Come A-Wassailing Your Way with Lake County Holiday Libations 2021
By: Jonathan Jones 12/16/2021
Deck the halls with growlers and sifters, sip, sip, sip, sip, sip, sip, sip, sip, sip! ‘Tis the holiday ‘saison’ to be ‘mulled-y’ as the Lake County Libation Trail is making SPIRITS bright. Many of these participants on the trail have prepared holiday libations to capture their interpretation of the season in liquid format.
These Lake County artisans of suds, spirits and vino have all of the festive feels for visitors during the brisk winter times. There’s a lot of family time, shopping, and stress that comes along with the holiday season. Sometimes you just need a break. These Lake County makers have received the message as creators pack a special holiday punch through the good, bad, and tough times. If you haven’t indulged, now is the time. Holiday Your Way on the land of lakes’ libation trail. Here we come a-wassailing your way with Lake County Holiday Libations.
Curb Check Carrott Cake IPA Tis' the season to drink dessert brews! The Round Lake Beach brewhouse, in collaboration with Lovin Oven Cakery in Antioch, created a carrot cake influenced India pale ale. The holiday and "What's up Doc!" concoction is made with Madagascar bourbon vanilla beans and is 6.5% alcohol by volume (ABV). 
Cranberry Lager This 4.7 percent ABV lager-pale brew is introduced to the s in November for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The naturally carbonated fruity lager contains a subtle tartness due to the melody of Bosacki hops and cranberry. The Cranberry Lager provides you and the family with a beautiful complement to appetizers and dinner entrees. The brewery is for carryout and alfresco style from Thursdays-Sundays.
Holiday Pils Just in time for the holidays, this Long Grove pilsner is the distant cousin of the 360 Pills that the Lake County Libation Trail partner serves year-round. This variant is a limited-time release during this season greeting period that is infused with cranberries and blood oranges. The 4.5% ABV drink rates 45 on the International Bitterness Unit scale (IBU).
Fyren Gin Pronounced "Fire Engine," this unique style of gin packs a punch. The spicy libation uses a full serrano pepper in each bottle which has been charred, roasted and cut by hand. Fyren Gin is the perfect companion for cocktails such as bloody marys, martinis and more. If you're looking for the perfect winter warmup, this is the libation for you. Fyren Gin perfectly accompanies cucumber, basil, tonic water, simple syrup and more in their featured cocktail, Lake Zurich Fire Department.
Vin Glögg This vino warms the soul during the wintertime. The 13% alcohol by volume concoction contains a half dry red wine, while the complementing percentage is port flavor. Vin Glögg is jam-packed with cinnamon, cardamon spices, and it also includes an orange peel taste. The Grayslake adult beverage is intended to be served warm.
Barrel-Aged Warrior Paint Imperial Coffee Stout The Barrel-Aged Warrior Paint Imperial Coffee is taking a victory lap through the Lincolnshire brewing company. The 11-percent ABV stout is brewed with Mexican coffee beans from Bannockburn’s Newport Coffee House. Beautiful aromas of molasses and coffee waft from this libation, and the scents are paired with hints of oak and vanilla. Half Day Brewing Co. is open for outdoor dining on their fantastic patio and for pickup daily serving growler refills and four packs.
Stoke IPA The holiday celebrations will be overly stoked with this libation. Constructed in partnership with Chicago yeast makers, Omega Yeast provided the "cosmic punch" strain. Stoke is a double dry-hopped 5.9% ABV IPA brewed with Saaz, azacca and El Dorado.
Panama Red Wouldn't we all love to go someplace warm after the holiday season? Get a taste of Panama with the Grayslake brewpub's imperial amber ale. The 8.6% ABV is brewed and dry-hopped with Amarillo, centennials and strata. These craft beer now comes in six-packs while supplies last. The Lake County Libation Trail partner just turned nine years old.
We All Scream Don't slip on the banana peel because this beer is sweet like Santa's meal. The innovative Lake Zurich brewpub just released its banana split-inspired sour ale. The adult beverage is a concoction filled with banana and sweet cheery purées, cacao, vanilla and ice cream cones. Four packs are available online and in the taproom.
Christmas Red & White This treat is served for vino fans annually at the Wheeling mainstay. The Christmas Red and White Spiced Wines are mulled libations jam-packed with aromas of cinnamon, cloves and gingerbread cookies. The red drink obtains a tad more cinnamon, while the white has a bit more cardamom spice. The red and white are a perfect complement to chocolate cranberry and coconut oatmeal cookies.
Santa’s Magic This strong Belgian ale in Illinois’s oldest brewery has a light body, but the flavor is spicy, and the aroma has a sophisticated scent of spice and fruit blend. The Libertyville brewery’s most popular seasonal ale contains honey and dark Belgian candy sugar. The seven percent ABV magic in a glass can be compared to Chimay and Duvel’s similar tastes. Mickey Finn’s is open for takeout and on their patio.
A Far Away Guitar Double IPA In very Bradbury fashion of the Waukegan brewpub, Nightshade and Dark’s Pandemonium Brewing releases a new double IPA donning the name of one of the Greentown griots periodicals. This malty brew is equipped with Vienna malt, many hops, Chinook, Citra, Vic Secret and BRU-1. The hazy beer is fruity and yet bitter with hops for days.
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