War of the Christmas Novelty Ales 2020

See previous wars here!

The year of living under a rock has been hard on everyone. Luckily, breweries have not disappointed us in the Christmas season and have provided some good ales to enjoy...or have they? Here's this year's contenders for the War of the Christmas Novelty Ales!

Hofbrau Winter Spezial (8.4% alcohol by volume) by Hofbrau Munchen--The description on the label is "A Hofbrau Brewery Specialty brewed with roasted Munich malt; therefore appearing dark brown up to black color. Large, persistent light brown head. Taste is intensely malty and toasty." The writing is not the most poetic but it is very honest. The color is very dark with caramel edges. The flavor does have a lot of malt (which I like much more than hops) and a bit of smoky, toasty flavor to it. There's a hint of nutmeg or cardamom, but not enough to make it into an over-flavored chai. This is an excellent, warm winter beer that I would have again in a heartbeat. 

Office Party (6.8% alcohol by volume) by Abita Brewing Company--According to the label, you can "Spice up your holiday mix and mingle with this 'best dressed' brew. Office party is a holiday stout brewed with oats, pale, caramel and chocolate malts, and is hopped with Williamette hops. Generous amounts of cocoa nibs, cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg are added to infuse the spirit of the holidays into this limited release." A very stout holiday stout with the taste of bitter chocolate (not even bittersweet) and some hint of spices hiding behind that (they may have been generous with the spices, but still the bitters win the day). This is definitely a drink that should be drunk on its own--it's the heartiest of dishes that would have a chance competing for the flavor here. 

Merry Monkey (10.0% alcohol by volume) by Victory Brewing Company--The label write-up says, "This Belgian-style Holiday Ale combines the beloved flavor profile of Golden Monkey with notes of cranberry, orange peel, cinnamon and nutmeg to deliver a delightfully smooth finish, perfect for merry gatherings with family and friends." I have never had Golden Monkey, so I don't know how this compares to that. I'm usually opposed to fruit flavors in beer (they pretty much never work). The cranberry is subtle enough to provide sweetness without turning this ale into a wine cooler. The spices are stronger but not overwhelming. It's a fun beverage that I would drink again but I'm not running out to buy it.

Snow Pants Oatmeal Stout (8.5% alcohol by volume) by Union Craft Brewing--The can claims, "It's eerily quiet in the city streets. There's only one thing left to do: bust out your SNOW PANTS! Snow Pants Oatmeal Stout is a full-bodied ale packed with flavor. This jet black beer warms the palate with the roasty, chocolate flavor of rich, dark malt complimented by gentle, creamy body from a hefty dose of oats. A generous addition of Cascade and Columbus hops provides balance and lends a bit of a piney character to this tasty winter brew."The flavor is very smoky and chalky, like burned chocolate. No "gentle, creamy body" was detectable by me. I normally like stouts but this one was too dry and bitter for my tastes.

Electric Reindeer (5.5% alcohol by volume) by Sun King Brewing--The pint can says, "Electric Reindeer is a brown ale brewed with ginger and molasses in celebration of Newfield's Winterlights." Curious about the reference to Newfield's, I discovered it is an art museum and gardens in Indianapolis, where Sun King Brewing is located. Newfield's even has a beer garden (my favorite type of garden, truth be told). But back to the beer. The molasses made this brown ale black! The flavor is really good. The ginger and molasses are well blended, giving a hint to the drinker of the flavor of a gingerbread man. The drink is smooth and drinkable with no aftertaste. I liked this a lot and would gladly drink it again.

Holiday Ale/Biere de Noel (7.3% alcohol by volume) by Two Roads Brewing Company--The can says, "Holiday Cheer from Two Roads!" Not much of a description, eh? The website has this description: "Two Roads Holiday Ale is inspired by the little known Biere de Noel style, a subset of Biere de Garde, both of which originated on small farmhouse breweries in the north of France. Biere de Noel, which translates as 'Christmas Beer,' tends to exhibit a more malty profile than a typical Biere de Garde." France isn't really known for its beers, so I guess that's why they left it off the can? I don't know Biere de Garde so I can't say how this is different. I does have a bit of a sweet and sour taste to it. The beer is just okay in my opinion.

This year's winner of the War of the Christmas Novelty Ales--Electric Reindeer!