



Sometimes things line up just right, and events conspire to create a wonderful moment. I had such a moment last night, and it involved elves, otters and an early dose of Christmas magic.

The wheels were set in motion late last week, when Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas, one of my all-time favorite Christmas shows, randomly popped into my head. I had all but forgotten this Jim Henson holiday classic, and the moment I remembered it, I impulsively ordered it on DVD from Amazon.

I came home Tuesday evening to find it on the kitchen counter, still in the shipping box. I opened it up and showed it to the kids who wanted to watch it on the spot. But it was getting late, so we agreed to set a date for the next evening to sit down and watch it together. So last night was the viewing party.

I stopped in at my local liquor store on a whim last night, just to see what beers they had on hand. They’ve been adding lots of great craft offerings lately, and it’s been fun to watch the selection grow. Well, when I turned into the beer aisle, I was greeted by bombers of my hands-down favorite holiday beer, Troegs Mad Elf!

I tried many, many “holiday” beers last year, only to be disappointed that none of them tasted like Christmas. They were fine beers, but most of them were just brews that were a little stronger or darker or sweeter or spicier than the usual offerings. There was nothing in their flavor that made me think of my favorite holiday.

But Mad Elf was different. It’s a strong, sweet ale, brewed with cherries and honey that tastes a little like fruit cake, a little like mead, and a whole like Christmas to me. And at 11% ABV, it’s the perfect sipping companion for an evening spent gazing at the tree.

We went through a lot of Mad Elf last year, so I asked if I could get a case of bombers. The clerk proceeded to pull every bottle he had off the shelf and in the cooler and put them in a box for me. He had received a case of Mad Elf that day and had put them all out. In other words, I cleaned them out!

So last night, we snuggled up on the couch, popped in the DVD of Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas and I popped open a bottle of Mad Elf. It was a wonderful evening, where I was transported into the warm bosom of Christmas for about an hour. All that was missing was a little black licorice and the smell of pine.

If you’re a fan of happy holidays and strong, sweet beers, I highly recommend you look for Troegs Mad Elf, and sooner rather than later. I’m not the only one head over heels for this nectar, and it tends to sell out long before Bing Crosby is piping through the speakers at the mall.

Heck, my local liquor store sold out in one day! 🙂