The 25 Beers of Christmas

He's making a list, and he's
checking it twice.

There are several things going on here. First of all, as I’m sure you've noticed by your expanded waste line and the large pile of leftover turkey in the refrigerator, Thanksgiving has come and gone - which means the Christmas season is upon us. As the song says, “it’s the most wonderful time of the year.” Not just because of decorations, baked goodies, smiling faces, carols and general merriment, but the beers aren't too bad either.

I am committing, as I often do, to keeping this pattern of holiday-themed posts going, and providing nothing but Christmas-related blog posts from now until the fat man in the red suit comes down the chimney. Anything you ever wanted to know, and some things you didn't, about beer at Christmas time.

The first post in this series is titled “The 25 Beers of Christmas.” As the name suggests, this is going to be a list of 25 of my favorite Christmas beers, with a few notes attached, which will serve as a road map to guide you through the holiday season. By no means am I suggesting that you attempt to find all 25 of these beers and drink them on their respective days as some sort of beer advent calendar, nor am I trying to endorse these brews as being the only Christmassy brews worth your time. I am merely listing here folks, a non-comprehensive collection of some of my favorites… to inspire. Plus, if you want to quest to drink each of these on their respective days (hopefully you’ll be able to find them all), there may be a place in the beer hall of fame in it for you. Challenge accepted?

The 25 Beers of Christmas

On the first day of Christmas the brewers gave to me…

1. Great Lakes Brewing Company | Christmas Ale

·        Cleveland, OH

·        A holiday ale brewed with honey and spiced with fresh ginger and cinnamon.

2. Tröegs Brewing Company | Mad Elf

·        Hershey, PA

·        The Mad Elf is a cheerful creation to warm your heart and enlighten your tongue. The combination of cherries, honey, and chocolate malts delivers gentle fruits and subtle spices. Fermented and aged with a unique yeast, this ruby red beer has significant warming strength that underlies the pleasant character of this intriguing yet delicious Ale. The Mad Elf is a jolly and delicious beer for the holidays.

They don't just make toys you know.

3. 21st Amendment Brewery | Fireside Chat

·        San Francisco, CA

·        Like FDR's Depression-era radio addresses, which were like a kick in the butt and a hug at the same time, our Fireside Chat is a subtle twist on the traditional seasonal brew. We begin with a rich, dark, English-style ale and then we improvise with spices until we know we have a beer worth sharing with the nation.

4. Anchor Brewing Company | Anchor Christmas Ale

·        San Francisco, CA

·        Since 1975, the brewers of Anchor Steam Beer have created a distinctive Christmas Ale, which is only available from early November to mid-January.  A closely guarded secret, each year Christmas Ale gets a unique recipe and a unique label that is not only available in 6-packs, but also magnum sized bottles, making a nice champagne substitute and a great way to share the holiday spirit.

Rocky Mountain Holiday Cheer.

5. Breckenridge Brewery | Christmas Ale

·        Denver, CO

·        Breckenridge Brewery first introduced Christmas Ale in 1993 and has been brewing this recipe for the holiday season since. This beer is known for its heartiness and rich flavors of caramel and chocolate. Unlike many holiday and winter beers, Breckenridge doesn't add any spice to its Christmas Ale. The spicy characteristics of this ale come from the Chinook and Mt. Hood hops.

6. New Belgium Brewing | Snow Day Winter Ale

·        Fort Collins, CO

·        Pleasantly hoppy, Snow Day carries the subtle chocolate and caramel flavors of a new brewing malt known as Midnight Wheat. The Styrian Golding, Centennial and Cascade hops bring the backbone of hoppy bitterness to complement the roasty undertones. This beer is the deep garnet of a roasted walnut and presents a creamy tan head, floating artfully atop. Snow Day is bold and hoppy, drinkable and strong. It reminds you to enjoy the unexpected.

7. Flying Dog Brewing Company | K-9 Winter Ale

·        Frederick, MD

·        K-9 is a winter warmer at its finest. It has a rich malt base with roasted, nutty and slightly spicy notes.

