With Christmas just around the corner I thought it would be appropriate to do a top 10 list of Holiday beers. This article is based for the most part on what I’ve researched on the internet. I have tried very few of the ones listed, but these 10 beers seem to be consistently placed in top lists across the internet. If you have tried any of these beers please let me know your opinion. If you think something else needs to be added to the list let me know as well! What’s your favorite holiday beer?
[theme_button]10. Isolation Ale [/theme_button] by Odell Brewing Co. located in Fort Collins Colorado. A sweet, caramel, malty ale that is balanced by a subtle crisp hop finish. 6.0% Alcohol by Volume that is available October through December.
[theme_button]9. Fireside Chat[/theme_button] by 21st Amendment Brewery located in San Fransisco California. A rich, dark, English-style ale. Brewed like a classic, warming Strong Ale but with a subtle blend of hand-selected spices for just the right festive flair. 7.9% Alcohol by Volume that is available October through December.
[theme_button]8.Snow Cap Ale[/theme_button] by Pyramid Breweries Their home office is located in Seattle, WA. Snow Cap Ale is a full-bodied beer with a Deep mahogany color. It is crafted with a flurry of roasted chocolate and caramel malts, and generously hopped, but provides a smooth finish. 7.0% Alcohol by Volume that is available October – January.
[theme_button]7.Santa’s Little Helper[/theme_button] by Port Brewing Company in San Marcos, California. This beer is aged 9 months in bourbon barrels to provide an extra boost of flavor. It’s super dark brown in color. Various aromas are described such as coffee, chocolate, nuts, and caramel. 10.0% Alcohol by Volume that is available in early Winter.
[theme_button]6.Bush De Noël[/theme_button] by a German brewery, Brasserie Dubuisson Frères sprl. Made from malt, hops, candy sugar and water, this beer has a hazy caramel brown color. It’s described as having a sweet fruity flavor. 12.0% Alcohol by Volume that is available in Winter.
[theme_button]5.Samuel Adams, Winter Classics Mix Pack[/theme_button] by Samuel Adams Brewery in Boston, Massachusetts. I Couldn’t narrow it down to a single beer so I included the whole mix pack. It includes White Christmas, Chocolate Bock, Boston Lager, Winter Lager, Old Fezziwig Ale, and Holiday Porter. I’ve actually tried the Mix Pack and it’s a great mix of Winter favorites!
[theme_button]4.Samichlaus Bier [/theme_button] by an Austrian company Brauerei Schloss Eggenberg. This beer has a rich sweet flavor sometime described as a dessert! It appears smooth and syrupy in texture. It also packs a good punch with an Alcohol by Volume of 14.00%. Enjoy, but proceed with caution.
[theme_button]3.Great Lakes Christmas Ale[/theme_button] by Great Lakes Brewing Company This beer was actually just named Ohio’s best beer of 2012. It also has a slew of other awards ranging through years 1999 – 2012. Served as an orange-amber color. The Christmas Ale is brewed with honey and spiced with fresh ginger and cinnamon. It’s available in November and throughout the holidays with Alcohol by Volume of 7.0%.
[theme_button]2.Samuel Smith’s Winter Welcome Ale[/theme_button] by Samuel Smith Old Brewery (Tadcaster) in North Yorkshire, United Kingdom. It’s brewed with water, malted barley, yeast, and hops to create a full bodied beer with a luxurious malt character. A dark amber colored beer. Alcohol by Volume of 6.0%. I could not find the availability of this beer.
[theme_button]1.Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale[/theme_button] by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company An American-style IPA and one of the few hop-forward holiday beers. Famous for its intense citrus and pine aromas, Celebration is bold and intense, featuring Cascade, Centennial and Chinook hops. Alcohol by Volume of 6.8%. Sold during the winter months.
Anyone want to add any local Holiday Favorite brews?
*Some of the information above was taken from the specific brewers website. Please follow the links above to the individual brewers website for more detailed information.