Via Flying Dog.
By DCist contributor Juana Summers
Each winter, breweries across the country introduce a slew of new seasonal beers prime for enjoying as you make Christmas cookies, build a snowman or settle in for much-deserved time with friends and family (or just celebrating curled up on your couch with a carton of Chinese). Here’s a snapshot of some of this season’s picks. There’s bound to be something for you, whether you’ve been naughty or nice.
Southern Tier Brewing Company’s Krampus: If Santa is the embodiment of everything warm and fuzzy about the holiday season, Krampus is exactly the opposite. This mythical fanged, horned creature is said to visit the homes of children and dole out punishment to those that haven’t behaved well. Some youngsters even get carted away in a sack. Whether you’ve been naughty or nice, this is a beer not to miss. A Helles Lager, Krampus is one of Southern Tier’s most bitter beers with a big hop punch. Sip this one: It’s one of the biggest beers on the list, coming in at 9.0%.
Find it at Dodge City (917 U Street NW) and the Black Squirrel (2427 18th Street NW).
Sierra Nevada Celebration: Put simply, Sierra Nevada’s Celebration is a holiday staple and tends to appear on every roundup of winter seasonal brews. Here’s one reason why: Celebration has been around since the 1980s and has certainly held up over time. It has an intense, bold taste and uses fresh hops as opposed to wet hops. In this case, we’re talking about hops that come from the field within about a week of harvest. This American IPA boasts a strong pine aroma that can’t help make you think of Christmas when you drink it.
Find it across the city.
Ommegang Gnomegang: I tried this one for the first time during a recent road trip to Ommegang in Cooperstown, N.Y. (a must-see for beer nerds). A collaboration with Belgium’s Brasserie d’Achouffe, this blonde ale is full of the fruitiness that you’ll typically find in a Chouffe beer. Beware though: this is one of those beers that drinks way easier than it should at 9.5% ABV. Try this one out for a Christmas Day brunch. The label would also be perfect to frame if you’re into that sort of thing. Two gnomes — one holding a chalice, the other a tulip glass — dance around a keg.
Find it at Fireworks (2350 Clarendon Boulevard, Arlington, Va.) and Lost Dog Cafe (2920 Columbia Pike, Arlington, Va.)
Great Lakes Christmas Ale: This Cleveland-brewed beer has become a national favorite and is a great holiday ale that pairs nicely with most meals. Brewed with honey and spiced with both ginger and cinnamon, the Christmas ale is worth a sample though beer geeks tend to be a bit split on it.
Find it across the city.
Tröeg’s Mad Elf: Brewed with cherries, honey and chocolate malts, Mad Elf is a really delightful holiday brew. The flavor is incredibly complex and initially brings to mind chocolate-covered cherries and just a hint of honey. What I like most about this beer is that it’s sweet up front, but not overpowering. While Mad Elf clocks in at 11% ABV, it’s very well hidden and is incredibly enjoyable to drink — especially with a good fruit-based holiday dessert.
Find it across the city.
The Flying Dog Holiday Collection: Otterbein’s Bakery is a Baltimore institution, and Flying Dog’s holiday collaboration is the perfect pick to take to your in-law’s house this holiday season. Don’t worry if you weren’t much of a fan of Dead Rise, Flying Dog’s last collaboration; this is totally different and worth a try no matter what your tastes are. The sampler includes four Otterbein cookie-inspired beers: Imperial Hefeweizen (Otterbein sugar cookies), Roasted Peanut Brown Ale (Otterbein chocolate chip cookies), Oak-Aged Hazelnut Stout (Otterbein oatmeal raisin cookies) and Imperial Hefeweizen (Otterbein sugar cookies). My favorite out of the mix is the Roasted Peanut Brown Ale, which was surprising because it didn’t taste much like peanuts. The flavor is far more subtle than that. It is a solid, drinkable brown ale.
Be sure and pair the cookie with the beer, as the two tastes tend to complement each other well. These beers are sold only in Maryland, and while it was tough to find a 12-pack right after the November launch, I’ve spotted them frequently at stores in the Maryland suburbs and in Baltimore.
Find it at locations including Franklins Restaurant, Brewery, and General Store (5121 Baltimore Avenue, Hyattsville, Md.), Yes! Organic Market (5331 Baltimore Avenue, Hyattsville, Md.) and Fenwick Beer & Wine (1327 Fenwick Lane, Silver Spring, Md.)
