Hanukkah Sameach! Hanukkah begins today at sundown, and each year for the holiday I try to select a Hanukkah-themed beer to commemorate the Festival of Lights. This year, New York’s Shmaltz Brewing introduced its new Hanukkah Beer, featuring a new recipe for a Golden Jelly Doughnut Pastry Ale, which is our Advent pick for the day.

Here’s a description from the press release that digs into details:

A long way from the first 100 cases brewed in 1996 and delivered in a Grandmother’s Volvo – Hanukkah Beer is all new for 2020! 8 malts, 8 hops, 8% abv of course – Shmaltz cooked up bright shiny gift of its new Golden Jelly Doughnut Pastry Ale brewed with 600 pounds per batch of real purees of Raspberry & Cherry with a generous slathering of pure vanilla. A glorious tribute to the beloved Sufganiyot, dating back to the 1500s, the official chosen beer of this holiday season will be available in 12oz Can 4-Packs and limited draft.

Jelly-filled doughnuts called sufganiyot are a traditional Hanukkah food, deep fried in oil, filled with jam or custard, and sprinkled with powdered sugar. I imagine sufganiyot would pair quite well with this year’s Hanukkah Beer. If you observe the holiday then I hope you have a wonderful celebration this year and you get to raise a glass of this Golden Jelly Doughnut ale.

L’chaim!

Find Shmaltz Brewing Hanukkah Beer on:

• Untappd
• BeerAdvocate
• RateBeer
• Facebook

Image credits: Top image, Facebook; other, website