DAY 16: THE GREG

Did you know that Smithtown Brown was the very first West Sixth beer ever brewed and tapped? It’s true! While our flagship IPA was certainly close behind, Smithtown Brown beats it for first ever West Sixth beer. 

Lovingly named after the neighborhood in which our first brewery was founded, Smithtown Brown is our American Brown Ale. It’s malt forward with a complex grain bill, with just enough balance coming from earthy and spicy hops. 

Another name for Smithtown Brown around the Lexington taproom is “the Greg”. Greg is our HR guy. He’s got a huge heart and a personality to match - and I’m not just saying that because he handles payroll. He’s a staple of our back of house crew - and while you may not have met him personally in the taproom, if you have, you probably remember him well. 

One thing that everyone across West Sixth knows about Greg is that Smithtown Brown is the stick by which he measures all other beers. It is the top dog in his eyes - and he’s consistent on that. 

Lucky for you, Greg was so excited about today’s gift that not only did he label your beer, but he also packaged it in the Day 16 slot, and we even got a quote from Smithtown Brown’s biggest fan himself! He said, “This is my favorite West Sixth beer, and has been for a long time!  A roasty treat to warm your heart while sipping on a cold Holiday evening, while light enough to appreciate year-round.  Enjoy this tasty combination of chocolate and caramel, and maybe share some with Santa - Cheers!

Couldn’t have said it better myself, Greg! 

And just one little favor before I sign off? When you crack open this can, give Greg a little cheers. And maybe even leave a “Cheers, Greg” in the comments. He’ll love it!

““This is my favorite West Sixth beer, and has been for a long time!  A roasty treat to warm your heart while sipping on a cold Holiday evening, while light enough to appreciate year-round.  Enjoy this tasty combination of chocolate and caramel, and maybe share some with Santa - Cheers!””

— Greg from West Sixth

DAY 15: BURNING DAYLIGHT'S DAY OFF

Today’s can is a heavy hitter. A new but not totally new can that’s quickly become a West Sixth staple. It’s 19.2 ounces of BURNING DAYLIGHT y’all! I like to think that if Burning Daylight were a person, he’d be a Ferris Bueller type. Ya know? A free spirit, a charming rebel - adored by most, but hated and envied by a select few. He dresses flashy, and he’s got the personality to back it up. He can convince anybody to skip school, steal a car, and crash a parade! 

But, of course, Burning Daylight is not a person. This is a well-balanced Double IPA with a big malty backbone that supports the fruity, piney, resinous hop notes and lets them shine. But, at 9.5% ABV it might really have you Burning Daylight. This is where, for legal reasons, I have to write: West Sixth is not liable for any Ferris Bueller-esque shenanigans you get into. Drink responsibly. 

Chill it today, enjoy it soon, and if you haven’t had Burning Daylight before (or even if you have), let us know what you think in the comments! 

DAY 14: LOOKIN SHARP

If you've been following along with the West Sixth Advent Calendar, you know it's been full of thoughtful surprises so far. But today? Today’s gift is a total standout: a West Sixth-branded Opinel knife.

For those unfamiliar, Opinel knives have been a staple of outdoor enthusiasts and craftsmen for over a century. Known for their iconic wooden handles and simple, reliable design, these knives are as functional as they are beautiful. And now, with the West Sixth twist, it’s got that perfect brewery vibe — whether you're using it to slice open your holiday packages or whittling some time away while enjoying a cold one.

This little blade might just become your new go-to tool for everything from camping to slicing a snack or even just opening your mail. (It’s never fun to get a bill or a jury summons, but like, maybe this will at least make it better. It will definitely make you feel cooler.)

Whether you’re an outdoor adventurer or a casual fan of cool gear, this gift brings a little extra edge to your West Sixth advent experience — literally. Here's to having one more sharp reason to enjoy the holidays!

Ok ok I’m done with the puns. See ya tomorrow!

DAY 13: SMELL THAT?

Did anyone guess today’s gift from the scent alone?? Day 13 is a can of West Sixth House Cider and the cutest, tiniest bag of FoodChain mulling spices (thanks for packing these for us FoodChain friends)! Your new mulling spices contain: KY Proud dried apples & ginger, cardamom, all spice, cloves, star anise, and cinnamon. Steep in your can of West Sixth Cider for a twist on our classic  - or save it for another day, and another cider closer to Christmas. 

