienna lager brewed with the finest malts for light toasted bread aromas and a malted sweetness. It has layers of spice and floral flavours with a clean, bitter finish.

Day 14 – Weird Beard Brew Co. – Black Christmas

Stout – 4.5% – 3.40 rating

This cranberry Christmas stout is thin with a roasty nose. It’s smooth with hints of chocolate and tartness from the cranberry.

Day 15 – Phantom Brewing Co. – Feeling This

Pale Ale – 5% – 3.89 rating

This pale ale is hopped with Columbus and Cascade and then dry hopped with citra and mosaic. It’s refreshing with a subtle bitter finish.

Day 16 – Beerbliotek & Six North – Better Late Than Never

Hazy IPA – 6.8% – 3.67 rating

The only collaboration beer on the list, this IPA is made with Stynian Wolf, Citra and Ekuanot. It’s soft, sweet and creamy with tropical notes.

Day 17 – Lost and Grounded Brewers – Apophenia

Tripel – 8.8% – 3.75 rating

A Belgian style Tripel of simple composition, this citrusy tripel is light, balanced and has a hint of vanilla and banana.

Day 18 – Anspatch & Hobday – The Pfeffernusse Stout

Stout – 6% – 3.65 rating

This stout is based on a German Christmas biscuit of the same name. Made with biscuity malts and a blend of festive spice it’s light, dry and tastes like Christmas.

Day 19 – Drop Project – Crush

Session IPA – 4.6% – 3.83 rating

This stout is based on a German Christmas biscuit of the same name. Made with biscuity malts and a blend of A session IPA with big flavour. It’s slightly hoppy with a juicy and smooth taste. A light, fruity beer that’s definitely an easy drinker.

Day 20 – Signature Brew – Bells End

Bitter – 3.64% – 3.64 rating

This warm, winter beer was brewed with the band The Darkness. It’s punchy, malty, bitter with subtle hints of spice.

Day 21 – Villages – Snorkel

Hazy IPA – 6.5% – 3.89 rating

A carbonated, hazy IPA that’s silky and smooth with a smoky, fruity punch. A well balanced beer that’s easy to drink.

Day 22 – The Gipsy Hill Brewing Co. – Snowballer

Pale Ale – 4.8% – 3.61 rating

A mid-strength Mandarin pale ale that’s stuffed full of calypso, centennial and mandarina bavaria and loaded with mandarins. It’s a clean, easy drinking winter warmer.

Day 23 – Verdant Brewing Co. – Even Sharks Need Water

Hazy IPA – 6.5% – 4.10 rating

This classic New England IPA has a hint of bitterness and a balance of sharper citrus fruits to stop the aroma being too sweet. It’s light, smooth and juicy.

Day 24 – Neon Raptor Brewing Co. – Very Naughty Luggage

Imperial IPA – 8.2% – 4.17 rating

A New England style DIPA containing huge amounts of oats, loads of fruity hops and fermented with fruity yeast. A very hazy, super juicy, drinkable beer.

BONUS – Amundsen Brewery – Christmas Morning

Stout – 4.7% – 3.43 rating

A breakfast waffle stout that’s thin enough to actually be enjoyed on Christmas morning. It’s quite sweet, light and fruity with hints of chocolate and berry.

Beer Lovers May Like…

If you love beer, beer tastings and going on brewery tours you may like these post:

• 60 Beer Gifts For Beer Lovers
• Beer Tasting At Home With Craft Metropolis
• BrewDog Beer Tasting
• London: Meantime Brewery Tour
• Glasgow: Tennent Brewery Tour
• Ireland: Killarney Brewery Tour
• San Francisco: Anchor Brewery Tour
• Svalbard: World’s Northern Most Brewery Tour

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