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(Courtesy Anchor Brewing)
Christmas is nearing and you’re going to need the right beer. And we’ve five can’t miss holiday suggestions guaranteed to keep things naughty and nice.
Anchor Christmas Ale
In 1975 Anchor Brewing released the first holiday beer in America since Prohibition, and it fast became a winter tradition. Now in its 46th year, Anchor’s annual holiday release always comes with a new recipe and new hand-drawn label artwork that’s as crafty as the beer.
Anchor Christmas Ale 2020 is a silky smooth 7% ABV Winter Warmer with a subtle, yet pronounced, spice blend. It’s the brewery’s strongest and darkest winter holiday release ever. “We believe this year’s Christmas Ale stands in a category of its own,” said Anchor Brewmaster Tom Riley. “It’s truly a perfect beer from late October and into the New Year.”
This year’s unique label artwork features The Three Graces, three towering sequoias from the Mariposa Grove in California’s Yosemite National Park. And every single Christmas Ale is brewed in San Francisco, Anchor’s home since 1896.
Boulevard Snow & Tell
Boulevard Brewing’s holiday Wee Heavy has long been one of our favorites and, to be honest, we’d favor it for its nifty name alone.
Perfect for curling up by the fireplace, Boulevard Snow & Tell is a 6.3% oak-aged Scotch Ale with prominent toffee and caramel notes and a hint of smoked malt, that’s aggressively toned with Magnum, Chinook and Styrian Goldings hops.
Deschutes Jubelale
Every winter Bend Oregon’s Deschutes Brewery, the 11th largest US craft brewery, returns a seasonal classic that many consider one of the best holiday offerings in the nation.
Brewed since 1988, Deschutes Jubelale is a 6.7% ABV Winter Warmer with a strong malt character, which balances chicory and various sweet fruits with a bigger hop finish than normally found in the style.
Every year Jubelale packaging features original artwork from a different Oregon artist each. This year the brewery partnered with Eric Nyffeler, a Portland based artist best known for his concert posters for musicians including The Avett Brothers, Phish, St. Vincent, the Decemberists, and many more.
Sierra Nevada Visions of Sugar Plums
Sierra Nevada is renowned for its annual holiday offering, Celebration Fresh Hop IPA, but they’ve also a Trip in the Woods Barrel-aged Series release that’s even more festive and complex.
Rich and boozy, with a subtle kiss of spice, Sierra Nevada Vision of Sugar Plums is a 10.2% ABV blend of Dubbel, Quad and Bigfoot Barleywine ales, aged in red wine, brandy and bourbon casks.
A late addition of plums accents the fruity esters, while rich flavors of caramel, toasted sugar and dark fruit precede a rich finish that lingers.
Tröegs Mad Elf Ale
Tröegs Independent Brewing has returned one of the most anticipated holiday beers of the year, a beer that’s legend throughout the mid-Atlantic.
Brewed with a festive mix of Bing, Lambert, Royal Anne and Montmorency cherries, raw honey and spicy Belgian yeast, Tröegs Mad Elf is a ruby red 11% ABV Belgian-style Dark Ale with restrained notes of cinnamon, clove and allspice.
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HOLIDAY SEASONALS AND WINTER PORTERS
