Craft Beer You Should Be Drinking This Holiday Season

By Chilled Magazine

CraftBeer.com Brings Holiday Spirit with Winter Seasonals.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – for craft beer! Winter seasonals are ideal for sharing with family and friends, and provide the perfect complement to your holiday meal. To celebrate the season, CraftBeer.com – the Brewers Association (BA) website for beer lovers – has compiled a list of seasonal craft beers from small and independent craft brewers.

“Winter seasonals are a beautiful way to add warmth to your holiday gatherings. The bolder tastes of winter seasonals add new meaning to holiday joy and another dimension to the holiday table.”
– Julia Herz, publisher of CraftBeer.com and Brewers Association craft beer program director

craft-beer

Last year, in the 13 weeks of winter ending February 22, 2015, seasonals grew 5.2 percent by volume and 8.3 percent in dollar sales based on IRI scan data. During that 13-week period, they represented 15.8 percent of total craft sales, which was the second largest style category share behind India Pale Ales.

The varieties of flavors found in this year’s winter seasonals include everything from oatmeal and coffee, to cinnamon and pecan.

Check out some of the cheer-filled offerings below for ideas on how you can celebrate this holiday season:

  • Ale Asylum | Mercy | Madison, WI
  • Avery Brewing Co. | Old Jubilation Ale | Boulder, CO
  • Avondale Brewing Co. | No Joka Mocha Stout | Birmingham, AL
  • Brewery Vivant | Wizard Burial Ground | Grand Rapids, MI
  • Barrel of Monks Brewing | Father Christmas | Boca Raton, FL
  • Church Street Brewing Co. | Pontificator Doppelbock | Itasca, IL
  • Deschutes Brewery | Jubelale | Bend, OR
  • Heavy Seas Beer | Winter Storm | Halethorpe, MD
  • High Water Brewing Co. | Sugaree Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie | Chico, CA
  • Hoppin’ Frog Brewery | Barrel Aged Frosted Frog Christmas Ale | Akron, OH
  • Karbach Brewing Co. | Yule Shoot Your Eye Out | Houston, TX
  • Kokopelli Beer Co. | Snowball Express | Westminster, CO
  • MadTree Brewing Co. | Thundersnow | Cincinnati, OH
  • Market Garden Brewery | Festivus Holiday Ale | Cleveland, OH
  • Port Brewing Co. | Santa’s Little Helper | San Marcos, CA
  • Rogue Ales and Spirits | Yellow Snow IPA | Ashland, OR
  • Shmaltz Brewing Co. | Hanukkah, Chanukah: Pass The Beer | Clifton Park, NY
  • Silver City Brewery | Old Scrooge Christmas Ale | Bremerton, WA
  • Sunken City Brewing Co. | Tartan Tent | Hardy, VA
  • Terrapin Beer Co. | Wake-n-Bake | Athens, GA

“As our stoves turn to roasts, braises and heavier sauces, our palates turn to deeper, darker, barrel-aged beers. These pairings mingle with the rich flavors, cut through the dense, palate-coating meats, and inspire notes of spice and rewarding finishes.”
– Adam Dulye, executive chef, Brewers Association

Craft Beer & Food Pairing Guide

To find out more about holiday beer and food pairings, visit the food section of CraftBeer.com.

See CraftBeer.com’s Craft Beer Winter Seasonals 2015 or an expanded list of the Brewers Association member breweries’ seasonal craft beer selections and descriptions. To round out your winter craft beer experience, consider a tour of your local independent brewery.

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