2021 Beer Advent Calendar Review: Phillips Space Case

[ThePenIsMightier]

Continuing with a tradition that one day we will all be reconciling for - I bring you the reviews of 2021's ultra limited run, Space Case (3rd Edition) from Phillips.

I'm starting tonight as there are 12 evenings before Christmas and this pack has 12 pints.

Here's a link to last year's (https://forums.beyond.ca/threads/413836-2020-Beer-Advent-Calendar-Review-Phillips-Space-Case), just in case you're interested.

I'm very pleased to have not been stuck with 24 cans of vomit from Parallel-49 this year, because I also did that last year, and it was gross.

As always, please contribute if you also have a Space Case and want to play along.

Cheers!

103266

[prae]

liked and subscribed

[Buster]

where do we get these again?

[jwslam]

you're supposed to hold it below the ( . )( . )

or are they ( o )( o )
or ( > ) ( > )

[ThePenIsMightier]

where do we get these again?

I got mine November 15 from Willow Park.
#DirtySE

https://forums.beyond.ca/threads/363574-Advent-Calendars-where-in-the-city?highlight=Advent

[Buster]

I assume they are all sold out

[ThePenIsMightier]

I assume they are all sold out

Virtually guaranteed, unfortunately.

[ExtraSlow]

Know what always makes craft beer better? Aging it.

[Buster]

Virtually guaranteed, unfortunately.

thanks for nothing

[ThePenIsMightier]

thanks for nothing

Aside from buying it for you and leaving it with your wife, there ain't much more I could've done.

103269

[Buster]

Aside from buying it for you and leaving it with your wife, there ain't much more I could've done.

103269

You had one job to do.

[ThePenIsMightier]

Day 1 of 12: INVASIVE SPECIES - Down Under Hazy IPA
Worried... I shouldn't be worried, because it's Phillips, but I am... Has Phillips fallen into the putrid Parallel-49 trap?

103270

No. Although this is stinky, hoppy and hazy, somehow, they have pulled it off. It's not something I would seek out by a long way, but I would order a second one at a bar. And I would have lost $650 betting that there was some pineapple in there to balance dem hops. I am positive that's what it is, but no mention on the label, and I trust Phillips enough to believe them.

103271

A bit better than not bad, so they are not coming out swinging this year, but there is no way they are falling on their face!
They're not living the #7.2Lyfe as this is a paltry 7.1%ABV...

[lasimmon]

*Spoilers* worst of the first 6 is that one IMO.

I started early due to vacation.

[ThePenIsMightier]

*Spoilers* worst of the first 6 is that one IMO.

I started early due to vacation.

LoL, awesome! Thanks for chiming in!

[ThePenIsMightier]

Day 2: ITALIAN PILSNER

I got invited to a neighbour's place for some italian pasta, this summer. You know those older white ladies that say that with the long i? Maybe they'd offer you some italian dressing for your salad? Maybe your mom was like that? The type of mom that would question your italian girlfriend's loose morals?

Well, this is allegedly an Italian Pilsner - which is a bit of a silly thing to say blah blah snobby Pilzen region of Czech, etc... What put the fear back into me was that this smelled hoppy and was described as such. That really grinds my gears. Making traditionally clean and crisp beer into hoppy nonsense makes baby Jesus cry.

103307

Well, sumbitch, they fooled me twice. This is really good! Although, it really doesn't taste like a pilsner, I think they realized that it tastes almost precisely like Moretti, which is about the only Italian beer I recall ever having. Neat! Moretti is a beer that you can buy pretty much across the planet.
Italy - the place for women, wine, clothes and cars (and worth a try for beer).

[ExtraSlow]

Eye-talian Pils-EN-rrrr is a good beer style.

[Aaaaaron]

Yeah I was pleasantly surprised by Italian pilsners this summer. I'm not huge on the galaxy, citra, etc. hops but I like the subtle citrus in the Italian pilsners. SYC brewing's Pontificato is really good.

[ThePenIsMightier]

Day 3: KEEP YOUR FORK - Lemon Meringue Sour

Super cool and extremely apt name. I think this will end up being the best name. I am calling it, early.

103326

She's definitely a sour, but I'm not puckering up like I just took a pull off the vinegar bottle at the fish & chips place. While it doesn't taste like lemon meringue balancing it out, that flavour is deep in your mind because of the name and it does kind of taste like that - and that's good, for some reason.

It's not a winner, though. I would have to be very thirsty to order a second one of these or facing nothing else on tap but Kokanee and Pil.
It's OK...

