Britain's CAMRA apparently has a great idea for this Yule - start early. As part of their "Christmas Cheer With Beer" campaign they include suggestions for different meals including this one:
BREAKFAST: Smoked salmon and scrambled eggsI must be some sort of puritan as everyone knows that sherry and cake is the meal for first thing Christmas morning. I did picked up a few Christmas ales including the three large ones in this review from last year as well as another from St-Sylvestre. For the most part in Canada, however, Christmas beer means a macroblat newly labeled with a wreath added...not the kind of thing I am going to suggest for breakfast.
TRY: An English style wheat beer
WHY: The beer will complement the delicate flavour of the fish, but is not too hoppy as to overwhelm it.
RECOMMENDED: Meantime Wheat Grand Cru (Contact brewery for stockists) or O'Hanlon's Double Champion Wheat. (Available at Booths, Thresher and Majestic).
The good guys - for guys at the west end of the lake, that is - at Bar Towel have a story with plenty of links to holiday brew suggestions but there is only one actual Christmas reference in all the beers, Glenora Springs Yuletide Cherry Porter. I have had questions in the past about this brewery (thought I've had a better taste of their beer on tap at the Kingston Brew Pub) but I understand the brewery had those questions, too, and now it's is called Barley Days Brewery...and they still are making that cherry porter. Nice local branding. I look forward to finding this maybe actual honest to goodness Canadian Christmas ale and giving it a try.
Comments
Knut Albert - December 15, 2006 6:26 am
I find the recommendation from CAMRA a bit puzzling, I don't agree that there is any English style wheat beer. There are fine English pastiches of German and Belgian wheat beers, but they could have recommended a fine German brew instead.
Alan - December 15, 2006 9:52 am
Since my people left Norway in 1250 we have not kept up. What is the Christmas holiday beer tradition there? Anything like English wassail-ing?
Alan - December 17, 2006 9:06 pm
Not much luck finding that Yuletide Cherry Porter as I checked out the Glenora Springs Brewery only to find it quiet. The staff at both the LCBO and The Beer Store in Picton were not sure of whether it was open but both mentioned it was under new ownership. All looked neat and tidy at the site itself both inside and out but only the old labeling was on display as far as I could tell.<p><center><img src="http://www.genx40.com/images/2006h/glen1.JPG" vspace="10"><p><img src="http://www.genx40.com/images/2006h/glen2.JPG" vspace="10"></center>
Alan - December 17, 2006 9:17 pm
And as I had a hard time finding the place for no reason I can think of, it is between the ferry and the road up the hill on the hill side of Highway 33. Here is a map:<p><center><img src="http://www.genx40.com/images/2006h/glen3.JPG" border="1" vspace="15"></center>
Knut Albert - December 18, 2006 8:37 am
The Norwegian Christmas beers are traditionally rather sweet and nutty, with an alcohol volume of about 6.5%. Good with fatty food.
There are still areas of the coutry where the farmers malt their own barley and brew beer for Christmas, this is described in one of the large Michael Jackson books.
The trend now is to experiment more with the seasonal beers, adding spices and stuff. Soem of them are quite all right, some are rather nasty.
Paul - December 18, 2006 9:02 am
Blended Whisky in a cup of tea is the best first drink of the Christmas day - about 8.00am !
Paul of Kingston - December 18, 2006 10:14 am
Don't know why I didn't think of it sooner but Mill Street's Coffee Porter seems the obvious choice for my Christmas breakfast beer. It's bittered with coffee and it'll go very well with me kippers and eggs! 'Nuf said.
KH - December 13, 2007 6:42 am
There is q wonderful Winter Warmer from Picarons Brewery in NB.