It is that time of the year again! The time of year when we take to our couches to watch Christmas movies, travel in the snow to spend time with friends and family, and spend hours in the wilderness looking for a tree that would look perfect in our living rooms for the next month.
Each of these moments creates new memories every year, and I once heard that the best way to remember something is to experience it with multiple senses at one time so I am here to make sure that those taste buds are in prime condition this holiday season! Join me as we take a look at just a few of the beers we have been trying this December.
Wintergarden - Juicy IPA
Land Grant (Columbus, OH)
6.5% ABV
The Can: This can is SHARP. It is a fitting tribute to Land Grant's own annual Wintergarden where brewery goers are able to rent out igloos and go curling with beer kegs. Both the igloo and the curling are highlighted in the can's main image along with a classic "Greetings from the Wintergarden" Christmas postcard homage. The white outline against the blue snowy night completes the winter wonderland aesthetic.
The Taste: This is a very easy to drink holiday ale that contrasts from various holiday classics that tend to be heavier and lean towards amber ales or stouts. This beer is a Juicy IPA, so it relies more on fruit aromas for its taste, rather than hops. Because of that, the citrus sits at the top of the sip with a mellow taste of hops that slips underneath on the back end. The combination of the two work very well to give off an almost spice-like taste without the actual spice.
The Situation: Every year the NHL does a Winter Classic hockey game, where fans pack an outdoor stadium to drink and be merry for their hockey team. This beer would be a perfect beer to be sipping on as the snow falls and your team is skating down the ice on a breakaway. It's light, it's cheerful and it fits perfectly alongside some outdoor winter sports.
Fun Fact: While original curling "stones" were whatever rocks were lying around, today's come from only two locations of granite - one of which is an inhabited off the coast of Scotland - both due to special granite that prevents the stones from splitting when they collide.
Christmas Ale - Ale
Abita Brewery (Covington, LA)
5.8% ABV
The Can: This can is pretty basic, but is sure to still emote that holiday cheer feel. The color scheme is appealing, especially the pop of the red in contrast to the dark blue. The green of the "Ale" and what is not fully pictured - alligator reindeer? - brings out the highlights of the can. Overall nothing major, but still a chill can with a holiday nod.
The Taste: I was concerned this was going to be a tough one for me when I poured it. Holiday ales tend to be quite hard for me to sip on and are usually too bold. However, like finding a red-nosed reindeer, this one surprised me. The look of it differs from its taste. I expected a heavy taste full of spice or dark flavors - but it actually is a bit lighter with more hops and spice than dark, malty flavors. It is a nice combination that doesn't leave an overwhelming after taste.
The Situation: Many times, friends may get together to have a Christmas party, or even a bar crawl. We all know that sometimes we need a little extra boost to get into that holiday spirit when we really just want to lay in bed with a Christmas movie. This beer provides that happy balance of the warm feeling of staying in bed while giving you that needed comfort to survive a night of carols and mistletoe.
Fun Fact: Christmas ales can be traced back to Viking times when dark malts would be used in dark beers that were drunk to honor the Norse Gods and the winter solstice.
Holiday Special - Lager
Warped Wing (Dayton, OH)
5.5% ABV
The Can: While there is not much to this can, it is pretty sharp. The plaid wrapping paper design gives the can a classy holiday feel, with the tag across the front tying the can together like it is a gift. The dark green is always a pull for me, and it fits the white and red highlights very well. This can makes you feel like maybe you are drinking a little bit more than a beer this Christmas.
The Taste: This beer was more of what I was expecting from a holiday beer. Based on it being a lager, we knew it would be a little more malt-heavy and less on the hops side, but these darker beers still find a way to catch me off guard. The taste is fine for those who prefer darker lagers for their holiday drink. It comes with your more traditional spice and almost coffee-like flavor and I could see someone enjoying this as they take in a Christmas movie. For me? Pass the eggnog.
The Situation: For those who prefer a more of a slow sip for a holiday party, especially those after work shindigs with your colleagues, this would fit in perfectly. It gives you the beer that you have been wanting since you got into the office at 9am, but it also allows you to not want to drink it fast. With it being only 5.5%, a lot of runway to sip and not end up singing Christmas karaoke with your boss.
Fun Fact: In Belgium, there is a common celebration on December 5th and 6th in which children leave a cup of coffee for Sinterklaas - a figure based on Saint Nicholas - and a bottle or glass of beer for his helper, Zwarte Piet.
As always from your fellow drinking buddies, we wish you and your loved ones a very merry holiday season. We are excited to step into the new year with a refreshed palate and more beer reviews lined up. We are grateful to all of you who have stuck around and we can't wait to see where this new chapter takes us. Til next time - cheers!
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