The best winter beers for the cold season

The holiday season and winter weather are upon us. If you are a beer lover, now is the time to think about something more adapted to the falling temperatures. Maybe something that warms you from the inside out. Belgian brewers have a long tradition of producing stronger, darker and sweeter beers for drinking during the cold winter months. They are also often flavored with spices and other seasonal ingredients such as ginger and cinnamon.

Fremont Brewing Bourbon Abominable Winter Beer and winter ales

Two for the price of one brewery! The Bonfire Ale warms your belly with a dark, mild hop recipe, while the Winter Ale (formerly known as Abominable Ale), a barrel-aged version of the brewery's Winter Ale, is bold and rich, complemented by caramel and vanilla notes. Fremont is a Northwest treasure

Deschutes Jubelale

A deep, dark winter beer with cheerful notes of toffee, cocoa and dried fruit, this seasonal beer will delight craft beer fans and their unsuspecting families alike. Perfect for placing at a large dining table for your large family.

Sierra Nevada Celebration

This brewery in Chico, California does things a little differently during the winter season. Their Christmas beer, first brewed in 1981 (anything from the '80s is good, right?), is a hop blend with citrus and pine aromas, derived from the bright West Coast hops the brewery is known for.

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Anchor Brewing Christmas beer

Anchor's Christmas Ale is spicy with a nice malt note. Anchor is known for capturing the mood, and this beer is good for those 4pm sunsets.

Sleighman

One of the Pacific Northwest's most popular holiday beers, this brewery (named after the Sumerian beer goddess) produces a hoppy winter beer that pairs well with duck and candied yams. As you sip it, you can practically hear Santa's bells ringing.

Athletic Brewing Co. Lodge Life Non-Alcoholic Ale

A stout-inspired campfire brew made with cinnamon, vanilla, and cacao nibs. It has a smoky malt undertone and a slight hint of custom that makes it deliciously decadent yet easy to drink. With its roasted aromas and a full-bodied pour, it is reminiscent of nights by the fire with hearty beers in hand.

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Sam Adams Holiday White Ale

This is perfect if you want to feel some classic Christmas spirit. It's crisp and zesty, with festive flavors like cinnamon, nutmeg and a touch of orange peel.

Maui Coconut Hiwa Porter

Nothing says the holidays like a beer brewed in Hawaii. For some, the holidays mean traveling to warm-weather destinations. For others, it simply means drinking beer from them. And Maui Brewing's dark porter uses the ingredient the island is perhaps most famous for: coconuts! So replace the open fire roasted chestnuts with the gift of the island's flowering palm trees.

Mele Kalikimake with the best ales to ring in the cold weather and the holidays!