It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Beer: Bell's Christmas Ale

Bell's may be my favorite microbrewery.  I like pretty much every Bell's beer I have had (aside from the hoppy stuff), and their Christmas Ale is no exception.  I'm not sure if they switch up the recipe every year (as some breweries do with their winter brews), but this tastes a little different than it has in years past.  It smells hoppier than it tastes, and it tastes more like a marzen or an ESB than a Christmas ale.  At 5.5% ABV, it's also lighter than a lot of winter beers.  I had previously given this five stars, but this year's version isn't as Christmasy as I prefer in a winter beer.

Name:  Christmas Ale

Brewery:  Bell's Brewery

Location:  Comstock, Michigan

ABV:  5.5%

IBU:  N/A 

Good for drinking if:  you don't want a lot of spice in your winter beer, or if you're from Michigan, or both.

Rating:  4 stars (out of 5)