Happy, Hoppy Holiday Ales

It's the holiday season again, which is one of my favorite times of the year for enjoying beer. One of the great aspects of beer is that it changes with the season. There are so many different types of beer that each of these types tend to suit a particular time of year. Winter is the time of year when a lot of breweries release special beers for the holiday season. This year I thought I would take a look at a "flight" of holiday beers made by some local and regional craft breweries. (Just like wine, beer can be sampled in flights (or samples) categorized to varying types, breweries, or even vintages. All of the beers were tasted out of the bottle.
   This winter beer tasting starts with Berghoff Hazelnut Ale, brewed at the Huber Brewing Co., in Monroe, WI. This beer starts with a slight hazelnut aroma mixed with that of grains. Berghoff beers always taste sort of grainy and in this way this beer is consistent with other Berghoff products. The hazelnut appears on the palate, but does not linger. I detected a slight banana flavor in the short finish. Available around the Midwest.
   Pete's Wicked Winter Brew - The bottle describes this one as a beer made with raspberry and nutmeg. The Winter Brew has a bit more body than Berghoff's Hazelnut, but I have to dig for the raspberry and nutmeg flavors. Sort of brown ale, it has a bit of nuttiness in the malt, but not much of the fruits and spices promised on the label. If it is not interesting, it is certainly a drinkable beer, from this West Coast regional brewery controlled by Miller Brewing Co., of Milwaukee. Available around the country.
   Capital Winter Skaal - The second of our beers brewed in Wisconsin. This golden lager has a slight malt aroma. A sort honeyish, tawny malt flavor expected of blonde bock beer. Good smooth malt flavor. Good body, not too watery. A bit of toffee? Not much hops, but none are expected in this blonde bock-style beer. Made by the Capital Brewing Co., of Middleton, WI. Available in the Midwest.
   Snowman Ale - A cute snowman on the label invites me to try this ale from H.C. Berger Brewing Co., of Fort Collins, Colorado. This beer has a straw-like color and aroma of corn. I'm not sure what style this beer is supposed to follow, but the bottle says it is fermented with a German ale yeast. Perhaps it is an attempt at a Kölsch beer? As I taste this beer again I realize I might be wrong for thinking so, as is this "ale" has none of the subtle fruitiness and hoppiness of the crisp Kölsch beers of Germany. This beer is a bit too watery, fizzy, and lacking of malt and hops for my taste. Given the art on the label, perhaps the idea is that this fermented, melted snowman! Availability unknown.
   Redhook Winterhook - This ale from the Redhook Brewery of Woodinville, WA., possesses an amber color, and not much any particular aroma. A bit of nutmeg flavor that eventually comes out in the aroma. The taste is malty with caramel malt being the predominant flavor. Could there be English hops? This is a fine medium-bodied ale. I'd like to try on tap. Available nationwide.
Bobby Dazzler Old London-Style Holiday Ale - This amber/red ale from the Portland Brewing Co., of Portland, OR., is full of spices and hops. Nutmeg and cinnamon are detected in the aroma. This is medium to heavy-bodied beer. Best carbonation of the bunch; not too fizzy. A strong ale too, at 6.5 percent alcohol by volume. I'd like to cook with beer, with all its spicy and hoppy flavors. My favorite and Carol's, too. (Other than my homebrew.) Availability unknown.
   Goose Island Christmas Ale - This microbrewery in Chicago produced a Scotch Ale last year for the holidays. This year the brewery is calling it an Old Ale, which is an English style of beer. An Old Ale is typically malty and strong. A toasted are strong dark, caramel malt flavor is usually present in this type of beer. This example is pretty much on the money, but with a bit more hops, which is typical of American versions of classic English beers. Available Wisconsin, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan.

UPDATE!!It seems that each year, when holiday beers are released, that there are few that come out a bit late. Here are three more winter brews I sampled just the other day. There's a particular holiday ale that I've been searching for lately and I've found it. That beer is Our Special Ale by Anchor Brewing Co., of San Francisco, Calif. This is a mysterious ale that defies categorization. It is nearly as opaque as a stout, yet it is full of a unique blend of spices that are difficult to identifly. Spruce essence is in the aroma, or perhaps it is Grains of Paradise (which I used this past summer in brewing a Saison), or maybe even a certain citrus, piney scented hop. This beer has begun to sybmolize the Christmas season for me, as it tastes like Christmas in a glass. All of the traditional holiday spices (nutmeg, anise, cinnamon, etc.) seem to be present in this beguiling beer. One might think that such a mysterious spicy brew would be heavy bodied and intimidating, but it not. It is actually quite drinkable, and well worth tracking down. The price might stun you though, at $8.99 a six pack!
New Glarus Snowshoe Ale is another beer that I've had before that comes out each holiday season. This year, this Red Ale seems a bit lighter bodied, and a bit less hoppy than last year's version. Not much aroma; this beer does not seem that fresh. It is still a good beer with a subdued caramel malt flavor and a bit of bitterness. According to the label it is dry-hopped, but I can hardly tell. I also detected a bit oxidation. Maybe this is last year's bottle back from the dead?
Wild Onion Winter Warmer comes across a nice malt accented Scottish Wee Heavy that's a tad bit on the light side, but very smooth. This is a very quaffable brew that microbrew novices and even some mega-brew drinkers will enjoy. This very drinkable beer, with a nice caramel malt flavor, is somewhat reminiscent of Coors Winterfest. Yet, it is a well-made micro made in Barrington, Ill., by newly crowned millionaires. (The family that owns the brewery recently won the lottery.) This Winter Warmer may might seem like a million dollar brew, but it is certainly worth its price, about $6.99 a six-pack. I encourage you to try the breweries other products including their Golden Lager, Paddy Pale Ale, and Jack Stout.

Send comments and suggestions to: marc@marcobrau.com