The Brew Site
One of the goals of this Beer Advent Calendar is to offer up a variety of holiday beers from around the globe, and Japan is one of the countries that has been fairly under-represented in this regard, partially because Christmas in Japan is fairly different than here in the Western … Continue reading
We touched on Santa Claus very briefly in a roundabout way back on the 6th (St. Nicholas Day, with St. Nicholas being a northern European precursor/version of Santa), but the Beer Advent Calendar hasn’t yet featured a Santa-themed beer. Three Floyds Brewing from Munster, Indiana to the rescue with their … Continue reading
We’re now just over one-third of the way through the Beer Advent Calendar, which also means Christmas Day is a mere 16 days away! And according to Wikipedia, today’s Christmas-themed day is “Anna’s Day, [which] marks the day to start the preparation process of the lutefisk to be consumed on … Continue reading
One of the staple Christmas carols hitting the airwaves and school programs this time of year is the ever-popular “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”—one which if you ignore the slightly sinister undertones (“Bring us a figgy pudding… / We won’t go until we get some / So bring it … Continue reading
Nothing says “Christmas” quite like gingerbread: gingerbread houses, gingerbread men, gingersnap cookies (one of my favorite Christmas cookies)—there’s something about the combination of ginger and molasses, rich and spicy, that pairs well with the season, evoking warm kitchens, hot chocolate (or eggnog), fresh-cut fir trees, hearty food, and a plate … Continue reading
For as important and influential as Germany is when it comes to beer, there doesn’t seem to be a strong tradition of Weihnachten (“Christmas”) beers—most of the ones I’ve seen are Oktoberfest-styled beers brewed special for the holidays, but there don’t seem to be many. Yet what Advent calendar would be … Continue reading
Here in the United States today is Repeal Day, celebrating the ratification of the 21st Amendment that repealed Prohibition. Happy Repeal Day! I wanted to select a beer to help commemorate the day, and thought a beer from a brewery that survived Prohibition would be perfect—and Matt Brewing Company from … Continue reading
The French have a wonderful Christmas tradition, particularly rich in food (bûche de Noël anyone? In fact I’d love to have a beer based on this!), but France is not generally known as much for its beers. Fortunately there are a growing number of breweries that are endeavoring to change … Continue reading
Asheville, North Carolina is a bright star on the craft beer scene that’s been growing brighter in recent years, so much so that Charlie Papazian’s annual “Beer City USA” poll routinely sees Asheville ranked among the best beer cities in the country, not to mention the fact that both Sierra … Continue reading
One of the long-lasting Yuletide traditions hearkening back to England is the practice of wassailing, more modernly known as caroling: going door-to-door singing Christmas carols and the hopes of receiving figgy pudding and “good cheer” which actually meant wassail, which (of course!) refers to the hot, mulled punch that is … Continue reading