Written by Sara Lilkas, Marketing Intern December is here and I’m honestly not quite sure where this past year went. All I know is that since the holiday season is here with all the merry cheer and holiday beer I’ve never been more ready for December!  Get your growlers ready the tasting events this month are sure to get you into the holiday spirit! First up is the Hop Hunter IPA by Sierra Nevada. Sierra Nevada has developed a unique method to gather pure hop oil which makes for a Sierra-Nevada-Logo1uniquely aromatic beer. The Hop Hunter Sierra Nevada pairs nicely with wood-grilled salmon (stop by the seafood department after you’ve filled up your growler to check out our signature salmon options! ) Try Sierra Nevada’s Hop Hunter IPA: December 4th, 2015 December 5th, 2015 Just in time for the last few nights of Hanukkah the Shmaltz Brewery shmaltz-brewing-logofrom Clifton Park will be featuring their Hanukkah, Chanukah: Pass the Beer. Bring home a growler of this dark ale to pair with your latkes! Happy Hanukkah! Try Shmaltz Brewery’s Hanukkah, Chanukah: December 10th, 2015 from 4-6pm at Market 32 in Clifton Park, NY. December 11th, 2015 from 4-6pm at Market Bistro in Latham, NY. December 12th, 2015 Now that the schedule is moving into mid-December hopefully the weather hasn’t gotten too cold and all of your holiday shopping is done. If davidson brewingit isn’t and you need a shopping break. I suggest stopping in for the Davidson Winter Ale tasting. Davidson Brother’s is a brewpub out of Glens Falls, NY and is family owned and operated. Try Davidson Brother’s Winter Ale: December 18th, 2015 December 20th, 2015 The tastings at Market Bistro and Market 32 in Clifton Park will be extra special today! Both tastings will feature a Barbershop Quartet singing Christmas Carols! One of my personal favorites will be featured the week leading up to Christmas. Straight from Cooperstown, NY Ommegang’s Three brewery-ommegang-85412382Philosophers will be featured in tastings for three days. Three Philosophers is a unique beer that actually ages in a way similar to wine when stored correctly.  Featuring a mix of Belgian-style dark ale and cherry ale, Three Philosophers is known for its sweetness making it the perfect brew to serve with desserts. Try Ommegang’s Three Philosophers: December 22nd, 2015 December 23rd, 2015 December 24th, 2015 A seasonal beer tasting wouldn’t be complete without the current seasonal offering from Samuel Adams. Brewed with cinnamon, ginger, and orange peel, the Winter Lager is a holiday season staple. Try Samuel Adams Winter Lager: SamuelAdamsLogo-575December 19th, 2015 December 31st, 2015 Last up for the month of December is Brown’s Brewing Company out of Troy, NY. Their Oatmeal Stout is a staple at the brewpub located in downtown Troy and has even won a gold medal at the World Beer Cup! Try Brown’s Brewing Company Oatmeal Stout:browns December 29th, 2015 December 31st, 2015 As always let us know what your favorite brews were this month in the comments below! Please enjoy responsibly.         Written by Sara Lilkas, Marketing Intern  Now that we can put the frightening antics of Halloween behind us we can focus on the upcoming holiday and winter season. Even though I am not a fan of the inevitable snow storms that come along with living in the Northeast, I am a fan of the seasonal flavors breweries put out for the holiday and winter season. This November we have a spectacular preview of winter flavors put out by a variety of different brewers. We are happy to welcome the Chatham Brewery, a local favorite out of Columbia County! They will be featuring their brew Farmer’s Daughter during their Growler Station debut. Farmer’s Daughter is a Rye India Pale Ale featuring rye malts from Hillrock Farm Distillery. Chatham Brewery’s Farmer’s Daughter is a locally brewed beer from start to finish! chatham brewingTry Chatham Brewery’s Farmer’s Daughter: Leinenkugel’s Big Eddy Cherry Doppelschwarz is an Imperial Schwarzbier featuring chocolate and coffee flavors, balanced off with cherries. The various flavors present in this brew, makes it perfect for the holiday season! Try Leinenkugel’s Big Eddy Cherry Doppelschwarz:big eddy Our friends at Magic Hat are at it again with their Feast of Fools Raspberry Stout. The name of this brew dates back to Medieval Times and the celebration of the winter solsticemagic hat feast of fools. The seasonal brews of the past may be long gone, but the Feast of Fools is an ode to a time where you couldn’t just switch on a light. The Raspberry Stout reflects the long winter nights and the sweetness of the holiday season. Try Magic Hat’s Feast of Fools Raspberry Stout: Thanks to Samuel Adams we have a special early release of the Grapefruit Rebel IPA this November! You will be able to try a growler of the newest release from Samuel Adams before it’s available in bottled packs! Samuel Adams Grapefruit Rebel IPA is brewed with real grapefruit that only compliments the citrus notes from the hops. On tap just in time to bring a growler home to share with family and friends this Thanksgiving! rebelgrapefruittaplg--en--6a0409e2-9510-4b4e-82a5-79b7d18950acTry Samuel Adams Grapefruit Rebel IPA: The next selection for the month is Goose Island’s Bourbon County Brand Stout. An imperial stout aged in a bourbon barrel, it features chocolate, vanilla, and caramel flavors. This incredibly flavorful stout is perfect for the holiday season! Try Goose Island’s Bourbon County Stout:goose-island-logo-2014 Let us know what your favorite brews were from this month’s tasting schedule and as always please enjoy responsibly!