This is no slamming beer...it's a sipping one.

As anyone who knows me well understands, if a plan doesn't work out, and someone slyly mentions "Wouldn't you rather nod into a pub and have a pint?", I'm actually running...yes trotting, cantering, and half-passing toward the pub doors (dressage, anyone? in fact, yesterday, all these strides and discussions were used, including the moment in which I informed Mackenzie the owners' cork their horses' butts during dressage competitions so as to keep everything lockjaw and proper, of course).And of course, when the atrociously long lines at Bazaar Bizarre presented, Mackenzie said "Um, drinks instead?" to which I immediately began that canter towards Publick House Provisions, the local in my neighborhood and a constant hangout (trust: if you can't get in touch with me, check here...first). Publick House serves the best craft beers, and the bar is beautiful, based on traditional Belgian Style drinking exprience, with dark woods, taps that are artwork in and of themselves, stained glass, candled lighting in old Chimay glasses, and of course, fireplaces. There is no better place for enjoying bitters with friends than Publick House, and I daresay it may be the greatest pub I've ever been to...and there have been a lot. It's quiet, it's intimate, it's romantic, it's relaxing, and the tenders know too much about beer, thus making it the ultimate pint spot...that is if you like beers served in remarkable glassware, with high alcohol contents, and of course, incredible ranges of taste.Mackenzie and I ended up staying for hours...and sampled a lot of beers, er, actually, drank a lot of beers. After an unfortunate incident last year involving cases of Harpoon IPA's Winter Warner, I declared that I hate clovey-spicy-cinnamony beers that taste sweet, i.e. the winter warmer, and I can stay I still  hate spicy beers. But the true Winter Warmers, Belgian Style, that Publick House is offering this season, are remarkable and I am a Belgian Winter Warmer convert. None of them are spicy or filled with clovey junk. They instantly warm you, are robust and incredibly malty, and usually have 12-percent alchohol content, which can never be a bad thing...unless you're driving, or er, can't handle your booze, or um, like Miller Lite, for instance.Mackenzie kicked off the early evening pint extravaganza with a Scaldis Noel, at a whopping 12 percent. It was a brilliant beer and I highly reccommend anyone try this one out. Similarly, I tried a warmer souler Affligem Noel, which was a mere 9 percent to hers, and filled with thick malt flavor. The first sip warmed my soul, and for that, I am ever grateful and don't intend to drink anymore non-warmer beers for the remainder of December. Unless its Chimay. I make all exceptions for Chimay. My glass had a brilliant hooded man with a splendid goatee on it downing a mug, so what could be better, really?We ended up writing a whole bunch of beers we tried down, like the Alligash Interlude, which is fermented in barrels which housed Merlots and Shiraz wines and all that excitingness and it tasted distinctly yeasty beer while maintaining a fruity nutty wine moment or two. It was excellent. And so was Jack D'Or, a beer out of Holyoke, MA and a Founders Backwoods Bastard, which was rich, dark, and tasted of coffee and sometimes chocolate. Uberdrool. There were more, and so, that meant, splurging on Obligatory Fish and Chips smothered in malt to pad the alcohol consumption fall. Um, Mackenzie is my favoritest person...ever. We gobbled too quickly.After a day of consumption, I crashed into relaxation on my couch close to 11 p.m. and crocheted up some brilliant bulky scarves, which I'll post here soon.File Under: Best December Day...ever.