Uncork the magnums, this is the winners’ circle. Through a gauntlet of judging panels and on to the editors’ table for a last round of blind tasting and spirited discussion, these are the beers that lit up our palates and our brains—or that simply had us yearning for another, and another.
(Providence, Rhode Island)
We love Sierra Nevada Celebration as much as anyone, and IPA still sells, so we don’t think less of any brewer who releases yet another hoppy riff as a snowy seasonal. But call us nostalgic for the winter warmers of yore—and this ale belts out nostalgia like a crooner, from Bing Crosby on the can through the fruit and spice (cherry, orange peel, ginger) to its provenance from a 135-year-old legacy brewery. It’s the kind of beer we’d grab off the shelf in December without hesitation, knowing from long experience that the liquid is unlikely to meet hopes stoked by such delightful setup. That’s the beauty of blind tasting: Our judges hadn’t heard the sales pitch when they reveled in its flavors: an after-hours office party of fresh-baked pie crust, dried fruit, and orange marmalade, gentle ginger dancing tipsily with balancing bitterness; a kiss of alcohol warmth. It brings fun and buoyancy to the festivities, making the case for reviving a richer kind of brew to sip at those piano-side sing-alongs.