Today is not only wonderfully festive, but it is also my favorite of our advent items this year. Don’t worry, that’s not to say it’s technically the best item in the box. There are certainly bigger, fancier gifts to come (lucky you)! 

Today is my favorite because I have a nostalgic & personal attachment to the rich scents of mulling spices. When I get a whiff, I am instantly taken back to cold evenings sipping hot cider on the sofa at my Grandma’s house. I’ll spare you the blog post I could write, and instead share that my Grandmother and I were very close and I miss her very much. Especially this time of year. For this reason, day 13 is my favorite, and I hope you enjoy it too. I hope it warms your heart like it did mine, and reminds you of a loved one that’s no longer here. And I hope you share your mulled cider with a loved one who is. 

Cheers and happy mulling!

West Sixth House Cider -  DRY HARD APPLE CIDER - Our first house-made canned hard cider drinks a bit like a white wine, with notes of white grape, pear, and crisp apple. Finishes dry and effervescent. Wildly drinkable and incredibly refreshing

DAY 12: LITTLE BOTTLE BIG FLAVOR

We’re halfway through, advent-urers! Can you believe it?!?!

Today’s gift is here, and it’s a tiny-but-mighty version of the Imperial Stout we dropped on Black Friday: West Sixth x Castle & Key Springhouse Series: Wheated Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout! This collab with Castle & Key is the kind of boozy holiday treat that would make Santa jealous - and at 10% ABV, it packs a BIG punch.

We let our Imperial stout hang out in Castle & Key bourbon barrels for a year, soaking up all that rich, oaky bourbon. Then, we conditioned it on vanilla beans and cacao nibs to make it even better. The result? A stout that’s got roasty chocolate vibes, toasty bourbon warmth, and a sweet vanilla finish—all with a little charred oak to keep it interesting.

Crack it open, sip it slowly, and maybe pair it with your favorite holiday snack. Or just enjoy it as-is and feel fancy. Either way, this little bottle is bringing big flavor.

Let us know what you think in the comments!

DAY 11 - ATTN: THIS IS A HOP TEST

For day 11 we decided to pack in Hop Static CHANNEL 11! See what we did there? We’re so clever.

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If you’ve been around West Sixth for a while, you probably know about our Hop Static rotator series. If not, consider this your intro! 

Our Hop Static series is a series of IPAs that we based on the idea of running “hop tests” a la the television tests of yesteryear (and by yesteryear I mean not that long ago, but our technological advancement in those years has been a whirlwind. Different topic. Different blog. Different day.). Think VCR, color test, static-y, camcorder, “ATTN: THIS IS A HOP TEST”  vibes in the branding, with lots of variations of hops and IPA styles throughout the rotating cans. 

Hop Static Ch. 11 is a a light bodied, quaffable, and appropriately hoppy IPA that has been dry hopped with Riwaka, Cashmere and Strata hops, lending a fruity hop profile. You’ll get hop flavors of coconut, strawberry, and melon, as well as grassy, dank notes. Ringing in at 7.5% ABV - it’s not a super heavy hitter on the alcohol, but ya might wanna pace yourself. Even though it’s delicious. 

Give this can a try and let us know what you think below! And be on the lookout for Channel 12 … coming soon… hehe

See ya tomorrow!

DAY 10 - A LATE ONE

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IMAGES OF BROKEN ALE-8 BOTTLES AHEAD

Dear advent-urers,

I have a confession to make: the Ale-8-One casualties of 11/18/2024 were my doing.

The case didn’t fall as I originally stated. No. The truth is that on 11/18/2024 I, Madison, dropped it on the ground in the warehouse at West Sixth Brewing. We lost half a case of innocent bottles that day.

For those who wish to know, here’s my story:

It was Monday, November 18th, 2024. An unseasonably warm day for Advent Box packing. The team had meticulously set up our assembly line, and Kelly had started the music. We were on a roll - getting items in boxes & ready to begin the ADVENTure. I had sequestered myself to the side of our advent box assembly line in order to rubber-band today’s recipes to today’s bottles. I had case upon case of Ale-8 bottles stacked on a rolling cart, and as one would, I began rubber-banding top to bottom. What I didn’t account for is one of the cases becoming heavier on one side as I went, and falling to its demise. I will never overcome this guilt. I still hear the glass shattering, and the sound of fizzing soda in my nightmares. The ghosts of these lost Ale-8-Ones will haunt me for all my days. All of that Kentucky soda lost to the hard, unforgiving, concrete floor of West Sixth Brewing. And at MY HANDS!! MY HANDS!!

