50 Best Christmas Beers to Drink in 2026

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St. Bernardus Christmas Ale earns a place on the holiday board because it is the complete Belgian Christmas package: abbey-like yeast character, dense fruit, spice, and enough dryness to keep ten percent alcohol from tasting syrupy.

Serve at 50–54°F in a chalice with roast duck, fruitcake, or aged Gouda. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Sierra Nevada Celebration IPA earns a place on the holiday board because celebration has marked hop season since 1981, proving a Christmas beer can smell like pine and citrus instead of cinnamon, cloves, and brown sugar.

Serve fresh at 42–46°F in an IPA glass with roast turkey, sharp cheddar, or spicy sausage. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Troegs Mad Elf earns a place on the holiday board because honey and cherries make this ruby strong ale feel unmistakably festive, while expressive yeast adds pepper and dark fruit rather than relying on a cabinet full of baking spices.

Use a tulip at 48–52°F with glazed ham, cherry pie, or funky washed-rind cheese. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Great Lakes Christmas Ale earns a place on the holiday board because since 1992, this has been the Midwestern definition of Christmas ale: amber malt, ginger snap warmth, cinnamon aroma, and honey that rounds rather than buries the finish.

Serve around 46–50°F with ham, gingerbread, or creamy cheddar; fresh cans show the clearest spice. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Delirium Noel earns a place on the holiday board because the pink elephant puts on a Santa hat, but the beer underneath is serious: red fruit, toffee, fermentation spice, and a surprisingly dry, warming finish.

Pour into a goblet at 50–54°F with beef stew, plum tart, or blue cheese. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Samuel Smith Winter Welcome Ale earns a place on the holiday board because winter Welcome offers quiet English balance in a category that often shouts. Firm malt, earthy hops, and mineral structure make it an excellent long-table beer.

Serve at 48–52°F in a nonic pint with roast beef, Stilton, or mince pie. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Gouden Carolus Christmas earns a place on the holiday board because brewed months before December, this strong dark ale uses measured spice and conditioning time to knit licorice, raisin, caramel, and alcohol into one polished pour.

Serve at 52–55°F in a chalice with venison, fruitcake, or aged cheese. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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N’Ice Chouffe earns a place on the holiday board because thyme and orange peel give this dark holiday ale a savory-citrus signature, while candy sugar raises the strength without making the body heavy.

Serve near 52°F in a tulip with roast pork, orange-glazed duck, or nutty cheese. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Corsendonk Christmas Ale earns a place on the holiday board because its corked bottle and old-world label fit the table, but the real draw is a layered dark-fruit profile lifted by restrained spice and lively carbonation.

Serve at 50–54°F in a goblet with roast goose, walnut tart, or Brie. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Scaldis Noel earns a place on the holiday board because one of the strongest traditional holiday ales, Scaldis Noël derives its richness chiefly from malt and fermentation, making it more digestif than gingerbread cookie.

Use a small chalice near 54°F with pâté, blue cheese, or bread pudding. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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De Ranke Pere Noel earns a place on the holiday board because santa holds a hop cone on the label for a reason: Père Noël is bitter, dry, and aromatic, a bracing counterpoint to sweeter Belgian Christmas bottles.

Serve at 46–50°F in a tulip with roast chicken, herbal stuffing, or Comté. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Dupont Avec Les Bons Voeux earns a place on the holiday board because originally brewed as a holiday gift for the brewery’s best customers, Bons Vœux turns saison-like brightness into a stronger, cellar-worthy celebration beer.

Serve at 48–52°F in a tulip with mussels, roast poultry, or triple-cream cheese. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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De Dolle Stille Nacht earns a place on the holiday board because stille Nacht is famously dense and age-worthy, with pale malt and sugar evolving toward honey, marmalade, sherry, and dried fruit as bottles mature.

Pour a small serving near 54°F with fruitcake or sharp cheese, and compare vintages if possible. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Affligem Cuvee de Noel earns a place on the holiday board because this abbey-style seasonal leans creamy and malt-rich, offering a softer, rounder expression of Christmas spice than the sharper, hoppier Belgian bottles nearby.

Serve at 50–54°F in a chalice with roast capon, chestnuts, or caramelized fruit. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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De Struise Tsjeeses earns a place on the holiday board because the irreverent label fronts a complex strong ale whose orange marmalade, stone fruit, yeast, and alcohol continue changing as the bottle warms.

Serve around 52–55°F in a tulip with duck, aged Gouda, or almond cake. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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St-Feuillien Cuvee de Noel earns a place on the holiday board because ruby color, roasted caramel, and dried-fruit depth give this holiday cuvée traditional Belgian heft while a measured bitterness keeps the finish composed.

Serve at 50–54°F in a goblet with roast pork, walnut bread, or hard cheese. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Deschutes Jubelale earns a place on the holiday board because released since 1988 with changing annual artwork, Jubelale combines collector appeal with a reliable dark-malt profile that remains substantial without becoming boozy.

