The third Friday of December is designated National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day, which means today offers up a great excuse to dig out that perfect(ly ugly) sweater you’ve been holding on to all year! The character on the label of today’s Advent beer, on other hand, isn’t wearing a sweater or much else. That character is Gordie Levesque, created by Ontario’s Great Lakes Brewery, and the beer in question is Hanlan’s Point Coconut Coffee Porter.

In January 1997, Gordie Levesque attempted to make his first trip out of Canada. Unfortunately, they informed him at the airport that he needed a passport to fly. Undaunted, Gordie took his speedo and hit the closest beach he could find. He spent the remainder of the winter sipping on Mai Tais. Legend has it, he survived only on ice fishing and popcorn from the previous summer at Centreville.

Pours a brilliant midnight black with a luscious creme topping. Aromas of perfectly toasted coconut, dark chocolate, freshly ground espresso, graham cracker and a touch of vanilla abound from the glass. Each sip provides a silky mouthfeel featuring craft coffee, slightly smoky roasted malt, bakers chocolate and soft coconut, complemented by a touch of white marshmallow up front. A wonderfully complex offering perfect for fireside chats.

This beer replaces the brewery’s long-time seasonal Winter Ale, which I was initially looking to feature this year, until I’d reached out to GLB and learned of the new beer. Hanlan’s Point is 6.5% ABV and infused with toasted coconut and freshly ground coffee; the brewery shared the backstory behind the beer, first brewed in 2014, in this blog post.

And unless your name’s Gordie, I’d suggest sticking with that ugly Christmas sweater if you’re planning on spending the holidays doing some ice fishing and sipping on this beer.

Find Great Lakes Brewery Hanlan’s Point Coconut Coffee Porter on:

• Untappd
• BeerAdvocate
• RateBeer
• Facebook

Image credits: Top image, Great Lakes’ Facebook page; other, marketing