Here's a list of seasonal Austin beers for a hops-step into the holiday season
We’re ready for some seasonal dishes, hideous sweaters, Christmas carols and the bloom of new family memories. ‘Tis the season to be jolly, right?
If you’re looking for a brew that has some pumpkin spice and cinnamon, or gingerbread and oat flavors, consider your wish fulfilled. Here are a few Austin bars and breweries offering holiday-themed beers. Looking to find one in the grocery store? Check with the breweries for retail availability.
Austin Beerworks
Austin Beerworks is set to release Sputnik on Dec. 4. It's a Russian imperial coffee oatmeal stout that holds the silky flavor of your favorite morning brew. It is brewed with oats and Cuvee coffee, which makes for a stellar beer that rivals any café mocha martini. (3001 Industrial Terrace; austinbeerworks.com)
Hold Out Brewing
Named after actor John Candy's band from the classic holiday flick "Home Alone," the Kenosha Kicker cream ale will be released at the Best Fest celebration, a party thrown by Hold Out and sister café Better Half, on Dec. 3. The beer is a collaboration with Good Line Beer in Lubbock, and it is described as "lightly hopped, highly carbonated and immensely crushable." (1208 W. Fourth St.; holdoutbrewing.com)
St. Elmo Brewing Co.
The brewery's Mary Christmas ale, named after an original employee, is a full-bodied amber ale brewed with cinnamon and bitter and sweet orange peel, adding some spice to your holiday celebration. The beer is available in cans and on draft at St. Elmo. (440 E. St. Elmo Road, G-2; stelmobrewing.com)
Last Stand Brewery
The South Austin brewpub feeds into the pumpkin spice hype with Punkin Pyre, an ale made from smoked pumpkins, spices and a small portion of malt that's smoked using post oak wood.
To make things more festive, Last Stand is offering a winter warmer and a coffee porter that land on the brewery's menu in early December. The coffee porter starts out as a robust porter, then adds cold brewed coffee to create the final taste. The winter warmer is a step down in spice, but its large malt body and strong flavor will certainly keep your body heated. (7601 S. Congress Ave., Building 6; laststandbrewing.com)
Lazarus Brewing Co.
The East Austin brewpub is gifting Austinites with a slew of delicious brews just in time for Christmas. On Dec. 13, patrons can unwrap Lazarus Brewing's holiday-themed American IPA called the Abominable, which will be available in 16-ounce cans in the brewery's taproom.
The next day, the First Noel, an American wild ale with figs, will make its debut. The new brew will be followed by the release of an imperial saison called Old St. Nick on Dec. 16, and the horchata milk stout on nitro named the Yukon Cornelius on Dec. 17. All four beers will be available at Lazarus Brewing's East Sixth Street location and the brand's new Airport Boulevard taproom. (1902 E. Sixth St. and 4803 Airport Blvd.; lazarusbrewing.com)
Blue Owl Brewing
Blue Owl Brewing is barrels-deep into the holidays, with a number of seasonal beers a-brewin'. One of the most popular is the brand’s Jubilberry sour cranberry ale, a drink complemented by hints of ginger and soft-flaked oats.
Two first-time releases will make their taproom menu debut in December. The first is the Adjunct Professor Black, a sour imperial stout with chocolate and orange, and the second is a non-sour nod to New Year’s Eve called Bob’s Great Porter. The Adjunct Professor Black is set to release on Dec. 14 and Bob's Great Porter will be available on Dec. 16. (2400 E. Cesar Chavez St., No. 300; blueowlbrewing.com)
Meanwhile Brewing Co.
Meanwhile Brewing is offering a winter warmer ale called Fireside. The beer is made with cascade hops and various malts that emanate flavors of orange peels, oolong tea and toffee. The brew will be available on tap and in cans throughout the month of December. (3901 Promontory Point Drive; meanwhilebeer.com)
Pinthouse Brewing
Pinthouse is offering a real seasonal treat. The pizza-and-beer franchise’s winter warmer ale is brewed with freshly harvested Colorado blue spruce tips and illuminates notes of pine, cherry and blueberry that are wrapped up in a comforting sweetness. (2201 E. Ben White Blvd.; 4236 S. Lamar Blvd; 4729 Burnet Road; 2800 Hoppe Trail in Round Rock; pinthouse.com)
Stay Put Brewery
This new Rainey Street gem is slated to add Munich dunkel, a dark German lager, to its taproom menu. While not technically a holiday beer, its sweet aroma, notes of caramel and gingerbread and spiced flavor certainly feel like Christmas. Patrons can expect this gift of a beer a week before Santa slides down your chimney. (73 Rainey St.; stayputbrewery.com)
Celis Brewery
Celis Brewery’s Quad carries notes of raisins, plum, chocolate malts and other lush sweeteners. The ale, made to complement a variety of holiday dishes and desserts, will be available on draft and in four-packs of 16-ounce cans on Nov. 19. (10001 Metric Blvd.; celisbeers.com)
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Nomadic Beerworks
Through a collaboration with local brewer Shannon Harris and Marvis Dixon, a lead at Fast Friends Brew Co., Nomadic Beerworks will release a winter warmer on Dec. 10 called As One. This brew is made with nutmeg, cinnamon, orange peels and other flavors.
It's the second beer crafted by the two Austinites. The first, also named As One, was a fresh hop hazy pale ale that was released at St. Elmo Brewing in September. The duo's second rendition of As One will be released during a launch party at Nomadic's Outpost location (3505 Country White Lane), an event that will also include a Christmas toy drive. The release is part of an initiative Harris and Dixon developed to bring Black and Indigenous people and other people of color, as well as folks who don't normally drink craft beer, to local breweries. (nomadicbeerworks.com)
Whitestone Brewery
Whitestone Brewery’s Melted Snowman winter warmer ale is a mouthful of seasonal joy. This limited-edition winter beer has cinnamon, nutmeg and caramel notes, with a chocolate-flavored finish. The brew is available on draft, in six-pack cans and in kegs, as well as at a number of local bars. (601 E. Whitestone Blvd., Suite No. 500, in Cedar Park; whitestonebrewery.com)