Today’s beer pick comes from the base of the Teton Mountains in eastern Idaho: Grand Teton Brewing’s Coming Home Holiday Ale 2011. This is the second vintage in Grand Teton’s annual Holiday Ale program—featuring a different cellar-able beer each year—and this 2011 edition is brewed in the style of a Belgian Tripel (the Brewery calls it a Golden Ale) that is 9% abv.

This Belgian-Style Golden Ale is rich in flavor and is designed to be a smooth and soothing sipping beer. Deep blonde in color, Coming Home 2011 uses rich malts balanced by a special Belgian yeast strain which adds notes of soft, peppery, clove-like spice character to the beer. Belgian candi sugar is used during the brewing process to give this ale a clean, easy drinking appeal. True to the Belgian tripel style, it carries deceivingly soft alcohol aromas. Don’t let the innocence fool you, this holiday ale is one to be respected. It will delight when shared with your favorite people during the holiday season and can also be cellared to warm you on any cold winter’s day. This beer should age gracefully and can be cellared for a year or more.

Each year’s edition features a different label, as well, and I have to say I rather love this year’s label featuring the vintage car being loaded up for the trip home for the holidays. Christmas in the mountains? It’s hard to beat that.

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