Belgian Christmas ABV 7.1% IBU 26
Fermentables: 2-Row Pale, Pils, Special B, Candi Sugar, Cranberries, Cherries
Hops: Santiam
Good Tidings is a celebratory ale brewed with Belgian yeast, candi sugar, dried cranberries and cherries, and cherry juice. It’s hardly a fruit-forward beer, but the cranberries and cherries do impart a slight reddish hue plus a hint of tartness. The yeast esters enhance the beer’s subtle fruitiness, allowing a bit of cherry to shine through. And the Pils malt provides a gentle grain sweetness on the back end.
I can’t think of a better way to instigate merrymaking, but I admit to having a one-track mind when it comes to beer. You might also consider holiday-themed charades or, perhaps, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s underrated “Jingle All the Way” to set the mood.