Peaks and Pints: A Barleywine Carol 2023

A mean-spirited, miserly old man named Marmaduke Ruggles sits in his Castle Bank on a frigid Dec. 19 night. His clerk is bored to tears because Ruggles refuses to spend money on barleywine and Christmas music. Ruggles’ nephew, Tom Wilcher, pays his uncle a visit and invites him to “A Barleywine Carol” at Peaks & Pints Wednesday, Dec. 20. Ruggles 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, Ruggles 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 Ruggles to his bed.

Wednesday, Dec. 20, Ruggles 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 at Peaks & Pints, and possibly stay to hear beer industry veteran and Steeplejack Beer Sales Guru Tim Ensign chat with the Grit & Grain Podcast in Peaks’ Event Room at 4:30 p.m. He sends country ham and corn pudding to his clerk’s house and walks through Peaks’ door at 11 a.m. to the stifled surprise of the other guests. As the years go by, Ruggles holds true to his promise and honors barleywine and Christmas music with all his heart.

PEAKS AND PINTS: A BARLEYWINE CAROL 2023, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 20, Peaks & Pints, 3816 N. 26th St., Basecamp Proctor, Tacoma, no cover

LINK: Peaks and Pints beer and cider cooler inventory