What you need to know

Mmmm…Beer. The winter season holds many gifts for beer lovers in the form of big, bold ales designed to fend off the cold chill of a long winter’s night. Each year, the Holiday Ale Festival annually gathers up dozens of these winter warmers for a joyous five-day celebration. As a result, this quintessential Portland event has earned a reputation as the premier winter beer tasting venue on the West Coast.

Held in the heart of downtown Portland, the Holiday Ale Festival keeps attendees warm and dry under a large clear top tent that covers Pioneer Courthouse Square while allowing for views of the city lights. Gas heaters create a cozy ambiance under the boughs of one of the region’s largest decorated Christmas trees.

More than 50 potent winter ales are featured at this year’s event, all of which are created specifically to bring warmth and cheer to the holiday season. These aren’t beers you’ll find in the supermarket – our brewers have put together special recipes just for the Holiday Ale Festival. From Belgians and Barleywines to Porters and Stouts, these beers are rich, robust and full of complex flavors.

Imagine how cool you’ll be with your Beervana shirt on for this event too!
You’ll be the envy of all the other “Pickled Portlanders”!

The 2009 Holiday Ale Festival Beer List

Information Courtesy of Portland’s Holiday Ale Festival

Alameda Brewhouse • Papa Noel’s Special Reserve
Old Ale [Ale] • ABV: 8.5% • IBUs: 40
Papa Noel’s Special Reserve is brewed in the style of a big, malty English Olde ale. The beer is both kettle-hopped and dry-hopped with an English Noble variety that gives this ale a traditional British character. It’s also aged with Whisky-soaked oak spires, lending a dryness to the huge amount of Crystal malt employed in the grain bill. It’s just the beer for a chilly winter night.
Portland, OR • alamedabrewhouse.com Alameda Brewhouse Website • Visit Alameda Brewhouse BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Alameda Brewhouse RateBeer Listing!

Alaskan Brewing Company • Alaskan Barley Wine
Barleywine [Barleywine] • ABV: 10.4% • IBUs: 60
Alaskan Barley Wine Ale is as full-bodied as its deep mahogany color implies. It is brewed with three times the normal amount of malts – premium 2-Row and Specialty – to achieve its big malt character and high residual sweetness. An abundance of hops used during the boil and dry hopping process provides a contrast to the malt, resulting in the smooth balance that characterizes this specialty brew.
Juneau, AK • alaskanbeer.com Alaskan Brewing Company Website • Visit Alaskan Brewing Company BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Alaskan Brewing Company RateBeer Listing!

Anchor Brewing Company • Old Foghorn
Barleywine [Barleywine] • ABV: 9.0%

Old Foghorn is highly hopped, using only Cascade hops, and is fermented with a true top-fermenting ale yeast. Carbonation is produced by an entirely natural process called “bunging,” which produces champagne-like bubbles. The beer is dry-hopped with additional Cascade hops while it ages in our cellars. The high original gravity and full flavor of this ale makes it perfect for sipping after dinner.
San Francisco, CA • anchorbrewing.com Anchor Brewing Company Website • Visit Anchor Brewing Company BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Anchor Brewing Company RateBeer Listing!

Bayern Brewing • Face Plant
Doppel Weizen [Wheat Bock] • ABV: 7.5% • IBUs: 20
Face Plant is a top fermented, unfiltered dark wheat bock beer and serves as a worthy counterpart to Bayern’s famous Doppel Bock Lager. This is the brewery’s only decoction brewed beer, melding five types of malt (Wheat, Pilsner, Caramel Munich and Chocolate). The beer also surprises with its complex flavor and perfectly balanced sweetness thanks to German Hallertauer Perle hops.
Missoula, MT • bayernbrewery.com Bayern Brewing Website • Visit Bayern Brewing BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Bayern Brewing RateBeer Listing!

