Four Craft Beers That Are Perfect For The Holidays

[TheRebel69]

Well, it's that time of year again, the Holidays are back and are in full swing, and with less than two weeks left before Christmas Day many of us are preparing to visit family, friends, and old acquaintances. Of course all this mingling and celebrating can make someone awfully thirsty.

So with that in mind I present you with four Craft Beers that are either only available during the Holiday Season, or are available all year long, but that are exceptionally good this time of year.

1. Winter Ale by Great Lakes Brewery

Winter Ale crafted by the Great Lakes Brewery located in Ontario, Canada, is one of the best craft brews I have ever tasted. Made with speciality hops, and higher than average alcohol content at 6.5%ABV, it makes for the perfect treat on a long winter's night.

What truly stands out about this particular beer though is it's subtle flavour of orange peel. I would say this beer comes closest to tasting like "Christmas" and is definitely worth the effort to find.

Score: 4.2/5

2. Rifleman's Ration by Black Creek

Another beer coming out of the Great White North. Black Creek Brewery located in North York, Ontario, Canada has been producing this beer for years now and it remains one of it's most popular items, and rightfully so. An English Brown Ale, with all the flavor and character you'd expect from one of Canada's most historic breweries.

Rifleman's Ration is a holiday staple for me, with it's smoky flavour, caramel undertones and at 5.0% alcohol content, it's the perfect beer to have on hand for family and other guests. The history of the beer and it's connection to the War of 1812 is also a nice addition and gives the brew a "Nostalgic" or "Historic" feel.

Score: 4.0/5

3. The Mad Elf by Troegs Independent Brewing

The Mad Elf brewed by Troegs Independent Brewing in Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA, is the perfect beer for a Christmas Party and at 11% ABV, it's sure to warm the cockles of your heart.

Mad Elf is brewed with care and you can tell so from the moment you pour it into your glass. Being a Belgian Strong Dark Ale, it pours a nice head with a body consisting of a deep reddish brown colour.

However, the aroma and taste is what makes this one truly a staple of the holidays. With flavours of smoked cherry and a subtle aroma of yeast, this one is sure to become a Christmas favorite.

Score: 4.4/5

4. Santa's Private Reserve by Rogue Ales

Another American-made Christmas Craft brew, this time out of Newport, Oregon. Santa's Private Reserve is one of the strongest candidates on this list and for good reason, it is made with extreme detail, and topped off with a special mystery hop called "Rudolph" added by Rogue's head brewer John "More Hops" Maier.

As soon as you pour this Amber Ale into your glass you notice the foamy head begin to develop with an aroma of malts, yeast, and grapefruit. The taste is even more intricate with floral touches and subtle notes of marmalade. At 6.0ABV, Santa's Private Reserve isn't the strongest on the list, but I would argue that it makes the "Strongest" case for repurchase and will definitely become a staple in your holiday tradition.

Score: 4.8/5

With that, I'll just say that whichever beer you drink this holiday season make sure to enjoy it and as always stay safe and drink responsibly.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays.

[JimRSmith]

Good tasting notes - sadly, I think all of these are going to be impossible to find over this side of the pond. :(

[Redstang88]

I'll have to watch for these. Thumbs up for throwing in a couple Canadian beers, we've got some great breweries here.

[zagor]

I have always been disappointed with Canadian microbreweries. I haven't had anything that compares with the best breweries in California and Oregon.