Few sweet treats go with the holidays as well as gingerbread, so it’s always a treat to find an accompanying gingerbread-inspired beer to enjoy as well. Today’s Advent pick accordingly comes from Sidney, Montana, and Meadowlark Brewing: their Snowflake Gingerbread Ale. The brewery has only been open since 2014 so it sounds like their Snowflake may change from year to year as well:

A robust amber ale brewed with molasses, ginger, clove, and sweet cinnamon and new this year, cranberries! A great beer for the start of winter or for kissing it goodbye, the spices are prevalent but not overpowering and the cran adds just a touch of tartness. Just as no two snowflakes are alike, we plan on making this beer different every year for your enjoyment.

One of our buildings has a very storied one hundred year existence and for many years the brewery side was the home of the Snowflake Bakery, makers of fine breads, bread sticks and sweet rolls. It seemed fitting that we would pay homage to an institution well remembered and missed from our community. During the remodeling of the buildings, many bakery artifacts were recovered such as packaging labels from the Snowflake Raisin Rye Bread. Raise a glass for your local bakers!

Snowflake is 6.3% abv and 11 IBUs, a nicely malty amber ale that should make you think of nibbling gingerbread around the fireplace. Cheers!

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