christmas beersJust after the last gift has been unwrapped on Christmas day, it’s a good time to start thinking about the first beer to open. There is no shortage of beers named for the holiday. While it’s a good bet many of you have already enjoyed a multitude leading up to the big day, often these beers fall out of favor by midnight of the 26th.

Since we’re not big of figgy pudding, the staff of All About Beer Magazine recently gathered with our friends at the Craft Beer Cellar in Belmont, MA, for a Christmas beer tasting. We opened some old familiar favorites and some that were new-to-us. If you can spot them on a shelf before the big day, these beers in a glass will help to make things merry and bright.

Brouwerij Corsendonk’s Corsendonk Christmas Ale

Breckenridge Brewery’s Christmas Ale

Southern Tier Brewing Co.’s 2XMAS

Two Roads Brewing Co.’s Holiday Ale

Abita Brewing Co.’s Christmas Ale

The Traveler Beer Co.’s Jolly Traveler

The beers were reviewed by John Holl, Dustan Lilas, Lee Movic and Kelsey Roth on Dec. 5, 2014, at the Craft Beer Cellar in Belmont, MA. Photography by Peter Johnstone. 

John Holl is the editor of All About Beer Magazine. Contact him via Twitter @John_Holl or JohnHoll@AllAboutBeer.com