‘Tis the season! Sure, you can have some Egg Nog, but with all of the Holiday-themed beers all over the place this time of year why not grab a brew? But where do you start? Here’s a short list of beers that are available in the Dayton area that are sure to give you a festive attitude (but hopefully not too festive, if you know what I mean). Each has a link to either a written or video review of the beer.
Happy Holidays!
Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale
Sierra Navada‘s Celebration Ale is an american IPA brewed with fresh hops, meaning that the hops were used in the brewing process very soon after they were harvested. This is a seasonal beer that comes out every year in winter. This 6.8% ABV IPA contains no spices or other adjuncts. Read the review for this beer.
Jolly Pumpkin Noel de Calabaza
Noel De Calabaza is brewed by Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales in Dexter, Michigan. This beer is released once a year around the Holidays. Unlike other “Christmas” beers, this ale features no spices or adjuncts. Like all Jolly Pumpkin brews, this beer is open-fermented and aged in oak barrels. Batch 903, bottled 10-3-11. 9% Alcohol by volume. Enjoyed on 11-23-11. Read the review for this beer.
Great Lakes Christmas Ale
This is the Snobby Beer Review of Christmas Ale from Great Lakes Brewing Company in Cleveland, Ohio. This beer is released once a year in November and December, and sells out extremely quickly. It’s a winter warmer, and is brewed with cinnamon, ginger, honey, and Yule Tide Cheer. There’s a Facebook page dedicated to this beer, and it has almost as many Likes as the Great Lakes page!. Watch the review for this beer.
St. Bernardus Christmas Ale
This is the Snobby Beer Review of Christmas Ale from St. Bernardus in Watou, Belgium. This beer is released once a year in Winter. Similar to the Abt. 12, and classified as a Belgian Strong Dark Ale, this beer comes in at a hefty 10% ABV. The label on the bottle claims that this beer can be aged for up to 15 years due to the living yeast that remains in the bottle. This is the most recent offering from St. Bernardus, which was brewed all the way back in 1946! Watch the review for this beer.
