Zack's Top 5 Winter Beers

The date is October 26th and I would like to share everyone a list of my favorite... Christmas Beers! Yes, Christmas beers have landed and we haven't even hit Halloween yet! So, please join me in looking forward to snow covered trees, hot cocoa by the fire and black ice on the roads as I count down my Top 5 favorite Christmas and Winter Beers.

5. Sam Smith Winter Welcome. What a perfect way to begin this list. This beer is probably the first winter beer I have ever had and it is the one seasonal that I have continued to love every year. So why is it only number 5? While I love this beer and all of the Winter Warmer spices that you would come to expect from a Winter Seasonal: malt, caramel and allspice, this particular beer has a large amount of carbonation which doesn't really warm me up and give me that cozy "Winter" feeling. Still a fantastic choice from one of the greatest breweries in the world! Beer Advocate Score: 83

4. Troegs Mad Elf. This is probably one of the most popular seasonal beer... PERIOD. People wait all year for this one to come out and while it is a fantastic choice, its only number 4 to me. Mad Elf is a perfect combination of Cherries, Honey, and Chocolate Malts paired with spices like nutmeg and cinnamon. This is a definite beer to sip on a cold winter night by the fireplace. Beer Advocate Score: 87

3. Great Divide Hibernation. Every year this beer gets better and better! This English-style Old Ale is Colorado’s original strong ale and has been Great Divide’s winter seasonal each year since 1995. Hibernation’s massive flavors are so intense that it requires over three months of aging each year. This lengthy aging process gives Hibernation its malty richness, complex hop profile and hearty warming character, which is perfect right out of the bottle or cellared for longer periods of time. Beer Advocate Score: 90

2. Fegley's Rude Elf. Fegley's Brew Works is one of my favorite breweries. They absolutely never disappoint and this brew is no exception. Rude Elf is a Belgian style ale brewed with cinnamon, nutmeg, sweet gale, cloves, coriander and allspice. There is a subtle sweetness that hides the massive 10.5% abv. It's definitely a beer that will warm you up on a frigid winter's eve! Beer Advocate Score: 83

1. Goose Island Christmas Ale. This year is the first time I have ever had this amazing brew. When Goose Island first hit Jersey I was extremely excited! I have heard amazing things about their seasonals. When I tried last season's offering, "Harvest Ale" was my favorite of the fall season. When I saw the Christmas Ale I was absolutely intrigued. Needless to say, I was not disappointed. Specialty Belgian malts create a deep garnet color and a truly rich old European flavor. The generous amount of crystal hops adds that extra spicy aroma to your pint, perfect for the season. Goose Island's Christmas Ale is a two-time Gold Medal Winner in the World Beer Championships. Beer Advocate Score: 86

Do you have a different top 5? Please stop into the Woodbridge location and tell me your top 5. Tis the season for sharing! I would like to wish everyone a happy holiday season on behalf of the entire staff here at Joe Canal's!