Bear Republic Brewing Company • Barrel-Aged Old Baba Yaga
Imperial Stout [Stout] • ABV: 11.5% • IBUs: 110
Old Baba Yaga was the witch who guarded the fountain of life and death, and held dominion over a wintery forest landscape. This beer is brewed to both celebrate winter’s bony fingers and represent some of the power of Baby Yaga’s fountain. The black depths of this Russian Imperial Stout, aged in French Oak Cabernet barrels, hold coffee, licorice and bittersweet chocolate flavor.
Cloverdale, CA • bearrepublic.com Bear Republic Brewing Company Website • Visit Bear Republic Brewing Company BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Bear Republic Brewing Company RateBeer Listing!

Black Diamond Brewing Company • Black Diamond Winter Ale
Belgian Abbey-Style Dubbel [Belgian Ale] • ABV: 7.5% • IBUs: 23
Rich Belgian malts and Belgian Candi Sugar are blended with spicy hops, then fermented with a unique Belgian yeast to create this beer. Dark garnet in color, the beer’s aroma is laden with jamlike fruit: raisins, dates, plums and cherries. The malts are big and luscious and the finish is long with a sherry-like smoothness.
Concord, CA • bdbrewing.com Black Diamond Brewing Company Website • Visit Black Diamond Brewing Company BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Black Diamond Brewing Company RateBeer Listing!

Block 15 Restaurant & Brewery • Oaked St. Nick
American Strong Ale [Strong Ale] • ABV: 9.4% • IBUs: 55
Block 15′s winter warmer, Ol’ St. Nick, is brewed with organic 2-Row and English Specialty malts. Ample amounts of Sterling and Mt Hood hops balance the malt, with additional Mt Hoods for dry hopping. This batch of Ol’ St. Nick spent two months aging on medium toasted American oak, contributing notes of vanilla, spice and wood, and giving you Oaked St Nick.
Corvalis, OR • block15.com Block 15 Restaurant & Brewery Website • Visit Block 15 Restaurant & Brewery BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Block 15 Restaurant & Brewery RateBeer Listing!

Brasserie Dubuisson Freres • Scaldis Noel (2007)
Belgian Dark Strong Ale [Belgian Strong Ale] • ABV: 13%
Three different malts give Scaldis its complexity, including a caramel malt for a rich, amber color. This beer is dry, with a clean, nutty finish. The nose is characterized by sherry, caramel, and roasted filbert aromas, complemented by some floral, hoppy notes. The finish is long and warming, but remains in balance with the flavors. * This beer will cost 2 tickets for a sampler and 8 tickets for a full mug.
Leuze-Pipaix, Belgium • br-dubuisson.com Brasserie Dubuisson Freres Website • Visit Brasserie Dubuisson Freres BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Brasserie Dubuisson Freres RateBeer Listing!

Brasserie Dupont • Avec Les Bons Voeux (2008)
Saison [Saison] • ABV: 9.5%
Translation: “With the best wishes of the Brewery Dupont”. This is their Christmas beer, a Christmas Saision if you will. The effervescence brings forth a lemony nose with hints of clove, banana and pepper. Its malty richness stays on the tongue until the next sip. This very complex, yet extremely drinkable “winter saison” comes across at 9.5%. * This beer will cost 2 tickets for a sampler and 8 tickets for a full mug.
Leuze-Pipaix, Belgium • brasserie-dupont.com Brasserie Dupont sprl Website • Visit Brasserie Dupont sprl BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Brasserie Dupont sprl RateBeer Listing!

BridgePort Brewing Company • BourbonEzer
Barrel-Aged Winter Warmer [Scottish Ale] • ABV: 6.3% • IBUs: 27
Taste what happens when BridgePort puts its Ebenezer Ale into American oak bourbon barrels for a year. An already smooth, malty and delicious ale mellows into a luscious holiday treat. Hints of vanilla mix and mingle with sweet caramel and toffee, while English Golding hops add a light spice. BourbonEzer is dark as a winter evening but friendly and inviting in the holiday spirit.
Portland, OR • bridgeportbrew.com BridgePort Brewing Company Website • Visit BridgePort Brewing Company BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit BridgePort Brewing Company RateBeer Listing!

