One of things I really enjoy about the Advent Beer Calendar is finding and highlighting beers from breweries that you might not have otherwise heard of—and today’s selection is one of those. Glacier Brewhouse in Anchorage, Alaska, brews Cherry XXXMas, a big Christmas Doppelbock infused with fruit (besides cherries, they also brew a raspberry and blueberry version). Here is their somewhat brief note about the beer:

Santa’s Little Helper – a high gravity triple bock finished with a second pitching of ale yeast and cherries. Crisp lager notes blended with big cherry flavor. Served in a snifter. 10.5% alcohol by volume.

Of course, the fact that Glacier is a brewpub that doesn’t bottle their beer means you’ll have to travel to Anchorage to drink this beer. I won’t speak to the pros and cons of visiting Alaska around Christmastime—it sounds like it could be the basis for a travel-during-the-holidays movie comedy—but a cherry Doppelbock would be a Christmas treat worth seeking out.

BeerAdvocate: A. RateBeer: 3.9/5.