[Ca_Silvia13]

You're far too nice on your review of that beer. It was awful. I didn't even finish the can and washed it down with a Brewhouse.

[ThePenIsMightier]

Day 4: DEEPER ORBIT - Single Hop Pale Ale

There's nothing really going on, here. This is a disappointingly generic, basic pale ale. You could tell me that this was Molson and I would absolutely believe you. It's not overly hoppy, it's not overly anything.
It's not good enough.

103383

[ThePenIsMightier]

Day 5: SECOND BREAKFAST - Coffee Kolsch

Cheese-&-Crackers this is amazing and I want four more, immediately! Bring them to me, NOW!! Everything about this is wonderful. There is a very distinct and pronounced coffee flavour which you would swear would be grotesque, but instead, it's "get in my belly!" It's still beer, but that flavour is a nice touch.

Here's a lil tip for those who don't want to venture too far off the path. Kolsch is winning. Like I was tellin me main man, Brucepanner the other day about Analog-78 (the champion of Phillips Kolsch). A Kolsch is a very safe way to introduce someone who "only likes Coors Light" to actual beer.
If Phillips can top this in the next seven days, I will be blown away.

Pic later maybe... Whatever.

[Buster]

me main man, Brucepanner

Is he your....partner?

[killramos]

He fills holes in his Life MrsPim Cant

[ThePenIsMightier]

We partner in a variety of CornHole-related ventures.


https://youtu.be/rL4WYLri3EM

[ExtraSlow]

Coop liquor on 16th Ave had a steigl advent calendar in stock near the front door yesterday. I didn't buy it.

[dirtsniffer]

Next year we should be a beyond 12 days of Christmas. 12 people buy 12 pint cans and we make our own, better calendar

[killramos]

Not sure I trust Beyond’s taste in beer. If I want fruit punch I’ll steal some from my daughter.

Actually, she doesn’t even drink fruit punch :rofl:

[ExtraSlow]

Actually, she doesn’t even drink fruit punch :rofl:it's called respect.

[ThePenIsMightier]

Day 6 of 12: SLAMMER - Fruited Lager

*Just a reminder that we are at the halfway point. Go out and buy your cookware, Dyson vacuums and Air Fryers for those special ladies in your life before the chip shortage and all them oMiCrOnS leaves you sleeping in the dog house with your Shar-Pei Ma-in-Law!

This sounded gross and instead it's absolutely incredible. Said the VajMightier, "Holy shit - how do we get more of this!??!" It's no #FruityBeer nonsense. It's still a beer, but there's a damn refreshing side car along for the ride.

103447

As Ozzy Man would say, fuck yes, Mate. Fuck yes!

[ExtraSlow]

Quality pogs reference.

[brucebanner]

I *almost* got mentioned :love: :rofl:

That beer must of hit hard.. Damn typos

[Buster]

He fills holes in his Life MrsPim Cant
Tpim appreciates a good pegging as much as the next guy

[ThePenIsMightier]

I *almost* got mentioned :love: :rofl:

That beer must of hit hard.. Damn typos

No. I lovingly, but intentionally put you in as Brucepanner.
Which is like Bruce Spanner. Which is what weirdo British people call people in place of "tool".

For example,

Normal people: "You're a fuckin tool!"

British "people":
BlyMee, that punter is a spanner, itnit?"

I just figured that was worth mentioning...

[ThePenIsMightier]

Day 7: YOU SEEING THIS? - Post Contemporary IPA

It's hoppy! But that's ok because it's a Leaving Las Vegas strength 7.8% and it takes something to mask that. So, it's kind of amazing to mask that with something other than over-hopped nonsense and this accomplishes that. But it's still not a special flavour. I'd call it a novelty beer like a Delirium Tremens. It exists and I've bought one, but it's probably been 5+ years since I did.

103471

I'll buy one again, but it won't be soon. You know? That type of thing.

[ThePenIsMightier]

Day 8: SLOW JAM - Black Forest Stout

It smells a fair bit like coffee. It has a whole lot of tastes going on, but unfortunately, the dominant one is extremely unique. And that unique flavour is... Licorice All-Sorts.

I'm not an 84 year old, white woman, sooo..... I think that's gross. I still drank it, so it's not like it was a Parallel-49. It was also suspiciously low in alcohol at 4.1% which tis not the season.

Too bad.
The label is kind of hilarious, though!

103503

[Brent.ff]

That label is pretty damn hilarious.

[ThePenIsMightier]

Day 9: SORRY NOT SORRY - North American Brown Ale

Brown Ale = Good. Just ask Big Rock Traditional. (Those mother fuckers just discontinued Warthog, by the way! Me and ExtraSlow will be picketing tomorrow morning!)