Cascade Brewing Company • Drie Zwarte Pieten “Sang Noir II”
Barrel-Aged Sour Ale [Sour Ale] • ABV: 9.2% • IBUs: 5
“Sang Noir” is a Northwest adaptation of a traditional Flanders Style Sour Red Ale. A big, full-bodied tart cherry red ale with distinct barrel notes, this double red comes from a blend of several barrel aged beers, with portions of the beer aging in Pinot Noir and Whiskey barrels. Fresh Bing Blood cherries were added to some of the beer and refermented in the barrel for three months before being added to the final blend.
Portland, OR • raclodge.com Cascade Brewing Company Website • Visit Cascade Brewing Company BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Cascade Brewing Company RateBeer Listing!

Collaborator • Sled Crasher
Winter Warmer [Strong Ale] • ABV: 6.8% • IBUs: 42
Collaborator Sled Crasher is a rich-tasting, strong winter warmer whose fairly high bitterness is well-masked by a fruity, full-bodied caramel malt flavor and a touch of bittersweet chocolate in the background. It’s a big beer, but not so big that you can’t enjoy a couple of pints. It’ll definitely warm the cockles of you heart, and whatever other cockles that need to be warmed.
Portland, OR • widmer.com Widmer Brothers Brewing Website • Visit Widmer Brothers Brewing BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Widmer Brothers Brewing RateBeer Listing!

Deschutes Brewery • Lost Barrels of Mirror Mirror
Oak-Aged Barleywine [Barleywine] • ABV: 10.7% • IBUs: 51
After releasing this Mirror Mirror inspired barley wine earlier this year as part of the Reserve Series, the brewers discovered some “lost” barrels hidden in the back corner of the warehouse. They set aside this special 100% barrel-aged version of Mirror Mirror for occasions such as the Holiday Ale Festival. Lucky you!
Bend, OR • deschutesbrewery.com Deschutes Brewery Website • Visit Deschutes Brewery BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Deschutes Brewery RateBeer Listing!

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery • Chicory Stout
Chicory Stout [Stout] • ABV: 5.2% • IBUs: 21
Chicory Stout is a rich, dark beer made with a touch of roasted chicory, organic Mexican coffee, St. John’s Wort and licorice root. Creamy, roasty, peppery, dry and chocolatey, the beer is brewed with whole-leaf Cascade and Fuggles hops, and Pale, Roasted and Oatmeal grains.
Milton, DE • dogfish.com Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Website • Visit Dogfish Head Craft Brewery BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Dogfish Head Craft Brewery RateBeer Listing!

Eel River Brewing Company • Holiday Spiced Baltic Porter
Spiced Baltic Porter [Baltic Porter] • ABV: 8.0% • IBUs: 43
Eel River Brewing Co’s Spiced Baltic Porter is a California Common yeast fermented, cinnamon and vanilla spiced porter designed especially for the Holiday Ale Festival. Brewed with 100% organic hops and barley, its rich caramel and chocolate notes and subtle spices make this beer a very pleasurable winter warmer.
Fortuna, CA • eelriverbrewing.com Eel River Brewing Company Website • Visit Eel River Brewing Company BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Eel River Brewing Company RateBeer Listing!

Firestone Walker Brewing Company • Velvet Merkin
Oatmeal Stout [Stout] • ABV: 5.5% • IBUs: 33
This small batch traditional oatmeal stout is brewed with 15% oats, 31% Maris Otter malt and a portion of roasted barley. It’s hopped with 100% US grown Fuggles. The combination produces a smooth and creamy mouth feel, accompanied by a mild bitterness and a roasted caramel finish.
Paso Robles, CA • firestonewalker.com Firestone Walker Brewing Company Website • Visit Firestone Walker Brewing Company BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Firestone Walker Brewing Company RateBeer Listing!

