Seasonal Beer Brings Plenty of Holiday Cheer

Pope Paul VI once said that he thought of Christmas as “the great encounter, the historical encounter, the decisive encounter, between God and mankind.” Benjamin Franklin once said that he thought of beer as “proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” And yet the intersection point of Christmas and beer is not always a place of divine grace.

Many brewing companies release special seasonal ales and lagers to mark the winter holidays, and Morningside Heights grocery stores have been selling these Yuletide blends since early November. An entirely unscientific taste test among a small group of Columbian beer enthusiasts recently revealed that while some of these Christmas brews are ambrosial, others are merely forgivable. Here, from best to worst, are the contenders:

Harpoon Winter Warmer ($9.99 for six at Westside Market): The Winter Warmer bottle’s merry green-and-red-checkered label is sure to please those who like all things explicitly Christmassy. The beer itself isn’t exactly subtle, either, in its evocation of the warm, spiced flavors of late December. However, hints of cinnamon and nutmeg don’t overwhelm the balance of this medium-bodied copper ale, which is mild enough for beer novices but by no means too sweet for brew connoisseurs.

Delirium Noël ($6.49 per bottle at Westside Market): The Belgian brewery that makes acclaimed pale ale Delirium Tremens has wrapped its Christmas present to beer drinkers in a creamy opaque bottle gilded with red foil. The gift within is no less opulent—this ale is smooth and creamy, with notes of cream soda. Delirium Noël tastes, in the best possible way, like the love child of eggnog and champagne, and is the perfect choice for the rare student who sees nothing wrong with spending $7 on a single-serving bottle of beer at the supermarket.

Blue Point Brewing Company Winter Ale ($2.49 per bottle at Morton Williams): Though not as redolent of cinnamon as the Harpoon Winter Warmer, Blue Point’s seasonal amber ale is subtly spicy and certainly winter-appropriate. Dense but not too heavy, this winter ale offsets potential bitterness with a healthy dose of malt.

Brooklyn Winter Ale ($12.89 for six at Westside Market): The New York metropolitan area’s local brewery has gotten in on the holiday action, too, and this heavy Scottish-style ale is a fair competitor with a body much like that of the Blue Points Winter Ale. Smooth, not too hoppy, and slightly smoky, Brooklyn Winter Ale is similar in flavor to the Brooklyn Brewery’s year-round favorite Brown Ale.

Samuel Adams Winter Lager ($11.39 for six at Morton Williams): Many tasters found Sam Adams’ Winter Lager to be thin in flavor and lacking in carbonation, despite its deep brown color and cherry overtones.

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale ($11.99 for six at Morton Williams): This robust India Pale Ale-style beer boasts a discernible grapefruit flavor, which, as one taster noted, seems more appropriate for the tropics than for a winter wonderland. Some tasters found Sierra Nevada’s offering unpleasantly bitter, but if you like your suds intensely hopped, this one’s for you.