‘Tis the season to place your gifts under the tree carefully, shop for the stylish special someone in your life, and bundle up against a chilly winter. That being said, it’s also the perfect time to translate a little holiday fun to your bar cart and beer fridge. While there’s nothing wrong with reaching for your favorite IPA (or perhaps a light, crisp lager to counterbalance too many Christmas cookies), we’re big advocates for shifting your imbibing as the holiday season progresses. Specifically, there’s quite literally no better time than right now to enjoy one of the best holiday beers.
Whether you like to drink inside or outside, hot drinks have become increasingly popular as temperatures drop. However, a good beer can produce a similar effect if you are not drinking outside. With the hop season over, many pale ales will step aside until next spring, and during the cold months, you’ll see more porters and stouts. If you ask any number of beer drinkers what the difference between these two styles is, you can expect equally as many different answers. Historically, porters came first and were dark, malty, and hoppy because they were mixed from different existing beers. After some experimentation, someone created a “more stout” version of a porter and called it a stout beer.
Those who drink stouts probably know about or have tried New Holland Dragon’s Milk. In addition to the elemental Dragon’s Milk, they offer special releases that take it to a whole new level. A Madagascar vanilla bean has been added to the beer this year, and it’s been aged some more in new barrels. Besides smoky bourbon notes, Dragon’s Milk Double Vanilla also exhibits coffee, molasses, and wood notes, courtesy of the barrels from which it was aged twice. As one might imagine, vanilla adds a layer of sweetness, but it also smooths out the beer quite a bit, making it much more drinkable than other stouts.
Also, you can always start your New Year resolutions early this year if you don’t want to drink a high ABV stout at this year’s holiday party. If you choose not to drink as a lifestyle choice or temporarily abstain from alcohol, these non-alcoholic beers from Athletic Brewing Company won’t leave you feeling left out.
Not too long ago, the only available non-alcoholic beers on the market were seen as a sad afterthought of the big breweries. But today, non-alcoholic beer is experiencing an unprecedented boom on the craft side of the market.
“Non-alcoholic” and “craft beer” are two words we love to hear at the Mellow Mushroom, and the Athletic Brewing Co. is here to exhibit the full-bodied flavors from their staples like the Upside Dawn Pale Ale. This beer hits you with the aroma of toasted barley before coating the palate with light notes of floral and earthy hops, concluded by a clean, dry finish. Does any of this goodness sound familiar? I also have to shout out Round of Cheers, a Brut IPA with a celebration of flavors that makes it the ideal brew for celebrating. With fruity and woody aromas and a sweet, crisp finish, it’s full of flavor and ready to party. Pairing well with friends, clinking glasses, and generally good times, it is perfect for celebrating without all the bad stuff. Athletic Brewing Co. is experimenting and pushing boundaries and rules in the name of flavor.
Holiday beverages are a true delight to drink and put forth the best attributes of craft beer for your consumption. That is to say, they’re flavorful without being overpowering, perfectly appropriate for the season’s weather (in this case, cold and snowy), and guaranteed to please your palate in a way a more ordinary beer might not.
-by Maeve Black