Serve at 46–50°F in a nonic pint with stew, roast vegetables, or chocolate cake. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Bell’s Christmas Ale earns a place on the holiday board because bell’s skips obvious spice additions and lets a Scotch-ale malt bill create the holiday mood through caramel, toast, molasses, and gentle warmth.

Serve at 48–52°F with roast beef, cheddar, or pecan pie; Michigan malt shines as it warms. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Revolution Fistmas earns a place on the holiday board because fistmas brings enough hop bitterness to keep ginger and orange peel lively, producing a festive red ale that works through dinner rather than only after it.

Serve at 44–48°F with ham, pizza, or ginger cookies, and drink the newest batch. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Breckenridge Christmas Ale earns a place on the holiday board because a Colorado seasonal since 1993, this full-bodied warmer builds holiday character from dark malt and alcohol instead of leaning heavily on added spice.

Serve around 48–52°F with pot roast, bread pudding, or smoked Gouda. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Anderson Valley Winter Solstice earns a place on the holiday board because winter Solstice is creamy and nostalgic, using vanilla-like sweetness and caramel malt to suggest holiday cookies without climbing into imperial-stout territory.

Serve at 46–50°F in a pint with sugar cookies, glazed ham, or mild blue cheese. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Great Divide Hibernation Ale earns a place on the holiday board because hibernation has been a Denver winter ritual since 1995, marrying chewy old-ale malt with enough bitterness to prevent its fig and chocolate notes from sagging.

Serve at 50–54°F in a tulip with roast lamb, fruitcake, or aged cheddar. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Avery Old Jubilation earns a place on the holiday board because old Jubilation proves a beer can feel festive without added spice: five specialty malts create nut, toffee, cocoa, and dried-fruit depth all by themselves.

Serve around 50°F with prime rib, roasted nuts, or bread pudding. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Athletic Lodge Life earns a place on the holiday board because a holiday list should include a genuinely thoughtful alcohol-free pour. Lodge Life supplies cocoa, cinnamon, and roasted warmth without asking the designated driver to settle for soda.

Serve at 42–46°F in a stout glass with cookies, chili, or roasted nuts. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Schlafly Christmas Ale earns a place on the holiday board because schlafly treats the spice bill like mulled wine, layering juniper and cardamom with citrus and caramel malt for one of the category’s most aromatic American examples.

Serve at 48–52°F with roast turkey, gingerbread, or sharp cheddar. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Shiner Holiday Cheer earns a place on the holiday board because holiday Cheer takes a completely different path through Texas peaches and pecans, using a dark wheat base to make fruit and nuttiness feel cozy rather than summery.

Serve at 44–48°F in a weizen glass with ham, pecan pie, or barbecue. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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BrewDog Hoppy Christmas earns a place on the holiday board because this red-can seasonal keeps the celebration bright and bitter, delivering piney hop aroma for drinkers who would rather decorate the tree than drink it as potpourri.

Serve fresh at 40–44°F with spicy appetizers, roast chicken, or sharp cheddar. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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pFriem Winter Ale earns a place on the holiday board because pFriem threads modern citrus and pine hops through a rich amber malt base, creating a winter ale that bridges fresh IPA energy and traditional warmer comfort.

Serve at 44–48°F in a tulip with roast turkey, stuffing, or aged Gouda. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Summit Winter Ale earns a place on the holiday board because summit’s long-running seasonal drinks like a sturdy pub ale built for Minnesota weather, with dark malt depth and earthy hops instead of conspicuous dessert flavoring.

Serve at 46–50°F in a nonic pint with stew, sausages, or chocolate cake. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Abita Christmas Ale earns a place on the holiday board because abita changes the seasonal presentation while keeping a brown-ale core where biscuit, chocolate malt, pine, and citrus work across a full holiday meal.

Serve at 44–48°F with smoked turkey, gumbo, or pecan pie. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Saint Arnold Christmas Ale earns a place on the holiday board because a Houston holiday fixture since 1995, Saint Arnold’s ale is rich but unspiced, relying on layered malt and Pacific Northwest hops for cheerful warmth.

Serve at 46–50°F with brisket, roast pork, or bread pudding. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Thirsty Dog 12 Dogs of Christmas Ale earns a place on the holiday board because this Ohio seasonal goes straight for the traditional pantry, but honey and a robust malt base keep its cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg from tasting thin.

Serve around 48°F with ham, ginger cookies, or aged cheddar. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Karbach Yule Shoot Your Eye Out earns a place on the holiday board because the leg-lamp joke gets attention, while the red ale underneath delivers an approachable mix of caramel, citrus, and spice suited to crowded holiday refrigerators.

Serve at 44–48°F with pizza, ham sandwiches, or sugar cookies. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Rhinegeist Holiday Bubbles earns a place on the holiday board because cranberry acidity keeps this festive ale buoyant while ginger, cinnamon, and vanilla create the pastry-shop aroma expected from a modern holiday release.