This Brown Ale is no exception to the rule started above. It's really good and nice to have a little extra kick at 6.5% to feel Christmasy.

[ExtraSlow]

103519
103520

This is worse news than anything in the covid sub-forum

[brucebanner]

:cry:

Thanks for the clarification haha

[loweg]

Day 6 of 12: SLAMMER - Fruited Lager

*Just a reminder that we are at the halfway point. Go out and buy your cookware, Dyson vacuums and Air Fryers for those special ladies in your life before the chip shortage and all them oMiCrOnS leaves you sleeping in the dog house with your Shar-Pei Ma-in-Law!

This sounded gross and instead it's absolutely incredible. Said the VajMightier, "Holy shit - how do we get more of this!??!" It's no #FruityBeer nonsense. It's still a beer, but there's a damn refreshing side car along for the ride.

103447

As Ozzy Man would say, fuck yes, Mate. Fuck yes!

This was the best beer in the case hands down. I messaged Phillips on insta to try to aquire more . They have none, but appreciate the feedback so perhaps more will help with that .

[ThePenIsMightier]

This was the best beer in the case hands down. I messaged Phillips on insta to try to aquire more . They have none, but appreciate the feedback so perhaps more will help with that .

No, you can't. The reason is that they small batch brew weird experimental beers all year and approximately weekly they have a tiny amount in their tiny tasting room. Once it's gone, it's gone. From those, they pick 12 to keep enough of (or make likely make another batch) to stick in these calendars.
It makes it super unique every time you stop by their place. It's one of the first places I went after I got my birthday car in Victoria.

[ThePenIsMightier]

Day 10: HERE TODAY - Cold IPA

Let's call this Day-4, Part-Deux. Boring and overly hopped with no redeeming qualities.
At least I'm livin that #7.2Lyfe!! (Due to the content of Booze-ohol... Being 7.2%......)

103535

[ThePenIsMightier]

Day 11: ESB1 - Can Conditioned ESB

To me, "ESB" stands for Extra Special Bitter, but that's not what this is. Maybe this is ExtraSlowBeer!!? That's prolly it? They produced a beer for the most legendary Beyond member! And, I have no idea what "can conditioned" means. I certainly would have thought that it meant something more like naturally carbonated, in the can, so you'd end up with some sludge like you would with an old-school home-brewed beer. Also not here... So I don't know WtF is going on up in hurr!

103541


What I can tell you, is that it's a long way from exciting. It is absolutely fine and I have no issues with it, but it is not special and is not festive.

The best thing going for this was the write-up on the side of the can (right where it should have been telling me about "ESB") and instead had some interesting facts about (obviously?) Pirate Radio. Long story, short - it started in the UK during the 60's from boats that were playing music the BBC would not have. They were not illegal because they were broadcasting from international waters.
#NowYouKnow


*I stayed up late and didn't want to drink the Windex. LoL!!

[ThePenIsMightier]

[U]Day 12 of 12[U]: THE JUDGMENT - Belgian Golden Strong Ale

^They spelled it that dumb way, not me! Then they spelled it correctly on the side of the can. It's JUDGEMENT... Anyways... Strong? Yes. 10.5% is a kick-in-the-dick! It's pretty amazing that this thing doesn't taste like someone poured more than 2 full ounces of vodka into your beer. Literally, I did the marth. While it's chock full o' spirits, it is lacking the Christmas Spirit.

It's good, but like a La Fin du Monde, it's a long way from a go-to beer for a round of golf or one that you would sneak into a Dairy Queen to accompany your Ultimate Grillburger. Say, did you know DQ is a Berkshire Hathaway company? Seems odd. I bet you didn't! I met a guy who snuck a beer into a Dairy Queen with his future in-laws (and further future ex-in-laws). I wonder what he's doing, this evening. What a hilarious and pathetically odd thing to do. I like the life I chose, better.

103573

Thanks for stopping by to read.
Merry Christmas!

[ExtraSlow]

Best review of the bunch.

[ThePenIsMightier]

Insanity bump!

Buster check this shit out! Vine Arts Liquor in Beltline has 3 of these things on their floor, right meow!! Beautiful store, as well.
This is unpossible that someone would still have these, but I guess this tiny boutique got a late shipment.

104700

[ExtraSlow]

You know what they say, if you can't find fresh beer at least make sure it's been stored without refrigeration....

[Disoblige]

Goes well with light cheddar smokies and burnt duck