Reminds me of a family story. 'Way back when, I had an aunt and uncle who got stranded in Flagstaff by a snowstorm while driving between CA and MO. They were stuck in a motel for several days.

With nothing to do, my uncle remembered that he had two full cases of beer in the trunk of the car - a California brand that he'd found and liked, and couldn't get in Missouri. He brought them in, and they found the beer was frozen except right in the middle of each can. They used a spoon or something to punch through the ice, and got to pouring the unfrozen alcohol out into glasses and drinking it. There really wasn't much liquid volume, so between them they drank it all.

These were church people who'd been married forever and didn't drink much, and boy, they got drunk. Too bad they were already in their 50's, or I'd have probably got another cousin out of that deal!

I'll start looking for Big Sky's seasonal Porter since you say it's good.

Original Al - I bet I'd like the Sam Adams Chocolate Bock, but if it only comes in a sample pack with their Old Fezziwig and Winter Ale, I probably won't buy it. I've had both of those before, and I wasn't impressed.

Two big beers, and sort of opposite styles to each other, that I've been enjoying:

Big Sky Powder Hound Winter Ale - a heavy, 7.2%, amber ale, hopped to the max with a REAL good hop selection. GOOD!

Tommyknocker Butt Head Bock lager - a Doppelbock out of Colorado, malty, hoppy, cold-lagered, they did a real good job on it!

Carry on.