St. Bernardus Christmas Ale 11.2 oz can

Belgian Brown Strong Christmas Ale

Brewed by: St. Bernardus Brewery
Country: Belgium
Style: Winter
Color: Brown

ABV: 9.8% 
Cellaring: Yes
Ratebeer.com rating: 99
BeerAdvocate.com rating: 94

St. Bernardus Christmas Ale is an abbey-style ale that pours dark reddish brown with a frothy beige head and medium carbonation.

Top fermented and bottle conditioned, the brew boasts aromas of sweet caramel, dark fruits, raisin, cinnamon, clove, chocolate, bread and notes of anise.

Taste follows a similar profile and also includes sweet apricot, banana, licorice, marzipan, and molasses, some peppery spice and a slight hop bitterness.

The mouthfeel is creamy and light to medium bodied; the 10.0% ABV is well hidden but warming; and the finish is long, bittersweet and dry.

Food Pairings

Pair with pizza, any meat and cheese plate or winter stew, a hearty creamy soup, honey ham, duck, turkey, and many desserts especially bread pudding. Serve at 45 - 50 degrees F.

Brewery Information:

The St. Bernardus Brewery was founded in 1946 by Evarist Deconinck. When the Trappist monks of the St. Sixtus Monastery in Westvleteren, Belgium decided that brewing and promotional efforts had become a serious distraction from religious and contemplative activities, they granted Deconinck a license to brew and distribute Trappistine beers based on the monastery's recipe.

That arrangement continued for decades, but in 1992, when it was decreed that only beers brewed within the walls of a monastery under direct control of the monks could be called Trappist beers, St. Bernardus launched its own brand of abbey beers to huge success.

Today, the brewery distributes award winning ales to more than two dozen countries including the United States, Canada, Brazil, Australia and Japan.