Tis the season for beers jam packed with clove, cherry, allspice, caramel, cinnamon and other sweetness. That is, christmas beers. Thriving in popularity for the past ten years, Christmas beers are available from domestic craft brewers such as Troegs as well as the Belgians. Both Delerium and LaChouffe make spiffy spicy ales perfect for polyanna gifts or sipping in front of an open fire with roasted chestnuts and the Vince Giraldi trio on the IPod.
What takes some of the Christmas cheer out of Christmas beer is a is a sacharine linger or too much spice with nothing to balance it. I don't want my mincemeat pie in a glass, thank you very much. That said, jamming hops in an ale dominated by clove and nutmeg is just plain weird. It's like drinking a glass of orange juice after you brush your teeth.
Here are some merry little brews that really do it for me.
#1 Scaldis Noel. Weighing in at a beastly 13% ABV, you don't want to drink more than one of these. Like liquified caramel with a dry finish, the Scaldis goes a long way towards warming your tummy on a blistery night.
#2 Mad Elf, Troegs
#3 Nice Chouffe, Brasserie dAchouffe
#4 Corsendonk Christmas, Brouwerij Corsendonk
#5 Hibernation Ale, Great Divide
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