Why Healthy Spirits is my favorite beer store

Tonight I went to Healthy Spirits, my 100% absolute favorite place to get beer in the city. This is why:

Mmm. Rows and rows and rows of beautiful beers. I’m pretty excited about what I got tonight. Some of it was random of-the-shelf grabs, like J.W. Lee’s Harvest Ale, but Dave gave lots of great recommendations, and particularly pulled out the Black Albert Royal Stout & the Holiday Ale. (Thank you Dave! You’re awesome!)

(Click through to see the beers labeled on Flickr, if you like.) From left to right:

• Brooklyn’s Blue Apron Ale
  Belgian-style dubbel especially created for the French Laundry. Ooo la la! (Beer Advocate)
• Mikkeller’s It’s Alright! Belgian Wild Ale
  An ‘unbuffered’ Lambic. Mixed reviews, but hey, I’m game. (Beer Advocate)
• Brouwerij Het Anker Golden Carolus Hopsinjoor
  Light Belgian IPA.
  Already drunk by the time I posted this. It was pleasant, but not especially memorable. (Beer Advocate)
• Jolly Pumpkin, Nogne, & Stone Brewing Co’s Special Holiday Ale
  Three-brewery Winter Warmer collaboration. The bottle design is gorgeous. Definitely looking forward to trying it—apparently this was a tricky beer to brew. (Beer Advocate)
• J.W. Lee’s Harvest Ale 1999
  Exciting English Barleywine: “Literally this stuff smells like a cross between a gingerbread and chocolate chip cookie” says a Beer Advocate reviewer (Beer Advocate).
• De Struise Brouwers’ collaboration with Ebenezer Kezar’s Pub, the Black Albert Royal Stout
  ‘Blacker than black stout’, aged in bourbon barrels, and recently the #1 beer in the world (Beer Advocate, totally bizarre review* from De Struise Brouwers). Well. Thanks for pulling it out from under the counter, Dave!
• Port Brewing’s Old Viscosity
  “Massive chewy and thick” dark ale. Drinking right now. It is definitely all of these things, plus a little buttery besides. (Beer Advocate)

*Quote: “Among the three giants, you slide into a vortex of delirium, captivated, and wrapped in satin-esque fire. No need to choose your master. The masters have conquered.”

—Timoni