Asheville, North Carolina is a bright star on the craft beer scene that’s been growing brighter in recent years, so much so that Charlie Papazian’s annual “Beer City USA” poll routinely sees Asheville ranked among the best beer cities in the country, not to mention the fact that both Sierra Nevada and New Belgium Brewing are planning major expansions there. So it’s only fitting that at least one Asheville beer is selected for the Advent calendar!

Highland Brewing is Asheville’s “first legal brewery,” rolling out its first kegs in 1994, so today’s pick is Highland’s Cold Mountain Winter Ale, a 5.2% abv Winter Warmer that you can find in both 12-ounce and special 1-liter fliptop bottles.

Our spiced winter seasonal complements all your holiday festivities. It is typically malty in body, lightly hopped, and rounded out with a delicious mix of spices that vary from year to year as we search for the best vanilla, hazelnut and other flavors.

This beer brings to mind spending Christmas in the Blue Ridge mountains, tucked into a log cabin with a roaring fire while snow falls on the fir trees outside—old-fashioned and tremendously appealing.

Untappd. Facebook. BeerAdvocate: 90/100. RateBeer: 3.55/5, 95th percentile.