Today’s Beer Advent Calendar pick comes to us from one of my favorite Oregon breweries, both for the beers and for their incredible location: Pelican Pub & Brewery. Each winter they brew a moderate-strength Cascadian Dark Ale for the holidays: Bad Santa.

You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, the brewers at Pelican are telling you why: Bad Santa has arrived! This mysterious dark elixir is filled with complex malt flavors and aromas with toasted malt and roast character, blending seamlessly to the alluring herbal hop aroma that comes from copious amounts of Fuggle hops. Bad Santa doesn’t care if you’ve been naughty or nice, he wants this beer on your list.

It’s more often the American citrusy “C”-type hops that put the “Cascade” in “Cascadian Dark Ale” so it’s interesting that Pelican opts to primarily use Fuggle hops instead. That Bad Santa—being contrarian of course!

You might expect to receive a lump of coal in your stocking, but this coal-colored Bad Santa would be a much better stocking stuffer!

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