A Barleywine Carol

A mean-spirited, miserly old man named Shaw Moore sits in his fire-suppression business on a frigid Dec. 22 night. His clerk is bored to tears because Moore refuses to spend money on barleywine and Christmas music. Moore’s nephew, Scruggs, pays his uncle a visit and invites him to “A Barleywine Carol” at Peaks & Pints Thursday, Dec. 22. Moore reacts to his nephew’s invite visitors with bitterness and venom, spitting out an angry “Bah barleywine and Christmas carols!” in response to his nephew’s “Merry Christmas!”

Later that night in his dark, cold apartment, Moore receives a chilling visitation from the ghost of his dead partner, Chuck Cranston, followed by adventures with the ghosts of Christmas Barleywines Past, Present, and Future. Deeply moved and shedding tears of regret, the final ghost returns Moore to his bed.

Thursday, Dec. 22, Moore awakes with joy for the chance to redeem himself and grateful that he has been returned in time to drink eight different barleywines on tap and hear beer and cider industry folks sing Christmas carols at Peak & Pints. He sends country ham and corn pudding to his clerk’s house and attends the 5 p.m. “A Barleywine Carol” party to the stifled surprise of the other guests.

As the years go by, Moore holds true to his promise and honors barleywine and Christmas music with all his heart.

A BARLEYWINE CAROL, 5 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 22, Peaks & Pints, 3816 N. 26th St., Basecamp Proctor, Tacoma, no cover

LINK: Peaks & Pints cooler inventory