NO I am NOT being dramatic. I am being melodramatic. There’s a difference.

Perhaps this confession will allow me to hear glass shattering without smelling ginger again one day.

Thanks for listening. <3 Keep scrolling for the crime-scene photos, and actual info regarding today’s item -

Today’s slot is a classic bottle of Ale-8 + 2 cocktail recipes featuring Bulleit Bourbon!

Over the years we’ve been proud to team up with both these Kentucky businesses.  Ale-8 has premiered a few of their new flavors in our locations - including blackberry (bring it back!), and Ale-8 is always available in our taprooms as one of our non-alcoholic options. 

We are also proud to partner with Bulleit Bourbon on a regular basis to bring you some of the most unique, barrel aged beers around. That includes this year’s Bourbon Barrel Aged Christmas Ale - which if you missed out on, I’m sad for you. One of our best batches to date. YUM. 

For Day 10, we asked our friends at Ale-8 to come up with their best, most festive cocktail recipes featuring both Bulleit Bourbon & Ale-8-One. And they sure did deliver! Rubber-banded to your Ale-8 bottle (by yours truly - see the tragic story above) is a cardstock with instructions on how to create Ale-8 Cider Punch AND an Ale-8 hot toddy! 

Concerned you might lose the card? Throw it away? Leave it on the fridge to gather dust? Yeah, I would be too. That’s why I’m ALSO including today’s recipes conveniently below!👇 Drop a comment if you try one or both of these - and tag @westsixth, @ale8one, and @bulleit in any pics you post! 

cheers!!

DAY 9 - DON'T BE STANGE-Y

Surprise! Today’s advent calendar slot holds a treasure: a West Sixth branded Kölsch glass! This special piece of tall and narrow glassware - called a stange - was created specifically for the Kolsch beer style. I don’t know about y’all, but I love some specialty glassware, so I’m SUPER PUMPED about today.

Aaaand what’s this “Kölsch” you say? 

SO GLAD YOU ASKED - because guess what, you lucky little ADVENTurer just stumbled into this year’s HISTORY LESSON! If you were here last year, you might remember my Mexican Mocha lecture. This one is slightly shorter and more beer-focused - you’re welcome! 

First and foremost, what is Kölsch? Kölsch is a beer style born in Cologne, Germany. It’s is crisp like a lager but with a hint of fruity ale - if you’ve had our traditional-style Kölsch at Oktoberfest, or ever cracked open a Strawberry Kölsch, then you know what I mean. It’s light gold, slightly sweet, and endlessly refreshing. 

Originally brewed in the early 20th century, Kölsch was Cologne’s answer to the rise of Pilsner-style lagers. Its unique characteristics and brewing tradition earned it EU-protected status in 1997, meaning only breweries near Cologne can officially call their beer Kölsch. It could sound a little pretentious, but it’s not unlike “Derby Pie” or Kentucky Bourbon, ya know? Like our friends in Cologne, we Kentuckians are no stranger to claiming food & drink names for our region. 

Now, here’s a little history on what’s actually in today’s Advent slot -a stange! Kölsch is served in a slender glass called a stange, which holds about six ounces. This design keeps the beer fresh while showing off its clarity and golden hue. In Cologne, beer service is practically a sport. A blue-aproned server called a köbes roams the room with a circular tray (kranz) filled with 12 stangen. They replace empty glasses with full ones before you’ve even noticed you’re ready for another. If you’re done, you better place your coaster on top of your glass—otherwise, the beer will keep flowing! Now that’s what I call a GOOD DAY.

Whether you’re sipping on a West Sixth Strawberry Kölsch or experimenting with one of our other brews, this glass brings a touch of authenticity to your beer drinking experience.

Per usual, my ramblings have rambled on - I’ll let you enjoy your new glass now! CHEERS! 

See ya tomorrow for day 10!!