Christmas Beer: Styles, Spices and a Holiday Ale Recipe
The main Christmas beer styles, when to brew them, how much cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg or orange peel to use, and our honey spice Christmas ale recipe at 7.2% ABV.
In this post
The short answer: there’s no single Christmas beer style. Most are stronger, darker and warming: English winter warmers and old ales, spiced holiday ales with cinnamon, nutmeg, orange peel or ginger, strong Belgian dark ales, rich stouts, and German Weihnachtsbier, a strong amber festive lager. Brew them in October so they have time to condition, and add spices lightly, late in the boil or in the fermenter, tasting as you go. Our favourite recipe, a honey spice Christmas ale at 7.2% ABV, is below.
| Style | Character | ABV |
|---|---|---|
| Winter warmer / old ale | Malty, caramel and toffee, sometimes lightly spiced | 6–8% |
| Spiced holiday ale | Cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, orange peel, ginger | 5–8% |
| Belgian dark strong ale | Dark fruit, spice from the yeast | 8–11% |
| Holiday stout | Roast, chocolate, sometimes vanilla or spice | 6–10% |
| Weihnachtsbier | German festive lager, malty and amber | 5.5–7% |
When to brew a Christmas beer
Strong, spiced beers need time. Brew in October or early November: two weeks to ferment, then three to six weeks to condition. Spice character softens as the beer ages, so a beer that tastes a little too spicy at kegging is often just right by Christmas. Stronger beers, like Belgian dark strong ales and imperial stouts, benefit from two months or more.
How much spice to use
| Spice | Per 5 gallons | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cinnamon | 1 to 3 sticks | Sticks are cleaner than ground cinnamon, which leaves a muddy sediment |
| Fresh ginger | 0.5 to 1 oz, sliced | Bright and warming; dried ginger is harsher |
| Nutmeg | ¼ to ½ tsp, freshly grated | Easy to overdo; start low |
| Whole cloves | 3 to 6 | Very strong; too many taste medicinal |
| Sweet orange peel | 0.5 to 1 oz | Adds a festive citrus note |
| Vanilla | 1 bean, split | Best added in the fermenter for a week |
Add spices in the last 10 to 15 minutes of the boil, or make a “tea” by steeping them in a little hot water and adding it to taste at kegging. The tea method lets you stop exactly where you like it.
Honey Spice Christmas Ale recipe
This is one of our favourite holiday beers, adapted from a recipe we found on Brewer’s Friend a few years back: a malty amber ale with honey, cinnamon and ginger.
Bräu Supply recipe · All-grain
Honey Spice Christmas Ale
Grain · for 5 gal into the fermenter
| 11 lb (4.99 kg) | Pale 2-row malt | 82% |
| 1.05 lb (0.48 kg) | Crystal 40 | 8% |
| 1.05 lb (0.48 kg) | Wheat malt | 8% |
| 0.27 lb (0.12 kg) | Special roast | 2% |
| 0.05 lb (0.02 kg) | Roasted barley | 0% |
| 0.85 lb (0.39 kg) | Honey (last 15 min of the boil) |
Hops
| 0.85 oz (24 g) | Mt. Hood · 5.5% AA | 60 min |
| 0.85 oz (24 g) | Mt. Hood · 5.5% AA | 15 min |
| 0.85 oz (24 g) | Cascade · 6% AA | 11 min |
Spices and water salts
| 2.5 each | Cinnamon sticks | Last 15 min of the boil, then 15 min after flameout |
| 0.85 oz (24 g) | Fresh ginger, sliced | Last 15 min of the boil, then 15 min after flameout |
| 2.5 g | Calcium chloride (CaCl₂) | Mash |
| 2.5 g | Gypsum (CaSO₄) | Mash |
Yeast and water
| 1 pkg | London Ale yeast (Wyeast 1028) | |
| Water | Balanced water; the salts above are per 5 gal. | |
Process
- Mash: 154°F (68°C) for 60 minutes, then mash out at 168°F (76°C) for 10 minutes
- Boil: 60 minutes; honey, cinnamon and ginger with 15 minutes left
- Steep: Leave the spices in for 15 minutes after flameout, then chill
- Ferment: 66°F (19°C) for about 2 weeks
- Condition: Keg or bottle and give it 3 to 4 weeks before serving
Brew it on
Based on 72% brewhouse efficiency and about 5.5 gal after the boil for a 5 gal batch. Adapted from a recipe we found on Brewer’s Friend and have brewed for years.
Brewer’s notes
- Resist the temptation to add more honey than the recipe calls for. Honey ferments completely, so extra honey makes the beer thin, dry and boozy rather than sweeter.
- For the cinnamon and ginger, I find the best method is to add them with 15 minutes left in the boil and leave them in for another 15 minutes after flameout.
- A simple mash at 154°F (68°C), with a 10 minute mash out at about 168°F (76°C), leaves enough body to carry the spice.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Christmas beer?
A seasonal beer brewed for the holidays, usually stronger, darker and richer than everyday beers, often with spices, honey or dark fruit.
When should I brew a Christmas beer?
In October or early November, so it has four to eight weeks to ferment and condition before the holidays.
Can I spice a beer after fermentation?
Yes. Make a spice tea or a tincture with vodka and add it to the keg a little at a time until it tastes right.
What is Weihnachtsbier?
German for “Christmas beer”: usually a strong, malty amber lager, like a stronger Märzen. Try our Märzen recipe with a little more malt.
More winter beers
For a darker holiday beer, see porter vs stout and our Irish stout recipe. Browse all our recipes.