Ah, it’s Friday. And Friday means beer! Conveniently, the Friday Five topic with Cynthia, Mar, and Courtney is favorite fall drinks. You know I’m going to take the opportunity to share my beer love with you. And I know my holiday beers. Every year, I scour the area and buy 10 15 as many holiday beers as I can find. My excuse is that I’m buying them for our beer tasting that we hold every winter after the holidays are over, but I’ll be honest, I’m really just a beer hoarder. One year I bought so many that we were still drinking them in October. (Right now I have a double stacked row of beers in my basement. I told Beer Geek I was done buying unless something special comes along. My definition of special is pretty liberal LOL)
While it is really hard to limit myself to just five, here are five holiday beers that I look for each year…
- Harpoon Winter Warmer – I LOVE this beer. It is the only holiday beer that I usually buy two six packs of and I don’t really share it. Yes, I love it that much. (I may even hide them from Beer Geek. Ahem.) It always tastes like pie. And I love pie.
- Hardwood Gingerbread Stout – This beer came on the scene last year and I fell in love. This year I bought as many bottles as the local beer store would sell me. I love stouts (I’m really a fan of dark beers in general) and this one marries a stout with a gingerbread cookie. Dessert in a beer bottle? Yes, please.
- Anchor Christmas – This is another standard (this year is the 41st year!). Each year they change the recipe and change the tree on the label. Like many holiday beers, it usually contains spices reminiscent of holiday treats like cinnamon and nutmeg. I have yet to taste this year’s version but I’m sure I will enjoy it. It has never disappointed me. (We usually start drinking holiday beers at Thanksgiving. What? Other people put up the Christmas tree, I pop a holiday beer. Tradition.)
- Delirium Noel – This Belgian beer just says Christmas to me. It’s a strong dark Belgian ale that is slightly sweet with winter spices. Clocking in at 10% ABV (and usually coming in a big bottle), this one needs to be shared with friends. I’m actually really excited that this year I found a four pack of smaller bottles.
- All the local brewpub and brewery holiday beers – I know I’m kind of cheating here but there are just so many good beers around here at this time of year. Mad Fox Festivus, Port City Tidings, Blue Mountain Blitzen, DuClaw For Pete’s Sake, Lost Rhino Woody Stout… If you aren’t local to DC, check out your own craft beer scene. You might be surprised at what awesomeness you find.
Have you had a holiday beer before? If so, what’s your favorite?
love your take on this. you need your beer for carb loading 🙂
I haven’t tried holiday beer yet. Sounds like a great list. The beer that tastes like pie sounds good!
I am not a big beer drinker but I do like the flavored ones like pumpkin. And that gingerbread one sounds tasty.
These look nice! My hubs is a craft beer guy and I am sure he has tried most of these… 🙂
I was the girl in college who carried a half-filled beer around at a party simply so people wouldn’t ask if I wanted a beer or say, “How can you not like beer?” To this day, I’ve never developed a taste for it. Isn’t it interesting how our tastes are all so different?
Have a great weekend!
I bet I could find a beer in there I could like! Love you take on Friday Five!
Love it! Thanks for this list! Now I know a little treat I’m going to get my husband!
Anchor all the way! I buy several six packs each year and then we have vertical tastings. love the different receipt each year. Wish I could try the gingerbread. Sounds amazing but selection in TX is limited. Avery’s Old Jubilation Ale is another favorite!
My husband just finished bottling his Christmas Ale…he models it after the Anchor Christmas Ale. It’s pretty amazing!
Now I want to take a trip to the beer store. Numbers 1, 2, 3 sound amazing and I’d be on the floor under the table with #4!!
It’s no surprise that I haven’t tried any of these! One of these days I will make it to your beer run
Brooklyn black ops, black chocolate stout. Goose Island BCC, Big foot.
Can’t forget slyfox Christmas