Beer is the gift that keeps on giving, and with this being the pre-Christmas weekend of frantic, final shopping, the Crew is here to assist you in providing for that thirsty family member/friend who is in need.

Putting our heads together, we have each come up with a beer that we feel fits perfectly in tune with the holiday season and is currently available on tap at an ABQ-area brewery. Now since the breweries will be closed on Christmas, our advice is to get a growler and share the joy.

Without further adieu, here are our picks for the best beers for your growler this joyful holiday season.

Brandon: A special occasion calls for a special beer, and that immediately brings to mind one of my recent favorites from La Cumbre Brewing Company, and it comes in the form of their 2nd Anniversary Imperial Stout. This beer just fits the cold weather that has blanketed our state recently, and it is perfect for a night by the fireplace. Now, for those not accustomed to big beers, you may want to go with something else; but for those dark beer lovers and those who love a plethora of malty, bitter goodness that comes in a stout, THIS is the ticket! This is bound to give you more than your recommended daily intake of malts, as the layers are plentiful. Are there hops to balance out the malt, you ask? There’s plenty of Magnum and Centennial hops in there to do so. If that wasn’t enough, Jeff Erway and Daniel Jaramillo then transferred this behemoth into Pinot Noir and Syrah barrels to age for another 90 days upon completion. The result is pure brilliance; Stoutmeister and I indulged in a goblet during La Cumbre’s 2nd anniversary shindig, and were more than impressed. There’s plenty of cocoa and raisin present, some slight sweetness and a fairly easygoing alcohol feel, considering how potent it is (11.5% ABV). The Pinot Noir and Syrah flavors are present with a dry, oakey taste at the back of the palate. Overall, this is a wonderful beer that won’t be around long (as it is a limited anniversary batch), so fill a growler while you can and give that special someone a big beer of a gift.

E-Rock: The first beer that comes to my mind as a perfect gift growler is Nexus’s Imperial Cream Ale. The award-winning gem is perfect for people unfamiliar with craft beer, but also craft beer connoisseurs. To the uninitiated drinker, the Imperial Cream Ale is easy to approach since it is light in color, smooth, tasty, and refreshing. It’s like Coors or Bud Light would be if there was truth in advertising. As an added bonus, it has a high alcohol content, a feature sure to please anyone’s inner frat boy. In addition to being accessible to people who can’t handle the complexity of a Newcastle, the Imperial Cream Ale has a rich and intriguing flavor profile that can satisfy even the most critical beer snobs. So, if you want to buy a growler of great beer for someone, but you don’t know what they like, drop by Nexus, get a growler of the Imperial Cream Ale, and grab yourself a pint and something off of their delicious menu while you wait.

Shilling: Is on the disabled list this week. Since he can’t drink beer right now, we weren’t going to torture him by making him think of his holiday favorite.

Stoutmeister: I had a hard time deciding what singular beer to recommend, so instead I wanted to recommend three beers (yes, I’m cheating) depending on what part of town you live in. If you live in the southeast/downtown, hop on over to Tractor Brewing for the Mustachio Milk Stout. This sweet, creamy elixir has been on tap multiple times due to its popularity. It is the perfect beer to enjoy with your dessert, and as a bonus it is light enough, as stouts go, to be enjoyed be even those poor souls who do not usually like dark beers. If you live in the northeast/North Valley, head to Bosque Brewing for their traditional Oatmeal Stout. This beer is big and burly, with a smoky bite and a smooth finish. This one is for true dark beer lovers, so make sure you have some of those wherever you are going. If you live on the west side, stop by Broken Bottle before the latest batch of Rip Van Winkle Vanilla Stout runs out. This second version has more pronounced stout flavors than the first, not letting it taste like too much vanilla. There is still some vanilla sweetness in there, but it is balanced by a roasted, coffee-like flavor that gives RVW an extra kick. This is another one that would go great with dessert.

These are just a few of the beers we would recommend. In truth, there is probably a beer for you at each and every one of the Albuquerque metro area’s breweries. So head out this weekend, as they are all going to be closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

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Please drink responsibly and stay safe this Christmas. It can be a stressful time, so do not overindulge. We will be back before New Year’s with an article or two, then charge into 2013 with plenty of new stories, beer reviews, more home brews, some collaboration attempts, trips behind the scenes at local breweries, more brewer interviews, and anything else we can think of.

Thanks for following us through our bumpy, but fun, first year. We will be celebrating the one-year anniversary of the NMDSBC in January and will have further details as things come together!

Cheers!

— Stoutmeister