Beer and Cider for the Season

BY DAVID NUTTALL

The last quarter of the year

is always an exciting time for beer and cider releases. Not only is it the change of seasons, but so many religious and cultural festivals land at this time of year, and fall and harvest releases transition into their winter and holiday themed brethren.

In addition, this is when many producers offer their special and barrelaged editions. Finally, there are the advent calendars and gift packs (many containing unique glassware) which make great presents for beer lovers or yourself.

While life returns to somewhat normal after the past two holiday seasons, rife with restrictions and supply shortages, we are still not back exactly to the giddy days of 2019. The supply chain issues of the past couple of years still continue to some degree, and not all products are as available as they normally would be. Also, many producers put off special releases for at least this year since many require several months to a year of planning in order to acquire necessary ingredients, packaging, etc. and life was still in a quandary back in late 2021/early 2022.

The good news is that things are looking up, and pretty much everything that was available in 2021 will be around in 2022 (If you are looking for those items, check out Christmas Beer Gifts from Culinaire’s December 2021 issue). This article will fill you in on some new or returning beer and cider releases we haven’t mentioned in a while.

Advent Calendars

Craft Beer Advent Calendar - A tradition since 2012, each year offers a different selection of 24 beers. This year’s beers are “unique, handcrafted and never been available in the Canadian market before.” CSPC 879687, $160.

Winter/Holiday Theme Beers

Alley Kat Winter Cherry Dark Sour – a new beer from Edmonton’s oldest craft brewery. CSPC 877533, $18 6-pk cans.

Common Crown Olds Spice Winter

Lager – a collaboration with Olds College Brewery, this amber lager has cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, orange peel and ginger; perfect for holiday drinking. CSPC 87827, $17 4-pk cans.

Granville Island Lions Winter Ale

– a favourite for over 20 years. Full of vanilla, chocolate and caramel flavours. CSPC 837012, $15 6-pk cans.

XhAle Auntie Rene’s Christmas

Pudding Porter – returning for 2022 with a different name and recipe. The plums are gone, replaced by flavours of cinnamon and vanilla cookies. Partial proceeds donated to Alberta Cancer Foundation for Breast Cancer Awareness. CSPC 877427, $20 4-pk cans.

Howe Sound Father John’s Winter Ale

– another annual release, named after Howe Sound’s original brewer, this ale contains a mélange of spices and four different malts. CSPC 842156, $4 473 mL can.

Special Releases

Not necessarily holiday related, but ‘tis the season for limited releases.

Trial and Ale An Era Sturm Und

Drang – Edmonton’s home of mixed fermentation has created a bottle conditioned wild wheat ale with Austrian elderberries, a unique fruit for beer. CSPC 865961, $19 750 mL bottle.

Prairie Dog 2022 Midnight Combine

Barrel – Aged Belgian Dark Strong Ale – this annual release has been aging for at least three months in American oak barrels and inoculated with Brettanomyces yeast. Cellar it for years to bring out the flavours of burned sugar and chocolate. $18 750 mL bottle available at the brewery.

Blind Enthusiasm Buffalo Meadows

2022 – a dark lager fermented with Alberta honey and bee pollen, then aged for nine months in Buffalo Trace bourbon barrels. The Yukon Meadows versions (including peated) rested in Two Brewers (Yukon) Whisky barrels. All reflect the character of their barrels and check in at around 10 percent ABV to warm you up on cold winter nights. $12 each for a 375 mL bottle and available at the brewery and select liquor stores.

Erdinger Football Pack – This holiday season is also concurrent with the 2022 Soccer World Cup. This package has five classic Erdinger Weissebier plus a Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup beer glass. CSPC 766177, $15.

Chimay Grand Reserve Barrel Aged

Rum Edition – A special Grande Réserve aged in rum barrels and French and American oak. At 10.5 percent ABV, this 2021 edition will age well for a couple of years. CSPC 879697, $48 750 mL bottle.

Delirium Black Barrel Aged – The beer with pink elephants on the bottle has a special edition for 2022, matured in oak bourbon barrels for nine months and coming in at a warming 11.5 percent ABV. CSPC 877650, $48 750 mL bottle.

Flying Monkeys Chocolate Manifesto

Triple Chocolate Milk Stout – An annual seasonal from this Ontario brewery is a fountain for chocolate lovers, made with chocolate malt and three kinds of chocolate. CSPC 862296, $6 473 mL can.

Cider

Apples are a holiday tradition, found in desserts, sauces, stuffings, and, of course, cider. Try cold or heated. Sea Cider Sassamanash – Sassamanash is Algonquian for cranberry, which is blended with fermented apples to present a cider that is perfect for the holidays. CSPC 87949, $22 750 mL bottle.

Flatlander Winter Spice – A traditional apple cider infused with cinnamon and nutmeg. CSPC 836249, $20. Also available in their Winter Sampler. CSPC 839953.

Sunny Cider – has three new seasonal offerings. Cider Noir with Belgian candy syrup, Winter Solstice Mulled Cider (both in 473 mL cans), and Imperial Cider, a crab apple base with Demerara sugar and an ABV of 10-13 percent, in 750 mL bottles. Available at the cidery and in select liquor stores.

Happy Holidays!

David has worked in liquor since the late 1980s. He is a freelance writer, beer judge, speaker, and since 2014, has run Brew Ed monthly beer education classes in Calgary. Follow @abfbrewed.