‘Tis the season!

With the festive season upon us, several Irish microbreweries have released winter beers for the dark evenings.

For the second year in a row, Eight Degrees has a dark spiced beer called A Winter’s Ale. This is 7.5% ABV and available bottled and on draught. The spices are a special blend provided by the Green Saffron spicery.

Also in its second year is Dungarvan Brewing Company’s Coffee and Oatmeal Stout, this year showing off the brewery’s new label design. Flahavan’s has provided the oatmeal, and the coffee comes courtesy of Badger & Dodo roastery. It’s 4.7% ABV and available in bottle and cask.

From Franciscan Well comes a very special Stout Aged in Jameson Whiskey Barrels. This is 7.8% ABV and available only in 1 litre bottles, though is expected to make an appearance on cask at the Franciscan Well Cask and Winter Ales Festival (15-17 February). The edition is limited to just 900 numbered bottles.

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without White Gypsy‘s Yule Ól making an appearance. This dark red ale is unspiced but shows lots of warming depth. 6% ABV and available bottled.

Exclusively on draught there’s Carlow Brewing Company‘s Winter Star. In place of the more typical Christmas spices, this 5% ABV ruby ale has coconut and orange peel added for a completely unique flavour profile.

Finally, Whitewater Brewery has launched its Christmas seasonal Sanity Claus in bottles this year, for the first time. This is 4.5% ABV and brewed with a small addition of cinnamon and nutmeg to add a little festive spirit.

All are available wherever good beer is sold in Ireland. Be warned, however, that stocks are strictly limited and supplies of some may be running short already.