by John Mizer
November 17, 2005

Sure, I know it's only November-but the Christmas/Winter brews are here with some being harder to obtain than others. I've compiled a list of these liquid stocking stuffers that aim to please.

Christmas Ale - Great Lakes Brewing Company - Cleveland, OH
This specific brand could stand alone as a fine blueprint to this ever growing style. Perfectly balanced with honey, ginger, and cinnamon the Great Lakes Christmal Ale is no lightweight spice beer. The alcohol content weighs in at a hearty 7.5 abv and should not be taken lightly. If I had a dollar for everytime a friend had blamed a secret ingredient in this beer for their next day blues while igonoring the fact that this brew has appr. 50% more alcohol... Enjoy but beware!

Winter Solstice - Anderson Valley Brewing - Boonville, CA
My personal favorite winter brew. Not easy to find east of the Mississippi but entirely possible, this beer is spiced like other holiday brews with a nice vanilla finish as the difference maker. It's VERY easy to have more than one Winter Solstice. Do yourself a favor and bug your local beer distributor to hook you up with this tiding of comfort and joy!

Our Special Ale - Anchor Brewing - San Francisco, CA
I must confess that at the time of this artice being written, I have not yet experienced this year's model. What makes this ale so darn special is that the fine people from Anchor Brewing keep us on our toes by changing the recipe every year while never divulging the ingredients. I've experienced some versions that were complete ambrosia whereas others brought the term "liquid pine cones" to mind. Anchor hits more than they miss with the bonus being that their holiday brew ages very gracefully, changing in character over the years. If you find a sixer, try to stash one bottle away until next year or even later if you can wait.

Bell's Winter White - Kalamazoo Brewing - Kalamazoo, MI
Bell's Winter White gets extra credit points for bucking the trends of the spiced holiday ale by blending a Hefe-weizen and Belgian Wit for an interesting alternative. White beers such as Hoegaarden and Blue Moon have become more and more popular year round and the Winter White offers the consumer a light, refreshing beer that works as well in the winter as the summer.