Christmas Beer All Year Round!

Christmas beer isn’t just for Winter! My new pal, The Beer Babe, sent me a photo of a sign she drove past that reads: “365 Days of Christmas Ale.” Love it!

I drink Christmas beer any time of year. But with these hot days I’ve been enjoying Saison and hopped-up IPAs this Summer.

Check out Carla Jean Lauter’s fascinating blog, The Beer Babe. She writes from the other Portland – Portland, Maine. Wait. Maybe the Maine Portland is the main Portland and not the Oregon Portland. Too confusing. Let’s have Portland beer tasting to decide.

Christmas Beer Advent Calendars

And How To Make Your Own

Christmas Beer Advent calendars are helping craft beer lovers to count down to Christmas. This year there are several Advent calendars pre-loaded with Christmas and winter brews. I’ll share a few. If you can’t find one, you can make your own. I’ll show you how.

Advent is the season that begins four Sundays prior to Christmas, some time between November 27th and December 3rd. Most Advent calendars

A Beer So Rare It’s $1,500 A Bottle: Hair of the Dog’s “Dave”

In 1994, brewmaster Alan Sprints of Hair of the Dog Brewery in Portland, Oregon set out to create a beer like none other. That beer was named Dave and clocked in at a whopping 29% ABV. It sold for an outrageous $80 for a 12 oz bottle back then. At my recent visit to Hair of the Dog, I saw Dave on the menu for $1,500 a bottle, to be consumed only in the tasting room.

What’s the big deal with Dave? Dave is a unique type of

Hop Valley Brewing Festeroo Review

For an Oregon take on English-style old ale try Hop Valley Brewing’s Festeroo Winter Ale.

Festeroo pours dark brown with a white bubbly head that dissipates quickly. Sweet, dark roasted malt aroma with toffee and caramel notes strike your nose. Tasting this winter ale, it’s malt forward with toffee, dark fruits followed by cherry tangy hop bitterness. The hops cut any malt sweetness you

Guide to 15 Christmas Beers for 2014

“What’s the best Christmas beer?” I hear this question a lot from readers.

With so many Christmas beers on the market and more pouring in each season, craft beer lovers do not want to miss the best Christmas beer.

The good news is there are many great Christmas beers!

I created a list of 15 of my favorite Christmas Beers in a resource guide. It’s called 15 Christmas Beers for 2014. Each beer is unique and special in it’s own way. Here are a few examples: