2016 Holiday Gift Guide: 7 seasonal Toronto craft beers to enjoy this winter

Winter beers are here and while they’re best served cold, these bubbly bottles will warm you right up.

Brimming with seasonal flavours like cranberries, chocolate, spices and cherries, these Toronto-area beers are only available for a limited time. Stocking up before the holidays is advised if you want to ensure you’ll have enough good cheer to get you through the rest of the winter.

Here are seven outstanding winter beers from local craft breweries.

Brrrwinter Weisse

Seasonal beers from Bandit Brewery will be released every Friday in December. First up, this rich winter sour is brewed with dark wheat malts and tart cranberries.

Find it on tap and in the bottle shop at the Dundas West brewery.

Instagram: @bandit_brewery

Nutcracker Porter

This seasonal favourite from Black Oak Brewery is a full-bodied ale that is perfect for the cold snowy days. Cinnamon sticks thrown into this brew give it a spicy warmth, meanwhile a subtle hop backbone gives it toasty notes.

Find it for sale in 650 mL bottles at the brewery bottle shop and at the LCBO during the winter months.

Instagram: @blackoakbrewing

Tibb’s Eve – Bière de Noël

From Folly Brewpub, this super special (and very limited) Christmas Bière de Nöel is a Belgian-inspired brew spiced with ginger, cinnamon, and fresh orange peel then aged in a wine barrel.

Quantities are extremely limited and available at the brewery in bottles and on tap while it lasts.

Address: 928 College Street, Toronto
Instagram: @follybrewing

Cranberry Festive Lager

A photo posted by MichelleDrinksBeer (@michelledrinksbeer) on Dec 20, 2014 at 3:40pm PST

Railway City Brewing Co. out of St. Thomas Ontario releases this Vienna lager annually. This brew boasts wintery flavours like biscuits, gingerbread, mandarin oranges and tart cranberries.

Find it in gift packs at LCBO stores.

Instagram: @railwaycitybrewing

Almond Kolsch

If marzipan is a fixture in your household around the holidays, this German-style nut beer from Prince Edward County’s Barley Days might just be the perfect festive drink. The golden brew boasts a subtle hops taste and finish of almonds.

Buy at the brewery (should you find yourself out that way), or take advantage of online shopping.

Instagram: @barleydayson

Harry Porter & Bourbon Soaked Vanilla Bean

A photo posted by Great Lakes Brewery (@greatlakesbeer) on Nov 14, 2015 at 5:32am PST

This American style porter from GLB will cast a spell on beer lovers with its notes of chocolate, espresso, and smoke.

Find it at the brewery’s retail store in Etobicoke in the winter months.

Instagram: @greatlakesbeer

Winter Beard

This limited edition double chocolate cranberry stout is a rich brew from Muskoka Brewery made with dark chocolate malts, real cocoa, 70% dark chocolate, and locally harvested cranberries.

Find 750 mL bottles all boxed up and ready for gifting at the LCBO.

Instagram: @muskokabrewery