8. Left Hand Brewing Company | Fade to Black Volume 4

·        Longmont, CO

·        This beer pours pitch black with an off-white head. Citrus (bergamot) and roastiness dominates the nose. Slight sweet malt flavors are initially pushed back by citrusy hops followed by powerful Italian Amaro hop bitterness. Fade to Black finishes with a pleasant duality of dry roasted malts and hop bitterness.

9. Full Sail Brewing Company | Full Sail Wassail

·        Hood River, OR

·        This year’s Wassail is brewed with a range of caramel malts and dark chocolate malts giving it a deep mahogany color and a full malty body, perfect for the holidays. We used a blend of European noble hops and Pacific Northwest aroma hops for a pleasantly hoppy finish creating a deliciously balanced beer that appeals to both hop and malt lovers alike.

10. Great Divide Brewing Company | Hibernation Ale

·        Denver, CO

·        Hibernation Ale has been our celebrated winter tradition since 1995. This robust, dry-hopped ale has a malty richness balanced with a complex hop profile and hearty, warming character.

11. Clipper City Brewing Company | Heavy Seas Beer Winter Storm

·        Baltimore, MD

·        Imperial extra special bitter: ruddy-hued winter ale with full, malty flavors dancing with hop aromas and a firm hop bitterness

12. Anderson Valley Brewing Company | Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale

·        Boonville, CA

·        The holidays are a special time in Anderson Valley. The days are darker, weather colder, and foods richer. And Anderson Valley’s Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale is perfect for this time of year. Deep amber in color, with an inviting aroma of spice and nutmeg, it was made for the turkeys, cranberries, hams, and yams of the holidays. Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale evokes a crackling fire, drifting snow, and smells of home. A hint of spice and hop bite to balance out the creamy and smooth mouthfeel, and medium sweetness.

13. Harpoon Brewing Company | Harpoon Winter Warmer

·        Boston, MA

·        Brewed since 1988, this beer has become a New England seasonal classic.  Cinnamon and nutmeg dominate the aroma.  The taste is a rich combination of the holiday spices and the hearty malt backbone.  There is a mild sweetness to the finish along with the lingering flavor of the spices.

As warm and inviting as what you might
find in a Dicken's novel.

 14. Boston Beer Company | Samuel Adams Old Fezziwig Ale

·        Boston, MA

·        Samuel Adams Old Fezziwig Ale® is bursting with spices of the season.  With a remarkably full body and flavor it helps those long winter nights pass more quickly. The rich taste hits the palate with a depth of malt character ranging from sweet toffee and caramel notes to dark, roasty chocolate notes. Then the spices come in full force. Cinnamon, ginger and orange peel dance on the tongue bringing with them the celebratory spirit of the season.

15. Alaskan Brewing Co. | Alaskan Winter Ale

·        Juneau, AK

·        Brewed in the style of an English old ale, Alaskan Winter Ale balances the sweet, floral aroma of hand-collected Sitka spruce tips with the clean, crisp finish of noble hops. Its malty richness is complemented by the warming sensation of alcohol.

16. Rogue Ales | Yellow Snow: India Pale Ale

·        Newport, OR

·        This golden, hoppy ale with a fruity aroma was originally introduced for the Winter Olympics. Yellow Snow is Rogue's tribute to winter sports everywhere—downhill skiing, snowboarding, cross country, ice-hockey, ice fishing, snowmobiling and even curling. Yellow Snow is dedicated to common sense. Rogue is a Revolution which expresses itself through handcrafted artisan ales, lagers, stouts, porters, meads and spirits.

17. Samuel Adams | Samuel Adams Winter Lager

·        Boston, MA

·        Samuel Adams Winter Lager is a spiced wheat bock. German brewers may have been on to something centuries ago when they created bold, rich bock beers for the winter. For our beer, we brewed a dark wheat bock subtly spiced with fresh ground cinnamon, ginger and orange zest for a deep, smooth flavor and malty finish that will warm you on a cold winter’s night.