Fort George Brewery & Public House • North III
Belgian Tripel [Belgian Ale] • ABV: 8.8% • IBUs: 99
Brewed strong, bold and sweet with honey malt and maple syrup, then fermented with our jolliest Belgian yeast, this beer then rests in the bright tank with 60 pounds of finely chopped sugar plums until the elves can wait no longer. The resulting elixir arrives onyx in hue with hints of oak and spice and a rich complex cornucopia of cheer for your palate. This is a fruitcake that won’t get tossed!
Astoria, OR • fortgeorgebrewery.com Fort George Brewery & Public House Website • Visit Fort George Brewery & Public House BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Fort George Brewery & Public House RateBeer Listing!

Full Sail Brewing Company • Wassail Holiday Blend
Barrel-Aged Blend [Strong Ale] • ABV: 7.8% IBUs: 60
This year, Full Sail brewers decided to don the Blendmaster hat and create a concoction from two of their favorite beers: Wassail and Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Porter. This mélange contains 35% Imperial Porter aged for nine months in Makers Mark casks, and 65% freshly filtered Wassail. The nose is Wassail’s green hop perfume washed with oak and hints of Bourbon, while the palate is full-bodied with elements of dark fruit, espresso and caramel, all finished with a long clean hoppy bitterness.
Hood River, OR • fullsailbrewing.com Full Sail Brewing Company Website • Visit Full Sail Brewing Company BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Full Sail Brewing Company RateBeer Listing!

Golden Valley Brewery • Barrel-Aged Tannen Bomb
Winter Warmer [Strong Ale] • ABV: 6.1% • IBUs: 35
Golden Valley has taken its strongest ale, the award-winning Tannen Bomb, and aged it in Pinot Noir oak barrels. Huge amounts of imported Carastan and Crystal malts impart a might complex of perfectly malted and roasted 2-Row barley for the beer lover to savor. The massive malt components are delicately balanced and refined with a generous hopping of Chinook, Liberty and Fuggles; and dry-hopped with Kent Goldings for an aromatic finish.
McMinnville, OR • goldenvalleybrewery.com Golden Valley Brewery Website • Visit Golden Valley Brewery BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Golden Valley Brewery RateBeer Listing!

Grand Teton Brewing Company • Black Cauldron
Imperial Stout [Stout] • ABV: 8.0% • IBUs: 43
This thick, rich Imperial Stout was brewed with plenty of Caramel and Roasted malts and subtly spiced with American Chinook and Styrian Goldings hops. The brewers accentuated the natural smokiness of the brew by adding a small amount of beechwood-smoked malt. The beer boasts flavors of chocolate and coffee, along with raisings and dried fruit soaked in sherry.
Victor, ID • grandtetonbrewing.com Grand Teton Brewing Company Website • Visit Grand Teton Brewing Company BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Grand Teton Brewing Company RateBeer Listing!

Great Divide Brewing Company • Hibernation Ale
English-Style Old Ale [Strong Ale] • ABV: 8.7% • IBUs: 37
Hibernation Ale has been Great Divide’s celebrated winter tradition since 1995. This robust, dry-hopped ale has a malty richness balanced with a complex hop forile and hearty, warming character.
Denver, CO • greatdivide.com Great Divide Brewing Company Website • Visit Great Divide Brewing Company BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Great Divide Brewing Company RateBeer Listing!

Holiday Ale / Hair of the Dog Commemorative • JIM (2009)
Strong Ale Blend [Strong Ale] • ABV: 10.0% Our gift to you. It’s a surprise; don’t tell anyone.
Portland, OR • hairofthedog.com Hair of the Dog Brewing Company Website • Visit Hair of the Dog Brewing Company BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Hair of the Dog Brewing Company RateBeer Listing!

