The Champagne of Beers!

Miller High Life already has laid claim to the “champagne of beer” title, but luckily some fabulous craft beers are coming on to the market to take it back. There is a lovely trend in craft brewing right now, with brewers creating high gravity beers, packaging them in 750 ml bottles, and even putting on the finishing touch with champagne corks rather than bottle caps. The result is a fun festive drink that is sure to attract attention at your holiday gatherings. The brew getting the most press these days is Sam Adams’ Infinum.

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It was just released late last week, and it is in limited supply so -quick!- head to your local store and grab some. While we have yet to be lucky enough to try some (soon though, very soon), the reviews coming in are praising its notes of apple, pear, apricot and peach. You may think it’s some kind of magical beer/champagne hybrid, but make no mistake, as a collaboration between the Boston Beer Company and the Weihenstephan Brewery out of Germany, this brew adheres to the strict German Beer Purity Laws – the only ingredients are water, hops, malt, and yeast (in this case, champagne yeast), without any of the adjuncts that have become increasingly popular in American craft brews.

If you’re interested in more classic winter brews to warm you up, a great option is Highland Brewing’s spicy and malty Cold Mountain Winter Ale. Brewery Ommegang’s Chocolate Indulgence is also about as close to hot chocolate as a beer can get, which is a real win-win situation (have I mentioned that Nashville is experiencing record lows right now?). So bundle up, hunker down with one of these recommendations, and make the most out of these cold winter nights!