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Time to bring Omnipollo into the Christmas chat with their Christmas Shake IPA.
“Jingle all the bells and whistles. We pulled out all the stops on this one and wish you the best Christmas yet. Hops and tangerine meld into our favorite season. Crafted at Omnipollos Church.”
Well, 2024 was going along pretty well for 10 months. We will need to really enjoy the living hell out of what may be a final American holiday season. Sorry, not sorry for being so dark but do your best to truly live the sentiment of the season. Christmas is a time for EVERYONE to be happy. I am happy for the great Christmas beers and will be for each of these 31 days.
~ e-visits to (3) breweries from the Best of issue of Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine
~ special featured reviews of Christmas Ales
~Heads-Up on Los Angeles Beer Events
~ Three suggested beers to buy this month. One light, one medium and one dark
~ A Book & A Beer reads Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Benjamin Stevenson
~ A Podcast & A Beer listens to Shift Meal on the Ringer Food podcast
~ Sports & A Beer returns with what to do with the excess bowl games
~ New Beer Releases and Best Beers of the Month
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world.
Let’s unwrap our second holiday beer which comes from Nøgne Ø, Merry Jingle. It is a maple stout…
This year I have roamed a little farther and found some new holiday beers to regale the season. One each day until Christmas. We will start, however, with a true evergreen. JubelAle from Deschutes Brewery.
“Embodying the spirit of celebration since 1988, Jubelale features notes of spice, a robust malt character, hints of toffee and dusted cocoa.”
The mini Lucky Baldwins empire annually pours Christmas beers at is pubs and you still have time to hit up one and see what winter warmer leftovers you can find.
I received this Kentucky Christmas beer from the Beer of the Month Club (Rare Beer Club division). If you haven’t checked out their clubs and the customizing you can do, then please do check them out.
I visited the Louisville NuLu outpost of West 6th Brewing and am glad to try another of their beers.
The Christmas Ale is Gingerbread right off the top on a light brown / red ale base. Almost an OG pastry stout. Big spice without being cloying. It is a 9% beer that tastes way, way slimmer. Deceptively easy to drink. Not a complex beer at all but simply tasty.
Crack open another Cold IPA in the cold weather of winter with Frost Bite from Two Brothers Brewing…though I don’t know if sharks get it
“This delicious IPA was brewed with lager yeast and fermented at lower temperatures than what is normally used to ferment an ale. With the addition of some extra dry hops to create a crisp, clean taste!”
Yes, I am firmly in the pro-nog camp. What I am not so sure of is an egg nog IPA. But if presented with Do I Even Like Eggnog? from Kane Brewing, I would grate the nutmeg and give it a sip.
“This festive IPA was brewed with pilsner, wheat, oats, and lactose, and lightly hopped in the whirlpool. After dry-hopping, this holiday beer was conditioned on ground cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and bourbon-soaked vanilla.
Do I Even Like Eggnog? pours with a festive hazy gold color and combines a creamy citrus hop expression with notes of vanilla, nutmeg, and light bourbon holiday spice.”
One week till the big day, time to say, get elated? With a winter IPA from Hi-Wire Brewing in Asheville.
“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.”
Winter Warmer, to me, is synonymous with England and a pastoral pub, so let’s get a little British and say Happy Christmas with Wye Valley Brewery.
“An army of five malts bring forth this brew’s rich, smooth and nutty character. Local hops add balance and help make it a real Christmas cracker!”