Winter Lager/Holiday/Christmas Beer Poll

I am curious to find out what are some peoples favorite seasonal beers? Who has the best and even who has the worst out there.

I am totally disappointed with Sam Adams Winter Lager this year. In past years it's been a great beer. This year's version taste like it isn't even related to previous year's versions.

On the other hand, I really like this year's versions of Sweetwater Festive Ale and Anchor Our Special Ale. Both are great.

Two of my favorites are Sam Adams' Old Fezziwig (how I wish I didn't have to buy the entire sampler for a mere two bottles of it) and Lakefront's Holiday Spice Lager.

I am disaappointed by Anchor Steam Christmas and Dundee's Seasonal.

I am not sure if I am local, but I actually really like Sam Adam's Winter Lager. I also really look forward to Sierra Nevada's Celebration Ale. I think my favorite is from Wachusett Brewery (local in New England) for their Winter. It is a heavy scotch ale and one of the best I have tried.

Gotta go with the Great Lakes Brewing Christmas Ale! Cherrished among all Clevelanders! By the way, why don't you throw up a poll??

Sierra Nevada Celebration is wonderful.

Sam Adams Holiday Porter and Old Fezziwig are very good.

Wachusett Brewery Winter Ale is not that bad. Had a couple this past weekend and was impressed with it.

I am also really enjoying Sam Adam's Winter Lager this year. Actually, this thread came up first in Google when I started searching for a clone recipe...

I also enjoy SN celebration ale, Old Fezziwig, and the Holiday porter.

I got a 6er of the Anchor christmas ale and I didn't care for it at all

I think I might finally get to try the legend that is Great Lakes Christmas ale, my buddy always gets some but I never see to snag a bottle

I've enjoyed Widmer's Snow Plow (a milk stout), but it's not being bottled this year.

I'm waiting for Thanksgiving to really get into this year's releases, though I did have a Deschutes Jubelale on its release day. Yummy.

Another fan of Celebration.
I also liked SA Winter Lager.

I had another single last year of something good, but can't remember what it was. I should start taking notes...

Hegh said:

I am also really enjoying Sam Adam's Winter Lager this year. Actually, this thread came up first in Google when I started searching for a clone recipe...

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Did you find one? There's one here but I think it is 2 years old and it sounds like the recipe changed this year. I was thinking about trying it as my first all grain batch.

Funny, I am from Boston and have never really been a fan of the Sam Winter.
Maybe I will have to try it on tap next time I am out. I am going to pick up a Sam Holiday 12 pack tomorrow for the Pats game so I will also try it then.

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale above the rest. I keep coming back for more (and I'm going to be brewing two slightly different 5.5 gallon recipes of it).

Great Lakes Christmas and Rogue Santas Private Reserve are both good. SN Christmas just tasted like a normal IPA to me.

Winter Solstice is one of my favorites

dizave said:

Did you find one? There's one here but I think it is 2 years old and it sounds like the recipe changed this year. I was thinking about trying it as my first all grain batch.

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I ended up taking this recipe for a SA Winter Lager clone and using it as inspiration for this, which I brewed today. We'll see how it comes out, but I'm hopeful.

I picked up a sixer of the SN Celebration Ale... It's certainly a delicious beer, I've only had one and I looked forward to drinking the rest. I had a bottle of SA Winter Ale last night with dinner at Bonefish, and it was good but didn't blow my socks off....

However, the one beer I've recently had that DID blow my socks off was the Flying Dog winter seasonal... I'm not sure what it's called, but holy crapola that was a delicious beer. A restaurant I went to in Baltimore had it on tap, I haven't been able to find it in bottles anywhere, but then again I haven't looked to hard either. I think a trip to the local Total Beverage store is in order tomorrow

I just drank a new Belgium 2 Below winter seasonal and it is pretty true to the taste of new belgium and wasn't as bad as a lot of the winter beer's I've had. B/B+

+ 1 for the Great Lakes Christmas ale.

I was actually a little disappointed with the SN celebration. I expected more from them and this is really just another pale ale.

Great Lakes Christmas and/or Sammy's Old Fezzywigs.

bullinachinashop said:

+ 1 for the Great Lakes Christmas ale.

I was actually a little disappointed with the SN celebration. I expected more from them and this is really just another pale ale.

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I'd have to disagree, the malt characteristics with the hops they used are aesthetic to me and my taste buds. One of the best malt after taste I've ever had. I like it because it is a good beer in general, yet as a seasonal, it is set apart from most winter beers. It's a interesting hybrid, and that's why I love it. There needs to be one winter seasonal out there for hop heads!

Sweet Water Festive Ale, and Highland Cold Mountain Ale

my 2 favorites every year

A little late coming in on this, but Mt. Carmel Winter Ale is super good.