Serve at 42–46°F in a tulip with baked Brie, turkey, or cranberry tart. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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AleSmith YuleSmith earns a place on the holiday board because yuleSmith gives hop lovers a legitimate Christmas centerpiece, using a red-IPA malt base to support resin, citrus, and a confidently bitter finish.

Serve very fresh at 44–48°F with roast beef, sharp cheddar, or spicy nuts. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Samuel Adams Old Fezziwig earns a place on the holiday board because named for Dickens’s generous party host, Old Fezziwig is an accessible spiced brown ale whose toffee and citrus make it useful far beyond a tasting flight.

Serve at 46–50°F with roast turkey, mince pie, or cheddar. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Samuel Adams Winter Lager earns a place on the holiday board because winter Lager combines clean fermentation with dark wheat and familiar holiday spice, making it a widely available bridge between amber lager and Christmas ale.

Serve at 44–48°F in a mug with sausages, roast chicken, or gingerbread. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Prairie Barrel Aged Christmas Bomb! earns a place on the holiday board because barrel aging turns an already crowded Christmas Bomb recipe into a slow nightcap, with whiskey oak linking cacao, coffee, vanilla, spice, and ancho warmth.

Serve a four-ounce pour near 55°F with pecan pie or blue cheese. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Hardywood Gingerbread Stout earns a place on the holiday board because hardywood’s flagship seasonal helped establish gingerbread stout as a serious category, using local honey and ginger to build recognizable cookie flavor over stout.

Serve at 50–54°F with gingerbread, vanilla ice cream, or smoked pork. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Fremont Winter Ale earns a place on the holiday board because fremont’s dark winter ale trades baking-spice theatrics for roast, caramel, nuts, and a dry noble-hop finish that feels built for wet Northwest nights.

Serve at 48–52°F with mushrooms, pot roast, or chocolate tart. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Founders Backwoods Bastard earns a place on the holiday board because although not labeled Christmas beer, Backwoods Bastard lands squarely at the holiday table: rich Scotch-ale malt, bourbon warmth, oak, and dark fruit reward slow sipping.

Serve near 54°F in a snifter with prime rib, pecan pie, or Gouda. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Odell Isolation Ale earns a place on the holiday board because isolation Ale captures the cabin-in-snow mood with straightforward malt comfort, yet a clean hop finish keeps the caramel and molasses profile from becoming sleepy.

Serve at 46–50°F with stew, roast chicken, or nutty cheese. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Einbecker Winter-Bock earns a place on the holiday board because a true bock gives the flight a clean-fermented German alternative to spiced ale, with toast, caramel, and warming strength delivered without yeast theatrics.

Serve at 46–50°F in a mug with sausages, roast pork, or pretzels. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Spencer Holiday Ale earns a place on the holiday board because america’s only Trappist brewery closed in 2022, making this former seasonal a meaningful archive bottle as well as a rich example of monastic holiday brewing.

If found in sound condition, serve at 52°F with fruitcake or aged cheese and treat it as history. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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21st Amendment Fireside Chat earns a place on the holiday board because named for Roosevelt’s radio addresses, Fireside Chat combines a strong dark English-style base with subtle spice rather than turning the can into liquid candle wax.

Serve at 48–52°F with chili, roast beef, or brownies. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Lagunitas Brown Shugga’ earns a place on the holiday board because born from a failed barleywine batch, Brown Shugga’ became a beloved winter release by embracing sticky caramel malt and then cutting it with unmistakable Lagunitas hops.

Serve near 52°F in a snifter with smoked meat, blue cheese, or pecan pie. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Alaskan Winter Ale earns a place on the holiday board because sitka spruce tips give this old-ale-inspired seasonal a regional signature, contributing bright forest and berry notes that feel festive without conventional baking spice.

Serve at 46–50°F with salmon, roast pork, or sharp cheddar. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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New Belgium Holiday Ale earns a place on the holiday board because cranberry and orange keep this modern holiday ale lively while cinnamon and a stronger malt base supply the warmth expected after the sun disappears early.

Serve at 44–48°F with turkey, baked Brie, or cranberry bread. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Harpoon Winter Warmer earns a place on the holiday board because first released in 1988, Harpoon’s Winter Warmer is an East Coast veteran whose straightforward cinnamon-and-nutmeg profile still works because the base beer remains lean.

Serve at 46–50°F with shepherd’s pie, cookies, or cheddar. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.

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Port Santa’s Little Helper earns a place on the holiday board because santa’s Little Helper closes the list with a stout that earns its holiday name through annual ritual rather than spice, delivering cocoa, coffee, hops, and warming strength.

Serve around 54°F in a snifter with chocolate cake, smoked beef, or blue cheese. Holiday beer changes quickly: check the release year, package date, and exact variant before buying multiples or cellaring a bottle.