What 2 Give: Holiday Brew Review
Christmas Beers are a centuries-old tradition in Europe that’s been imported to the U.S., with beer-lovers now eagerly awaiting the annual release of limited edition seasonal beers from their favorite craft breweries. In time for holiday gift-giving, many breweries also include special glasses to extract the best taste from their brew, and sampler gift packs of their best-sellers.
To help you navigate the beer aisle this season, Jennifer Faulk of Louis Glunz Beer, the award-winning Lincolnwood, Ill.-based distributor, presented some of the best beers for holiday cheers to suit the taste of everyone on your list; suggested retail prices range from $7.99 to $93.49.
For Holiday Hosts:
Petrus Winter Ale Gift Box from the Bavik Brewery in Belgium. Petrus is a full-bodied caramel-red beer of high fermentation with a soft aroma, only brewed throughout the month of November and including a special glass to toast the host. 25.4 oz. bottle w/Glass $19.99.
Jewbelation Twelve, from the Schmaltz Brewing Company in New York is an award-winning “extreme” Hanukkah seasonal; a big, rich, warming Amber Ale that includes 12 malts and 12 hops. 22 oz. bottle $7.99.
For "Bad Boys":
Southern Tier Krampus Imperial Helles is named for St. Nick''s evil side kick and enforcer of "the list," based on the European tradition that says while St. Nick is busy delivering presents to good little boys and girls, Krampus hands out punishments to the bad! New to Chicago from the Southern Tier Brewing Company in New York. 22 oz. bottle $8.99.
For Sailors:
Anchor 2008 Christmas Ale from the Anchor Brewing Co. in California, which has offered a different recipe for its holiday seasonal every year since 1975, along with a different tree on its collectible label to symbolize the newness of life. Six-pack $12.99.
For Chocoholics:
O''Fallon Cherry Chocolate Beer, an award-winning dark wheat beer that tastes like a chocolate-covered cherry, only better, from the O''Fallon Brewery in Missouri. Six-pack $10.99.
For Beer Geeks:
Samichlaus Bier, a rare beer specialty brewed once a year by the Schloss Eggenberg Brewery in Austria on December 6, the day of St. Nicholas, and aged for 10 months before bottling. 750ml bottle $19.99; Four-pack 11.2 oz bottles $29.99.
For VIPs (Boss, Client, In-Laws):
Chimay Grand Reserve, first launched by the Trappist monks in the Abbey of Scourment in Belgium as a Christmas beer, this strong-character brown ale-style beer has a deep rich flavor that improves with time. 1.5 liter Magnum $32.95; 3 liter Jeroboam $93.49.
Hirter Sampler Gift Box, including two crystal glasses from the 730 year old Hirt Brewery in Austria, and two bottles of Hirter Private Pils and Hirter Morchl, just awarded a Platinum Medal in the 2008 World Beer Championships! Four-pack w/Glasses $16.95.