I am unabashedly a fan of McMenamins beers, as long-time readers are probably aware, and the company’s annual Christmas beer, Kris Kringle, is a favorite during the holiday season. It’s a malty, classic American winter warmer, released in November to accompany the holidays.

Each of the various breweries across the company’s footprint brews its own version of Kris Kringle, while the Edgefield Brewery in Troutdale typically brews the version that is packaged. While the brewers all follow the same recipe, inevitably each version will showcase minor differences owing to different brewhouses and sizes, water profiles, brewer experience, and more.

The overall description says:

In the spirit of the original jolly old elf and his nocturnal ramblings, McMenamins brewers have created a namesake beer, Kris Kringle. Toasty caramel and fig flavors evoke holiday delights, while two hop varieties, Simcoe and Mosaic, added in multiple stages deliver the gift of intense hop flavor and aroma.

The general stats for the beer have it at 6.84% ABV with 69 IBUs. Some day I’d love to be able to taste different locations’ renditions of the brew (side by side would be awesome), but this year I had a four-pack of cans from the Edgefield to enjoy for the holidays.

Appearance: Deep amber-brown, some bronze highlights at the edges. Creamy and dense fine tan head.

Smell: Rich and malty, with dark fruits and some floral esters; mincemeat with a gently spiced hop aroma. Some syrupy notes of dark sugars (invert?). Touch of old leather.

Taste: Toasty with burnt sugar notes and caramelized malt, with a nice hop bitterness that’s earthy with a touch of peppery spice. Big malt profile that punches above its weight; ABV-wise, it drinks “warmer” than 6.8%. Some dark fruit, a touch of coffee, rock candy, wintergreen.

Mouthfeel: Medium-full body with a nicely rich finish.

Overall: A tasty, classic winter warmer.