Follow Sean Inman to the best in craft beer
We head to merry Old England for a Scandinavian styled holiday ale from Thornbridge Brewing…
“A dark mild with Low Colour Maris Otter, Crystal, wheat and chocolate malt, hopped with Goldings. A brand new beer to provide comfort in deepest darkest December
Knäck is a 4% dark mild, with a rich malty soul giving notes of hard toffee and roasted nuts, much like the Swedish Christmas treat of the same name.”
Hi-Wire Brewing wants us to be both elated and bitter…
… this holiday season…
“A balanced and hoppy ale perfect for snuggling up in front of the fire or getting outside on a snowy day. Celebrate the season with an India Pale Ale that doesn’t lack for pine and citrus peel notes from Michigan Chinook & Idaho 7 hops balanced by sticky caramel and toasted bread flavors from a carefully crafted malt bill.”
I am accustomed to the big Belgian bottle of St. Bernardus Christmas Ale so it took some getting used to it being in a twelve ounce can.
Here is how the brewery describes this Quad, “St.Bernardus Christmas Ale is an intensely dark beer with a full, yet slightly fruity flavour, overflowing with the tastes of winter and zesty seasonal aromas. Aniseed notes are complemented by hints of creamy caramel and fire-roasted chestnuts. This zestiness shows no signes of abating, pushing through to a magnificent finish of dried fruits and chocolate.”
Will the can compare to that? And will my comparison bottle taste similar, let’s get to the results…
A little toffee, a little fruit. Bang on fruitcake with this. There is a nice bite to it as well. It is too light for chocolate and roasted nuts aren’t there for me but has a zest and a malt backbone to it that means it could easily pair with practically any food course from salad to turkey to dessert. Just lovely.
Back to Oregon for some strong festivities from Terminal Gravity.
“Festivale is a classic TG rendition of a Winter Warmer. Brewed to be fairly dry, yet highly drinkable. With a complex malt and hop profile and a full, rounded, deep ruby colored body- Festivale is a winter favorite that rings true to a wide variety of beer drinkers.”
It hasn’t quite turned cold here in Los Angeles but maybe it will and Westbrook Brewing (not Russell) will have a beer for us.
Time to frost cookies and then have a beer that tastes like what you are doing. Southern Tier Brewing brings us Frosted Sugar Cookie…
“You won’t believe it’s beer and not a tin full of iced confections. Our Frosted Sugar Cookie Ale is full of soft and airy vanilla and cake notes, iced to perfection. Happy Holidays from ours to yours.”
Next up is a dickens of a beer from Silver City Brewing.
“Old Scrooge Christmas Ale is the brewery’s most award-winning beer. Through the years it has been awarded 13 medals that includes 6 from the Great American Beer Festival and one award from the World Beer Cup.
This take on an English-Style Barleywine is a malty ale that derives from a long boil time, cool fermentation and extended aging. Silver City uses a malt bill of NW Pale, British Pale, Caramel, and Munich with Columbus and Willamette hops.”
We go to Germany for what could be called a Christmas Radler from Clausthaler…
It is their normal beer spiked with cranberry juice. Perfect for holiday parties where not everyone is drinking.
We drive through the valley, staying in the same area code to review a San Fernando meets Belgium winter ale from 8One8 Brewing.
The label proclaims “aged with cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and cloves” none of which really stride into frame. This has a St. Bernardus Christmas Ale vibe but it seems to be missing something. The aftertaste isn’t as rounded. A little too sharp. Maybe the 2022 batch will amp the spice up.
Who doesn’t want to see beer under the Christmas tree? Or the Christmas tree in the beer? Drake’s Brewing Co. has you covered for both with their Tree Beer IPA.
“We don’t stuff an entire Christmas tree into the brew kettle anymore, but Tree Beer’s legendary creation story endures with each delicious sip. Tree Beer IPA is a harmonious blend of fresh spruce tips, juniper berries, Chinook, and Idaho #7 hops.”