Hopworks Urban Brewery • Kronan the Barbarian
Baltic Porter [Baltic Porter] • ABV: 8.3% • IBUs: 25
Deep like the Baltic Sea and as massive as the Swedish ship Kronan sunk in its icy waters, our Baltic Porter greets you with a frothy tan head and rich malty aroma with notes of chocolate, caramel, dark fruit and toasted marshmallow. As its garnet color mesmerizes, the rich flavors engulf the senses. Made with bottom fermenting lager yeast, Kronan the Barbarian is as rich and strong as an Austrian actor but with more depth.
Portland, OR • hopworksbeer.com Hopworks Urban Brewery Website • Visit Hopworks Urban Brewery BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Hopworks Urban Brewery RateBeer Listing!

Kona Brewing Company • Black Sand Porter
Porter [Porter] • ABV: 6.6% • IBUs: 40
Black Sand Porter is a robust, full bodied porter with pronounced bittersweet chocolate flavor and aroma from the diverse variety of malt – Premium 2-Row, Chocolate, Munich, Caramel, Carapils and Black – used to brew the beer. Centennial and Northern Brewer hops balance the maltiness of this robust and roasty ale.
Kailua-Kona, HI • konabrewingco.com Kona Brewing Company Website • Visit Kona Brewing Company BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Kona Brewing Company RateBeer Listing!

Lagunitas Brewing Company • Olde Gnarley Wine (2008)
Barleywine [Barleywine] • ABV: 9.9% • IBUs: 69
Making a mondo ultra mega super premium barleywine is a little like having a kid. The first part is fun and messy, it takes awhile to ferment, and then a whole lot longer to mature. It is expensive and takes up a lot of space. You worry about how it’ll grow up and whether or not you’ll still be friends. Eventually it stays out all night and comes home with its skirt on backwards. You know how it is…
Petaluma, CA • lagunitas.com Lagunitas Brewing Company Website • Visit Lagunitas Brewing Company BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Lagunitas Brewing Company RateBeer Listing!

Laht Neppur Brewing Company • Waitsburg Winkle Warmer
Holiday Spiced Ale [Strong Ale] • ABV: 8.0% • IBUs: 46
This finely balanced spiced ale is reminiscent of an after dinner holiday dessert. It is best enjoyed when slightly hand-warmed, to release the subtle aromas and full flavors of the sweet orange peel, cinnamon, clove and honey. Take your time and share it with a close friend or a complete stranger.
Waitsburg, WA • lahtneppur.com Laht Neppur Brewing Company Website • Visit Laht Neppur Brewing Company BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Laht Neppur Brewing Company RateBeer Listing!

Laughing Dog Brewing • Chocolate Huckleberry Stout
Chocolate Huckleberry Stout [Stout] • ABV: 5.5% • IBUs: 28
Wanting to put a spin on a chocolate stout, one of Laughing Dog’s brewers decided to add some Pacific Northwest huckleberries to a pilot batch he was brewing. The result was a smooth, creamy chocolate stout with just a hint of berry in the nose. Brewed with six different malts and English hops, the coffee and chocolate tones are the perfect holiday gift.
Ponderay, ID • laughingdogbrewing.com Laughing Dog Brewing Website • Visit Laughing Dog Brewing BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Laughing Dog Brewing RateBeer Listing!

Laurelwood Public House & Brewery • Polska Porter
Baltic Porter [Baltic Porter] • ABV: 10.1% • IBUs: 40
Polska Porter is the perfect remedy for a cold Warsaw winter night. A rich beer, this Baltic Porter uses a blend of four malts to achieve a unique and complex flavor. Na zdrowie. Vivat.
Portland, OR • laurelwoodbrewpub.com Laurelwood Public House & Brewery Website • Visit Laurelwood Public House & Brewery BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Laurelwood Public House & Brewery RateBeer Listing!

Lompoc Brewery • Brewdolph
Belgian-Style Red Ale [Belgian Ale] • ABV: 7.6%
This Belgian style red ale features a malty and creamy body. Brewed with the Belgian Ardennes yeast strain, it boasts a mild fruitiness and a spicy clove character.
Portland, OR • newoldlompoc.com Old Lompoc Brewery Website • Visit Old Lompoc Brewery BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Old Lompoc Brewery RateBeer Listing!

