Le Baladin Noel, from Italy’s Birreria Baladin, is brewed in the tradition of an ancient winter warmer. A strong complex beer that will keep you warm during the cold months of winter and accompany any festivities.
Le Baladin Noel’s is an ale with an incredible complexity of aromas: flowery of rose, hint of dried fruits, caramel tasting, banana, cherry, plum, toffee, cocoa, licorice and peppery notes. Excellent with black chocolate, a glass of Nöel is perfect for a special night.
Otter Creek Winter Ale became available in November and will continue to be around through January. The new special release is a smooth brown ale, with a touch of raspberry. Rich and toasty with a warming body and light hops, this will be a malty and perfectly fruited beer- very appealing and comforting. Just right for wintertime.
Christmas may be over, but Winter’s just beginning. Many breweries make a special beer that’s not just for Christmas, not just for the holiday season, but for the winter months. One brewery that makes not, but two, winter beers is England’s famous Fuller’s brand, from the Griffin Brewery in Chiswick, West London. The first is Fuller’s Old Winter Ale.
Fuller’s Old Winter Ale is a rich warming winter ale brewed to 4.8% ABV using only the finest quality malt and hops. The Crystal malts in the brew give a sweet, nutty character, while the Target, Challenger and Northdown hop varieties, help balance this strong, satisfying dark beer.
The second beer, Fuller’s Jack Frost is brewed with Crystal malt and a dash of blackberries, and delivers a fruity, robust yet refreshing flavor that lingers long on the palate.
In Belgium’s small town of Ghent, the Huyghe Brewery has been seeing pink elephants for many years now. On December 26th 1989, the famous “Delirium Tremens” was born. The particular character and the unique taste of “Delirium Tremens” result from the use of three different kinds of yeast. Its very original packing, which resembles cologne ceramics, and the colourful label contribute to its success. The label depicts the different phases of the production of “Delirium Tremens” the “Pink Elephant” was up and ready to conquer the world. But then they released the Christmas version of their beer, Delirium Noel.
When the seasons’ spectrums have changed from a vivid rainbow of flora, fauna and fair weather to a monochrome blanket of snow, slush and frigid temperatures, so must one’s beer. A spicy, crimson brew that completes the Delirium Trilogy (including Tremens and Nocturnum), Delirium Noel will bring color and zest back to the cold winter months and to your cheeks.
With its combination of an invigoratingly sharp and peppery character, stirring bitterness and that rare, crisp winter freshness of flavor, your inevitable fondness for the subtle, yet familiar nuances of piquant Delirium Noel will last through the seasons! Be sure to make plans to stay in when you pour out this memorable holiday beer, as its stout 10% alcohol content should keep you from going out in the cold more so than any blizzard ever could!
There are several different label of Delirium Noel, and all of them feature the famous pink elephant and most also with Santa Claus.
This is my personal favorite, with pink elephants pulling Santa’s sleigh. Can you image their hooves setting down on the roof?