Beer of the Week, Christmas Edition

So the beers I've recommended this winter have been without added spices: more unadorned seasonals really. Well, should you want a festive spiced brew over the holidays, I have found just the one for you.

Coming directly out of Brew City, USA, Lakefront Brewery produces a Holiday Spice Lager brewed with orange zest, cinnamon, and clove. It pours a hazy deep amber with a an off-white head that quickly dissipates. The beer smells like clove, but also raisins and caramel. The honey really comes through on the palette with a maerzen like sweetness surrounded by festive spice.

I generally shy away from overly spiced beers; I dislike Lakefront's Pumpkin, for example, but for some reason this extremely spiced beer seems to work, especially around the holidays. It's definitely going to be polarizing; either you will like it, or you will hate it, but I encourage you to give it a go. Lakefront is an all around excellent brewery, and they win some points for creativity on this beer. If you are ever in Milwaukee, take the tour. It's a cool old warehouse near downtown, and you get a lot of beer and a sweet pint glass.

Merry Christmas to you, from me, and Lakefront Brewery's Holiday Spice Lager.

Links of Interest:

Lakefront Brewery