MacTarnahan’s Brewing Company • Chocolate Imperial Stout
Chocolate Imperial Stout [Stout] • ABV: 7.4% • IBUs: 48
Imperial Stout is a rich, dark, strong ale made with a variety of malts – Caramel, Chocolate, Dark Chocolate and Black -, roasted barley and oats, and select Nugget hops. Stouts were originally brewed for members of royalty and traditionally had higher alcohol content to allow for greater travel times. In this version, the brewers added chocolate nibs to the recipe to provide a very interesting flavor combination.
Portland, OR • macsbeer.com MacTarnahan’s Brewing Company Website • Visit MacTarnahan’s Brewing Company BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit MacTarnahan’s Brewing Company RateBeer Listing!

McMenamins Old St. Francis School • Elvin Conspiracy
Belgian Tripel [Belgian Ale] • ABV: 8.8% • IBUs: 28
Elvin Conspiracy Belgian Trippel is a golden hued ale that offers a nice mixture of fruitiness and spiciness due to the ester and phenol presence in the Trappist High Gravity yeast used during fermentation. There’s also a hint of citrus that urges the tongue to enjoy the clove-like flavor, and a moderately high amount of hop character brought on by Crystal and US Golding hops. The higher alcohol content creates a smoothness that borders along a creaminess the palate desires. So raise a pint for Santa and all the good he has done throughout the years, despite conspiracy minded elves!
Bend, OR • mcmenamins.com McMenamins Old St. Francis School Website • Visit McMenamins Old St. Francis School BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit McMenamins Old St. Francis School RateBeer Listing!

New Belgium Brewing Company • Lips of Faith Series
Various [Various] • ABV: Various IBUs: Various
New Belgium Brewing Co will be featuring – in no particular order – a smattering of its Lips of Faith beers. LOF is a series of beers made for the faithful, ranging from sour beers to saisons to otherwise adventurous styles of beers not made for wide consumption. New Belgium has assembled a crazy list, including: La Folie, Dandelion Ale, Tart Lychee, NBB Love, Le Terroir, Trip II, Trip III, Fall Wild Ale, Biere de Mars, Transatlantique kriek and Eric’s Ale. You may want to camp at the tap all weekend long!
Fort Collins, CO • newbelgium.com New Belgium Brewing Company Website • Visit New Belgium Brewing Company BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit New Belgium Brewing Company RateBeer Listing!

Ninkasi Brewing Company • Unconventionale
Herbed Imperial Stout [Stout] • ABV: 10.0% • IBUs: 70
Ninkasi has brought a deep, rich, dark stout that is full bodied and surprisingly smooth for a high octane beer. Delicious, creamy, warming and fulfilling, the flavor is rounded out by hints of lavender, tarragon and heather for a unique holiday offering.
Eugene, OR • ninkasibrewing.com Ninkasi Brewing Company Website • Visit Ninkasi Brewing Company BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Ninkasi Brewing Company RateBeer Listing!

Oakshire Brewing • Very Ill-Tempered Gnome
American Barleywine [Barleywine] • ABV: 9.5% • IBUs: 100
Look out! Someone in the brewhouse broke the Ill-tempered gnome’s little red cap. Now he’s very ill-tempered. To placate him, the brewers have cranked their hoppy brown ale up to 11! Well, 9.5 at least. Look for a complex malt profile balanced by a blast of flavorful and aromatic American hops, all woven together with a blanket of warming alcohol. This winter warmer is sure to soften the grumpy little guy!
Eugene, OR • oakbrew.com Oakshire Brewing Website • Visit Oakshire Brewing BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Oakshire Brewing RateBeer Listing!

