Holidays are a special time on the WILK Friday BeerBuzz. For 2012 we not only logged FOUR live Friday morning shows, we also launched a 4-segment 1-Hour Overextended Holiday spectacular, bringing our total for the number of beers sampled in the month of December to 10! Because of that, we wanted to go out with a bang and feature a new and exciting holiday beer today with an exciting and unique style.
Southern Tier Brewing company has an extensive history on the WILK Friday BeerBuzz. Back in the spring of 2011 we featured one of my favorites, 2XIPA, and followed that up on Oct 2011 by chatting with founder Phin Demink as we featured his fantastic Blackwater Series Mokah. Both great beers and of course Phin was a great guest.
When I heard Southern Tier was launching a new brew as part of their 2X series of beers, AND that this beer would be a holiday ale, I knew we had to feature it. Southern Tier 2XMAS was launched back in November and it’s a completely different style of holiday ale. 
2XMAS is brewed in a style similar to a Swedish Glogg, and if you’re unfamiliar with that as a beer style, it’s because it pretty much doesn’t exist in many (if any) existing beers. A Glogg is a traditional Swedish holiday beverage that uses mulled spices and it’s typically served warm. Southern Tier took that tradition and created a holiday spiced ale that has a complex mix of ingredients. Starting with 4 malt varieties and 2 hop varieties, Southern Tier added in figs, orange peel, cinnamon, ginger root, cloves and even cardamom to make their beer-glogg and it came out great. 2XMAS is 8% ABV and loaded with spicy flavors as you would expect, but it’s a lot more drinkable than the stats or style would convey. Try this one for yourself and see if you don’t agree.
Stay tuned for more excitement coming from Southern Tier as they continue to work on heir expansion. With six HUGE 660bbl fermentation tanks installed and a new 110bbl brewhouse in place, Southern Tier is hitting production levels of 70,000 barrels as the year closes with the ultimate goal of 150,000bbl in the future. Of course all this means more great beer for you and me.
T
hank you to Nancy, John & Joe for yet another
fun Friday.
The Friday BeerBuzz…bringing good beers and good people together. As always you can check out the video on-line at the WILK Friday BeerBuzz page by clicking HERE.
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Southern Tier makes my favorite autumn seasonal, Pumking so it follows they'd have an excellent holiday seasonal too in 2XMAS!
ReplyDeleteOur last WILK FBB of 2012 was a fast, fun morning complete with noisemakers! (The little horn things, not the usual 'noisemakers'. lol)
Thanks as always to Bill from MyBeerBuzz.com for producing a fun and award-winning show week in and week out.
Thanks too to Karel Zubris who not only handles our video duties but today also supplied the New Year's Eve set decoration AND did the catering!
And of course thanks to you for listening!
Happy New Year!
John
webster@wilknewsradio.com
I tried 2Xmas a few weeks ago. It's an odd beer that seems like it wants to be served warm. I tried it warm but I'm not sure I liked it. Probably better cold. Jason
ReplyDeleteJason...maybe it's the Glogg style that makes you want it warm. I let it warm a bit but it seemed to get spicier. I liked it better cold. I think Glogg itself should be served warm but probably not 2XMAS.
ReplyDeleteIs 2Xmas easy to find locally? JT
ReplyDeleteYes JT...Krugels does have it in stock.
ReplyDeleteHi Bill. I bought 2X today at lunch. This is a very spicy beer. I do like it but I was expecting something different.
ReplyDeleteJared K
Jared...Yes it's really spicy. This beer needs a snowy night and a warm fire ;)
ReplyDeleteThank you for all of the Southern Tier growth news. I didn't realize they had expanded so much until today on the show. Hopefully that will make it easier to get some of their beer in PA. Thank you WILK. Amy
ReplyDeleteI've been very pleased to find Southern Tier. I think you had them on the show before and that started me buying their beer. Now I buy a Blackwater beer bottle every time I find one. They are one of my favorite series of beers (thanks to you guys). Chris
ReplyDeleteThanks Chris. Yes we featured 2XIPA and Mokah with their founder & brewmaster Phin Demink in the past. I really enjoy all of the Blackwater Series beers but especially Choklat & Creme Bruless.
ReplyDelete2Xmas tasted like spiced wine to me. Maybe too much cinnamon? Frank
ReplyDeleteFrank...the recipe it is base don (The Swedish Glogg) does use a spiced wine base so that's probably pretty accurate.
ReplyDeleteWas this beer in big bottles? Eric
ReplyDeleteEric....2XMAS comes in 12oz bottles (six packs & cases). The Blackwater series beers come in 22oz bottles.
ReplyDeleteI buy Choklat and JahVah all the time but I don't see them as much anymore. I tried Krampus but it wasn't for me. I'm glad they have a new Xmas beer. I'll have to try it. Ryan W
ReplyDeleteRyan...they're both seasonal releases so they aren't around all year. I can say that Choklat ages really nicely, in fact I like it better a year old.
ReplyDeleteJust saw the video. You guys have the best jobs in the world. Food beer and a few thousand people tuning in to hear you. I always think the show is your most fun part of the week. Too bad you can't do it every day. Pam
ReplyDeleteThanks Pam....wow...every day?! I'll probably have to stick to the home version ;)
ReplyDeleteToday's show was exceptionally funny. I like when you all just hang out for the holidays. I don't think I'll like today's beer but who knows. Jan
ReplyDeleteHow did the beer go with your cheese? Etch
ReplyDeleteJust about any cheese and beer pair up nicely, but today's beer went really well with the cheese (especially the Swiss). Thank you to our resident videographer Karel Zubris for bringing in the cheese.
ReplyDeleteHow does goat cheese pair with beer? Thom
ReplyDeleteThom...one of my favorite cheese pairings was really good Vermont goat cheese paired with Brooklyn Sorachi Ace. Try it out for yourself...the pairing is magical.
ReplyDeleteI know there was a fair amount of horseplay today but I really think you bring the experience of fine beer and food out really well. My only complaint is that instead of just having to go out and buy your weekly beer, I now find myself buying food to match it. When I get inside and I'm picking out the beer, I also manage to buy a few more new ones too. Flavor addiction confirmed! Jess
ReplyDeleteThanks Jess. We love hearing people are trying our beer of the day. Whether you love it or not, craft beer is all about keeping an open mind and trying new flavors.
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