Winter’s back, along with everything that comes with it. The days are short and the nights are cold, but, as every beer fan knows, there is a silver lining. Breweries across the country are releasing their winter seasonal beers, and there’s something out there to suit any tastes.

From light to dark, bitter to sweet, lager to ale, winter beers can take nearly any form. We’ve looked at winter craft brews from around the country and here are a few of our favorite glasses of holiday cheer:

Boston Brewing Co. - Samuel Adams Winter Lager
Sam Adams has one of the most easily recognized and well respected brands in the industry, so this is a sure-fire hit. In many ways Winter Lager is a lot like other winter beers; it features the distinctly-wintry flavors of cinnamon and ginger and is carefully balanced, being neither aggressively spicy nor overly mild. Being a bock, the alcohol content is high, but is masked by stronger flavors from the spices and a touch of citrus bitterness from orange peel, as well as a faint hops presence, and the heavier flavors are balanced against gentler notes of wheat. The end result is an easily palatable beer that gets its point across without being overbearing.

Sierra Nevada - Celebration Ale
California craft breweries aren’t known for their reservations about flavor. The West Coast philosophy says bigger is better, and Sierra Nevada is no exception. Celebration Ale, the brewery’s winter seasonal, is an aggressive take on the tradition of Christmastime beers, but nonetheless comes off smooth and inviting. An IPA, Celebration Ale is strong both in flavor and in alcohol, with a powerfully aromatic and somewhat bitter hops presence in place of the spices often associated with winter brews. This is by no means a session beer, but it’s a great choice for an adventurous drinker on a cold day.

Great Lakes Brewing - Christmas Ale
Here is a winter warmer for the beer fan who prefers his beers less hoppy, but still with enough kick to keep the cold at bay. Great Lakes Christmas Ale is gentler than a lot of the other beers that made our list, but it’s strong enough to give any of the others a run for its money. This beer’s smoothness makes it deceptively easy to drink, and the understated notes of ginger and cinnamon make it easy to forget what a big beer this actually is. Honey gives Christmas Ale a sweet finish, rounding out one of the best and most-balanced seasonals on the shelves this winter.


Brooklyn Brewery - Black Chocolate Stout
This is one of our favorites, and easily the most unconventional selection on our list. Like any stout, this one is dark and heavy, but true to its name, Black Chocolate is built around the rich, dark bitterness of chocolate. Cocoa isn’t the dominant flavor here, taking a backseat to the dark stout malt, but it is certainly the most noteworthy. Its effect is subtle, but noticeable, making it an ideal after-dinner drink, pairing well with desserts or just by itself.

Honorable Mentions

• Bell’s Brewery - Christmas Ale
  • A dry, toasty Scottish ale. Unspiced, but flavorful and a pleasure to drink.
• Dogfish Head Brewery - Chicory Stout
  • Dark but not too strong, with a good coffee bite from the chicory. Dogfish Head has built their business around unexpected tastes, and somehow it always seems to work. It definitely does here.
• 21st Amendment Brewery - Fireside Chat
  • Bold English ale with winter spices and a touch of chocolate. If a beer can actually taste loud, this one does. In the brewery’s words, it strives to be “like FDR's Depression-era radio addresses, which were like a kick in the butt and a hug at the same time.” They nailed it.