It’s the most wonderful time of the year: getting to try 10 festive winter beers to go with the holiday snow. This year, we’re giving the gift of the best seasonal brews from some our favorite and most accessible brands. With any luck, there will be some not-so-inconspicuously wrapped gifts under the tree, filled with top of the lines malts and hops, uniquely festive taste and a slight buzz packed into every one. Light up a fire, toss on the holiday tunes and throw the recliner back as far as it’ll allow. It’s time to enjoy our winter seasonal beer selections for the 2015 holiday season. What’s that? You live in California? Okay, have a Corona, too.
Lagunitas Brown Shugga’
ABV: 9.9%
Available: October-December
Any Rolling Stones reference mixed with one of the most addictive additives from the cooking pantry is fine by us, especially if it’s coming from the likes of the top tier beer brand Lagunitas. This sweet release is considered “dangerously slammable,” which by our calculations means we’ll take two six-packs instead of one, and perfectly pair them with any of our favorite holiday treats.
Dogfish Head Piercing Pils
ABV: 6.0%
Available: December 2015
First brewed in December 2013, this pear-flavored hybrid combines the sweetness of the white pear with the deliciously intoxicating reputation of Dogfish Head pilsners. Though light in its step and easy on its alcohol content, the Piercing Pils doesn’t just get its name from a half-assed alliteration; it’s Dogfish Head baby. This cold, classic beer and its fresh citrus notes go great with your bathroom floor.
Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale
ABV: 9.6%
Available: November-January
She’s a beast of a drink, and if you think this barleywine-style beer is anything less, you’d be foolishly walking into Bigfoot’s den with a tray of fresh meats. Sierra Nevada has long prided itself as a traditionalist and a safe bet for a good ale, but Bigfoot Ale is another story, giving us the traditionally tasty Sierra Nevada goodness mixed with some rocky robust and mature malts that can only be described as well-aged, cult-classic and freakishly hazardous to your ability to walk.
Samuel Adams Old Fezziwig
ABV: 5.9%
Available: Limited Release
With orange peel, cinnamon and ginger as its backbone, there’s nothing this deep Mahogany, malt-driven number can’t do in the wake of an early fallen snow. Built with notes of toffee, caramel and roasted chocolate to combat its fruitful snap, we highly suggest Sam Adams meets you for a drink with one of these to get you in the spirit of things.
Shock Top Twisted Pretzel Wheat
ABV: 5.2%
Available: Limited Release
You wouldn’t know the same makers of piss-poor domestics — Anheuser-Busch — could whip up something as spot-on as the marriage of cold beer and warm baked goodness. There’s nothing like the sweet and salty touch of a Belgium beer to satisfy both sides of the tongue, and Shock Top does just that with its holiday-worth wheat, twisted to perfection and going great with beer cheese. And you thought you’d just have your hands on finger foods all winter.
Blue Moon Chai Spiced Ale
ABV: 5.4%
Available: Limited Release
Why not take one of the best-hitting beer brands and the best cold weather drinks and see what happens? Okay! Blue Moon brings the chai spice to its winter lineup in a big way with a light on the booze/big on the taste beer that we’ll be sad to see go when the spring sun wraps its legs around the sky. With the chai spices we know and love — cardamom, cloves, ginger and cinnamon — Blue Moon serves up the best present of all with our favorite drink.
Ballast Point Tongue Buckler
ABV: 10.0%
Available: Year Round
We always like to give you a winter beer that’ll put hair on that chest to keep you warm during these cool winter months. An imperial red ale seems like the way to go, especially with malts and hops in extraordinary abundance, the bitterness and boldness off the charts and an exceptionally strong finish that’ll have you covering your mouth at the office holiday party. It may be a year-round beer for Ballast Point, but it’s never been more appropriate to the holidays. It also goes well with sweet potato fries.
Widmer Brrr
ABV: 7.2%
Available: October-December
If you like reds but don’t want to be carried out of the bar, may we suggest a more responsible approach with the Widmer winter seasonal? With citrus aroma, caramel and chocolate body in addition to its deep red body and a sweet, soft finish, the only thing redder and sexier than Widmer Brrr are these Beautiful Redheads That’ll Make Redheads Your New Thing.
Maui Brew Co. Lorenzini Double IPA
ABV: 7.6%
Available: Limited Release
We’ve never been the type to let you go without a double IPA of some sort, and although they usually register into dangerously high alcohol levels, this Maui Brew Co. Lorenzini Double IPA will still put some hair even on your girlfriend’s chest. Maybe it’s best if you keep these to yourself and away from your lady. An electric field — that’s in reference to its name — of full flavor, packed with blood orange, local citrus and local Maui cane sugar, Lorenzini is the unsuspected holiday stealer full in body but not so strong you can’t walk home.
Rogue Mogul Madness
ABV: 6.6%
Available: November-January
You were hoping for reefer madness? Well, Rogue has never let us down, and their Mogul Madness shouldn’t either. Unless, of course, you have something against burgundy beers with berry, mocha and nut notes to go with its hoppy, caramel body. Geesh, I think we just described our idea woman: a little fruity, a little nutty and a strong, hoppy body. It truly is a holiday miracle!
