The end of the year is here, and it's time to celebrate the important things. New Year is an occasion for appreciating loved ones, making good memories, looking back on successes, and most importantly, tons of festive beers.
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I have a few beers that I have had my eye on for this New Year. I always like to start on a high, so a couple of good drinks as the clock hits midnight is my plan. After enough of high-class beverages though, it's fair game. Bottom-shelf tequila will be my New Year's kiss for the rest of the night.
One thing you can count on - you won't be seeing any lite lagers on this list.
Highland Park Brewery - Competition
Aptly named Competition by Highland Park Brewery is a winner across the board. It took home the number one spot for American Style IPAs at the Brewers Association Awards. That's no small achievement either.
Grab a couple of cans of these New Year beers, and enjoy the mix of citra and mosaic hops. The result is a far too drinkable, and ever so slightly citrusy beer. Flavors of kiwi and mango are all there, making for a refreshing, but certainly not light, tipple.
Arbor Ales - Shangri-La
Picking just one of the Arbor Ales lineups for my New Year beers list is hard enough. Each of the cans comes with its own profile, and everyone is as good as the last. However, for argument's sake, I'll be packing a Shangri-La or two into my cooler at the turn of the year.
It's a beer that explodes with flavor, and it's fresh enough to not become overwhelming after a couple. Craft ales often have a habit of being a bit 'too much.' Good old Shangri-La can keep on going all night without complaint.
Pilsner Urquell
This Czech lager hardly needs an introduction. It's the best lager on the planet, and I won't hear another word about it. Few beers in the world can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the beer that props up the Czech economy.
Every sip of an ice-cold Pilsner Urquell tastes as good as the last, and any lager afterward just glares with inadequacy. It is the benchmark of larger beers, and it's what I would choose for my first New Year kiss.
La Chouffe
Don't let the little gnome on the front of this Belgian beer fool you. This heavy, tasty, creamy number will kick the legs from under you before you can blink. A pint or two of this 8% beer is wonderfully deceptive.
It is light, but rich with flavor, and goes down like silk. However, keep an eye on how many of them you have, because that little gnome will kneecap you.
I wouldn't start my night of New Year beers with this, but I would certainly end with a few. I'll just have to try to stay upright.