Oskar Blues • Mama’s Little Yella Pils
Czech-Style Pilsner [Pilsner] • ABV: 5.3% • IBUs: 35
Mama’s is made with hearty amounts of pale malt, German specialty malts, and traditional (Saaz) and 21st century Bavarian hops. It’s the perfect antidote for the watered-down, cornfed versions of pilsner clogging America’s shelves. It’s fermented at cool temperatures with a German yeast. While it’s rich with Czeched-out flavor, Mama’s gentle hopping and low ABV make it a luxurious but low-dose beer.
Lyons, CO • oskarblues.com Oskar Blues Website • Visit Oskar Blues BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Oskar Blues RateBeer Listing!

Pelican Pub & Brewery • Bad Santa
Black IPA [IPA] • ABV: 7.0% • IBUs: 70
This mysterious dark elixir is filled with complex malt flavors and aromas with toasted malt and roast character blending seamlessly to the alluring herbal hop aroma that comes from copious amounts of Fuggle hops. Bad Santa doesn’t care if you’ve been naughty or nice, he wants this beer on your list.
Pacific City, OR • pelicanbrewery.com Pelican Pub & Brewery Website • Visit Pelican Pub & Brewery BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Pelican Pub & Brewery RateBeer Listing!

Pyramid Brewing Company • Super Snow Cap
Strong Ale [Strong Ale] • ABV: 9.0% • IBUs: 36
This heroic beer takes the brewery’s full-bodied winter warmer, Snow Cap, to a whole new level. The brewers took the same flurry of Roasted Chocolate and Caramel malts and generous hops, and powered it all into a more concentrated experience. The result is a super-charged deep mahogany brew full of malt sweetness and robust flavors and aromas, creating rich and warming aspects of dark fruits, nuts and spice with a sweet finish.
Seattle, WA • pyramidbrew.com Pyramid Brewing Company Website • Visit Pyramid Brewing Company BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Pyramid Brewing Company RateBeer Listing!

Redhook • Roggenhammer IPA
Imperial IPA [IPA] • ABV: 8.1% • IBUs: 57
This rich, smooth, well-balanced Imperial IPA boasts a fresh, dry-hopped finish. Its unique flavors are derived from malted and flaked rye, as well as specialty Caramel and 2-Row Pale malts.
Woodinville, WA • redhook.com Redhook Website • Visit Redhook BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Redhook RateBeer Listing!

Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery • Blitzen
Belgian-Style Tripel [Belgian Ale] • ABV: 8.4% • IBUs: 28
Blitzen is a strong golden ale with a fruity and spicy aroma. It’s bright and effervescent with notes of clove, plum, apricot, pepper and peppermint, balanced with a dry maltiness. The color is a deep gold, and it pours with a thick, rich, long lasting head. Whereas it is quite strong, it is remarkably light on the palate and easy to drink.
Portland, OR • rockbottom.com Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery Website • Visit Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery RateBeer Listing!

Rogue Ales • Mogul Madness
Strong Ale [Strong Ale] • ABV: 6.5% • IBUs: 68
Mogul Madness Ale is a dark and hearty beer with layers of complex malt flavor derived from Harrington, Klages, Maier Munich, Crystal 135/165 and Chocolate malts. The beer is radically hopped with seven different hops.
Newport, OR • rogue.com Rogue Ales Website • Visit Rogue Ales BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Rogue Ales RateBeer Listing!

Seven Brides Brewing • Drunkel
Strong Ale [Strong Ale] • ABV: 9.5% • IBUs: 90
This traditional Strong Ale has a wonderful malt aroma with hints of fruit and coffee. Its rich dark amber color and silky smooth finish hail from a blended trio of hops, malt and alcohol. Watch out, because this is one of those beers that will sneak up on you!
Silverton, OR • sevenbridesbrewing.com Seven Brides Brewing Website • Visit Seven Brides Brewing BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Seven Brides Brewing RateBeer Listing!