18. Schlafly Beer | Schlafly Christmas Ale

·        St. Louis, MO

·        Our Christmas Ale is a warming winter ale that blends the spices of the season with sweet caramel malt. Orange peel, juniper berries, ginger root, cardamom and cloves are added for spiciness. We use honey in the fermentation process, which raises the ABV without producing too much heat from the alcohol content.

19. Smuttynose Brewing Company | Smuttynose Winter Ale

·        Portsmouth, NH

·        Smuttynose Winter Ale is a full-bodied, amber beer brewed with a special Trappist ale yeast. Stylistically reminiscent of a Belgian abbey double, it features fruity aromas and flavors, balanced by soft Crystal hops. Warming, mellow and pleasantly complex, Smuttynose Winter Ale is your perfect cold weather companion.

20. Spoetzl Brewery | Shiner Cheer

·        Shiner, TX

·        Happy Holidays from the "Little Brewery" in Shiner, TX. We hope you enjoy your Shiner Cheer, an Old World Dunkelweizen brewed with Texas peaches and roasted pecans. The malty flavors of this dark wheat ale are enhanced through the use of malted barley and wheat. And Kräusening ensures a smoothness that makes the subtle peach and pecan flavors all the more satisfying. May your days be merry and bright and your Shiner be cold. Prosit!

21. Starr Hill Brewing Company | The Gift

·        Crozet, VA

·        A German-style Hellerbock with a few twists, The Gift is Starr Hill’s holiday offering. The beautiful golden color only hints at the fire inside. Made with two-row and Munich malts and balanced with German noble hops, The Gift is the perfect accompaniment to any holiday event or festivity.

22. The Bruery | 4 Calling Birds

·        Orange County, CA

·        Spiced Strong Dark Ale. The Twelve Days of Christmas series continues! We took inspiration from the traditional winter warmer for our fourth verse, integrating gingerbread spices into a robust dark ale. Notes of licorice & banana bread mingle with dark fruit, molasses and bitter chocolate for a perfect cold weather sipper!

23. Bell’s Brewery | Christmas Ale

·        Kalamazoo, MI

·        The basic inspiration for Bell's Christmas Ale was to create a sessionable holiday beer, using locally grown malt, which would stand apart from the array of spiced winter warmers that are typically introduced this time of year. In contrast to many other seasonals, Christmas Ale doesn't contain any spices: all of the dry, toasted notes & subtle toffee flavors come from the 100% Michigan-grown barley, custom malted by Briess Malting, while a blend of hops from Michigan & the Pacific Northwest lend earthy, herbal aromas. At 5.5% ABV, it stands as a smooth, highly drinkable beer intended to complement holiday menus, not overshadow them.

24. Port City Brewing Company | Tidings

·        Alexandria, VA

·        Tidings Ale is a strong Belgian style blond ale is brewed with local Maryland wildflower honey and Virginia wheat. These special ingredients store away the flavor and essence of summer, and later warm us during the cold winter months. It is gently spiced with coriander, cardamom, fresh ginger and grains of paradise. This strong holiday ale is meant for sipping and sharing with friends and family. We hope this limited production beer brings tidings of cheer to you and yours during the holiday season!

Pride of Louisiana.

25. Abita Brewing Company | Christmas Ale

·        Abita Springs, LA

·        Abita Christmas Ale (November - December) rounds out our calendar. Each year at the Abita Brewery we craft a special dark ale for the holiday season. The recipe changes each year so that Abita Christmas Ale is always the perfect gift. Its spicy character is excellent with traditional holiday foods such as gingerbread or spiced nuts. Try some blue cheese or a creamy Camembert with a Christmas Ale.

As I said at the top, this is not a comprehensive list. These days, it seems that every brewery (or almost every brewery for that matter) make a holiday spiced ale/winter warmer/Christmas Ale that they release as their seasonal this time of year. In fact, if you go to a specialty beer store near you, you could probably populate a 25 Beers of Christmas list of your own that contained 25 completely different brews than the ones I've listed… perhaps even twice over. I will go into what makes them so delicious and so special in later blog post, but for the purposes of this article, just know that they are all delicious, and they are special. I highly recommend them.

This is a beer advent calendar. Pretty straight forward.

Here’s to craft-brewed happiness… Cheers!