The holidays are intended to incite love, merriment and cheer. But with celebrations of Baby Jesus’ birth beginning months in advance, Peaks and Pints understands that the season’s overextension can instead provoke something else entirely — such as aggravation and a general sense of dread. Of course, this in turn triggers guilt — and by the time one resolves to just be happy, for cripes sake, Christmas is over. That is why Peaks and Pints presents a Craft Beer Crosscut 1.18.17: A flight of holiday craft beers. …
Midnight Sun T.R.E.A.T. Imperial Chocolate Pumpkin Porter
7.8% ABV, 30 IBUs
Midnight Sun‘s T.R.E.A.T. Imperial Chocolate Pumpkin Porter warms on a cold, South Sound night. Brewed with pumpkin and roast-y cocoa nibs, T.R.E.A.T., which stands for “The Royal Eccentric Ale Treatment,” is a pumpernickel porter with dark chocolate and hints of pie spices — cloves mostly we think. Nicely sweet with perhaps a touch of the dark fruits in the nose — black currant jam. Bready and rich, creamy smooth, without any harsh roast of some porters.
Anchor Christmas Ale
6.5% ABV
Anchor Brewing Co. in San Francisco brews a slightly different Happy New Year/Christmas Ale (a.k.a. Our Special Ale) every winter. It’s dark brown in color, full-bodied, and this year’s batch pushes burnt caramel and a bit of marshmallow on taste. They’ve released a holiday beer every year since 1975, making Anchor one of the great-granddaddies of the craft-brewing scene.
Puyallup River Brewing Imperial Christmas Cream Ale
8.5% ABV
Think spiced Christmas cookie in a glass. Puyallup River Brewing Co. sprinkled Christmas magic on its gold medal winning Cream Ale leaving Santa a smooth cinnamon and ginger sipper with bready grain, some yeast and a touch of floral hops shining through. Though it’s spiced heavy, and on the higher ABV level, it’s smooth and approachable.
Maritime Pacific Jolly Roger Christmas Ale
9% ABV, 50 IBUs
George and Jane Hancock founded the ma-and-pa Maritime Pacific Brewing Company in an old transmission shop in 1990 in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood. In 1997 they opened the Jolly Roger Taproom named, as they say, “in honor of our most popular holiday brew”: Jolly Roger Christmas Ale. A beer fridge staple, Jolly Roger English Strong Ale combines rich malt character with a blend of fresh Northwest Chinook and Cascade hops.
Port Brewing Santa’s Little Helper
10.5% ABV, 70 IBUs
Port Brewing‘s “winter warmer” appeals to those who just want a dark, strong Russian imperial stout without barrel-aging or added spices or fruit. This is one seriously naughty but nice beer. Flavors of heavily roasted grain, espresso, molasses, roasted malt and light bourbon make this beer the real deal.
