Seasonal Beers for the Holidays
Special Brews for Thanksgiving, Christmas and the Winter Season
Nov 25, 2008
One of the best things about the holiday season –at least from the perspective of a beer lover- is the profusion of season-specific beers that hit the market. Though these specialty beers have always been a part of brewing lore throughout the centuries, they are gaining a much wider audience these days, thanks in large part to the ever-increasing presence of small craft breweries in the United States and around the world.
Holiday brews are variably referred to as Holiday Ales, Yule Ales, Winter Warmers and, on the odd occasion (and the whim of the brewer), Wassail. No matter what name is given to these cheery brews, they all share common traits: bigger, bolder body and malt character, fruit and/or spice flavor and often elevated alcohol levels. Clearly, holiday beers are the antithesis to light and spritzy summertime beers.
From Historical to Hysterical
Throughout history, brews of a somewhat higher alcohol content and richness have been enjoyed during the winter holidays, when people gather for seasonal activities. Many breweries produced unique end-of-year seasonal offerings that tended to be darker, stronger, spiced, or otherwise more flavorful than their regular beers. Spiced versions are an American or Belgian tradition, since English or German breweries traditionally do not use spices in their beer. Very often the names and labels that accompany these bolder brews hint at their potency. It wouldn't have been surprising to see any of the following products gracing your local beer purveyor’s shelves: Snow Blind, Yule Tied, Hoppy Holidaze, Santa’s Tipple, The Mad Elf and Frankincense Xmas Ale.
Here's a list of current seasonal brews locally available:
- Harvest Ale, Goose Island Brewing Co.
- Pumpkin Ale, O'Fallon Brewing Co.
- Fall Fest, Abita Brewing Co.
- Festive Ale, Dundee Brewing Co.
- Nutcracker Ale, Boulevard Brewing Co.
- Old Jubilation, Avery Brewing Co.
- Old Fezziwig, Samuel Adams Brewing Co.
- Cabin Fever Ale, New Holland Brewing Co.
- Winter Storm, Clipper City Brewing Co.
- Winter Ale, Summit Brewing Co.
- Yellow Snow IPA, Rogue Brewing Co.
- Snow Blind Winter Ale, Left Hand Brewing Co.
- 2 Below Ale, New Belgium Brewing Co.
- Never Summer Ale, Boulder Brewing Co.
- White Christmas Winter Ale, Moylan's Brewing Co.
What to Expect From Holiday Beers
In terms of appearance, these heartier brews tend to run to the darker end of the color spectrum, typically from medium amber to dark brown and the darker versions may even be opaque. Holiday beer aromatics are often evocative of the aromas associated with holiday baked goods; gingerbread cookies, mincemeat pie or mulling spices. Because brewers also like to use non-traditional fermentable sugars at this time of year, one might find notes of honey, molasses and even maple syrup in their favorite brew.
Given brewers’ propensity to create their own unique interpretation of the style, you may find a wide array of flavors in Holiday beers. Individual creativity and unique ingredients can result in some truly memorable libations. Rich, round sweet malt character may include caramel, toffee, toasty, roasty, nutty or even chocolate flavors. Dried fruit or fruit peel notes, reminiscent of raisin, plum, fig or orange may emerge. On a different plane, spicy elements from ginger or spruce are not out of the question. The mouth-feel and viscosity (body) of these brews is generally fuller and richer than the average beer as well. The body is generally medium to full and a grain-based chewiness may be present. Many examples may exhibit a pleasant warming character, with alcohol levels that approach that of simple table wines (8-10%)
In short, these winter seasonal specialty beers, with their rich body and warming finish are a great accompaniment to the food and the friendship that is celebrated during this cold season. And for greater effect, these are best served lightly chilled in a wine glass or brandy snifter.
