Which comercial craft beer for christmas party

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mlyday

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My wife is in charge of picking the beer for their chrismas party. They are goin to have a keg of BMC and 3 other beers in bottles, she said I can pick one of the 3 bottled beers. It has to be something that would have more of a mass appeal than just to me. Maybe something along the lines of a bells oberon or something like that, but thats a bit out of season.

Any ideas. Im headed out to the party store later, to do some looking, but any help would be appreciated.
 
Im not a huge fan of the Blue moon winter abbey, but Sam Adams boston lager is the plan if I cant find something better. Not my favorite but a big step up from bmc.

The SA winter lager is pretty decent.

Were in michigan, so Im hoping I can find something from one of the michigan breweries.
 
Do you get Shiner Cheer up there? From my experience, most people enjoy it and its quite festive.
 
Ommegang Abbey Ale will be on my Thanksgiving table. I think Belgian dubbels match up well with a lot of the earthy roasty flavors of Thanksgiving. Good luck pleasing the crowd!
 
Do you get Shiner Cheer up there? From my experience, most people enjoy it and its quite festive.

Not sure Ive seen it, but we do have the shiner bock. Which I thought about being my selection. Its a decent beer and not to scary taste wise for the masses.
 
Don't know if you can get it where your at, but I vote for Troeg's Mad Elf. Cases go quick here and are usually out of stock by thanksgiving (I already have 2 in reserve for December :D).
 
My favorite beer is Great lakes eliot ness, but that might be too much flavor. Im also a big fan of our local brewery's (tri city brewing) lager. Its a Helles lager called Hell's half mile. That might be a little safer.
 
My favorite winter seasonal of all time is Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale. I've convinced friends that "don't like hoppy beer" that it's the best thing about winter after getting them to try it.
 
Never been a fan of Sam Adams....

I'd say just go with a simple Pale Ale like a Boulevard or Sierra Nevada. It's not a "Christmas Ale", but it's craft enough so the real beer lovers at the party will have something to appreciate, and even some BMC drinkers may dig it.

Personally, if I was planning a Christmas Party, I'd avoid true "Christmas Ales" due to the spices are so variant even true beer lovers may be turned off by some of them if it's a brand they just don't like.
 
Sierra Nevada Celebration. Sure it's hop heavy but the bottle will make it look like you tried to stick to the holiday theme and then you can just drink it all yourself. That's what I did last year!
 
Boulevards Nutcracker Ale is a mildly spiced, malty winter beer. I loved it even as a noob craft beer drinker, before i discovered hops.
 
Don't know if you can get it where your at, but I vote for Troeg's Mad Elf. Cases go quick here and are usually out of stock by thanksgiving (I already have 2 in reserve for December :D).

Got a 6er in the fridge right now...amazing. I'm not one for an overspiced beer so I would go with Old Man Ale by Southern Tier or Sam Smiths Winter Welcome Ale. Great beers that happen to be winter ales.
 
Yeah Im thinking we might stay away from the holiday ales. But im going to stop by the party store on the way home today and pick up a few sample of some holiday and a few other "safer" beers. keep the ideas comming.

Im I can find something that is mildly spiced that might work. last mont I had a harvest ale that was great, not too over spiced or over pumpkined. Maybe something down those lines.
 
Did my drink shopping last night and was thinking about this thread. Here's what I ended up with:

  • Troeg Mad Elf
  • Troeg Doppelbock
  • Ommegang Hennepin
  • Franziskaner Hefe-weisse (SWMBO picked this one out, but I think it works)
  • Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter

Most of the beer drinkers at our Thanksgiving get-together have learned to put up with my "crafty" ways, so I didn't hold back. If the audience were less captive, +1 on Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, can't go wrong there.
 
For my housewarming Sunday I'm serving Grolsch, so that I get the bottles.

If you don't need the swingtops, and you were thinking Oberon, I'd get Bell's Winter White Ale.
 
I was just about to tell you no way on the Bells winter white ale, but then I looked it up. I was thinking of Sam adams winter white, I had corriander and the SA White ales has way too much. Ill add this to my sample beers to try today.
 
I just kegged an Irish Red for our Christmas party. It's nothing too special, but the color is festive and it's more flavorful than BMC. I would agree that SA is a good middle of the road choice.
 
Its for her work party and its a manufacturing facility, from previous event most of the shop workers are BMC drinkers, I think the craft beer crowd will be a few of the front office people, but mostly me and the sales people. Maybe Ill bring a bottle coozie and bring myself something really good.
 
Bells 2 hearted - the gateway IPA

Founders - I have tasted few beers from this brewery I dislike.
 
Well Ive talked them into having a Holiday type beer there also, so I need help with that. They may not have access to some of the suggestions.

So far:

Mad elf
SN Celebration.
 
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