While it can be tempting to limit your seasonal brewski thinking to just the times of sunshine and sandy toes, we urge you not to forget about all the great seasonal releases happening during these frigid months. Our beer buyer Kevin has been bringing in winter and holiday releases since before Halloween; but, now that the first snowstorm has fallen we’re finally ready to talk about some of them. Just remember that this list is not reflective of current inventory, so if you’re extra curious about picking one up, it’s best to contact the store to see if it’s still on the shelf. Or stop on by and talk to beermaster Kevin himself! He’s always happy to help you find what you’re looking for or uncover a new favorite brew. Here’s a few winter/holiday releases he wants you to keep an eye out for:
Joe’s Lager – Rek-lis Brewing Company
Classic American Lager brewed in collaboration with local ski industry titans Lahout’s Ski Shop in celebration of Joe Lahout Sr. From Rek-lis: “This light, crushable American lager is the epitome of an après-ski beer. It’s made for the average Joe, the Joey skiing in jeans, the Joe Schmo, and especially Joe Sr., who carved deep lines on the slopes of Cannon Mountain. At just 4%, it’s the perfect beer to crush while keeping your turns sharp all day long.”
Gingerbread Cider – Stowe Cider
Fresh-pressed apples, molasses, cloves, ginger, and a touch of sweet apple cider — what more could you ask for in a winter semi-dry hard cider? It’s a warm and smooth twist on the classic cookie from over the border in Stowe, VT.
Ice Wizard – Burlington Beer Company
It’s a double IPA that’s cold-fermented like a lager to produce a drier, crisper West Coast-like 8% ABV brew. From Burlington Beer: “Think vibrant pineapple, juicy apricot, and a hint of pine, all brought together with an ice-cold finish that’s crisp and refreshing.” Sounds like a bright and fruity glimmer of sunshine in the depths of the New England winter the Ice Wizard has concocted for us.
Powder Season – Greater Good Imperial Brewing Company
From the makers of the cheeky “Pulp Daddy” comes a seasonal winter ale brewed with REAL cherries. Founded in 2015 from just south of us in Worcester, MA, Greater Good brews exclusively high ABV (8% or higher) beers for “a singular goal of brewing big, full-flavored beers that are a little bolder than everything else out there.”
Ice Storm of ’98 – Baxter Brewing Co
Folks born in the early 2000’s may be of legal drinking age now, but only the tried and true will fully appreciate Baxter’s Ice Storm of ’98. This NEIPA that sits at 5.8% will put you in a much more comfortable position than its namesake New England event, even served ice cold. From Baxter Brewing: “With a lush malt profile and dynamic citrus, fruit-forward hop profile, this New England IPA is brewed to get us through any weather.”
Seasick Crocodile – Prairie Artisan Ales
As its kitschy name implies, everyone is choosing this highly-anticipated seasonal release from Prairie Artisan Ales over any grinch-y beer. With notes of cinnamon, cranberry, ginger, and nutmeg, this sour — like all of its other Prairie counterparts — is a great reminder of keeping the holiday season fun and playful.
Samichlaus Classic – Eggenberger
From Eggenberger: “Is brewed only once a year on December 6, and is aged for 10 months before bottling. As a result, this dark lager is one of the rarest beer specialties in the world and with 14% alcohol by volume, it is also the strongest of its kind. Samichlaus may be aged in the bottle for many years to come, as older vintages become more complex with a creamy warming finish. This beer is served best with sophisticated dishes and desserts, particularly with chocolates, or as a digestive by itself.”
Celebrator – Ayinger Privatbrauerei
Folks who tout this beer as “best in the world” aren’t wrong — Celebrator has had multiple wins, including the 2024 title, as “World’s Best” in the “World Beer Awards.” From the brewers: “Our mahogany-colored “Celebrator”, an underlying dark double barrel with 6.7% alcohol content and 18.5° root spice, is the dessert beer among our beer specialties. With its sensationally solid foam and a velvety, full body, our “Celebrator” is pure delight for any strong beer lover.”
St. Bernardus Christmas Ale – St. Bernardus
From the brewers: “St.Bernardus Christmas Ale is an intensely dark beer with a full, yet slightly fruity flavour, overflowing with the tastes of winter and zesty seasonal aromas. Aniseed notes are complemented by hints of creamy caramel and fire-roasted chestnuts. This zestiness shows no signes of abating, pushing through to a magnificent finish of dried fruits and chocolate. Just like all of our beers, this brew bears the imprint of the unique St.Bernardus yeast (dating back to 1946), that gives it its own special complexity.”
Scaldis de Noel – Dubisson, Noel – Oxbow Brewing Co, Delirium Noel – Huyghe Brewery
From Dubisson: “The Scaldis de Noël is brewed solely from malts, hops, candy sugar and water. It is a filtered, top-fermented beer with an alcohol volume of 12%. The use of caramel malts produces a copper-coloured beer with a full, rounded taste. The Scaldis de Noël owes its fruity taste and subtle hop aromas to the well-thought out choice of hops in this brew.”
Noel by Oxbow Brewing Co. in Maine is a wheat-based strong, dark brewed for the holiday season.
Top fermented and bottle conditioned, Delirium Noel boasts potent aromas of dark fruit, apricot, caramel malt, sweet cherry, cinnamon and clove with notes of vanilla, apple, banana and yeast. The taste is similar to aroma and also includes toffee, plum, and red wine with notes of pepper and bitter hops. The mouthfeel is medium bodied and creamy smooth thanks to generous and lively carbonation; the 10.0% ABV is well hidden, and the finish is lingering, spicy, and dry.
