I can’t say I’ve tried any thing from Big Sky Brewing before, but this Powder Hound Winter Ale is a really good beer. It tastes like a cross between a winter warmer and a porter with those wonderful winter ale flavors. It has a deep reddish brown color and decent head and smells oh so good. I picked this up at Bev Mo strictly because of the name (being a dog owner) and I have to say, it was a very good call. I even picked up a second sixer over Thanksgiving to share with the family.

Highly recommended. Might just make the top 10!

I have to say I was expecting more from Samuel Smith. While this beer was good, I can’t say it really stands out as a must try holiday beer. It has a nice color and smells of the typical English style ale. Even tastes like an average English ale; not that that is a bad thing, but I guess I was expecting more. It has a dry finish which I thought was kind of nice (different from most holiday beers I’ve tried).

Overall, it’s a good beer. If you’ve never tried it, give it shot. It’s worth trying at least once.

This is a pretty tasty seasonal brew. It pours a dark reddish color and is full of holiday spicy aroma. Tastes like a good mellow ale up front but leaves a nice after taste of spices, malt and I think I tasted a hint of apple (some kind of fruitiness). An all around enjoyable holiday ale.

I don’t often drink anything from Pyramid. Their most common beer (around these parts anyway) is their Hefeweizen which, I’m not a huge hef fan. They also have an IPA and a pale, but I don’t think I’ve tried those (or, if I have, it’s been so long I’ve forgotten). I think I might need to refamiliarize myself with this brewery.

Not for the faint of heart, this Belgium style dark ale is nothing short of a masterpiece. It comes in a corked & caged bottle with very little carbonation and pours on the thick side with a dark, murky nut brown color (the perfect winter color). It smells of a traditional Belgium tripel with hints of holiday spices. If you like Belgium ales and aren’t afraid of strong dark ales, this is a definite must have for the holidays. It has that wonderful Belgium flavor with nice malty spicy after taste. It leaves a wonderful bouquet of flavors from the time it hits your tongue to the last mouthful.

When I spied this beauty on the shelves of Whole Foods, I had to have it. My first experience with St. Bernardus was at the Tapas bar in Whole Foods with the St. Bernardus Tripel and a cheese plate. It’s not a cheap beer (about $12 for a 750ml bottle), but it’s worth every penny! This is definitely going in the top 5 this year. Highly recommended.