Ah, the festive season! It brings us gifts, comfort food and festive family moments! But also all kinds of specialties created especially for the occasion. One of our favorites? Belgian Christmas beers, of course! And many Belgian breweries concoct delicious cervoises for this period. Comforting, they are usually amber (but not always!), sometimes caramelized, flavored with spices and stronger in alcohol. Discover some of our favorites!
Cuvée de Noël – Brasserie St-Feuillien
Created in 1969, this ruby-tinted brown ale seduces with its generous head and intense aromas. Thanks to a subtle blend of caramel malts, controlled fermentation and long cold aging, it reveals a unique roundness where sweetness and bitterness are perfectly balanced. At 9% alcohol, it’s the perfect accompaniment to simmered dishes, festive roasts and Christmas sweets.
Schieve X-Mas – Brasserie de la Senne
This Christmas beer with a new recipe boasts a dense, beige head and a coppery color with appetizing red highlights. With no added fruits or spices, it offers a surprising balance between malt and hops. You’ll also find flavors of caramel, cookie, candied fruit, tangerine and licorice. At 8%, it stands out for its persistent bitterness, dry, light finish, and warm but not overly alcoholic character . This is a limited edition to be enjoyed by the bottle or on draught to welcome winter in style!
N’ice Chouffe – Brasserie d’Achouffe
The winter beer of the famous elves! It has a dark brown color, spicy aromas of thyme and curacao, and a fine bitterness on the finish. At 10%, this unfiltered Belgian Strong Ale seduces with its notes of caramel, dried fruit and creamy head. Perfect for warming up by the fire! It goes just as well with game, black pudding and smoked salmon as it does with milk chocolate for festive, gourmet pairings.
Gordon Xmas – Brasserie Palm
Created in the 1930s, Gordon Xmas is the pioneer of Belgian Christmas beers! It’s easily recognized by its famous red scarf and ruby color. With its woody notes, balanced sweetness and creamy head, it offers a powerful taste and a long, warm finish. At 8.8%, this iconic beer is a holiday must-have, ideal for toasting at the foot of the tree.
Frère Jacob Winter Bell – Broeder Jacob Brewery
This Christmas beer is distinguished by the bold addition of Tawny port, aged for 5 years in oak barrels in Portugal’s Douro Valley. Its complex notes of oak, almond, walnut and plum enrich a malty base for a result as surprising as it is delicious. At 9% alcohol, it’s a warm, refined beer, ideal for lovers of original, festive flavors.
Christmas Ale – Brasserie St. Bernardus
Brewed especially for the holidays, this intense brown ale (10% alcohol) is bursting with winter flavors. It offers fruity notes, hints of anise, creamy caramel and roasted chestnuts. It also seduces with its lingering aftertaste of dried fruit and chocolate. With its warm, spicy character, it’s the perfect accompaniment to game and chocolate desserts, for an elegant Christmas dinner.
Schuppenboer Winter – Brasserie Het Nest
This Christmas lager, matured for almost a year in Belizean and Jamaican rum barrels, offers exceptional depth. Its woody, rum notes blend harmoniously with the fruity, bitter flavors of hops, for a bold balance. Twice voted best winter beer at the Essen Christmas Festival (2018 and 2019), it seduces with its unique, refined character.
Santa Claus – Brasserie De Ranke
A counter-current to traditional Belgian Christmas beers, this 7% hopped amber surprises with its pronounced bitterness and herbaceous, spicy notes. With a touch of licorice on the finish, it’s more reminiscent of a Belgian IPA than a classic festive beer. Perfect with meats, stewed dishes or Christmas pastries, it’s a seasonal nugget not to be missed.