‘Tis the season for craft breweries to release Christmas beers for the holiday season.
These ales are often a little darker and stronger, making them perfectly suited for colder, darker days, and some incorporate spices or ingredients inviting holiday nostalgia.
Here is a roundup of Christmas beers 2020 where you’ll find festive beers and gifts for beer lovers. You’ll find out about the flavours, where you can buy them, and which BC Ale Trail it is part of.
Christmas Beers 2020
1. Winter CAMP – Camp Beer Co., Langley, 6% ABV
Winter CAMP is a ginger snap cookie-style ale that is perfect for the holiday season. Available at liquor stores and at Camp Beer Co. Found on the Fraser Valley Ale Trail.
Also look for Camp’s Barrel-Aged Flannel Pyjamas (10% ABV), a Wee Heavy Scottish Ale aged in Jack Daniels bourbon barrels.
The Hopsecco Brut Pale Ale – a collaboration with Old Abbey Ales – will be released in conjunction with Camp’s first anniversary on December 17.
2. Ginger Snap Brown Ale – Deep Cove Brewers & Distillers, North Vancouver (5.7% ABV)
The Ginger Snap Brown Ale boasts fresh ginger, molasses, cinnamon, and cloves evoke the holiday season in this smooth and creamy beer.
Available at liquor stores and at Deep Cove Brewers. Found on Vancouver’s North Shore Ale Trail.
3. Chai Hard – Dog Mountain Brewing, Port Alberni (5.1% ABV)
Chai Hard is a chai-spiced brown ale that pays homage to the Christmas-themed action movie, Die Hard, starring Bruce Willis.
This ale includes lactose that is reminiscent of a sweet, carbonated, cold chai latté.
Available at liquor stores and Dog Mountain Brewing. Found on the Vancouver Island Ale Trail Part 2.
4. Holiday Jam Cranberry Sour – Electric Bicycle Brewing, Vancouver (5% ABV | 12 IBU*)
Holiday Jam Cranberry Sour was brewed with cranberry purée. It is sold on its own or as part of a Holiday Mix Pack that includes a code to see a special video featuring a virtual brewery tour and tasting by Santa Claus and his elves.
Available at Electric Bicycle Brewing and through local delivery. Found on the Vancouver Ale Trail.
5. Cherry Me Home – New Tradition Brewing, Comox (5% ABV | 29 IBU)
Cherry Me Home is a medium-bodied stout inspired by Oma’s Black forest chocolate cake featuring dark chocolate, cherries, and Mandarina Bavaria hops.
Available at New Tradition Brewing and found on the Vancouver Island Ale Trail Part 2.
6. Wobbly Toboggan IPA – North Point Brewing, North Vancouver (9.5% ABV | 65 IBU)
Wobbly Toboggan IPA is abundantly hopped with Nelson Sauvin and Azacca, presenting notes of gooseberry, tropical fruit, spice and bitterness.
Available at North Point Brewing and found on Vancouver’s North Shore Ale Trail.
7. SPECTAACULOUS ‘Spice Cookie’ Stout – Parkside Brewery, Port Moody (7.2% ABV | 25 IBU)
SPECTAACULOUS ‘Spice Cookie’ Stout is inspired by the European speculaas spice cookie – also known as the Windmill Cookie – with warming flavours of brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and cardamom.
Available at liquor stores and Parkside Brewery and found on the Port Moody Ale Trail.
8. Silent Night – Sherwood Mountain Brewhouse, Terrace (7.25% ABV | 18 IBU)
Silent Night is a spiced Belgian ale created by owner Darryl Tucker and a visiting Belgian brewer back in 2014 before the brewery even opened.
Sherwood Mountain releases it every Christmas, and hopes to present it at a Winter Beer Festival in Belgium one day. Available at Sherwood Mountain and found on the Northern BC Ale Trail.
9. “A Great Big Sled” Gingerbread Scottish Ale – Silver Valley Brewing, Maple Ridge (5.5% ABV | 20 IBU)
“A Great Big Sled” Gingerbread Scottish features caramel, toffee and toasty biscuit flavours, along with a healthy dose of gingerbread spices.
Available at Silver Valley Brewing and found on the Maple Ridge Ale Trail.
10. Elf Juice – Mandarin Hazy IPA – Yellow Dog Brewing, Port Moody (7% ABV | 30 IBU)
The fifth annual holiday beer released in conjunction with CFOX Radio to support charity, this juicy IPA was brewed with a plethora of hops and a hint of mandarin orange to create a festive holiday hop potion.
Available at liquor stores and Yellow Dog Brewing and found on the Port Moody Ale Trail.
Gifts for Beer Lovers 2020
1. Gratitude Gift Pack – Hoyne Brewing, Victoria
Hoyne Brewing releases this special winter ale each December to say thanks to, well, everyone —read the poem written by Sean Hoyne that graces the beer’s label to see what we mean.
The gift pack includes two branded snifter glasses and one 650-ml bottle of Gratitude (9% ABV) in a stylish gift box.
Available at Hoyne Brewing and found on the Victoria Ale Trail.
2. 12 Beers of Christmas – LoveShack Libations, Qualicum Beach
This features 12 different LoveShack brews including two specially brewed for the holiday season: Vanilla Bourbon Stout (7.2% ABV) and Winter Wonder Ale (6.2% ABV).
Available at LoveShack Libations on Saturdays only. Check ahead for availability. Found on the Vancouver Island Ale Trail Part 2.
3. Krampus Bundle – Strange Fellows Brewing, Vancouver
This gift pack includes one 750-ml bottle of Krampus Abbey Dubbel (8.5% ABV), a gold Krampus glass, and a bonus gift card that can be redeemed for one glass of beer at the brewery.
Available at Strange Fellows Brewing and found on the Vancouver Ale Trail.
4. Gift Box – Whistle Buoy Brewing, Victoria
The box includes three 946ml crowlers of Whistle Buoy beer, a limited edition, branded Belgian-style stemmed glass, and a 473ml can of Espresso Stout that will match perfectly with a chocolate dessert following a holiday meal.
Available for pre-order through Whistle Buoy Brewing and found on the Victoria Ale Trail.