When I hear "Gift of the Magi," I think of the O. Henry story rather than the Three Kings that inspired this Lost Abbey beer. However, this beer sounds awesome (in true Lost Abbey fashion): It seems that everyone knows the story of the Three Kings. Sent to follow the star in the sky each brought a gift for the baby they sought. One King brought Gold, the other Frankincense and the other Myrrh. Many … Continue reading →

In honor of the snow that’s (lightly) falling here in Central Oregon today, I’ve picked Pyramid Snow Cap for today’s beer. This is a Northwest classic, first brewed in 1986, a Winter Warmer in the English tradition. Expect a spicy, hoppy, fruity-ish 7% alcohol warming brew. And I can’t think of a better endorsement for Snow Cap than what Jay at Hedonist Beer Jive writes here: Nowadays no one seems to give PYRAMID any respect … Continue reading →

Each year on the Advent Calendar so far I’ve selected Samichlaus, and this year’s selection has a bit of a twist: Samichlaus Helles ("Samichlaus Light") from Schloss Eggenberg. I was clued in to this from this post on Joe Sixpack’s blog, wherein he writes: …this “lighter” version of the classic Santa Claus beer was made especially for the American market. “I don’t want to cannibalize Samichlaus in other countries,” Stohr writes. “America is the best … Continue reading →

I wanted to include at least one German beer on the list this year, so today I’m going with the elusive Weihnacts Engel, from Crailsheimer Engel-Bräu. I say "elusive" because although this appears to be their flagship beer, it’s not listed on BeerAdvocate and RateBeer only has 19 reviews online. "Weihnachts Engel" loosely translated means "Christmas Angel" in English. This beer is an Oktoberfest style of lager, at 5.5% alcohol—not a heavyweight but a nice … Continue reading →

Today’s pick is Bocq Christmas, from Belgium’s Brasserie du Bocq. It’s a strong, spicy Belgian Dubbel (or Strong Ale, depending on which review site specs you follow) at 8.1% alcohol. Details from their site are a little skimpy, but here’s what they say: Appearance : dark colour, clear, fine and generous white head. Flair : rich with a scent of coriander and liquorice. Taste : full mouthed, heady, pleasant aroma of the typical special malts. … Continue reading →