Written by: Christopher Osburn | UPROXX
December 14, 2021
We are smack dab in the middle of the holidays. While Thanksgiving in all of its turkey and gravy-filled glory and the eight crazy nights of Hanukkah are behind us, Kwanzaa, Festivus, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve are still upcoming. This means that we’re deeply immersed in the holiday beer season.
Strong ales, winter warmers, and of course Christmas ales are the norm this time of year. These seasonal staples are known for their caramel malts and seasonal spices like cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and orange, along with other wintry flavors. But there’s no official recipe for what exactly a holiday beer should be brewed with — which makes every beer a little different… in a good way.
To find the best examples of classic holiday beers we asked a handful of our favorite brewers, beer professionals, and craft beer experts to tell us their favorite holiday beers ever. Stock up on these warming, sweet, and oftentimes spiced beers to guarantee good times around the fire this season.
Samuel Smith’s Winter Welcome
Dess Leeper, sales representative at WeldWerks Brewing in Greeley, Colorado
ABV: 6%
Average Price: $10 for a four-pack
Why This Beer?
Samuel Smith’s Winter Welcome Ale is always a treat during the holidays. I remember first having one around the time when I reached legal drinking age, and when I was first starting to pique my curiosity into craft beer back east. Aside from being intrigued by the clear bottle and gold foil top, I was amazed by the rich, roasted nut flavor and warming that was finished by slightly spicy and subtle hop bitterness.
I was immediately hooked and every year during this time you can find me grabbing a four-pack of it to pair with a great holiday meal.
Gouden Carolus Noel
Jeremy Cowan, owner and founder of Shmaltz Brewing Company in Clifton Park, New York
ABV: 10.5%
Average Price: $11 for a 750ml bottle
Why This Beer?
I’ll cheat and say two. Gouden Carolus Noel is just extremely delicious. It’s somehow super punchy but balanced and smooth with wonderful flavors. But for the local scene and of course, the good shtick, gotta go with Sloop “(No) Santa” NEIPA — so lush and yummy for a completely different experience and a whole lot of fun.
Eggenberg Samichlaus
Stephen Hale, founding brewer at Schlafly Beer in St. Louis
ABV: 14%
Average Price: $21 for a four-pack
Why This Beer?
My pick is Eggenberg Samichlaus. It’s not just the rare pleasure of being able to get a bottle, but the blissful enjoyment of such a complex, rich beer, pretty much just perfect as is for the holidays. Make sure to decant it. The visuals, aromas, and flavor are all part of the experience.
A wee bit of decadence every once in a while, surely you deserve that.
