# Favorite Xmas Beer? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** beer\ **Created:** [December 16, 2011, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-xmas-beer/606421 "2011-12-16T16:05:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-xmas-beer/606421/1 "2011-12-16T16:05:28Z")
My local beeraporium is doing a 12 beers of xmas special. They tap a new xmas beer each day for 12 consecutive days. Drink em all and get a tshirt! On day 5 today. We’ve had Mad Elf, St. Bernardus Xmas Ale, Gouden Carolus Noel, and Delirium Noel. Today’s will be Christmas Leroy. I don’t normally go for these types of beer, but I am in the spirit and out to get the shirt. Your favorite??? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-xmas-beer/606421/2 "2011-12-16T16:49:21Z")
Sierra Nevada Celebration and Anchor Christmas Ale. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-xmas-beer/606421/3 "2011-12-16T16:54:33Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Sierra Nevada Celebration and Anchor Christmas Ale. +1 Also, Anderson Valley Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-xmas-beer/606421/4 "2011-12-16T18:31:50Z")
Bearing in mind that I’ve not tried any seasonal beers other than from Sam Adams … Sam Adams Chocolate Bock. ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-xmas-beer/606421/5 "2011-12-16T19:21:46Z")
[Lagunitas Brown Shugga.](http://www.lagunitas.com/beers/brownshugga.html) It’s… different… Not to take over the OP’s thread but if anyone can add recommendations with pine like tastes I would appreciate it. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-xmas-beer/606421/6 "2011-12-16T19:32:35Z")
Drink a Bud, then chew on a Christmas tree. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-xmas-beer/606421/7 "2011-12-16T19:37:07Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Drink a Bud, then chew on a Christmas tree. 😛 EVERYONE knows christmas trees are made from plastic, not pine. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-xmas-beer/606421/8 "2011-12-16T19:57:12Z")
> [@tr0psn4j](#): > > Not to take over the OP’s thread but if anyone can add recommendations with pine like tastes I would appreciate it. [Alba Scots Pine Ale has good reviews here.](http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/12142/243) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-xmas-beer/606421/9 "2011-12-16T20:16:16Z")
> [@tr0psn4j](#): > > [Lagunitas Brown Shugga.](http://www.lagunitas.com/beers/brownshugga.html) I’ve had it! I like most of what Lagunitas makes. In fact, I called their 800 number this past summer and talked with someone there for a while. He was jealous over the time difference and the fact that I had already had a few of his offerings. ---
**Author:** ![SykoSkotty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@SykoSkotty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SykoSkotty)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-xmas-beer/606421/10 "2011-12-16T20:25:15Z")
Sam Adams Winter Lager, Holiday Porter and Ol’ Fezziwig Ale and the Blue Moon Winter Abbey Ale are my holiday faves. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-xmas-beer/606421/11 "2011-12-16T20:32:46Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Sierra Nevada Celebration and Anchor Christmas Ale. SNC! ---
**Author:** ![infinitii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e8c25b/32.png) [@infinitii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/infinitii)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-xmas-beer/606421/12 "2011-12-16T20:55:50Z")
Abita Christmas Ale ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-xmas-beer/606421/13 "2011-12-16T21:26:35Z")
Mad Elf is my favorite. Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout is out in the winter, and that’s one of my favorite imperial stouts. Other than that I like porters and other dark beers in the winter. ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-xmas-beer/606421/14 "2011-12-16T22:23:09Z")
> [@tr0psn4j](#): > > [Lagunitas Brown Shugga.](http://www.lagunitas.com/beers/brownshugga.html) > > It’s… different… > > Not to take over the OP’s thread but if anyone can add recommendations with pine like tastes I would appreciate it. Hinterland out of Green Bay has a winter seasonal, [Winterland](http://www.hinterlandbeer.com/Winterland.html), that’s made with juniper, but I wouldn’t describe it as piney. I always enjoy picking up one of Trader Joe’s limited edition holiday beers, to age for a year and then drink the one I put away the prior year. ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-xmas-beer/606421/15 "2011-12-16T22:52:07Z")
I don’t know if I’d call it a Christmas beer, but it is seasonal (December), and it is one of my all time favorites. Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout. I look forward to its release every year. For you Brown Shugga fans, you’re out of luck this year. They didn’t have the capacity to make it, so they made Lagunitas Sucks instead as an apology. It’s a Double IPA - very good and very hoppy. I was gifted a six pack taken right off the bottling line by one of my vendors a few days ago, along with some Cap Stout. Sooooo good. 🙂 As for Christmas beers specifically, I look forward to Sierra and Anchor Steam as well. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2011, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-xmas-beer/606421/16 "2011-12-17T15:28:39Z")
Day six!! As soon as I finish working I have to drive over and get today’s offering: > [@](#): > > The Sixth Draft of Christmas is Corsendonk Christmas Ale. This ale has a rich and spicy aroma reminiscent of spiced rum. Some chocolate and coffee flavors, a wheaty, fruity, tart finish with just a touch of alcohol. 8.5% ABV. I was sitting with the publican yesterday and he stopped me from drinking my beer the bartender had just placed in front of me. He explained that he serves beer colder than ideal to suit his average customer. He had my hold the tulip glass in my hand long enough to warm it a bit, then try it. It was good. Then, he bought a round. He had me try a drink right away, then again after warming. I have to admit, I could identify more of the subtle stuff going on! Life is good.😃 ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2011, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-xmas-beer/606421/17 "2011-12-17T19:45:48Z")
It’s gotta be [Samiclaus](http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/285/776). ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2011, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-xmas-beer/606421/18 "2011-12-18T01:54:50Z")
> [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > It’s gotta be [Samiclaus](http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/285/776). This is what I was gonna post. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2011, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-xmas-beer/606421/19 "2011-12-18T07:13:22Z")
For Xmas ales, I tend to those you’ve already mentioned: Bernardus 12, Delirium Noel, Anchor Xmas (after aging 1 year to knock down the spicy flavors), Samisclaus. For IRS’s, I love Brooklyn Black Chocolate, North Coast’s Rasputin (Never Say Die!), and Big Sky’s Ivan the Terrible. Ivan is a bit lighter in alcohol than the first two, but has incredibly fruity aromas and complexity. Great silky finish. It’s a fave, but extremely hard to find. A bit easier to locate are Stone’s IRSs, which are quite nice, and will age, if not necessarily improve with time. Jester King’s Black Metal IRS is well worth your time too. If Deschutes does a special bottling, my advice is to grab some—love this recent Black XXIII something or other, brewed with cacao and a bunch of other things. In Houston, you can do worse than to try Southern Star’s Buried Hatchet Stout, though I wouldn’t call it an IRS. Oh, and let’s not forget Avery’s Czar IRS. I miss the old version of Redhook’s Starbuck’s stout. If you’re in Seattle, why not try some XXXXX from Pike Brewing? Finally, if you’ve the good fortune to be bouncing around Bar Harbour, Maine, you could find worse to drink than Bar Harbour Brewing Company’s Cadillac Mountain Stout. Need to try Speedway, the Plinys and Dark Lord. (Getting thirsty, off to open some Courage IRS.)