Ah, Christmas. It's the time of year when every business known to man vies for your Jesus money. They pull out their big guns of gimmicks and faux frenzies.Thanksgiving dinner is now a meal you have to wolf down quickly so you can get a good spot in line before Target opens. Hollywood releases a couple of cheesy Christmas flicks every year for a quick buck. South Coast Plaza starts building their Godzilla-sized Christmas tree before Halloween. It seems almost all businesses will stamp a Santa hat on their products so you'll buy gifts your loved one's didn't even know they wanted.
Now that I've got my Occupy Christmas rant out, I will say not all Christmas editions are empty products sure to be forgotten come Dec. 26. Case in point: Delirium Noel. The Huyghe Brewery of Melle, Belgium, is best known for their Delirium brand, specifically the tripel Tremens. Delirium has a cult following in the craft beer world, and Delirium Noel tends to sell out each winter at most retailers, not because of Noel novelty, but because Delirium has a new beer out.
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Noel is bold. It boasts a 10% APV and after your first sip there will be no question. The alcohol is certainly there, but it flows well with the addition of spices and caramel malt. At first sip, you get the smooth taste you'd expect from Delirium, but soon after the hearty spice is all there. Also, the bottle itself is fit for a Christmas decoration. The 73cl bottle is corked, coated with a speckled ceramic paint and has their signature pink elephant bundled up for winter. Screw you spiced egg nog– Winter has a new signature drink now.
Available at fine craft beer outlets such as Total Wine and BevMo.
When not running the OCWeekly.com and OC Weekly’s social media sites, Taylor “Hellcat” Hamby can be found partying like it’s 1899.