Troegs’ Mad Elf
(11% ABV)
This delicious seasonal combines cherries, honey, and chocolate flavors to create a beer unlike anything you are likely to sample all winter. While considered a Belgian Strong Ale, this ruby red beer really benefits immensely from its fruity ingredient and is a most taste for Christmas time cheer.
The Brew Kettle’s Winter Warmer
(8.2% ABV)
Strongville’s TBK has released this seasonal ale brewed with cinnamon, honey, orange peel and fresh ginger and can be found at your local hip bottle store in an affordable six pack for the holiday season. This medium-bodied beer is sure to please fans of the local Christmas style brews.
Market Garden’s Festivus
(8% ABV)
Cleveland’s latest brewery brings their take on a Christmas ale with this nod to “Seinfeld” known as Festivus Ale. The beer is brewed with ginger, allspice, cinnamon and brown sugar and is a nice edition to the seasonal brews we have all grown to love.
Jolly Pumpkin’s Noel De Calabaza
(9% ABV)
Definitely the most unique of the bunch, this Jolly Pumpkin seasonal beer is bottle conditioned and aged in oak barrels to really draw out the sour and tarty goodness of this fantastic brew. While Jolly Pumpkin describes the beer as malty, layered hops, figs, raisins, sugar plums, cashews betwixt rum laden truffles – honestly, all you need to know is that it is one damn good beer.
Three Floyds’ Alpha Klaus
(7.5% ABV)
This Three Floyds’ offering is a Christmas Porter. Yeah, you heard that right – a Christmas Porter. Brewed with English chocolate malt and Mexican sugar, this hop filled porter is a rarity but is well worth a little looking around to seek it out.
