Christmas and New Year beers worth seeking out

Why December beers are different

In northern Europe, winter beers were brewed strong and rich for cold nights and celebration. Belgian brewers make Christmas ales. British brewers made winter warmers. German brewers have strong bocks for the colder months. The thread is the same: more malt, more alcohol, often darker colour and sometimes spice.

In India December is the one month when much of the north is genuinely cold. Even in Bengaluru or Pune the evenings are cooler than at any other time. It is the right season for beers you would not touch in May. Our winter beers guide covers the wider category. This piece looks at what suits the festive table and the New Year party.

Belgian strong dark ales

The classic Christmas beer. Belgian strong dark ales usually sit around 8 to 12% ABV, with dark fruit, caramel and a warm spiciness that comes mainly from the yeast rather than added spice. Think raisins, plums, brown sugar and a dry finish that stops them feeling heavy.

Several Belgian breweries release a special Christmas beer each year, sometimes with spice added. They pair well with plum cake, roast meats and rich curries alike. Serve in a tulip or goblet at around 10 to 13 °C, not ice cold, so the aroma can come through.

Imperial stouts and porters

If you prefer roast to fruit, an imperial stout is the beer for the end of the year. Expect chocolate, coffee, dark fruit and a thick, smooth body, usually at 8 to 12% ABV. Some are aged in spirit barrels, which adds vanilla and oak.

A Baltic porter is a lighter route into the same territory, smooth and roasty, often brewed with lager yeast. Either is a natural match for chocolate desserts or a cheese board. Pour small: a 150 ml glass of a 10% stout is a full drink.

Let these beers warm in the glass. An imperial stout tastes of little straight from the fridge. Ten minutes on the table brings out the chocolate and dark fruit.

Tripels for the toast

Not every festive beer is dark. A Belgian tripel is golden, highly carbonated and dry, with peppery yeast character and a strength around 8 to 9.5% ABV. It has the lift and sparkle that suits a New Year toast. Plenty of people reach for it the way others reach for sparkling wine.

Serve it chilled in a tulip glass and pour slowly. The foam is part of the experience. A tall, dense head is a sign of a well-carbonated bottle.

Barleywines and spiced beers

Barleywine is the strongest of the traditional ale styles, often 9 to 12% ABV, with toffee, dried fruit and plenty of bitterness in the American versions. It ages well, which makes it a good bottle to put away and open next December to see how it has changed.

Keep any bottle you plan to age somewhere cool and dark, upright, away from the kitchen. In a city flat without air conditioning, the back of a cupboard in an inner room is better than a shelf by the window. A spare fridge is better still.

Spiced winter ales use cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, orange peel or clove. Done well the spice sits behind the malt. Done badly it tastes like a candle shop. Indian brewers have a natural edge here, with cardamom and ginger that people already know from food and chai, but the same rule applies: restraint.

Serving big beers at a party

Strong beers are for sipping, so serve them in smaller glasses and let people come back for more if they want. Keep them a little warmer than lager. Open bottles just before pouring and share one bottle among two or three people rather than handing everyone their own.

Make sure there is plenty for guests who are not drinking: good soft drinks, hop water, fresh lime soda or a non-alcoholic beer. Serve food throughout the evening. Nobody drives after drinking, so sort out cabs, a designated driver or a place to stay before the party starts.

Tasting these styles side by side is a good way to understand them. You will notice how much of the character comes from yeast and how much from malt, which is the start of understanding styles properly rather than just liking them.