Sometimes it seems as if Christmas is associated with all the wrong liquids. Like eggnog. Do people still drink that stuff? Or hot mulled wine. And I know you’re all yearning to gulp down a piping-hot goblet of wassail, right? Wrong.
At Christmas time, beer is where it’s at. And not just hale and hearty English ales, like the infamous “Santa’s Butt” and “Bad Elf” from Oxfordshire’s Ridgeway Brewers. For our money, no one does Christmas beer like the Belgians. From a sweet ruby jewel like Gouden Carolus Noël to a warming barley wine like N’Ice Choufe, the lowlanders know how to celebrate the holiday with potent panache.
One of the best of the bunch is Delirium Noël, a strong ale brewed by the fine folks at Brouwerij Huyghe in Melle, Belgium. The minute you see the team of pink elephants towing Santa’s sleigh, you know this one’s gonna be a fun time. Pouring a regal russet color, topped with a fluffy, snow-like head, it almost seems to glow.
Now, we could be imagining things, but in its magical mélange, we seem to notice hints of almost every Christmas flavor under the tree: a bit of rich caramel here, some orange tang over there; a rummy kick; a sweet hint of hard candy; a bit of cinnamon or nutmeg spice. Is that sugarplums? (Dunno. Never had ’em.) This much is true: at a toasty 10 percent ABV, it sure is, uh, festive.
Available for approximately $8.99 for a 750-ml bottle at better area liquor stores.