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company • Estate Brewers Harvest Ale (2009)
American IPA [IPA] • ABV: 6.7% • IBUs: 68
Estate Ale is the product of years of tending the soil, building an environment around the brewery, and even more years of planning. It began in 2003, with the planting of the first experimental hop yard in the field adjacent to the brewery. Over the years the field grew, and the hops along with it. The quality improved: the rhythm of planting, tending, and harvesting was established. In 2008, the brewery released Chico Estate Harvest Ale for the first time, utilizing the fresh-green flavors of these homegrown hops. The brewery was so pleased with the result that it decided to take it further than anyone else and produce a 100% estate-made beer.
Chico, CA • sierranevada.com Sierra Nevada Brewing Company Website • Visit Sierra Nevada Brewing Company BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Sierra Nevada Brewing Company RateBeer Listing!

Southern Oregon Brewing Company • Son of Santa
Imperial Red [Red Ale] • ABV: 9.0% • IBUs: 110
This winter offering is an Imperial Red with a backbone of Munich malts and flaked oats, following up with more than generous hop additions of Simcoe and Centennials to balance out an amazingly drinkable beast!
Medford, OR • sobrewing.com Southern Oregon Brewing Company Website • Visit Southern Oregon Brewing Company BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Southern Oregon Brewing Company RateBeer Listing!

Stone Brewing Company • Bourbon Barrel-Aged Arrogant Bastard
American Strong Ale [Strong Ale] • ABV: 7.2%
This is an aggressive beer. The brewers at Stone think you probably won’t like it. They say it is quite doubtful that you have the taste or sophistication to be able to appreciate an ale of this quality and depth. Prove them wrong!
Escondido, CA • stonebrew.com Stone Brewing Company Website • Visit Stone Brewing Company BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Stone Brewing Company RateBeer Listing!

Three Creeks Brewing Company • Rudolph’s Imperial Red
Imperial Red Ale [Red Ale] • ABV: 8.7% • IBUs: 80
This is a big, bold Imperial Red ale with ample malt and hops, hearty enough to fuel Rudolph for his sleigh ride and keep his nose shining bright and red all night long!
Sisters, OR • threecreeksbrewing.com Three Creeks Brewing Company Website • Visit Three Creeks Brewing Company BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Three Creeks Brewing Company RateBeer Listing!

Upright Brewing Company • Holy Herb
Farmhouse Winter Ale [Farmhouse Ale] • ABV: 6.9% • IBUs: 18
The Holy Herb is a malty farmhouse winter beer. The name refers to hyssop, a medicinal pant with a minty and bitter character that was added to the kettle. It’s also aged on eucalyptus wood staves and bark, which provides some earthy and cooling qualities to its flavor. A contrasting fruity aroma comes from a Belgian yeast that fermented the beer in open top tanks.
Portland, OR • uprightbrewing.com Upright Brewing Company Website • Visit Upright Brewing Company BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Upright Brewing Company RateBeer Listing!

Vertigo Brewing • Arctic Blast (2009)
Robust Vanilla Porter [Porter] • ABV: 5.8% • IBUs: 25
Briess Pale malt balanced with Roast, Dark, Crystal and Munich malts allow for the perfect mix of malted barley for this Robust Porter with Madagascar vanilla bean. Lightly hopped to allow a slight roast, dominant chocolate and vanilla bean character to come through, this beer borders on the low end of the IBU scale and the high side for Original Gravity.
Hillsboro, OR • vertigobrew.com Vertigo Brewing Website • Visit Vertigo Brewing BeerAdvocate Listing! • Visit Vertigo Brewing RateBeer Listing!

Widmer Brothers Brewing Company • Cherry Oak Doppel bock
Cherry Oak Doppel Bock [Doppelbock] • ABV: 9.0% • IBUs: 35
Widmer’s brewers took their original Doppel Bock, kicked up the OG and ABV, and fermented it with dark sweet and red tart cherries. They then aged the beer on oak spirals to impart a subtle wood flavor.
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Information Courtesy of Portland’s Holiday Ale Festival