New Belgium Brewing of Fort Collins, Colorado is the fourth-largest craft brewer in the country and the eighth-overall largest brewer in the United States, according to Wikipedia. Seems a bit big for the "craft brewer" label to me, but hell, if Sam Adams is a "craft brewer," who am I to argue? I like a fair few of their brews, and since I neglected to write a timely post about their last seasonal offering, I'll compare and contrast it with the current one.

Holiday Ale

The current seasonal limited release is this Holiday Ale. The can is surprisingly sparse, just repeating this very Christmas-y art twice aside from the small bit with the barcode and government warnings that it contains alcohol.

Wait, it also says, "ale with cranberry, cinnamon, and natural flavors."

And the box containing 6 of these cans also adds, "'Tis the season for flavors of cranberry and orange, cinnamon and spice, for everyone naughty and nice!" And where the logo on the can can says, "12 oz." and "7.5% ABV," the box claims, "festive flavor," and, "cozy comfort."

So what do I think? It's alright. I'm not really getting the claimed cranberry, but there's definitely cinnamon and other spices in the mix. I don't really mind it, but I'm not generally a fan of beers that stray from the basic ingredients list. Water, hops, malt, yeast. That's all I want. Do it right, and I'm happy to try a pint. This just doesn't work for me. It's not bad, so your mileage may vary. As for me, I'll not refuse it if offered, but I don't plan to buy it again. I've had better winter warmer style brews before.

Atomic Pumpkin

And now for something completely different! New Belgium markets their pumpkin beer under their Voodoo Ranger line with the skeleton mascot and fancy graphics festooning everything.

This is technically weaker than the Holiday Ale at a mere 6.4% ABV, but the spices here are not. This is mildly pumpkined, but heated up with a nice dose of chili peppers and cinnamon. I much preferred the balance of flavors in this ale. And if everything "pumpkin spice" included a dash of habanero, I might be a bit less disdainful of the fall corporate marketing campaigns inundating America every October/November nowadays.

My verdict: this is how to make a spiced beer right! But if you'd prefer something with less heat, and more of an American IPA twist, I recommend Voodoo Ranger Juice Force instead, especially since it isn't vanishing from shelves due to the seasonal release shift.

Can Crusher

I don't often drive to town for recycling, but I hate to throw away metal, so I decided to buy a can crusher to help me condense the various energy drink, soda, and beer cans that have been accumulating. I bought a cheap one on Amazon, and wondered whether it would hold up. I guarantee this same model from the same factory is sold under dozens of different names residing in the uncanny valley between English and whatever Chinese corporations think sounds like an Anglo-American brand name.

So far, so good. No real complaints, and it's had some decent use already. You can see it in the image above right before I smashed the pumpkin ale can. Which reminds me, have you seen this clip of Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins on a roller coaster?

But seriously, you can learn a bit more here if you're unfamiliar with this kind of device.

Anyway, this one has been used for somewhere between 100 and 200 cans with no sign of problems yet. I added some oil to the pivot points and some grease to the track in the freame for smoother operation shortly after setting it up, and that made a world of difference. I advise following the instructions to dent the can a bit so it starts to give more easily. Otherwise, there is a lot of strain before the aluminum crumples on its own, and that could probably lead to a much shorter life for the thin metal components.

Anything taller than a 16-oz. tallboy can won't fit without some pre-crushing, which defeats the purpose, so those 19.2 oz. stovepipe cans some companies have started offering are a no-go with the one I have. There's also no way a fat Foster's can ("Australian for Beer," I think not) will work.

Tonight, I am drinking a Canada Dry Ginger Ale instead of anything alcoholic. The cold snap and snow has kicked my old injuries into high gear again, and considering some familial complications with alcoholism, I don't want to get into the habit of seeking pain relief in a bottle or can. Beer should be enjoyed, and enjoyed responsibly, remember.