My latest article for The Bulletin, out this week, takes a look at Belgian styled bières de Noël, and Central Oregon’s very own version from Monkless Belgian Ales: Friar’s Festivus, a strong, dark ale for the rest of us.

Finally, there are the strong, spiced bières de Noël of Belgium. Similar to their English counterparts, Belgian brewers crafted special ales for the holidays as a “thank you” to their loyal customers. Unlike the English, Belgians have no compunction about flavoring their beers with anything and everything — sugars, fruits, herbs and spices. For the holidays, they brewed strong, flavorful ales infused with the gamut of holiday spices and more.

Bend’s own Belgian-inspired brewery, Monkless Belgian Ales, carries on this tradition with Friar’s Festivus, a Belgian-style dark strong ale (sometimes also called a quadruple) spiced with mace and cardamom.

Owner/head brewer Todd Clement shares a bit more of the making of the beer, and I’ve got my own tasting notes of course, so go read the full article. It’s an excellent beer to enjoy for the holidays, be it Christmas or Festivus (which is December 23).