War of the Christmas Novelty Ales 2019

Here are this year's combatants in the war of the Christmas novelty ales (see previous wars here)!

• Samuel Adams White Christmas (5.8% alcohol by volume)--This "white ale with spice" is described on the bottle: "White Christmas' crisp wheat character combines with orange peel and warming holiday spices cinnamon and nutmeg, for a flavorful and refreshing ale that's perfect for the season." It doesn't taste like a wheat beer, though it certainly looks like one. The spices (nutmeg and cinnamon) are there but not overpowering or spoiling of the flavor. The beer taste is still present. The blend is good and it gets the seasonal flavor just right. This was a delightful surprise for me. It's not a great beer but is very drinkable and festively flavored.

• Brooklyn Winter Lager by The Brooklyn Brewery (5.6% alcohol by volume)--According to the web site description, "Brooklyn Winter Lager is our answer to the heavy ales and stouts that emerge in wintertime. Though dark in color with a sturdy presence, our Schwarzbier-inspired lager layers notes of chocolate, roasted barley, and dark bread into a 5.6% ABV frame that finishes surprisingly light and pleasantly dry. Winter means different things depending where you live, but Brooklyn Winter Lager is ready for any chill." It does have both the lager flavor and some roasty notes in its taste. The darkness of the beer (they definitely put the Schwarz in their Schwarzbier) does not really fit with the lager flavor. This beer is a bit disappointing. I'd rather have one of those heavy ales and stouts, please!

• Family Drama Imperial Pilsner and Holiday Tradition by Flying Dog (8.4% alcohol by volume)--The label on this beer has a Mad Lib: "Aunt ______(name) shows pictures of her ______(adjective) cats. Uncle ______(name) singing songs about his ______(adjective) divorce. Cousin ______(name) bragging about ______(noun). And you can't leave. It's another Christmas ______(noun) for the whole family. So, come on. One more. It's a celebration." As you might guess from the name "Imperial Pilsner," this beer has something of an identity crisis. The beefy amount of alcohol is paired with a barely-there amount of flavor. It has a tiny bit of sourness or tartness, so maybe if you pair it with a sweet dessert or snack it would be okay. By itself, it's just an alcohol delivery beverage. I still haven't found a Flying Dog beer I like, but I keep trying. You can't give up hope.

• Santa's Cookies Imperial Oatmeal Stout by Champion Brewing Company (8.0% alcohol by volume)--The advice from the label is "Give Santa what he really wants this year. Our Imperial Oatmeal Stout is made with real ginger and cardamom for a relaxing holiday treat." The spices are very distinctive. I'm afraid this is one of those Christmas beers that lays on the seasonal spices a little too hard. I wish there was some oatmeal or sugar cookie flavor. The cookies we leave out for Santa...well, I know how good they taste. Someone should make a brew that tastes like those. Maybe someday I will learn to make my own. This beer's awesome name doesn't fit with what's inside the can.

• Tidings by Port City Brewing Company (8.5% alcohol by volume)--The label says "Tidings Ale is a strong, spicy Belgian-style blonde ale brewed with local wildflower honey and Virginia-grown wheat. These local ingredients store away the essence of summer to warm you during the cold winter months. Gently spiced with coriander, cardamom, fresh ginger, and Grains of Paradise, Tidings balances complexity with drinkability." The brew is very blonde, definitely looking like a fine summer day. The smell is a little weird and off-putting but the flavor is nice. The spices are gentle and taste quite natural after the first two mouthfuls. My initial reaction was, "Oh no, another dud!" but the flavor grew on me quickly. The classic Belgian blonde doesn't need any spices but this is a nice variation on a favorite. I found Tidings a tasty beer, even though all its Christmas is in the name and the label. 

• Accumulation by New Belgium Brewing (6.2% alcohol by volume)--The label tells the drinker, "Flurries of Mosaic and Amarillo hops bring soft fruit and citrus flavor, followed by a layer of bitter in our seasonally suited White IPA." I was trepidatious coming to this since I am the only beer lover who doesn't like IPAs. This beer has the classic grapefruit sourness that I dislike about India Pale Ales. The fruit and citrus flavor is not soft at all! In addition to the IPA problem, the beer also has no seasonal flavor or notes, other than the name and the label. Like a stocking full of coal, this beer was a bummer. Sad.

• Holiday Cookies Porter by Red Shedman Farm Brewery & Hop Yard (5.7% alcohol by volume)--The label states, "Our unique holiday porter that has as much chocolate, ginger, spices and cheer as we could fit in a can. Just in time, too!" The dark porter look and taste is already a favorite of mine, though this beer ends with a tad more bitterness than I would like. The holiday spices are balanced very well, making the drink flavorful without turning it into a lick of an all-spice jar. The chocolate is subtle in the best possible way. The chocolate flavor sits in the background enhancing the other flavors in the foreground. This is so much better than Santa's Cookies even if it isn't quite the cookie-plate beer that I was hoping for.

For this year's War of the Christmas Novelty Ales, the winner is Holiday Cookies Porter. The dark, roasty flavor is spiced just right. It's a biblical case of the last being first. Have a merry Christmas!